Tomorrow . . .

David Ward - By Grace Alone

One of the most precious songs to the Reformed Praise writers, this hymn, based on Psalm 130, was penned by Martin Luther himself. Luther was a Monk in the Roman church who diligently sought peace with God through his holy life. As he studied the Bible, he became confronted with the doctrine of justification and imputed righteousness and understood and accepted the gospel of salvation through faith in Christ alone, apart from the works of the Law.

Ginny L Yttrup ~ First Novel, "Words"

 

View the book trailer for "Words" by Ginny Yttrup

"I collect words. I keep them in a box in my mind. I'd like to keep them in a real box, something pretty, maybe a shoe box covered with flowered wrapping paper. Whenever I wanted, I'd open the box and pick up the papers, reading and feeling the words all at once. Then I could hide the box. But the words are safer in my mind. There, he can't take them."

Ten-year old Kaylee Wren doesn't speak. Not since her drug-addled mother walked away, leaving her in a remote cabin nestled in the towering redwoods-in the care of a man who is as dangerous as he is evil. With silence her only refuge, Kaylee collects words she might never speak from the only memento her mother left behind: a dictionary.

Sierra Dawn is thirty-four, an artist, and alone. She has allowed the shame of her past to silence her present hopes and chooses to bury her pain by trying to control her circumstances. But on the twelfth anniversary of her daughter's death, Sierra's control begins to crumble as the God of her childhood woos her back to Himself.

Brought together by Divine design, Kaylee and Sierra will discover together the healing mercy of the Word - Jesus Christ.

View the Book Trailer here: 

Lost & Found

Found this over at Relz Reviews 

Ladies, I have found a book to add to our Book Club! I am so excited about this read. For one it is based off of Madame Jeanne Guyon. If you have never read her stuff it is so intimate and brings you right to the feet of Jesus!

Check out the Book Trailer at the end of this review.

Ginny Yttrup’s second novel, Lost and Found, is garnering rave reviews

and is available now from B&H Publishing

Synopsis

It appears Jenna Bouvier is losing everything: beauty, family, and wealth. When her controlling and emotionally abusive mother-in-law accuses Jenna of an affair with her spiritual director and threatens to expose them, Jenna also risks losing her reputation as a woman of faith. Will she capitulate to her mother-in-law’s wishes again or fight for what she holds dear? As Jenna loses her life, will she find it?

Andee Bell has found exactly what she wanted: fame, fortune, and respect. There’s also a special man in her life—Jenna’s brother. Despite her success, a secret quells Andee’s contentment. As memories torment, will she find peace in a relationship with God, or will she sabotage herself while also taking down the only person she cares about? As Andee finds her life, will she lose it?

Moving between San Francisco and the Napa Valley, Jenna and Andee form an unlikely relationship that leads them to a crossroad. They can follow familiar inclinations, or risk it all and walk in faith.

Enjoy meeting Jenna and Andee!

Brief physical description

Jenna Bouvier is a petite, slender, brunette, with sapphire blue eyes. She is beautiful, but suffers the shame of a jagged scar on her chin–something she see’s as ugly and debilitating and claims as her own responsibility.

Andee is a tall, slender, blonde, with chocolate brown eyes. She is aware of her beauty and uses it to manipulate others.

Actor/famous person

I am not one of those authors who looks for a picture and then assigns it to a character. I usually have such a strong visual in my mind, that when I look at a picture I think, that’s not my character. In fact, when my fabulous cover designer from B&H, Diana Lawrence, put a picture of a person on the cover for Lost and Found, I recoiled. I couldn’t embrace that picture as being Jenna. However, I sat with the picture for a day or two and finally concurred that she’d done a great job based on my descriptions of Jenna in the book.

Strengths and weaknesses

When the story begins, Jenna is just beginning to break out of her passive, people pleasing ways. But she’s struggling. She’s sought the approval of people and has put them in the place of God in her life. But her strength is self-awareness and a burning desire for intimacy with her Creator. Ultimately, she is willing to give up her life, all she’s known, to follow Him.

Andee is ferocious. Deeply wounded and in denial, she has sought the life she thought she wanted and succeeded. She controls her own destiny–she’s beautiful, successful, and wealthy. But when those things don’t satisfy, she’s at a loss, and sabotages herself and those closest to her. She is in danger of losing the life she’s fought so hard for.

Quirk (if any)

Andee is obsessive about her espresso.

Your inspiration for the character

My inspiration for Jenna, my main protagonist, was Madame Jeanne Guyon, known as one of the most important women in Christian history. While I was going through a painful time in my own life, a friend quoted Jeanne Guyon. The quote sent me on a journey of discovery and after reading Jeanne Guyon’s autobiography, I began wondering what a contemporary Jeanne Guyon might look like–what would her life look like, what choices would she make, how would she handle some of the struggles that Jeanne Guyon encountered. Thus, Jenna Bouvier came to being.

For the most part, I am a seat of the pants writer, so I developed Andee Bell as I wrote. Her personality needed to be the opposite of Jenna Bouvier’s for the story to work. While writing, I began thinking about modern-day women who are familiar with the world of business and finances. I actually took the model for the book Andee writes from one of Suze Orman’s books. I created her based on high-power women I’ve seen in the media and read about–women who base their security on themselves rather than depending on God.

Background to the story

In my personal life, I was learning what it meant to lose my life for Christ’s sake (Matthew 10:39). When I read Jeanne Guyon’s autobiography, much of her teaching was about picking up our cross and following Christ, and dying to self. Her life experiences and lessons seemed to mirror my own, although we lived hundreds of years apart. I wanted to create a story that would show what it looks like today, to lose one’s life for the sake of Christ. To perhaps even show what it would look like to walk away from those who hinder a relationship with Christ.

In addition to reading Jeanne Guyon’s autobiography, I’d also read Leslie Vernick’s book, The Emotionally Destructive Relationship, and was identifying a destructive/abusive relationship in my own life and was seeking God on how to handle it. An emotionally abusive relationship was also part of Jeanne Guyon’s life. I contacted Leslie Vernick and asked if she’d be interested in consulting on the novel I was writing. She agreed. With Leslie’s insight, and all I’d learned from her book, I was able to create the destructive relationship between Jenna and her mother-in-law, Brigitte.

My hope is that any of my readers who might be bound by such a relationship in their own lives will see themselves in this story and learn from Jenna’s commitment to seek God and her willingness to make changes as she follows Him.

Relz Reviewz Extras
View the book trailer (below)
Review of Words
Character spotlight on Kaylee & Sierra
Visit Ginny’s website and blog
Buy Ginny’s books at Amazon

Grace: The Power Of The Gospel
By Andrew Wommack

The Gospel is the most basic, foundational message of the New Testament, yet it’s the most misunderstood. Today’s religious system is not preaching the same Gospel that Paul did. They mix it with the Law, and that isn’t the Gospel at all.

The book of Romans was written to explain the Gospel so that anybody could understand it. Paul, the writer, made it so simple that you’d have to have somebody help you to misunderstand it. And, unfortunately, we’ve had a lot of help!

Paul started off with this statement in Romans 1:16:

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

That is a radical statement. This word “gospel” in the original Greek is a word that was seldom used at the time this was written. Nobody talked this way, because the word literally means nearly-too-good-to-be-true news. It referred to news that was so awesome, nothing really justified using it. Nothing was nearly too good to be true.

But Paul said he was not ashamed of the Gospel. Why? “For it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” The Gospel is the power of God, and that’s talking about grace. Acts 20:24 and Galatians 1:6 both use the terms “gospel” and “grace” interchangeably. It’s saying that when you understand the Gospel, or the grace of God, it’ll release the power of God into your life. That’s huge!

The next verse in Romans 1 says,

For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

Notice that righteousness is not revealed from Law to Law, from good deed to good deed—it’s revealed from faith to faith. Here’s a good piece of information to consider: Sin won’t stop the power of God for salvation in your life but trusting in your own good works will. That’s what “the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith” means. You receive the righteousness of God by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8)! God won’t withdraw His power because of sin in your life. That’s why it’s nearly-too-good-to-be-true news.

When you talk like this, people with a religious mindset immediately say, “Well, what about sin? This sounds like you’re just giving people a license to sin.” Not so! Last I checked, people were sinning without a license! I’m not advocating sin. But, see, this is the immediate reaction when you start talking about righteousness by faith. They think you need to make people aware of their sin and the wrath of God.

But that’s why Paul said in the next verses,

For the wrath of God is [already] revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; [19] Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.

Romans 1:18-19, brackets mine

Notice it says it’s manifest in them, not to them, for God has shown it unto them. God has put in every single person who has ever breathed an intuitive knowledge that they are a sinner and that they deserve rejection instead of acceptance. You don’t need to tell people this; they already know it.

We aren’t called to convict people of their sin but to convince them that the only way they can obtain righteousness, or right standing, with God is through putting faith in what Jesus did for them, not through something they’ve done. That’s why I spend so much of my time on this, and it’s what many of my teaching materials are devoted to.

Let’s look at Luke 18:9-14 to verify this:

And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: [10] Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. [11] The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. [12] I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. [13] And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. [14] I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

This is a powerful parable. Let me ask you: Are you like the Pharisee or the publican? I’m not talking about your actions but your trust. Do you trust in what you do for the Lord or what He has done for you? If a person is putting faith in all of their religious acts—all of their holiness—then that will actually block them from righteousness and relationship with God. But the person who maybe hasn’t been as good, yet they’ve humbled themselves and cried out to God, this is the one who enters into right standing with God.

 

That’s what it says in Romans 9:30-32a:

What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. [31] But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. [32] Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law.

This says there are two types of righteousness: a faith righteousness and a righteousness that comes by the Law. Righteousness by the Law is a righteousness based on performance. Another way to say it is “self-righteousness.” The truth is, nobody can perform well enough to get Law righteousness, because the Bible says in Isaiah 64:6 that “all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.” And James 2:10 says that if you keep the Law and yet offend in one point, you are guilty of breaking the entire thing. In other words, if you did ninety-nine out of a hundred things right and one thing wrong, according to the Law of righteousness, you would be unrighteous. BUT! If you put your faith in Jesus, you would receive His righteousness—faith righteousness—even though you did ninety-nine out of a hundred things wrong! What a deal! 

There are many people today who wouldn’t consider themselves to be seeking after Law righteousness, but they really are. Their only hope of entering into heaven instead of hell is that they go to church, they try to be good, they live up to some standard of morality. That’s what this is talking about when it says the Jews weren’t seeking righteousness by faith but by the Law. They were trying to earn what God had given as a gift.

The rest of Romans 9:32 says,

For they stumbled at that stumblingstone.

It is offensive to people, particularly if they have a lot of holy actions to their names, when you tell them that all their good deeds don’t make them righteous before God. Then when you tell them sinners who only put faith in God are more righteous than they are (Matt. 21:28-32), that really puts them over the top!

They say, “You mean I’m not any better than the person who’s been out living in sin?”

That’s exactly what I’m saying. That’s exactly what Paul and Jesus said.

“Well, what have I been doing all this for?”

Good deeds will help you, to a degree, in your relationships with people, but they won’t give you any clout with God. You could have more holy acts than anyone you know, but who wants to be the best sinner who ever went to hell? All have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23).

We need a Savior! The only thing we have to offer is faith. We just believe the nearly-too-good-to-be-true news that Jesus died for us and paid a debt we couldn’t pay and gave us a righteousness we couldn’t earn. It’s faith righteousness!

“Well, I believe in Jesus, but I believe I also have to live holy to be accepted by God.”

That’s saying Jesus’ payment for sin wasn’t enough—that you have to add to what Jesus has done—and I believe that is the greatest sin of all! Jesus either paid for it all, or He paid for nothing at all! It’s not Jesus plus you; it’s Jesus or you! It’s not you doing the best you can and then Jesus making up the difference with grace and mercy. If you try to mix the two, you have totally polluted what Jesus has done. It’s either faith righteousness or your righteousness, but not a combination of the two (Rom. 11:6). 

It takes a supernatural revelation by the Holy Spirit to be able to understand this. But once you do, it’ll transform the way that you view God, the way that you relate to God, and the way that you receive from God. The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation. I encourage you to just humble yourself and ask God for a supernatural revelation of this truth. It’s tremendous.

When you truly get a hold of the grace of God, I guarantee you, it sets you free from sin, not free to sin. You’ll wind up living holier accidentally than you ever have on purpose. You’ll serve God out of love stricter and stronger than you ever would have out of legalism.

Jesus said you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free (John 8:32). It’s not truth that sets you free; it’s the truth you know that sets you free. But before you can know it, you’ve got to hear it. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Rom. 10:17).

I Knew You Before

The Servant had been traveling for many miles. 

He was given a purpose to fulfill and he was determined to complete the plan his Master had mapped out for him.  He tired to dodge pot holes in the road and sidestepped falling boulders and fallen trees in his path, but occasionally he would fall.  The servant reflected on his last fall. He'd sustained only minor bruises and was able to brush himself off and continue on the path...but it could have been avoided.

He'd asked for wisdom for his journey and understanding to find the way. His eyes had become clearer from lessons he'd learned along the way. 

"Master, why is it that I know the way but I continue to stumble over the boulders in the road? Why can't I get it right?"  The servant asked looking toward heaven..

The Master smiled, "My child, I knew you'd never be perfect with that human body you have."
 

"You knew?" The servant asked in surprise.

"I knew you. Before you were born, I saw your precious heart. I knew you desired to love and serve me in truth. I knew you would need a Savior and sent my Son, Jesus. I made provision for your humanness at the Cross of Christ; who died that you might live. 

Your humanness will be remembered no more. I knew you would need an intercessor, and sent you my Holy Spirit. 

The Enemy tried to destroy you. He tried to cripple you to prevent you from completing the plan I designed for you; but continue on, My child. My Holy Spirit will intercede on your behalf. He will guide you all the way. 

Keep your eyes on me. I will keep you from falling. I will lift you up above it all, on wings of eagles. 

Stay close to me as I whisper my hearts desire to you. Call on me for all your needs and I will supply them all. Your cup will run over. I won't reject you when you stumble. I'll be there to pick you up and set you back on solid ground. 

I chose you with your imperfections to manifest My Perfection. 

When they see you, they will only see Me. I will be glorified!"

Written by: Joy Miller

A beautiful picture of the love that God has for us. Beloved if you are tired and feel like giving up. Won't you let Him carry you!? 

First Episode at Grace Talk Live

First Episode of my new radio show ~ "Grace Talk  Live" with Eddie Snipes who wrote the book: "It is Finished" Stepping out of condemnation and into the finished work of the cross. Enjoy God's grace as you listen and know that God loves you and wants to give you true freedom and joy in you walk with Him !!

Check Out The Bible Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio with Grace Talk Live on BlogTalkRadio

Milk & Honey Time

2 Corinthians 6:7-10      

New Living Translation (NLT)

 

 

⁷ We faithfully preach the truth. God’s power is working in us. We use the weapons of righteousness in the right hand for attack and the left hand for defense. 

⁸  serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us. We are honest, but they call us impostors.  

⁹ We are ignored, even though we are well known. We live close to death, but we are still alive. We have been beaten, but we have not been killed.  

¹⁰ Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything.

The Dugger's on Parental Guidance

I have learned so much from Michelle Duggar.

Learning to quiet my voice and speak in a graceful tone. 

 Amen!!!
There is always a proper way to discipline our children.
Just because we are their parents does not give us the right to push and demand our children to do what we want. 

We need to daily encourage our children by example...follow me as I follow Christ.
 If we are not setting out to live our own lives with Christ at the center we cannot expect our young learning children to do this always... Parents can become proud and puffed up with their authority - God says: "I will resist the proud and give grace to the humble."

 I have added Michelle's life verse and motto in to my life and flagged this verse in my bible and use it when I feel like I am failing as a parent or wife.

2 Corinthians 12:9

 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. (and I say to Him) . . . Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

May this be a Blessing . . . Let Go and Let God help you become the best parent HE has for you to be.   

I AM Second ~ Kathy Ireland

Kathy Ireland's Testimony

Beautiful!!

It is Finished...

Join me

Monday -  April 14th, 2014

I will be sitting down with

Eddie Snipes

book: "It is Finsihed"

We will be discussing Grace and what it means in our lives.

He will be on my show

"A Quiet Place of Grace"

Grace Talk with Eddie Snipes

 "God’s love is not dependent upon your performance. God’s love is the expression of His nature, and He delights in taking sinful people and replacing human failure with His divine favor. ...Your failure is not a barrier to God. Once you learn to believe in the love God has for you, sin will drive you to His righteousness instead of into defeat. In Christ, it is finished. Once you learn to trust in God’s gift of grace, you’ll never view life through the old eyes of human performance again. Enjoy the fellowship you already have been given!"

Christina

Fragrant Fried Rice

    

Whitney's Wild Honey Blog

Fragrant Fried Rice

Serves 4.

Ingredients:

1 cup jasmine or basmati rice

¼ cup vegetable oil (olive oil is too strongly flavored for this)

4 eggs, beaten

salt and pepper

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1 small onion, thinly sliced

½ red bell pepper, thinly sliced (seeing a pattern here?)

3 carrots, peeled and diced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 15.5 oz. can white beans (such as Great Northern), drained and rinsed

½ cup frozen peas

2 tsp. ground cumin

½ tsp. crushed red pepper flake

4 T soy sauce

chopped cilantro, for garnish

Add rice and an equal amount of water (1 cup) to a small saucepan with a tight-fitting lid.  Cook, covered, on medium-low heat, about 20 minutes.  

Fluff with a fork.  Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 T of the oil over medium-high heat.  

Season eggs with salt and pepper and cook, in one sheet if possible, flipping once nearly set, and cooking on other side a couple of more minutes.  

If this sounds a bit too involved, feel free to just scramble them as usual.  

Roll and slice if in a sheet, and set aside.  

 

Return skillet to the heat with 1 T of oil and crushed red pepper flake and sauté onions and carrots until nearly tender, about 8 minutes.  

Add red pepper, green onions and garlic and cook another 5 minutes, stirring often so the garlic doesn’t burn.  

Add frozen peas and canned beans and cook until heated through, just a few minutes.  

 

Set aside vegetable mixture and return skillet to the heat a third time.  

Heat remaining oil with the cumin, stirring until fragrant, on medium-high heat.  

Add rice and cook, pressing down to fit the pan and crisp the bottom, 5 minutes.  

Add soy sauce and break up rice.  

Add egg and vegetable mixture, tossing well to combine and heat through.  

Add green onions and cilantro to garnish, if desired.  

If you abhor cilantro, sweet basil works well, too.  

You will now have a heaping skillet full of fried rice goodness.  

Add more soy sauce to taste, and grab some chopsticks and enjoy. 

Alone, Yet Not ALone

One of my favorite songs to listen to this year has been "Alone Yet Not Alone." It is featured in a movie that will be coming out this summer (June 13).  You can learn more about the movie at www.aloneyetnotalone.com.

"Alone Yet Not Alone" is sung by Joni Eareckson Tada, and she did a absolutely beautiful job! Because she is a quadriplegic her lung capacity is limited. In the video you will see her husband, Ken, pressing on her diaphragm to help her hit the high notes. What a great team those two make!

Ever since October 2012 my life has been on a journey of rediscovery, one of sorrow and triump.  I have had to deal with loss and pain, between my health and our living situations it has caused my faith to rise in such a way that I did not know was even possible in me.

Because of this journey that my Heavenly Father has allow me to walk through, I am learning the truth of  living in the unforced rhythms of grace by leaning into HIS grace.  This song touches my heart in many ways.  It has reminded me that NO MATTER WHAT  happens in my life, NO MATTER if I walk it alone of if I  AM alone ... that I am NOT truly alone. God is ALWAYS by my side, and this song is a beautiful reminder of that.

Beloved, I dedicate this song to all of you who are going through something in your life right now. If you are having health issues, or taking care of someone who is really sick. If you are homeless and have no where to call home. Of if you have lost someone near and dear to you. Whatever your facing right now...

This song is for you.

 How blessed we are to have a God who loves us so richly and deeply that we can truly say, even when we are alone, we are not truly alone. He is with us, always."

Be Blessed!

I'm alone, yet not alone.
God's the light that will guide me home.
With His love and tenderness,
Leading through the wilderness,
And wherever I may roam,
I'm alone, yet not alone. 

I will not be bent in fear.
He's the refuge I know is near.
In His strength I find my own.
By His faithful mercies shown.
That so mighty is His shield
All His love is now revealed. 

When my steps are lost.
And desperate for a guide,
I can feel his touch,
A soothing presence by my side. 

Alone, yet not alone.
Not forsaken when on my own.
I can lean upon His arm,
And be lifted up from harm.
If I stumble, or if I'm thrown,
I'm alone, yet not alone. 

When my steps are lost.
And desperate for a guide,
I can feel his touch,
A soothing presence by my side. 

By my side! 

He has bound me with His love,
Watchful angels look from above.
Every evil can be braved,
For I know I will be saved.
Never frightened on my own,
I'm alone, yet not alone.
I'm alone, yet not alone.

Composer: Bruce Broughton
Lyricist: Dennis Spiege

Monday Morning Meditations