Month: June 2011

Don’t Forget: God is always doing miracles

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

“And you shall remember that the LORD your God led you all the way…” Deuteronomy 8:2

It’s important for us to remember the wonderful works of the Lord in our lives. He asked the Hebrews to tell their children about how remarkable He was when leading them out of Egypt. It’s a testimony to share, but it’s a reminder to us that God has been faithful. He will continue to be faithful.

“If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself,” 2 Timothy 2:13.

I think it’s easy, after a time, to forget the glorious things that God has does in our lives. Day to day responsibilities push out those moments.

New bills pile up in our mailboxes, suffocating the thoughts of times when God provided when there was no way possible.

I can’t tell you  how many times we’ve found ourselves needing a way and someone made a mistake on our taxes, a medical bill, an insurance thingy (you can tell I don’t handle the insurance stuff) and we’ve received a check in the mail, exactly when we needed it. Sometimes the exact amount, usually…more!

I’m going to tell you a story. A true one. I have to clarify since that’s what I do–tell fictional stories.

When Myles, my son, was about 2, I went outside to shake some rugs. Not for fun. I left him inside on the couch watching one of his heinous kid shows. My husband had put a new knob on the back door, the kind that automatically locks when you shut it.

I forgot.

When I realized what I’d done–locked myself out with no cell–I freaked out. I hollered to Myles hoping he was strong enough to turn the lock. He wasn’t. He never even tried. His cheesy grin told me he hadn’t a clue as to the problem.

I turned, pushed, kicked and panicked.

Finally, I said, “Jesus! Get me to my baby!”

I put my hand on the knob…turned it. And walked inside my house. I’m overwhelmed all over again as I think about it at this moment. God’s goodness. The way He cares for us. The power He has.

I fell on my knees and sobbed the second my feet touched the kitchen tile. Myles never looked up from the TV.

You can call it coincidence, say the door wasn’t really locked, that I jiggled it enough to get in. You can say I’m off my rocker (that’s debatable) but you can’t take away what I know happened to me that day.

That’s just a couple of amazing things God has done in my life.

But what about those things He does for us to confirm His personal words of promise to us? The ones about our callings in ministry, jobs, relocations? How many times have you prayed for guidance and a scripture popped out on the page like it never had before, your heart thumped wildly, tears filled your eyes and you knew without a shadow of a doubt that God was speaking directly to you through His word?

You know what I do when that happens? I date it in my Bible with a small description so I can go back, when I’m struggling to hold on, to believe…and remember. So that when I’m gone and my children are left with my stuff, they can go through my Bible and see all the marvelous things God spoke to me, some about them. I want my children to know God speaks. God moves. God loves. God delivers.

God is faithful.

Whatever you need. Whatever doubts you’re wrestling with, God knows. He’s already got your answer. You might say, “But I’ve been in this mess for years. I’ve been praying for months. Decades.”

God hasn’t forgotten you. God has a plan. A purpose. A good one. For you.

Take each day and remember when God did something miraculous for you. Physically or spiritually. Go back to your Bible and find the scripture He used to speak into your life! Tell it to someone!

Here’s a word I found this morning when I was praying about what to blog about for Wednesday.  It could be the scripture you date in your Bible today.

“For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you  have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints and do minister.” Hebrews 6:10
August 26th, 2009

Share something, big or small with us. What is one thing God has done in your life that you haven’t remembered for awhile?

I LOVE your comments, everyone! Thank you so much for taking time to come by and spend a few moments with me. I treasure it. Truly.

Must Read Monday: Sunburn, Cupcakes, and Good Reads

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

Well, I hope you all had a great weekend. We spent most of it at the pool. I can’t seem to get my sunblock on correctly and have odd shaped burns in random places on my body.

I told my husband I was going to have to go to the tanning bed to even out the pasty white places to the golden areas (and the cherry red burns of course). He joked I’d probably be the only one in a tanning bed wearing sunscreen.
He might be right.
I ate a German Chocolate Cupcake from one of those fancy cupcake bakeries. Edible glitter, German chocolate filling and a mound of chocolate icing. About 5,000 calories later, I thought I might be sick. Oh but that one moment! And it was a moment indeed.

Okay, so here’s a couple of books I’ve read lately.

Too Close to Home by Lynette Eason

“Samantha Cash is the FBI’s secret weapon. Her methods are invisible, and she never stops til the case is closed. When missing teens begin turning up dead in a small Southern town, Samantha is assigned to help local Detective Connor Wolfe find the killer. And he has two problems with that. There’s her faith—in God and herself. And then there’s the fact that she looks exactly like his late wife. As they get close to an answer, the case becomes personal. The killer seems to be taking an interest in Connor’s sixteen-year-old daughter, who thinks her dad is getting way too protective. Can’t a girl just have some fun?”

My Opinion

I liked this book. It’s the first book I’ve read by Lynette Eason. I figured out early on why the killer was doing it, but wasn’t sure who it was until about 75% in. Then I didn’t guess the “boss” until it was almost over. I liked the characters and the romance that blossomed.

Both characters struggled with their faith. I think the author made their spiritual joureneys realistic and touching.

I took a keen interest in the sister and want to read the next book that’s about her. I think it will be even better!

3 out of 5 stars

A Tailor-Made Bride by Karen Witemeyer
2011 RITA® Finalist for Best First Book

“When a dressmaker who values beauty tangles with a liveryman who condemns vanity, the sparks begin to fly!

Jericho “J.T.” Tucker wants nothing to do with the new dressmaker in Coventry, Texas. He’s all too familiar with her kind–shallow women more devoted to fashion than true beauty. Yet, except for her well-tailored clothes, this seamstress is not at all what he expected.

Hannah Richards is confounded by the man who runs the livery. The unsmiling fellow riles her with his arrogant assumptions and gruff manner, while at the same time stirring her heart with unexpected acts of kindness. Which side of Jericho Tucker reflects the real man?
When Hannah decides to help Jericho’s sister catch a beau–leading to consequences neither could have foreseen–will Jericho and Hannah find a way to bridge the gap between them?”

My Opinion

I didn’t know what to expect when I started this book. I don’t often read historicals, but lately I’ve read several and I’m coming to realize, I enjoy most of them. I happen to like a lot of romantic tension and some spice, not all inspirational historicals meet my expectations.

This one did.

I fell in love with J.T. and Hannah immediately. I loved their banter, internal conflicts, and wit.  I felt like I was living in this time period and it was rather fun to spend a few hours, since I read it in two sittings, with these characters.

I predicted the villain, but I’m not sure that she was trying to conceal it. That didn’t matter to me, though, because I just loved everything else. Especially the romance. No wonder she won a RITA for first book.

I also think it’s a great parallel of the Proverbs 31 woman and a healthy look at beauty and nice things.

4 out of 5 stars

So have you read a book lately that you were unsure of, then turned out to be a pleasant surprise?

No?

Okay then…what’d you do this weekend?

Shake it Up: Climactic Moments

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

Sunday at church a few of us adults were peeping in children’s church listening to our amazing children’s pastor talk about pressure.

He had a coke can, shaking it up, talking about pressures that mount up and build. He kept talking and shaking, weaving in and out of children.

Most of them ducked. A few raised their hands as if to say, “Pick me! Explode that joker right on my head!”

A few adult comments made outside the window were:

“If he opens that, who’s cleaning it up?”

“The janitors are gonna be maaaad.”

“Is he really going to open that on a kid?”

“I hope he opens that on a kid.” (Okay, so that’s what I said!)

His voice built, his pace increased, and the can just kept shaking. He put it over one child’s head…the crowd ooohed. He raised it over another. The crowd aaahed.

Then…

Click.

He opened the can.

Nothing.

The man behind me said, “Well, that was rather anti-climactic. I’ve been waiting all this time for an explosion.”

And I thought…

That’s exactly what not to do in a book.

I read a book recently that kept me on the edge of my seat, like the can, shaking and shaking but it didn’t deliver an explosion. It didn’t even fall flat. It was empty, and I was disappointed because up until then, I was hooked.

By all means, when writing, shake the can. Keep it going, but when you pop the tab–be sure there’s an explosion.

If you build excitement and suspense, then pop the tab on the crowd, no one will care when foam runs down their face, stains the carpet, or sticks to their skin. They’ll be thrilled. They’ll show it to everyone, and they’ll smile and sigh in satisfaction.

Here’s 3 things that make a book shake for me as a reader:
1. Romantic tension–lots of it 
2. Mystery– Please have some secrets, lies, and twists I can’t see coming
3. Escalating scenes with an increase in pace

The Explosion: When all of the above collides. BAM! The secrets are revealed and the reactions are intense, the twists become unraveled, and the hero and heroine finally…finally…have their steamy moment or the one that actually puts them together! Okay, now the Parent Trap song is in my head. “Let’s get together, yeah, yeah, yeah…” Oh, gag.

Writers: What do you do to shake your can so there’s an explosion? Share your tips!

Readers: What books have you read that feel like they’ve exploded? If you talk about one that fell flat, please don’t include the title, that’s somebody’s baby! 🙂

Have a great weekend! See ya on Monday.

Rise and Shine!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
 

 

I’m an early bird. The older I get, the earlier I rise. I also walk like Frankenstein for the first 15 minutes after tumbling out of bed, and if I only wake up to pee in the night twice, I’m gold!

I haven’t always been an early riser.

Something happened to inspire me to get my butt out of bed.

God.

In my early twenties, I made a deal with Him. He would pull me out of a pretty crummy mess, and I’d promise to give Him the time He deserved.

He held His end of the bargain.

So did I.

But, rising early…before my kids…my husband…the sun…the mailman…the rooster…the dough the Amish women kneaded the night before…(because let’s be honest, who else does that?)wasn’t always easy.

Until I realized, God was waiting for me in those early hours. He had treasure for me to find, a heart to synchronize with His, and an inside to mend.

The words on the pages came alive for me in the stillness of pre-dawn. He became real, intimate, special–not a religion or a figure. A friend, a confidant, lover of my soul, my best friend.

 

But it was the early hours that made the difference.

Why? Because, time slips away so easily. Daily demands put studying and relationship on the back burner. Oh maybe I’d slip in a daily devotional reading, which is better than nothing and valuable of course, but nothing compares to that one-on-one time. Nothing compares to looking up and realizing you’ve been before the throne for hours and yet it only seems like a minute or two.

God rewards sacrifice. Dragging out of bed to give God the first part of your day is a sacrifice. But the rewards are worth the lack of shut eye.

“O God, You are my God;Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water.” Psalm 63:1

 

 

Early morning time prepares you for good days and rotten days. It gives you the fuel to keep going when the roads of life twist and turn and seem endless.

Early morning time prepares your heart for tough co-workers, friends with serious problems who need wisdom, bosses who drop their work on your shoulders, cars that cut you off, and strangers who stand in front of you with 500 items, knowing you only have ONE!

 

Early morning quiet time allows you to hear only His heartbeat.

I’m not saying you can’t have quality time with God at night. But even Jesus awoke before the rest to start His day with His Father.

What about you? When do you spend time with God? What do you think keeps you from getting up early if you don’t already?

Okay, the song, “Wake Me up Before You Go-Go…” just popped in my head. Random. Whatayagonnado?

I’ve Been Tagged…You Might Be Too!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

Normally, I do a book review or introduce a new friend on Mondays, but last Friday I was tagged over at D.U.O says. Thanks, so much D.U.! I appreciate it.

So, I’m playing along because it looked like fun!  I’m gonna follow the rules and tag a few folks myself, if you want to play great, if not…it’s all good. You’ll just die a slow, gruesome death. 🙂

TAG QUESTIONS:

Do you think you’re hot?
Only when I’m sweating bullets by the pool.

Upload a picture of the wallpaper you are using.



My daughter made this for me! Isn’t she sweet?
Right after she made it, she asked for an iPhone.
Heifer.

When was the last time you ate chicken?
Does Crow count? It falls into the poultry category, right? I eat it about every day!!!

What song or songs have you listened to recently?
The Script, For the First Time  I’ve been listening to it over and over on my CD while writing a few scenes.

Do you have any nicknames? If so what are they?
Jesse, Jess, and my sister calls me J.R. My cousin calls me Jessa K. And then of course, I was called “Ozzy”and “Oz” because of my maiden name, Osborn, and  “shorty” in highschool. Real original, huh?

Tag 5 bloggers
Here’s where you fall into categories. You either hope: “Pick me this looks like fun!” or “Oh, dear Granny, please don’t pick me.” You try to fade into the background of my mind so I won’t call on you. You slink down on your side of cyber-space and chant, “no, no, no.”

Brandi Boddie–Brandi is really wonderful, and I love her blogs about life and writing. She’s just been recently contracted!

Sheri Salatin– Sheri writes romantic suspense with a farming flair. She also writes great book reviews and yummy recipes as well as other cool random things.

Marji Laine– I met Marji through twitter. She’s like the friend you’ve always had. I enjoy reading her blog. She writes whodunits with a side of Texas sassy!

Loree Huebner–Loree is a civil war reenacter (is that a word? reenacter?) and she writes historical fiction and inspirational romance, mainly Civil War era. I always leave her blog feeling smarter about history!

Brett Minor–Brett’s sarcasm is hysterical. We grew up together–imagine the stories we have! When I want a good laugh, I know Brett is gonna give me one. I just wish he blogged at least 3 days a week…ahem!

So I’ve passed on the mantle! Just link back to this site when you post, if you post, and I’ll be sure to come by and comment! 🙂 Happy Monday, y’all.

Question: What song best describes you?

Knock off a Few Pounds: Lighten Up with Laughter.

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

My husband and I have a comical marriage. In fact, just now as I’m writing this, he’s lying beside me trying to sleep and he just said, “Stop typing with such authority. Hard typing does not equal good writing.”

He had a laugh lurking under his tone. However, my key pounding shakes the bed and annoys him. But we laughed. I’m still laughing.

We cackle often.

I think laughter is key in marriage or any relationship, really. You can’t always take everything so seriously.

I know it’s hard to laugh sometimes when life is stressful, careers aren’t launching, ministries seem to be failing, and bad news drops like bombs. But somewhere in all the mess, laughter makes a heart merry. It keeps us sane..or close to it, anyway.
 Laughter is infectious! Start your weekend off with this video!

So what makes you laugh? I was tagged at D.U.O Says which is very cool and I will be answering the questions on Monday! Thanks D.U.!

Inside Out: Maria Morgan, guest blogger!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
I’m happy to have Maria Morgan with us today to share In the Word Wednesday. I’m over at Sheri  Salatin’s blog sharing about writing and crazy stuff I do! So come by and say hi.

If you haven’t visited Maria’s blog, Life Lessons, you should. She is a woman with much wisdom! She’s inspiring and encouraging. When you leave her blog, you know you’ve been near someone shining with the love of Jesus.

Welcome, Maria!
Outward appearance.
I’d be lying if I said it didn’t matter to me. Every day I spend time preparing myself to face the world. I shower, put on makeup, fuss with my hair, and choose just the right perfume or body splash in order to make a good impression. Looking my best is a good thing, as long as I don’t forget what’s most important – what’s on the inside.
One day last week, I’d gone through my usual routine of getting ready. I felt put together on the outside, but something was bothering me on the inside. I didn’t realize it had begun to affect my mood and even my countenance, until my daughter, Riley, innocently asked, “Are you mad at me?”
I wasn’t exactly mad, but I was frustrated. Conflict bothers me, so I had attempted to deal with my frustration without mentioning anything to Riley. I may have looked the same on the outside, makeup on and hair in place, but what was inside was bound to come out.
Addressing the issue openly and honestly, made a world of difference. By the end of our conversation, we had worked through the situation and our mother/daughter relationship was back on track. I was reminded of the importance of speaking the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). And peace took the place of frustration.
It’s easy to get focused on the outward things, giving little attention to what’s on the inside.
A familiar passage reminds me, “…for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart,” (1 Samuel 16:7b; KJV). My tendency is to give the impression that I’ve got everything together, even when I don’t. Ultimately, what’s on the inside will come out.
God’s work is done from the inside out.
Remember when the Lord gave Moses the instructions for building the tabernacle? He carefully detailed what should occupy the inside of the structure; the ark, the table of showbread, the lampstand, etc. before he went on to describe how the tent should be constructed. Mere coincidence? Definitely not! What’s inside matters to the Master.
The Pharisees of Jesus’ day seemed to be religious giants, yet He saw through their outward appearances, and spoke harshly to them, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness,” (Matthew 23:27). These were the men who made a show of tithing on everything they owned, and doing no work on the sabbath. They certainly appeared to be keeping God’s commandments, yet they were jealous of Jesus’ following and were determined to destroy Him.
As I read God’s Word and pray with a heart that’s open to His still, small, voice, the Lord will reveal areas in my life that need His attention. I have a choice. Ignore His conviction and continue on as if everything is fine, or submit that area to Him and allow Him to do a transforming work on the inside that will affect the outside. Today I’m going to let Him work from the inside out!
Do you struggle to maintain appearances? Identify one thing that needs to change and give the Lord access to what’s on the inside. You’ll find that He’s a Master builder!
Prayer: Heavenly Father, Thank You for caring about the important thing – what’s inside. Help me identify areas that need to be changed, and help me to submit to Your will as You do a transforming work on me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Amen! Thanks, Maria, for sharing your heart and wisdom with us today. I feel so blessed.
Maria Morgan

Must Meet Monday: Jill Kemerer

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

I hope everyone had a great weekend. Today, I’d like to introduce you to one of the most encouraging and helpful people I’ve met online. Jill Kemerer. As a newbie to blogging, I discovered Jill and emailed her with a few questions after commenting on her blog a few times. She was eager to jump in and answer them all thoroughly.

She’s fun and super-genius, as well as organized and an all around sweet person. I’m so glad that I’ve connected with her.

Jill writes sweet, emotional, sparkling inspirational romance novels.

So without further ado, everyone meet Jill. Jill, meet everyone, and tell them a little bit about yourself.
Thanks for having me, Jessica. Since I adore reading romances, it was only natural for me to gravitate in that direction when I started writing. It took a few books to hit on my ideal genre, and I’ve found my home writing inspirational contemporary romance novels. Besides writing, I’m blessed with a hilarious husband, and I’m the mom-shuttle for our energetic children.

Thanks for being here! So tell us, when did you get the writer’s bug? Has it always been something in you? Did you pen your first story with a jumbo crayon?
Looking back, I’d say I was always infested with the writer’s bug. As a kid I wrote a short series of stories about my cousins before creating a ridiculous magazine, which I recently found. Yikes. Yes, crayons were involved! But I never considered writing as a career until I quit my job to stay at home with our oldest. It still seems like a magical fantasy some days, you know, like acting in movies.

It does seem magical. Sometimes, I pinch my husband to be sure. I don’t like inflicting pain on myself! When you write, do you snack? If so what do you munch on? I try not to. I’ll wolf anything down if I’m engrossed in either writing or reading, so I stick to beverages. Coffee, tea, water and soda.

What do you love most about writing? I love allowing my characters to express themselves on the page. When I develop an idea for a book, I spend the most time on the characters. It isn’t until I’m actually writing, though, that their true, full personalities shine through. It’s always a delight getting to know them.

What do you find most challenging?The most challenging? Forcing myself to start each day. It doesn’t matter what phase I’m in—plotting, writing the first draft, revising, or creating the proposal—all paralyze me until I sit down and begin.

How do you come up with story ideas?

Oh, love this question. I keep my mind open at all times. If I see something on a television program that could be incorporated into a story, I write it down. If I read an inspiring article in a magazine, I clip it. A friend gave me a beautiful journal a few years back. It’s my idea journal. All snippets of ideas get jotted down there.

I need an idea journal. I have post-its everywhere. I’ve even jotted a note in the back of my bible during a Sunday service once. 🙂 If you could be one hero/heroine from a book who would you choose and why?

This is a tough question! I have two—one is a historical figure from the Bible, Esther. Her faith and integrity have been an inspiration to me all of my life. The other? Jane Eyre. Her conviction in following her own truth speaks to me. I admire anyone who does what is difficult because it is right.

I admire Esther, too! I always wonder what the few things she was given to take with her to the king were. So what about villains? Who would you be if you had the choice of any bad guy/girl?I was always the goody-two-shoes in games growing up! I’d have to say the captain in Treasure Island, what’s his name? Long John Silver? His charisma masked his evil intent.

Ah, deception. Perfect evil! I love it. Okay, in books. Not in real life! What are you currently working on?I’m lengthening a short novel to a full-length single title novel. What a blast! I love these characters.

That does sound like fun! New scenes to write, more romance. Oooolalala! Can you share a little about the story?For Barter or For Worse

The thought of exercising with a gorgeous personal trainer makes Darcy Collins break out in hives. But when Ian Halbrook asks her to mentor his withdrawn twelve-year-old daughter in exchange for training sessions, how can she say no? Sweet, shy Michaela clearly needs a woman to talk to, and Darcy yearns to get in shape.
A barter arrangement with compassionate Darcy seems perfect—Ian gets a feminine influence for his daughter without the emotional baggage a girlfriend would bring. But he never anticipated that he and Michaela would grow so attached to the spunky hairstylist. Attached enough to consider revealing his guilty secret. Neither bartered for love, but with Ian by her side, Darcy just might accept herself…for better or for worse.

Okay, you got me with the title! Catchy and fun. I love it! Don’t you, everyone? I need to know the guilty secret! I need to stop using so many !! points! 🙂
You can connect with Jill by facebook, follow her on twitter,visit her blog–you’ll learn a lot–and her website. 

Jill, thanks so much for coming and for being such a good friend! Before you go, would you like to ask everyone a question?

What’s your favorite genre to read?

Frivolous Friday: Quirky Is The New Normal

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

Okay, I think it’s safe to say that everyone has some kind of quirk.

The older I become, the worse I seem to get.  You? Don’t lie.

Here are my top 3. I don’t have all day, so I’m only sharing a small percentage of weird things I must do.

1. If one arm rest is down in the mini-van, then the other one has to be. I can’t handle the driver’s side up while the passenger is down or vice versa. And really, neither can be up. They have to be down. Also, it doesn’t matter whose van we’re in.



My daughter took this for me. She said,
“Let me guess…another blog post.”
Why yes, yes it is!



2. If I’m going to ride in the back seat of a vehicle, it has to be the driver’s side. I hate the middle or the passenger side. My sister says it’s because I want to see myself in the rear-view mirror. I disagree, as some drivers are tall. So it can’t be that.

3. I have tons of coffee mugs, but there are a certain 4 I must have for my early morning Bible study. I make sure that at least one of them is always clean. If they’re dirty, I have to wash one in the morning to use it. I don’t know why! In my mom’s famous words, “Just because.”

So…what are some of your quirks? You have to have some…it’s the new normal. Have a great weekend and don’t forget to show up Monday, and meet  Jill Kemerer!

In the Word Wednesday: Get Your Strut on, because it’s all about pace Part 4

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

Today ends our Pace series in Proverbs. You can catch up on Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3. But hurry back!

“There are three things which are majestic in pace, yes, four which are stately in walk; A lion, which is mighty among beasts and does not turn away from any; A greyhound, a male goat also, and a king whose troops are with him.” Proverbs 30:29-31 NKJV

Our focus is on a “king whose troops are with him.” In the KJV it reads, “a king against whom there is no rising up” this phrase, “against whom there is no rising up” in Hebrew is “alquwm” and it means “no rebellion, no uprising.”

A king with united troops, is a beautiful and majestic site to see.

When we think of earthly kings, we may consider David and Solomon as great kings. They were, but David’s house was always at war and his troops divided against him. His own son tried to take his life and usurp the throne. Solomon had peace throughout his days, so we don’t see much battle.

There is someone in history that was a great…so great they added it to the end of his name. Alexander the Great. Why was he so incredible? Let’s look at a few details and then the big picture. Obviously this passage isn’t about Alexander the Great–his parents weren’t a twinkle in their parents’ eyes at this point, but I’m going somewhere so hang with me.

Alexander the Great had a few things going for him.
1. He was a brilliant military strategist. His battles are still taught in militaries today.

2. He fought on the front lines with his finest troops. He was willing to die fighting alongside his men. This kind of leadership, brings admiration, respect, gratitude and loyalty. We could all take a lesson here! I’m itching to get on my leadership soap-box. Breathe, Jess.

3. He equipped and took care of his soldiers, paying them full time to fight. By providing for them, it took their focus off of them and onto the battles at hand, which needed all their attention. He also provided them with the necessary tools needed to fight and succeed.

For all Alexander’s faults and odd behaviors, these three things were commendable and admirable.

But not even Alexander the Great can compare to a King who had been fighting on the front lines for His people, as Commander of the Lord’s Army long before Alexander existed. A King who still equips and provides for His troops, even today. The greatest military strategist of all time–His military strategies are also studied and have been copied by armies.

His name isn’t Alexander the Great.

It is Jesus. King of Kings.
Lord of Lords
Immanuel
Angel of the Lord
Highest
Alpha and Omega

This King foretold the falling of Alexander the Great in the book of Daniel. But there is no falling for this King! This King has even defeated death–what other King has done that? This King removed His royal robes to come down in the flesh, to be like us, to experience what we do and still not sin–and to die for His beloved troops.

While He was here, He taught and prepared. He left a war-guide, the Bible. The number one thing He impressed for his army to do in order to be successful in battle is:

To love God and one another

John 13:34; John 15:12, 17; John 13:35; Romans 13:8; Galatians 5:13; 1 Thess 4:9; Hebrews 10:24; 1 Peter 3:8; 1 Peter 4:8; 1 John 3:11; 1 John 3:23; 1 John 4:7; 1 John 4:11; 2 John 1:5

Why is it so important for us to love one another?

A house divided cannot stand. Matthew 12:25

The enemy has a common goal, to destroy us.  The enemy is NOT divided. They work together diligently to bring down the kingdom of God.

Can they win? Not a chance. But they do their best.

Sometimes, we fight against each other and forget who it is we’re really at war with. That’s why there are so many reminders from our King to stand united. Love one another.

Galatians 5:15, “But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another.”

1 Corinthians 12:25-27 says we should weep when others weep and rejoice when others rejoice.

Togetherness. Unity.

When we’re not fighting each other, we’re fighting our King

If a soldier is given a command, it is his duty to follow the order to the letter. There is no hesitating, arguing, or sulking. Remember the movie A Few Good Men? That Private took his orders and did what was asked of him, no questions–why? Because he knew his rank.

“…love the LORD your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days.” Deuteronomy 30:20 

Obedience can be difficult, but the more time we spend with the King, the more we grow in His Word, we understand that He wants what is best for us. His strategies may seem unclear to us at the time, but He never asked us to fully understand the big picture. He asked us to trust Him.

It’s a beautiful thing, when we work together, love each other and our King, and obey without hesitation. There is nothing we can’t do!

Summary:
1. Know who you are in Christ

2. Serve faithfully

3. Mature as a Christian

4. Obey the King, love one another, be unified.

So what are you up to today? Big plans? Work? Poolside? Cleaning house? All the above? 🙂