Love Walked Among Us ~ Audiobook Review

I received this book courtesy of Christian Audio for the purpose of writing a review. 

Narrator Thoughts ~ Once again I was treated to an author read book. It always adds an extra demention to the book when the author can add his or her own touch to the book. I enjoyed hearing this author read his book with emotion and passion. While it wasn't the most perfessional I've heard and at times I felt they could have done a better job of editing. Still I think the soulfulness and beauty of the author reading it was worth it. 

Book Thoughts ~ The title of this book was intriuging to me. The past few years God has been showing me how to trust in His love and love others in the same way. Sadly though, lately I had been slipping into the habit of being selfish. This book challenged me to the core. Through personal struggle and looking at the life of Jesus, Paul shows how we can love like Jesus. After I was halfway done with the book, I noticed my perspective was changing. I started to notice others needs. Instead of getting upset, I would try to see it from their perspective. Instead of confronting a friend about an issue, we sat down and I gently told her what I was seeing cause a rif in our relationship. We cleared the air and we were both built up. When I chose to lift her up and see things through her eyes, the result was the deepening of a relationship. 

This book was so good at just showing how Jesus loved and showing how we could love in the same way. I love Pauls mix of honesty and story. It was exactly what I needed to hear.

I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn to love like Jesus loved and loves. 

You can buy this audiobook at christianaudio.com or amazon.com 

Audiobook Review: A Loving Life

I received this audiobook courtesy of Christian Audio for the purpose of writing a review.  

Narrator Thoughts - While he had a wonderful and passionate subject to talk about, he didn't put as much passion into his voice. I felt at times he came across as flat and just saying the words. He did well on reading at, just not as much passion as I would like. 

Book Thoughts - I really enjoyed this book. It wasn't anything that I hadn't learned before, but the reminders and the way he presented the information were encouraging. 

He explains how eastern people would have thought about this story and then meaning of the Hebrew names. It adds a whole new dimension to the story. 

In an age of disposable relationships and the talk of love as a feeling, it's refreshing to hear love talked about as a covenant. True love gives itself away without any strings attached. Love continues no matter the season. Inside of committed love, we thrive. 

Ruth shows us how when we lose our lives, it's then that we really start to live. By following her example, we too can grow and thrive inside of true love. 

You can get your own copy of A Loving Life by Paul E. Miller on Christian Audio or Amazon.  

20 Bits of Encouragement For Ministry #1

This month I’m going to be giving you 20 pieces of advice that I’ve found over my years of ministry. My hope is that these little snippets will encourage you in your endeavors.

1.       Always remember the reasons behind your actions.

2.      Pray (all the time). Even if you don’t see the effects, know that God hears and will act.

3.       Enjoy the process. Life is a journey, enjoy it.

4.       Put people first, even if it means all your work doesn’t get done.

5.       Stick with a project. It may not seem glamorous at times, but you make more of an impact than you think. 

Check Mark

Jesus only had one thing on His to-do list. Seek and save the lost. when that was done, He put a check mark  by your name. "It is finished."

Source

The work is complete. You are enough. Know that you will always have more to do here. There will always be more demands on your time and energy. There will always be something else to do. You can't possibly do it all.

But just because you can't do it all doesn't mean that you are a failure. It just means you're human. Know that in God's eyes, you are already enough. You are complete. You are treasured. You are loved. 

When the pressures of to-do lists, deadlines, meetings, and people press in you aren't a failure because of what you can't do. You are loved for who you are. Let go of unrealistic expectations and enjoy the reality of living in His finished perfect work. 

Love Like That

Source

By Rose H.

I like this song. To me it summarizes what I want to do this year. I want to live my life in such a way that when people see me they see the Love of God.

Am I love to the least of these? In all my ministry and striving, am I showing love to others? I pray so. I pray that my life screams LOVE.

                                                     Live Like That
                                                             By Sidewalk Prophets 

Sometimes I think
What will people say of me
When I'm only just a memory
When I'm home where my soul belongs

Was I love
When no one else would show up
Was I Jesus to the least of those
Was my worship more than just a song

I want to live like that
And give it all I have
So that everything I say and do
Points to You

If love is who I am
Then this is where I'll stand
Recklessly abandoned
Never holding back

I want to live like that
I want to live like that

Am I proof
That You are who you say You are
That grace can really change a heart
Do I live like Your love is true

People pass
And even if they don't know my name
Is there evidence that I've been changed
When they see me, do they see You

I want to live like that
And give it all I have
So that everything I say and do
Points to You

If love is who I am
Then this is where I'll stand
Recklessly abandoned
Never holding back

I want to live like that
I want to live like that

I want to show the world the love You gave for me
I'm longing for the world to know the glory of the King

I want to live like that
And give it all I have
So that everything I say and do
Points to You

If love is who I am
Then this is where I'll stand
Recklessly abandoned
Never holding back

I want to live like that
I want to live like that

Small Action Stories 1

Our actions make a difference.

This is the thought that stuck with me after listening to the Focus on the Family Radio Theater version of Les Miserables. As I listened to this dramatic tale unfold, I was struck by the love and grace of the story. Because of the kind act of one poor priest, a man was changed. And because a man changed, many others were loved and changed for the better.

Never think that your actions are too small to make a difference. Your actions may seem small, but they create a ripple effect that spreads to all those around you. These acts show God's love and care.

Whether it's holding a door open for someone, talking kindly to an elderly woman, encouraging a little boy to do better, or cleaning something without being asked your actions make a difference. They give others the courage to go on, to keep up the good fight, to change. Keep going. Keep giving. Keep Loving.

Your actions (however small you may perceive them) make a difference.

Audiobook Review: Because He Loves Me

I received this audiobook for Christian Audio for the purpose of doing a review. 

Narrator thoughts - To be honest I found this narrator to be a bit monotone. Maybe it was just me, but she didn't seem very enthusiastic about her subject. 

Book Thoughts - When I first saw this book I was excited. I thought that it would be a book about basking in the fathers love. Instead I found a long (sadly dry) book about how our father is very wrathful but has decided to love us anyway. 

That's not the God I serve. My God and Jesus love people deeply and is broken-hearted by the effects of sin. He made a way for us to be with Him because He loves us and doesn't want us to be apart, but it was a joint effort. 

I felt like the book came across more discouraging then I would like. Besides the author didn't really organize her thoughts as I like.

Maybe this was just me, but I didn't like the book very much. 

To see this or more titles go to http://christianaudio.com  

Thankful For ...

Day 24

Jewelry. To remember fun memories, or someone’s love, or to accent an outfit. I love the collection I have. 

Attitudes to Cultivate: Peace

By Rose H.

Peace. Tranquility of soul. In harmony with others. At rest.

Peace is something that eludes us. We want it, but restlessness, war, and worry set in stumping out any peace. We do serve the Prince of Peace after all. Shouldn’t peace be easier than it is? The problem is that we still live with our sin nature. And our outward circumstances many times aren’t conducive to peace.

The one thing that we have to remember is that peace doesn’t come from us. Peace comes from God. Trusting God provides us with the gift of peace. As we see that He will provide for our every need (strength amid trials, money needs, love for the day) we can rest knowing God has got it covered.

But this isn’t acquired overnight. Again it’s something that God grows in us. He becomes our Prince of Peace as we trust Him for everything.

Another thing that you can do is to talk honestly about your worries and fears to Him. Ask Him to help you overcome these and replace them with peace. Another thing to make sure is that you are at peace with yourself. No, I am not suggesting that you go on some mystical journey and talk to yourself and settle accounts. What I am saying is accept the person that God made you to be. Even if that person isn’t everything that you would like, accept yourself. Be at rest with who God made you to be.

Peace is something that God creates in you it doesn’t start on the outside. It comes from God and from knowing Him. So keep loving Him and keep seeking Him. He is the giver of all good gifts, including peace and He loves to give it to His children.   

Attitudes to Cultivate: Patience

By Rose H.

Patience. Not getting ticked off. Waiting calmly. Being kind to people even when they aren’t being kind to you.

Patience hasn’t been one of my strong suits. I want things now. I want quiet now. I want my lunch now. I want the task to be done now. I want my sibling to act more mature now. But the task whether raising kids or making dinner takes time. The more time that is involved, the more that we need patience.

Like anything in this life patience isn’t something you get overnight. It’s something that God grows in you. And He does it by putting us in situations where our patience is tested. The kids are acting up, and we didn’t sleep well. We are on the phone with a heavily accented tech person trying to get a computer problem fixed and they are being very much help. The person in the car in front of us is going way below the speed limit and now you are going to be late.

It’s in times like these when God grows patience in us. When we are at the breaking point. When we just want to blow off some steam. When we can’t take another minute. That’s when He teaches patience. Even though you can’t control the people around you, you can control how you react. And you can choose to be patient.

First of all. Just talk to God about how you are feeling. If you are close to boiling over, let Him in and let Him help you calm down.  Secondly just let it slide. Whoever is driving you up the wall needs to be forgiven. Then just go on your way carefully, be gentle and kind to everyone. It’s easy to blow up at people, it’s hard to use self-control and react in patience.

So next time the kids are driving you insane and dinner isn’t ready when you want it, just use it as an opportunity to practice patience. Come on let’s go.

Attitudes to Cultivate: Gentleness

By Rose H.

Gentle. Tender touch. Calm demeanor. Kind in action. The Bible says that we are to have a gentle spirit. But sometimes it feels like there is this great gap between what we want to be and what we are.

It does take a journey to get there. It also takes a God that is able to overcome all of the obstacles that stand in our way. Thankfully God gives us plenty of time for the journey and He helps us to become gentle and humble.

Gentleness starts on the inside. When God come in He changes the way you react to things and people. He makes your responses calm and gentle.

There are also other things that you can do to cultivate a gentle heart. Listening to a lot of rocky music can hype you up. Lessen how much you listen to it. Listen to things that still your soul and draw you closer to God. Another thing that you can do if you have trouble with handling things (or people) roughly, try handling everything that you touch as if it is brittle. Handle things carefully as if you are handling a priceless treasure. This exercise will help you to start you out handling things gently.

Ultimately there isn’t any one thing that you can do to cultivate a gentle spirit. However I pray that this article gets you started in the right direction.   

Attitudes to Cultivate: Grace

By Rose H.

What is grace? Grace is unmerited favor. No one deserves it, but it is given anyway. Grace says I pardon you from any wrong. Grace gives extra wiggle room. Grace looks at someone who has broken the rules and chooses to let it go.

Now does this mean that we never discipline people when they are wrong? No, but it does mean that do what is best for the person involved. Sometimes that means using discipline. Sometimes that means letting go of our ego and forgiving the other person.

As you grow in the grace of God, He will show you how to re-gift  grace. If you want to cultivate grace remember the times that He has shown it to you. As the memories come flooding back in, you will find your heart filling with grace for others.

After all we have all “been there” at one time or another. We have all been beggars at the door of God’s grace. But He never lets us stay there. He opens up the door wide open and extends to us the hand of grace.

I bet that you can name a few people that need your grace, your understanding, your love. Take some time to extend the hand of grace to them. Whether it’s just a smile, an e-mail, a forgiving word, a loving gift, or a chat take some time to extend grace to them.  

Another Award

My sweet sister Sarah has given me another blog award. This time I've been award the title of ....

Wow! I like that title. I'll do my best to live up to it.

Now I award this to

1 Rachelle Rea 

2 Julia

3 Ena

4 Lucia

5 All Things Lovely

I love all of you girls. God bless you.

A Month of Poems : A Better World

A Better World

God, look down on our cold hearts

And warm them with your love

And grant us forgiveness,

Which we’re so unworthy of.

Help us to do better

In this day that we’re beginning

And give us strength to overcome

Our selfishness and sinning.

Give us strength and courage

To be honorable and true

And to place our trust implicitly

In unseen things and You.

And keep us kind and humble

And fill our hearts with love,

Which in this selfish, greedy world

Man has so little of.

Helen Seiner Rice

A Book Of Courage

1996

Revell Publishing Company

A Month of Poems : Stepping Stones To God

Steppingstones to God

An aching heart is but a steppingstone

To greater joy than you have ever known,

For things that cause the heart to ache

Until you think that it must break

Become strength by which we climb

To higher heights that are sublime

And feel the radiance of God’s smiles

When we have soared above life’s trials.

So when you’re overwhelmed with fears

And all your hopes are drenched in tears,

Think not that life has been unfair

And given you too much to bear,

For God has chosen you because,

With all your weakness and flaws,

He feels that you are worthy of

The greatness of His wondrous love.

Helen Seiner Rice

A Book Of Courage

1996

Revell Publishing Company

Ministering to the Grieving

Someone loses a loved one. You want to help, but aren’t sure how. I know the feeling. You want to show your sympathy in a way that would be most loving.

One thing that you need to know is that when people are grieving they need love. They need comfort and help. The best help that you can be is to let them grieve in their own way. Be there for them, but also let them be on their own if they want. Often what people want more than anything when they are grieving is someone to just be there. Someone who can let them know they aren’t alone.

Cards are another sweet thing. Make sure to include prayers and thoughts for them. Make them as personal and from your heart as possible.

Food is always a wonderful thing to send to someone. When you are grieving it zaps you energy. Having food already made is blessing. Go for things that are very calm and that aren’t really spicy. Soups and sandwiches are perfect. Also think about doing a breakfast food. When you aren’t feeling well, breakfast can be a pain. Having something already made is wonderful.

Flowers are good to. They add a little cheer and let the grieving know that you thought of them.

The next time you see someone grieving; make sure to express your sympathy. Reach out and help someone who is grieving. You won’t regret it.    

Day 1

I'm grateful for family. We have spent a day shopping and enjoying each other. I love them!

A New Ministry

Want to make another blanket? Make one for Wrap Them In Love. Check it out on the Ministries page.