Author: Jessica R. Patch

Working for Jesus vs. Ministering to Him

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
Visit Jeanette! 
Welcome to Wednesday, my favorite people! I am so excited to introduce you to the sweet and hilarious, Jeanette Levellie! Jeanette is…
A spunky pastor’s wife of over thirty
years, Jeanette’s debut humorous inspirational book, Two Scoops of Grace with Chuckles on Top, released in April of 2012,
and has already become an Amazon bestseller in the humor category.
Jeanette’s bi-weekly
humor/inspirational column, God is Bigger,
has been a popular feature in the Paris Beacon News since 2001. She’s published
stories in Guideposts  and  Love is a Verb with Gary Chapman anthologies;
articles in Vista, God’s World Today, The Christian
Communicator, Birds & Blooms, Country, and Country Extra magazines; devotionals in The Upper Room, Daily Hope, Light from the Word, & Glimpses of God, greeting card verses
for Celebration Greetings, and poems
for La Leche League International calendars.  

Jeanette, thank you so much for being here. I absolutely loved this! Take it away!
When I became a Christian at age eight, I went to school the
next day and told my friends in a singsong voice, “I’m going to hea-ven and
you’re no-ot!”
I don’t recommend this method of sharing your faith. Although
my heart was right—I wanted to serve the Lord—my methods were a bit primitive. Pre-believers
need more than a taunting song from a freckle-faced kid hanging upside down on
the monkey bars to see their need for a Savior.
Since that early faux paus, I’ve honed my “sharing the
gospel” skills. I’ve also discovered that attitude is everything if I want to not
only please the Lord, but also enjoy my relationship with Him. I made that
discovery when a close friend nearly landed in jail.
Several years ago, our friend, Roger* was arrested and falsely
accused of a crime. After weeks of earnest prayer and Roger’s savings moving
from his savings account to the lawyer’s wallet, the judge lessened the
sentence from jail time to community service. I was so grateful, I wept as I
praised the Lord. Then I thought, 
“I want to do something to show my gratitude.”
I decided to take my lunch break once a week to visit a
nearby nursing home. I brought yarn to one of the patients who crocheted, ice
cream bars to the nurses’ aides, and smiles to those who’d lost theirs.
Although I often grieved when I left, knowing I was returning to my healthy life,
visiting these unfortunate people was a joy. I never associated the word “work”
in relation to these visits. I was ministering to the Lord by loving a few of
His lambs. It was a tangible way I could say “thank you” to Jesus for rescuing
Roger.
It’s too easy for us to slip into categorizing some of the
things we do—teaching Bible classes, leading worship, sharing our testimony—as
“working for the Lord” rather than “ministering to Jesus.” We tend to label our
activities as “spiritual” or “secular.” But that’s not how the Master thinks.
He says, “If you’ve done something for another human being, you’ve done it for
Me” (Matthew 25).
If we’re interested in making our lives count for Jesus, we’ll
be conscious that every floor we mop, every tip we give a waitress, and every song
we sing, ministers to the Lord. Well, with one exception. That tacky little one
I sang as I hung from the monkey bars is long gone!


Does it help you to
think in terms of ministering to Jesus as opposed to working for Him? Is there
a difference? Why or why not?

God Can…

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

_________________ fill in the blank.




I loved your comments so much last Monday when you filled in the blank: God is ___________. So encouraging! Hope you take a minute to listen to Seth Condrey’s incredible praise song! 

He really is the God of the impossible! Do you need something done in your life that seems impossible? He can! He is able!

Oh! Tomorrow is one of my most favoritest people in the whole world’s birthday! Happy Birthday, Susan Tuttle! Love you, dear one!

Join me Wednesday for a super special post by a super special lady! Stay tuned!

A Little This and That

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
So, I’ve been editing a ms for the last few weeks. I’ve felt a little like this…
But mostly, it’s been fun and I still love my characters. 
I’ve been pushing my daughter to get her permit because she has to wait one full year after getting it until she can have a license. Her birthday was in November. I don’t want to drive her to school forever! 
My mom got me an apron for Christmas. And a CD in Hebrew. Wanna know what my sister got? Hand spa lotions and scrubs. Hmm… Did I mention I can’t speak Hebrew or understand it? I need the English spelling when I’m studying. Did I also mention my hands are cracked and scaly from this wintry weather? Yeah. Moving on. *Mom, I love your gifts. Really. I do. Thanks.
I’ve had some long conversations with my BFF that revolve around questions that begin with: Yeah, but like, what if…? Or But could you…? and What kind of a fungus might…? Okay, and some more serious stuff like, If I meet Jesus first, will you be jealous? And, when we’re all living on the New Earth, how are we guaranteed one on one time with Jesus. If he’ll be physical, then like, how can he be with me in a garden and you by a waterfall? So yeah, stuff like that.
I also fell in love with that egg lip loss, no it’s not made from eggs but it looks like it’s an egg. EOS or something? Anyway, I like it.
I bought green post-its. I lost a journal, not really a journal that just sounds cooler. I lost a skinny notebook. I also lost a sock. 
Oh! 
No, that’s not interesting. Okay, that’s all I got. Have a great weekend.

Your turn: Give me a little bit of your this and that. 

How to Prepare Yourself for Service

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
Consecration. A word that means set apart for a specific
purpose.
When we think of consecration, we think of the Levitical
priesthood, setting themselves apart/consecrating themselves before ministering
before the LORD. The same is true today.
Set apart for a
specific purpose also means to prepare.
Last week, we talked about Daniel preparing himself for the
vision he received. He fasted three weeks, only eating bland foods. He
abstained from meat, bread, and wine.
It was a physical action he took.
But it came from his heart. Today I want to look at another
instance where Daniel set himself apart.
Imagine coming into Babylon a slave. Being spoken to in a
language you did not understand. 
Taken from everything you knew. No facebook,
google maps, or Travelocity to give you any idea of where you were going.
Nothing.
Daniel was taken, along with his three fiery-furnace
friends, and were to be integrated into society. Taught the language and
customs etc…and to eat meat and wine from the king’s table.
Daniel 1:8 tells us, “But Daniel purposed in his heart that
he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with
the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs
that he might not defile himself.”
In ancient times, meat was sacrificed to false gods, and
wine was like a drink offering to them, so to sit at the table and eat and
drink, meant you were acknowledging, accepting, and even worshipping their
gods.
Daniel wasn’t being forced to hard labor. He was about to go
into a prestigious training program. Refusing to follow the rules could be disastrous
at the least and at most deliver a death sentence.
Don’t think Daniel didn’t think of the consequences. But in
the end, he purposed in his heart. 
He made the decision. To set himself apart.
To not compromise.
To be different.  To
be who he was called to be.
It took courage and bravery. 

Consecrating ourselves to God and to His purposes takes
conscious decisions. It will take determining in our hearts.
Whatever the outcome. Whatever the penalty.
The reward is always greater.
If you sit in the middle of the fence, nine times out of
ten, you’ll fall.
Make a choice. Determine in your heart what you will and
will not do.
And trust God with the outcome and rewards.
“So Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs
had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,  “Please
test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and
water to drink. Then let our appearance be examined before you, and the
appearance of the young men who eat the portion of the king’s delicacies; and
as you see fit, so deal with your servants.”  So he
consented with them in this matter, and tested them ten days.” Daniel
1:11-14
The results:
“And at the end of
ten days their features appeared better and fatter in flesh than all the
young men who ate the portion of the king’s delicacies.” Daniel 1:15
“And in all matters of wisdom and understanding about which
the king examined them, he found them
ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers who were in all his
realm.” Daniel 1:20
How many times better were they?
Ten?
Coincidence? I think not.


What is
something you can set apart/consecrate to the LORD? 


photocredit/freedigitalphotos:imagerymajestic

God Is…

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

…answer in the comments 
and take a few minutes to be calmed, filled with peace, renewed with hope, infused with joy.

Draw Near…

Nearer…

Even closer…

Almost there…

Wednesday, we’ll talk about consecration i.e. being set apart for service. I hope you’ll join me!

The sun came up. God is faithful. What He says He will do, He will do!

photocreditfreedigitalphotos

Weeping Over Fictional Characters

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
 

Over the holidays, I had plenty of time to relax and to read. And I did a lot. I still have reviews to post, and I’ll get to it. 

Some of the novels I enjoyed were:

Five Days in Skye by Carla Laureno. Can’t afford to take a trip to Scotland? Just read this book and I promise you’ll be there. 

Crossfire by Jodie Bailey. Need a thrill? Want to lose your breath in a good way and stay on the edge of your seat, or in my case the couch? Jump into this Love Inspired Military romantic/suspense.

The Wedding Game by  Amy Matayo. Love sassy, witty banter and reality TV? Winner! A fun, fun read.

Always the Baker, Never the Bride by Sandra Bricker. I’ve read her other two out of order and I’ll tell you it doesn’t matter, but this one was my favorite. Love laughing, romance, and recipes? All three right here.

A Light In the Window by Julie Lessman. Interested in mysterious and dreamy heroes? Read her Daughters of Boston series? This book began it all. It’s a must-read.

I also read some not inspirational fiction.

A Shade of Vampire by Bella Forrest. Looking for interesting settings, vampires and teenage romance? Granted the back of the book had me wondering as the heroine is kidnapped and forced into a vampire prince’s harem. However…it turned out to be a really clean book. I was pleasantly surprised. This isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but it was an interesting read and I liked it.

But I want to talk about the last book I read over the holiday. The one that had me boo-hooing.

Gripping.
Poignant.
Gut ripping.
Emotional.

A Fault in Our Stars by John Green

A story about teenagers with cancer. Doesn’t sound light-hearted. It is and it isn’t. There are moments when you get a break from the C-word.

I was utterly sucked into these lives. Especially the witty hero. As a mother, I cried over and over because I can’t even imagine. As a human being, the compassion flowed like rivers.

But what had me snot-nosed weeping was while both of the characters searched for answers to an after-life (one thinking something better was there and the other never believing anything) they never found it. They found love with each other. They grew as people.

I wept into my hands and begged God to reveal himself to them and then it hit me, um…they’re fictional. But my hope-filled heart ached anyway. And I have no idea what the author truly believes. I think the thoughts and discoveries and questions the main characters asked and explored were true to human nature. Faith was never really injected. So, I think it’s safe to say that he wasn’t writing from a faith-based point of view–not even from one character. I don’t think every character needs to be a Christian when writing inspirational fiction. In fact, in my opinion, they shouldn’t be. But that’s a different blog.

I felt a renewed gratefulness, though, that I do write from a faith-based viewpoint (at least one!) And if you write from a faith-based view, you should be jumping up and down. Because we have answers the world doesn’t. I’ve read some wonderful books, including this one, that make me think and wonder and give me information on a viewpoint I’ve never heard before. But I don’t want to simply offer new questions. I want to offer solutions. Hope. Something that will leave a reader with something more than damp and wadded up tissues or the satisfied sigh of a good read (though I do want that too!).

Your view may not be the same and that’s okay. But this is why I write. It’s personal to me. I don’t begrudge anyone who writes for other reasons. This book affected me. In so many ways. I 100% recommend it. Stellar writing. Amazing story. 

But mostly I was hit with what wasn’t written. What wasn’t in between the  lines or even subtly on the pages. 

It reminded once again why I write. Who I write to. And who I write for. 

What did you read over the Christmas holidays? Any recommendations? If you’re a writer, why do you write? 

Catch the Vision

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
Welcome to
Wednesday, everyone!
Some do
resolutions, some do one-words. For the past few years, I’ve been a one-word
kind of girl. I focus on that word throughout the year.
Last year,
my word was JOY, the year before it was STRENGTH.
This year the Lord has spoken the word VISION over me.
By
definition, the word can mean several things:
  •  the ability to see : sight or eyesight

  •  something that you imagine; a picture that you
    see in your mind

  •  something that you see or dream especially as
    part of a religious or supernatural experience

I believe
in having a vision in order to see victory in your life. Some may even call a
vision, a goal.
Habakkuk
holds the most famous verse on vision.
“Write the
vision And make it plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it.”
Habakkuk 2:2
Of course,
in order to write a vision, you must first have a vision. This is where I like
to set aside the first part of January to fasting and praying for that. I think
many of us probably set aside a designated time for direction for the new year.
What do I
see for this year? Moreover, what does God see and what will He reveal to me
for this new year? It takes time, prayer and yes, even fasting to discover.
Let’s look
at Daniel chapter 10.
“In
the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a message was revealed to Daniel, whose
name was called Belteshazzar. The message was true, but the appointed time was
long ;and he understood the message, and had understanding of the vision.”
Daniel 10: 1
Daniel was
given a message/vision and God revealed to him what it was. He understood. We
need to seek God to give us vision and to understand it.
This
vision (regarding a great war) moved Daniel to spiritual action. “I,
Daniel, was mourning three full weeks. I ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine
came into my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were
fulfilled.” (2:2)
If you’ve
ever heard of a “Daniel fast” this is where they get it from. He
fasted. He denied himself rich foods. He didn’t live to eat, but rather he ate
to live during this time.
With
fasting and prayer come great reward.
“Now
on the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great
river, that is, the Tigris, I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, a certain
man clothed in linen, whose waist was girded with gold of Uphaz! His body was
like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like torches of
fire, his arms and feet like burnished bronze in color, and the sound of his
words like the voice of a multitude.” (10:4-6)
Can you
imagine!?! Many scholars believe this to be Jesus Pre-Incarnate, since other
scriptures describe him the same. *the angel that speaks afterward who was
fighting the Prince of Persia is not thought to be Jesus, but simply an angel.
Daniel
experienced the glory of God in a way no one else around him did.
“And
I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see the
vision; but a great terror fell upon them, so that they fled to hide
themselves.” (verse 7)
Why? He
had prepared himself. If we want
to experience Christ in even more glorious ways, we’re going to have to
prepare ourselves for it.
This year
I want the “ability to see” Christ in new and even more glorious
ways. I want a fresh vision. I want the vision of Christ–Christ-colored
glasses on at every moment.
It’ll take:
  • Consecration.
  • Inspiration.
  • Motivation.
  • Dedication.
  • Saturation.
  • Maturation.
  • Even at
    times an Operation (on my heart and mind) if I want VISION.

And I do.
I really, really, really do. This year we’ll look at the “-tions”
together. We will catch the vision of Christ for our lives. As the body of
Christ, and for our personal destiny.
“For
I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD…”
Feel free to pin this to your Pinterest board as a reminder!
Well,
let’s get to steppin and get God’s vision for us this new year. I’m all about
good plans and a future of hope.
How about
you?

What is your one word or goal/s you’ve set for the new year? What do you
want more of?

A Year of Promises!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
 
Welcome to
another new year, friends! I hope you’ve enjoyed your Christmas holidays.
Followed through with old traditions, made new ones. Enjoyed our wonderful
Savior.
 
Instead of
saying HAPPY new year, I’ll say something else. (I have said Happy New Year and
begrudge no one the saying, I’m making a point.) You see, some woke up this
morning still in physical and emotional pain, still struggling financially,
still grieving lost loved ones, still afraid or uncertain of the future. What I
will say is, here is to a promising new year. Here are just a few of those
promises. Happiness may not come, but the joy of the Lord is deep and abiding
even when things aren’t happy.
 
“If
you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My
Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you,
that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.” John
15:10-11
 
“For
I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I
will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry
wasteland.” Isaiah 43:19
 
“No
weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against
you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the
Lord, And their righteousness is from Me,” Says the Lord.” Isaiah 54:17
 
“All
praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with
every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with
Christ.” Ephesians 1:3
 
“May
God himself, the God who makes everything holy and whole, make you holy and
whole, put you together—spirit, soul, and body—and keep you fit for the coming
of our Master, Jesus Christ. The One who called you is completely dependable.
If he said it, he’ll do it!” 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
 
“If
we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to
cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9
 
“…nothing
can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels
nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even
the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above
or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to
separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our
Lord.”  Romans 8:38-39
 
“And
be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:20
 

 

Which of
these promises spoke to your heart most? Or if you have a promise you plan to
“stand” on this year, feel free to share it! 
 
Also, Happy Birthday to my mom today! I love you, mom! Here’s to a promising new year for you!

Abundant Blessings

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
 

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! 

I’m all about spending time with the fam and getting my slice of pumpkin pie! I’m thankful for so many things. 

God has blessed me so much this year with abundance. Soul abundance. What about you? In honor of Thanksgiving, I’d like to revisit an old post–one of my first posts as a blogger.

What’s in Your Basket? 

I’ll be taking a blogging break for the month of December, but will be back with a look at 2013 and my one word, along with my new word for 2014! I encourage you to spend some time in December focusing on the vision God has for you in the coming year and write it down! Without a vision, the people perish.

Be blessed, everyone and have a very Merry Christmas indeed. 

How has God blessed you this year? Share something big or small!

A Moment In His Presence

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

My BFF “Jane” shared a video with me last week. It was about 5:30 a.m. when the text came through and it was THE perfect end to my study time with the Lord.

Praying you take a minute and bask in His presence. Read Psalm 139:6-8 from the Message translation while listening. We have so much to be thankful for today! 

I’m thankful for His abiding presence. 

God,
investigate my life;
    get all the facts firsthand.
I’m an
open book to you;
    even from a distance, you know what I’m
thinking.
You know
when I leave and when I get back;
    I’m never out of your sight.
You know
everything I’m going to say
    before I start the first sentence.
I look
behind me and you’re there,
    then up ahead and you’re there, too—
    your reassuring presence, coming and going.
This is
too much, too wonderful—
    I can’t take it all in!
Is there
any place I can go to avoid your Spirit?
    to be out of your sight?
If I climb
to the sky, you’re there!
    If I go underground, you’re there!
If I flew
on morning’s wings
    to the far western horizon,
You’d find
me in a minute—
    you’re already there waiting!
Then I
said to myself, “Oh, he even sees me in the dark!
    At night I’m immersed in the light!”
It’s a
fact: darkness isn’t dark to you; 
night and day, darkness and light, they’re
all the same to you. 


What are you thankful for today, concerning God?