Month: April 2013

Would You Rather? With Katie Ganshert

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

Hey everyone today we’re playing Would You Rather? with author, Katie Ganshert! Wednesday she’ll be back here with a devotional that ties in with her newest release, Wishing on Willows! And on Friday, the Faith Readers (my book club) will be giving you our group review of the novel. So don’t miss out!


Ready, Katie? Here’s your questions:

Would You Rather spend a day on the
beach or hiking in the woods? Why?
I’d
rather spend a day hiking in the woods. Two reasons. The first, every time I go
to the dermatologist, the doctor makes a point of reminding me how very
fair-skinned I am and prone to skin cancer. The second? Hiking in the woods is
a great idea stimulator and it’s something my husband loves. So we could bond. J
Would You Rather have your first kiss
in a rainstorm or snowstorm? Why?
Rainstorm!
Probably because I’m so tired of the cold weather that the thought of anything
in a snowstorm sounds miserable.
Would You Rather order dinner in or go
out? Why?
That’s
a tough one, because it really depends on my mood. But probably the majority of
the time, it’s go out. No dishes to clean that way and there’s something
intimate about a cozy booth. 
Okay everyone, what about you? Pick one or all of these questions and answer them in the comments!

Does a second chance at life and love always involve surrender?
Buy the book!
A
three-year old son, a struggling café, and fading memories are all Robin Price
has left of her late husband. As the proud owner of Willow Tree Café in small
town Peaks, Iowa,  she pours her heart into every muffin she bakes and
espresso she pulls, thankful for the sense of purpose and community the work
provides.

                                      
So when
developer Ian McKay shows up in Peaks with plans to build condos where her café
and a vital town ministry are located, she isn’t about to let go without a
fight.
As
stubborn as he is handsome, Ian won’t give up easily. His family’s business
depends on his success in Peaks. But as Ian pushes to seal the deal, he wonders
if he has met his match. Robin’s gracious spirit threatens to undo his resolve,
especially when he discovers the beautiful widow harbors a grief that resonates
with his own.
With
polarized opinions forming all over town, business becomes unavoidably personal
and Robin and Ian must decide whether to cling to the familiar or surrender
their plans to the God of Second Chances. 


Diamond Rings, Surfing, and Heaven in the form of Ice Cream with Sherry Kyle!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

Today, I’m thrilled to have agent-mate, Sherry Kyle, hanging
out! Sherry is super sweet and I had the privilege of reading her newest book, The Heart Stone–so warming and
wonderful!
Sherry Kyle writes ReConnecting Faith and Fiction, including
books for 8-12 year old girls, as well as novels for women. Sherry is the
recipient of a Gold Mom’s Choice Award for her tween book, The
Christian Girl’s Guide to Style. Abingdon Press released her debut
novel, Delivered with Love, in 2011.The Heart Stone, her
second novel, released April 1st, 2013. Sherry and her husband Douglas have
four children and live by the ocean on California’s central coast. Readers
can connect with Sherry on her website at: www.sherrykyle.com
Okay, Sherry! Let’s chat:
Jessica, thank you so much for having me on your blog!
JP: You are so welcome! Thanks for being here. Tell everyone what
inspired the idea to write The Heart
Stone?
SK: The heart-shaped diamond ring. I thought it would be interesting if
a ring was offered to someone forty years ago, but now is worn by a single
mother to fend off any unwanted advances. This idea intrigued me and propelled
the rest of the story.
JP: I
thought it was intriguing too! Speaking of intriguing, Uncle George was a
missionary to the Philippines. Have you been on a missions trip there? Why did
you choose the Philippines?
SK: No, I’ve never been there. I chose the Philippines
because our adoptive daughter is Filipino and her birthparents were born there,
even though we adopted her from California. I thought it would be a fun tie-in
with our family.
JP: Oh
I love that, Sherry! George shows his niece, Jessica, a fan and shares with her
about the Philippine “fan” language. It reminded me a lot of Victorian “fan
talk.” Is that real or was that something you made up?
SK: The fan language is real. I wanted to include something
unique about the Philippines, and I thought the fan language was fun and
interesting to incorporate into the manuscript.
JP: How
cool! Can we expect to see future novels with any of the minor characters in The Heart Stone as main characters?
SK: I would love to write another story based on a minor
character from The

Heart Stone, but
at this point nothing is scheduled. Feel free to contact Abingdon Press,
however, and let them know! J I’m
currently writing a story set in La Selva Beach, California, about a woman who
discovers something in an old trunk.

JP: Sounds
mysterious! Let’s talk sweets. Ice cream seems to be a favorite of little Jacob
and Jessica (the main character). What is your favorite ice cream treat?
SK: The other day my husband and I went to Marianne’s Ice
Cream, the real shop in the story, and had a single scoop on a sugar cone. I
chose a flavor called Heaven and it’s my new favorite ice cream! It is vanilla
with walnuts, chocolate, peanut butter, and brownie bites. Doesn’t that sound
amazing? It was! I felt like I was living in my story because there was a woman
with her son sitting in the exact spot where Jessica and Jacob sat. It was
surreal.
JP: That
sounds well…like Heaven! Evelyn has many memories of her dates with George as
youngsters. Would you share where you went on your first date with your
husband?
SK: Sure! My husband and I went to church to hear Chuck
Swindoll, and then went out to A& V’s pizza in Fullerton, CA, on September
9th my freshman year in college. It was the first of many fun dates.
JP: I
love that your first date was centered on Jesus! Going to hear Chuck Swindoll! I
read on your website that your husband is a surfer? What about you? Do you
surf?
SK: I tried surfing once in college, but it’s definitely not
my sport. I don’t have the swimming skills and balance my husband has, and I’m
not fond of salt water. Plus, the water is chilly where we live. Brrr! I’ll
leave the surfing to him!
JP: And also sharks. Just sayin.
*Photos of beach and ice cream came from morgue file
Here’s a sneak peek at The Heart Stone:
When
the biological father of Jessica MacAllister’s son decides to break

their
custody agreement, Jessica and her son visit her Uncle George for advice and
refuge…

Following a year of grief, Evelyn Sweeney is finally ready to move on.
Pondering her new path in life, her mind drifts to her first love, George
MacAllister…

When the lives of these two women cross, they discover that one heart-shaped
ring binds their stories together. But will the results be a rekindled faith
and new hope, or will it lead them both back into the darkness they’ve fought
for so long?

In Justice For All

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

I know, I don’t normally post on Thursdays but I finished a novel and you need to know about it. Like today.

I’m a fan of Robin Caroll. I am. She stood two feet from me at registration for the ACFW, looked right in my face and I choked. I said nothing. I might have given her a goofy grin. Not sure. 

I enjoy her books. I love her characters and I especially loved her hero and heroine in Injustice For All the first book in her Justice Seekers series. I’ve read the first two backwards, but it didn’t really effect anything. I prefer to read a series in order, personal choice, but you don’t have to. I’m itching to get my hands on her newest, Strand of Deception!

A heroine running for her life to stay alive, an FBI agent trying to prove himself by solving a cold case that involves her. That makes for lots of high impact action, swooning romantic scenes and lots of witty and fun dialogue!

Her characters aren’t just well-crafted, they’re real. I could relate to several of them in different areas of my own life. 

The spiritual threads are relatable (is that a word?)–even if you aren’t running from bad guys who can crush you like a cigarette. 

 I know what to expect when I pick up a novel written by Caroll. Southern heat and phrases, twists and turns, and a lovely romance with plenty of tension all laced with a journey of faith or to find faith.

*Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the complimentary copy. All opinions are mine and honest!

Visit Robin Caroll at her
website! 
facebook page!

Here’s a sneak peek:
A federal judge lies bleeding
on his office floor, betrayed by a most unlikely source—people who helped him
bring criminals to justice. Now, why would someone working for the FBI need to
disappear after witnessing this crime?

When Remington Wyatt sees her godfather’s murder, she
recognizes the killers and knows it’s only a matter of time before they come to
silence her. She must do the only thing possible to stay alive . . . run.

FBI agent Rafe Baxter is serious about his career, and
solving a cold case involving a federal judge’s death puts him in line for the
promotion he so desires. But the case leads him to the small town of Hopewell,
Louisiana, where some secrets seem inextricably hidden deep within the bayou.

Injustice for All explores what
happens when everything a person believes in is utterly destroyed. Who can you
trust?


If you had to run for your life and settle down in a new town, what you change your name to and where would you settle?

If You Keep On Believing…

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

 

 
“Then they said to one another, “Look, this dreamer is coming!” Genesis 37:19
 
These are the words Joseph’s brothers said as they saw him coming toward them in a field. Words said in a snide way, dripping with contempt and envy.
 
Joseph made a mistake sharing his seemingly impossible i.e. God sized dreams with his brothers. Not everyone will celebrate our big dreams and there is a lesson to be learned in that.
 
But I love the statement, even if it came from bitter hearts.
 
Look! This dreamer is coming!
 
I want to be known as a dreamer. I want to always dream and dream big.
 
I just finished one of the most incredible books by Mark Batterson–The 

Purchase your copy
HERE!

Circle Maker. I’ve been begging friends and family to purchase and read it.

 
Batterson says, “There is nothing God loves more than keeping promises, answering prayers, performing miracles, and fulfilling dreams. That is who He is. That is what He does. And the bigger the circle we draw, the better, because God gets more glory.”
 
This morning I was praying scripture over my circles, my big dreams and a song popped into my head. Cinderella sang it.
 

“A dream is a wish your heart makes, when you’re fast asleep…”  In the context of God planting dreams within us, they aren’t wishes, but promises. If we don’t believe–it truly is a wish our heart makes. A wish lacks faith.
 
But dreams do come from our heart. (Not all are God-given and it’s important for us to daily spend time with Him so we can let Him establish which ones are and are not.)
 
I do get what Cinderella is singing about. And on some level I agree with her.
 
 Our hearts dream and sometimes it happens in sleep–when the busyness of the day and what we consider hopeless reality consumes our thoughts. Sometimes it’s in that quiet place of sleep or nodding off or when we first wake…God can whisper endless possibilities into our hearts.
 
It kindles and burns.
 
It causes us, like Cinderella, to put one foot in front of the other. To look out with longing and dream of what could be. Something much bigger than us.
 
 

The clock–a killjoy–ticks, robbing her of her dreams. I don’t think time itself robs us of our dreams (God uses time to fulfill our dreams), but I think it represents day to day activities and all the troubles that tick by that hinder us from dreaming.

 
“In dreams you will lose your heartache, whatever you wish for you keep…”
 
If they’re God-given dreams it’s true! God never changes His mind about us. He never revokes our calling and purposes. “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” Romans 11:29
 
“Have faith in your dreams and someday, your rainbow will come smiling through, No matter how your heart is grieving if you keep on believing, the dream that you wish will come true.” Rainbows are a sign of promise!
 
And our hearts do grieve us, don’t they? “Hope deferred makes the heart sick.”(Proverbs 13:12) That blasted Grandfather clock ticking!
 
The key: Have faith. Believe. The grandest dreams, the impossible, the scariest in a sense, dreams do come true.
 
Look at Cinderella. She wanted out from under the bondage she lived in,

 

enslaved to people who used and abused her. She wanted to feel beautiful, cherished, loved. She was made to be more than a slave. Like Joseph. Thrown into circumstances he couldn’t control.

 
She had faith. She kept dreaming even when “reality” told her it was impossible. When her heart was grieved. When the killjoy clock ticked and forced her into a day she would not have normally chosen for herself.
 
And things began to click into place. Unexpectedly. A ball. Resources and people who were put in her path to help her succeed. When God has a plan for you, and He does, He will go far beyond your expectations. You won’t have a simple carriage, you’ll have the best carriage–made from the impossible! A pumpkin! Miracles happen.
 
You won’t have a nice dress. You’ll have the best dress.
 
It won’t come without some troubles, stumbles, and opposition along the way.
 
But in the end…
 
If you keep on believing. The dreams, that you prayed will come true.
 

 

How big have you been praying? Has fear been holding you back? How can you change that today?

 

Musing on Genesis 37:19 Always Dream

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

In the words of
Lennon, “Some may say I’m a dreamer. But I’m not the only one.”
Are you a dreamer?
Wednesday, we’ll be
talking about God-given dreams, always dreaming, and we’ll take a closer look
at a fictional character who brings us truth through a melody. Dreams can and
do come true.
Musing/Meditation Prompts: Think of your
dreams. How big are they? Can you accomplish them on your own? Have you prayed
about them? Are they from God? How do you know? If you haven’t written your
dreams on paper, take a few minutes and prayerfully write them down.
Do
you still believe in your dreams? Why or why not?

Faith Readers Group Review and Sugar Cream Pie!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

I haven’t posted a
group review in awhile. Not because we’ve hated the books, just…I don’t know.
Point is, we’re here today.
In March we read,
Poison by Jordyn Redwood. She wrote a really cool post on poisons, and I admit
that I never want to be on her bad side, as she knows way to many creepy ways
to kill me. 🙂 You can read it HERE!
We met in the café
with coffee and Jan Kerley’s fabulous sugar cream pie. Now ya’ll say that real
southern like. It was bite after bite of deliciousness and it went super well
with the fudge pie Gayle Adams brought. We chatted about life, the book and then
we Skyped with the fabulous, Jordyn Redwood.
She was super nice
and answered all of our questions. She even shared some real life experiences
that inspired some of her suspenseful and medical scenes. We all enjoyed that.
And she was ready with some fun questions of her own! What was our favorite scene?
What scene would we like to erase from the book? Which characters did we like
most and why?
It was so good, I didn’t think to
take a photo till it was half gone!
Sugah Creem Pah!
Like a Snicker Doodle topping over
a vanilla-like custard center.
It was thirty
minutes of laughs and fun. We wish Jordyn could have had some of that pie–we
even discussed it with her!
So here are some
things the ladies had to say: (I don’t think
there are any SPOILERS!)
“I loved the
book! It kept me up reading all night.”
“I felt like
creepy crawlies were on me while I slept!”
“I liked seeing
some of the characters from her first book show up in the story, but I felt
like if I hadn’t read the first book, I’d still be okay.”
“I had to skim
a lot of it because I have a terrible fear of spiders. If it wasn’t a book club
read, I may have put it down just for that reason.”
“I thought
everything was resolved but one thing and I’d like to know who caused that
problem.” (I adapted this statement to keep spoilers out.)
RATING:
Out
of 5 stars.
5
stars
Visit Jordyn at her
website
blog
Five years ago,
Keelyn Blake’s armed, mentally ill stepfather took her family hostage in their
house in rural Colorado. She and her half-sister Raven made it out alive, but
others did not. Authorities blamed the father’s frequent hallucinations about a
being named Lucent, but in the end, even the best of the FBI’s hostage
negotiators failed to overcome the man’s delusions and end the standoff
peacefully.
Now, Lucent is back,
and he’s no hallucination. In fact, he is a very real person with dangerous
motives. He has kidnapped Raven’s daughter, and–Keelyn worries–maybe has hurt
Raven as well. Though she is estranged from her sister, Keelyn feels the immediate
need to find Raven and save what family she has left. But when others who were
involved in that fateful day start dying, some by mysterious circumstances,
Keelyn wonders if she can emerge unscathed a second time.
Let’s go out on Friday all creepy-like! Since Jordyn’s book
had poison and guns… Would you rather die by a poison or a gunshot
wound?  I know I said creepy! Just answer
it!
*I say gunshot. I’d
bleed out faster and maybe even go unconscious. I don’t want to writhe in pain
due to some kind of poison messing with my nervous system.

Does God Help Those Who Help Themselves?

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

 

 
Monday we mused on
Psalm 62:8
 
“Trust in Him
at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for
us.” NKJV
 
Here it is in the
NCV.
“People,
trust God all the time. Tell him all your problems, because God is our
protection.”
 
God
never mishandles our heart. People do, for sure. But never God. In the Bible,
you’ll find many verses about pouring out a drink offering, pouring out water
and then pouring out your heart.
 
In Acts
(and Joel) it talks about the Spirit being poured out.
 
In
Philippians, Paul refers to himself as a drink offering poured out, obviously
familiar with the concept.
 
Today, I
want to look at a tiny little snippet in the book of 1 Samuel. Chapter 7.  The ark had been captured by the Philistines.
Then it caused all sorts of trouble for them, this is where I smile and say
duh! So they sent it away and the men of Beth Shemesh took it but they looked
inside and they died. Hello, Holy God can’t be looked on and they knew it. So
they were afraid and they sent it to Kirjath Jearim.
 
The
people of Israel mourned (for like 20 years) and lamented and sought after God
so Samuel (who was judging Israel) came to them and here’s what he said:
 
“God
helps those who help themselves.”
 
I’m
kidding. God didn’t say that. In fact, that particular phrase makes me slightly nauseous. I suppose it depends on the context. Do you mean God partners with
us and we have a physical part we have to do? Yes, I might buy that phrase for a dollar. We do have an ACTIVE part to play. 
 
If we could actually help ourselves, why would we need God? I
think that is a confusing turn of phrase, especially to new believers who might think it means if they don’t act right and do things “perfect” God won’t intervene on their behalf. They might think it’s all about “works” in our own strength and ability. And me no likey. Not everyone is a “seasoned” Christian who can break that phrase down and pick it apart for what it is. Be careful what you post on facebook! (officially sort of done with my soapbox  exhorting mature Christians to be careful with young Christians or less mature ones.)
 
Here’s
what God (through Samuel) actually said:
 
“If
you are returning to the LORD with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the
foreign gods and Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the LORD and serve him
only and…” (1 Samuel 7:3)
 
 
So we
see that the people of God wanted God to help them, to provide for them but
they were still putting other things (other gods) first. In place of Him. Many
times, it’s a struggle to rid yourself of things you really love–love more
than God. But He gives us the strength to do it. Partnership.
 
“…and
He will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.” (rest of that
verse)
 
So they
did. And they served God only.
 
Samuel
assembled them at Mizpah, which means “watchtower.” It was 8 miles
north of Jerusalem. There Samuel interceded for them.
 
At
Mizpah, “they gathered together…drew water, and poured it out before the
LORD. And they fasted that day, and said there, ‘We have sinned against the
LORD.'”
 
God doesn’t help those who help themselves. He helps those who
have a repentant heart. *in this context of being a believer, not the fingerprints of God as He has guided us unknowingly before salvation. God has always been working on our behalf whether we have known it or not.
 
Pouring
out the water was symbol of repentance. It’s also a symbol of pouring out the
heart–giving it all to God. Surrendering. They also gave up food (fasting), as they’d
rather have God and His guidance than to fill their bellies.
 
At that
time the Philistines were on their way. The enemy was marching.
Samuel
was in the middle of offering a burnt offering for the people, an atonement for
their sin.
 
Look
what God did!
 
At that
moment, “the LORD thundered with a loud thunder upon the Philistines that
day, and so confused them that they were overcome before Israel.” 1 Samuel
7:10
 
When we pour it out, when we repent, God gives us the strength to knock down all things
that come before Him and it moves mountains of opposition. It confuses the
enemy and gives us the victory.
 
God
doesn’t need our help. He needs our repentant hearts. Thank God for the Holy Spirit that convicts and brings us to a place of repentance!
 
“Then
Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name
Ebenezer, saying ‘Thus far the LORD has helped us.'” 1 Samuel 7:12
 
Ebenezer
means stone of help. I think it’s important for us to put up a reminder,
whether physical or symbolic, to remind us that God has helped us so far. And
He will continue to be our refuge.
 
The key
is to pour ourselves out like water. Daily repenting–not b/c as Christians
we’re supposed to, but because we are truly sorry and we truly mean to turn
away from our sins and those things that come before God in our lives.
 
One
year, I gave my husband a clay jar that had a 3-tiered fountain. A reminder
that he might be clay, but his life overflows into others. A reminder that God
has  helped him thus far.
 
What “stones” have you set up to remind  you that God has helped you so far? If you
haven’t, give it some thought. What might you use as a “stone”?
 

Musing on Psalm 62:8, Pour It Out

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

This is a Psalm of
David. Sometimes it blows my mind how he put his faith and trust in God
especially in troubled times.
I love this picture
with this Psalm. Pouring out our heart–just small us. A vapor in the wind. A
withering sliver of grass. It must seem so microscopic, like this trickle of water
surrounded by the vast mountains and valleys.
But pouring out our
heart isn’t just a small trickle. It has the power to move these mountains!
I can’t wait to talk
about pouring ourselves out, like water on Wednesday! It’s a fascinating
concept to me. But today, let’s just take a few minutes to muse on this verse.
Musing/Meditation Prompts: Take a few minutes
to look at this picture and imagine yourself pouring out. All around you are
mountains that need to be moved. What would your heart pouring out like water
look like? How would it sound? How would it feel? Maybe you need to pause and actually
cry out and pour out. Notice the first sentence of this verse: Trust in Him at
all times. I love how God prefaces us to trust Him at all times before telling
us to pour out our heart. Hearts can be hurt and He’s letting you know that He
won’t hurt your heart. You can be vulnerable. You can pour it all out to Him.
He’s your refuge. He’s a safe place to tuck into.
Notice how the
mountains seem dark, but the sun is peeking over them as that trickle of water
pours out into a sea of waters. When I see it, I think new mercies every
morning and also the verse from that song: It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day…and
I’m feelin fiiiine. Is that Buble?
In this context, what does the sun peeking over mean to you?

Did You Know…?

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
 

On April 12 in 1861, The Civil War began. 
I can’t imagine what it would be like not to know what was happening. Now we can turn on TV, check Facebook, Twitter, you name it and we have pretty much direct access to what’s happening in the military. 

In 1872, Jesse James and his gang rob a bank in Columbia, KY for $1500 and one person died.
I wonder how much that was to people back then. Sad thing, people kill for just a pack of gum today. I don’t see Jesse James doing that. 

 
 

In 1945, Franklin Roosevelt died.
According to Arsenic and Old Lace, he yelled “Bully” before going downstairs. And he blew a horn. Is that true? Or was that Teddy? I think it was Teddy.

In 1954, Bill Haley and the Comets recorded Rock Around the Clock. 
I myself enjoy rocking…around…clocks, carts, cabinets, cars…you know anything goes!




In 1988, Sonny Bono was elected Mayor of Palm Springs. 
His victory song? I Got You, Babe. Because really, what else did he have going for him? RIP, Sonny.


In 1990, James Brown moved to a work release center after serving 15 months.
It’s rumored on his way out, he did a spin and hollered, “Wow! I feel good. nuh, nuh, nuh, nuh, nuh, nuh, nuh.”

I leave you with Bill Haley and the Comets, because it’s a good song to sum up what we’ve done here today. Rocked right around the clock. Don’t you feel smarter? 



What are you doing to make history? 

Passport To Your Dreams

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

 

 
When God first plants a dream in your heart, it bubbles to
overflowing with hope and expectation. But as time passes, it can be
discouraging. The bubbly fountain gets clogged with rocks of doubt and clumps
disappointment.
 
But God
tells us to wait, hope, and expect.
 
As most of you, who routinely read the blog or know me
personally, I talk often about my BFF “Jane” whose name is not really “Jane” at
all, but I like to call her that. And it’s my blog  so I can.
 
My friend “Jane” loves the Lord. I don’t know if I have ever
met anyone who loves Him and has a relationship with him like her. No one. I
admire that about her.

 

Several years ago, during a conversation the Lord told her
to go get her passport. It came out of nowhere, but when you spend as much time
with God as “Jane” you know His voice well.
 
Now, let me just say money was tight in their home. Really
tight. So spending a little over $100 for something for no apparent reason was
tough, but she went to her husband and said, “God said I needed to get my 
passport.”
 
“Where are you going?” he asked.
 
“I don’t know. Nowhere. Somewhere.”
 
Me and “Jane”
“Okay.”
 
So she did. It’s so cute with her big ole’ smile. She came
home with hope and expectation. Just a trip to Wal-Mart is fun travel. Four
hours with nothing but empty bean fields and ugly prairie to see on the way to
my hometown is exciting for “Jane.” She loves to travel.
 
But a few months passed and God never said another word
about it.
 
And then one year passed.
 
And another.
 
And then God told “Jane” to go back to school and get her
teaching degree.
Money was tight. But they were faithful to give. And “Jane”
trusted God.
Just to let you know not only did she get her degree, but
her husband is almost done with his four-year degree as well and they haven’t
taken out a single loan!
 
She was certain that she would teach elementary English—third
grade being her favorite. She graduated.
 
And still no place to take that passport. She’d take it from
her drawer and 
pray over it, ask God what that was all about? Was it just to
see if she’d obey? Because she did. No, there had to be more. “God, take me
somewhere. I’ll go anywhere with You. Just…just take me somewhere.”
 
Fall came and the only job offered to her was teaching a GED
class at the high school where both her oldest daughter attends and one will in
another year (how convenient for God). She took it and experienced some of the
toughest kids in her life—kids who needed a godly example.
 
But it opened the door for the next year.
 
To teach history.
 
Well, she loved biblical history. She could do this.
 
And she began teaching U.S. and World History. She especially
loves U.S. history.
 
Last week, she squealed over the phone and for once it wasn’t
about her lunch which could have been filet mignon or a hotdog out of the
microwave with one end blown up—both squeal-worthy to “Jane”.
 
“Guess what?”
 
“You’re eating lunch?”
 
“No, I mean I am! I just had the most delicious hot pocket
with—”
 
“Move on.”
 
She laughed. “Right. So I just found out that I get to go to
Europe! (She pronounced it Yerup) For a WWII tour. Lundun, Germuhny, Fraaance.
And some other places! And guess what?”
 
 
“You’ll eat real sauerkraut on polish sausages?”
 
“Oh my gosh, that would be so good. And Belgium…I could buy
chocolate.”
 
“Back to point, Jane.”
 
“Right. I’m going to finally get to use my passport! And not
only am I going to Europe, I’m going for FREE!”
 
Years went by and “Jane” wasn’t sure what her future held. But
she didn’t give up on her prayers.
 
When
God does something, He has a purpose behind it. And it’s always big.
 
He didn’t ask her to get the passport to long for a dream
that wouldn’t come. 
 
It wasn’t to remind her that she wasn’t ever going
anywhere.
 
It was a reminder that God was taking her somewhere.
Physically. And spiritually.
 
She never gave up hope. She waited for years. She circled
that passport in prayer.
 
And He foot her bill for her.
 
She leaves in June of next summer. And that Fall, her
passport expires.
 
God
doesn’t let our dreams expire on us. He fulfills everything He’s set out to
accomplish concerning us.
 
I’m reading a book right now by Mark Batterson called the Circle
Maker. It’s

about praying circles around your dreams with scriptural promises
and not giving up on them. I recommend it highly.

 
Are you still waiting, hoping, and expecting. The key is to
expect. When we stop expecting God to do something wonderful, we lose hope and
waiting seems like being locked Houdini style in a water tank without the
skills to get out. And if I was tightening word count, I would have just said,
drowning.
My point. Keep expecting. God doesn’t disappoint.
 
Where
are you? Waiting expectantly, inching your way to the dunk tank…are you in the
tank?
 
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