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Relax, Don’t Do It!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

 

 
If you were an 80s
child, you’re now going to be singing Frankie Goes To Hollywood all day, or
referencing Friends. Die-hard fans of the show know exactly what I’m talking
about!
 
On Monday we mused
and meditated on Exodus 14:13-14. This past week, I had a terrible few days of
fear. A fear of failing in a certain area of my life (no, it wasn’t
writing–for once). I’ve been circling a mountain, so to speak, that I can’t
seem to get victory in. Surely, I am not alone.
 
These verses means so
much to me.
 
 
In context, He was
talking to the Israelites. His chosen people. The ones He went into covenant
with. They were leaving Egypt, which represents bondage; slavery. And
also…Egypt. Ha! God had judged the nation and its gods with 10 plagues.
Fascinating stuff.
 
On their way out,
Pharaoh decided to come after them. He brought all his army, horses and
chariots, with every intention of enslaving them again. Victory would not be
theirs.
 
“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but
we trust in the
name of the Lord our God.”
Psalm 20:7
 
The people shook in
their boots sandals. They said to Moses,
“Didn’t we say to you, ‘leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians’?
Better for us to serve the Egyptians than die in the desert!”
 
Wow! They would
rather go back to affliction, pain, slavery, bondage, and misery than trust
God. Ultimately, that’s what they were saying. God had no intentions of leading
them out to let the enemy slaughter them.
 
 
He
has no intention of leading you out of whatever you may be enslaved to, only to
let the enemy defeat you when you get a taste of freedom.
 
Then the LORD speaks
and that’s where our verse starts.
 
Let’s look at our key words: Stand firm, deliverance, fight, be
still
 
Stand firm in the
KJV is “stand still” and in the Hebrew, the word is
“yatsab” which means, “to station oneself or to present
oneself.”
 
 Now this next little
ditty is interesting. The word is deliverance. In the KJV, it’s salvation.
Let’s take a good look at it in the Hebrew, because I want to show you
something super fascinating!
 
In the Hebrew, that
word deliverance or salvation is “yĕshuw`ah” Say it
out loud. Does it remind you of another word you may have heard in the Hebrew?
 
You
guessed right. (I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt!)
 
Jesus. In Hebrew. Yĕhowshuwa`
 
You may not be able
to read Hebrew, but can you see the similarities? Why do they sound so similar?  Because the name Jesus comes from two Hebrew
root words.
 
 
Yĕhovah meaning, Jehovah–the existing One.
The proper name of the one true God. And the other root word is yasha` which means, to save, to be saved, be
delivered!
 
We may
not be facing the literal Red Sea or the Egyptian army. If so, I’d really like
to hear your story, but we do face impossible obstacles and sins that hold us
captive. Sometimes we call those sins bad habits or social faux paus. But they
are sin. Maybe we can’t get a grip on our anger, bitterness, lewd tongue,
gossiping mouths, selfishness, pride, the list goes on.
 
So we could say: ” The LORD says, ‘Don’t be afraid of the
obstacles or the bondage in your life. Present yourself to Me and see Jesus
Christ work in your life today to set you free.'”
 
But
we’re not done yet!
 
“The
Egyptians (sin; bondage) you see today you will never see again.” () mine.
God is going to not only set you a little free. He’s going to set you all the
way free.
 
But how,
you may cry out? I can’t do this. It’s too hard. I’ve tried before. I’ve cried
out before. I’m afraid I’ll fail again.
 
“The
LORD will fight for you…”  He will
engage in battle; make war.
 
“The Lord is a man of war;
The Lord is His name.” Exodus 15:3
 
You only
need to be still.
 
Is God
telling us that we don’t have to do anything?
 
Yes and
no.
 
 
No, we
don’t have to worry and try to take matters into our own hands. No we don’t
have to fight the battle in our own strength, which so many times we do, even
when we think we’re not.
 
Yes, we
have a part.  God said, “stand firm” for one thing. Okay, how?
 
“…because it is by faith you stand firm.”
2 Corinthians 1:24 When you engage your faith, you stand firm. That’s how you
fight.
 
“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.” 1 Corinthians 16:3
 
“Resist
him, standing firm in the faith…” 1
Peter 5:9 (him = enemy)
 
Look at the verse in
the New Century Version:
 
“Don’t
be afraid! Stand still and you will see the Lord save you today. You will
never see these Egyptians again after today. You only need to remain calm; the
Lord will fight for you.” Not do nothing, just…
 
Remain calm. 
 
So we could say: ” The LORD says, ‘Don’t be afraid of
the obstacles or the bondage in your life. Present yourself to Me and see Jesus
Christ work in your life today to set you free.’ I’m going to wipe out that sin
in your life. I’m a skilled fighter. And I fight for you. Remain calm, have
faith. Put on your armor, and know that I AM.”
 
Relax. Don’t do it! Don’t wig out and
take matters into your own hands or flip out so bad you buckle your knees and
give up. So many times the Israelites did that and it always cost them. It’ll
cost you. It’ll cost me too.
 
What
part of this verse brings you most comfort? I love the whole verse, but
“The LORD will fight for you” really gives me goosebumps in a warm,
delicious way. 
 
*I normally don’t post on Thursdays but tomorrow I am thrilled to have Jordyn Redwood in the house and she’s talking about a deadly poison. Stop by because the medical facts are intriguing to say the least!

*And Friday will conclude our Real-Life Romance series with Gabrielle Meyer! 

 
I’m hosting today! “Like” our
Living by Grace facebook page1
Devotionals for each day!
 
 
 

Musing on Exodus 14:13-14: Winning Battles

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

 

 
This could be one of
my favorite verses in the Bible. Of course, I say that about every verse we
muse on. What I’m going through at the time determines my favorite verse for
that moment.
 
On  Wednesday we’ll unpack this verse. Does being
still mean doing nothing? What is the difference between standing firm and
being still, or is there one?
 
Meditation/Musing Prompts: Look at the picture
with the little girl walking alone on the beach. Miles of sand. A huge ocean at
her back and sides. How does this photo parallel to these verses? Put yourself
in the place of the child. Think about times God has fought for you. Meditate
on the deliverance He brought, the victory you felt, let it encourage and
strengthen you for the next challenge/battle/war that comes.  Examine yourself; do you let God fight for
you? Think of some times you tried to fight in your own power, how did it turn
out? Picture the LORD as a “a Man of War, trained for battle” take
comfort in His expert skill and leadership.
 
Prayer for today: Lord, with all the miles we
have to walk, the hot sand on our feet and an endless ocean of battles that
seem too hard to beat, with taunting waves that threaten and overwhelm us, we
know that you fight for us. That you love us. We are not alone. Thank you for
the times you’ve delivered us, extended and lavished grace and mercy. Thank
you, that you never fail us. You never leave us deserted and alone. Even when
we feel like you do. Thank you that we don’t have trust our emotions, even when
our faith sinks and we can’t trust that, we can trust the facts. The facts of
your word are true and faithful. They are reliable. They are guarantees. And
your word says, that you will fight for us. You will deliver us. You will show
yourself might and strong on our behalf. That you are with us to the very end.
Bless your name, Lord.
 
A
picture says a thousand words. In your own words, what do you see when you look
at the above picture? It can relate to the verse, but it doesn’t have to. It
can be serious or funny. I love to see how each mind is unique and thinks
differently. It’ll be fun reading the comments, come back if you have time and
see how we all look at one picture but see many different things!

Real-Life Romance: Tim & Jess

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
 

Imagine a young seventeen year old girl heading off to Bible college after a good long stint of running from Jesus. Naive. Impressionable. Rowdy….selfish.

God had his work cut out for me. He still does. I’m grateful that He’s long-suffering. I walked onto campus ready to do things right after doing things so wrong for so long. Everything was new and fresh. 

And I had all these ideas about who I was going to become and what my life would be like. Much of it meant using my dad’s credit cards and not having to get a job during college days. What? I said I was seventeen. 

I was going as a missions major with a heart for India. I was going to marry a missions major. We would graduate and then we would head for the mission field to work with girls rescued from brothels. Children of my own weren’t even on the radar. 

I’m a planner. 

Planning is great. “A man’s heart plans his ways…” Proverbs 16:9 God never said we couldn’t make plans. The plans I had going on were good. God-glorifying.

However, I needed cash. Dad cut me off! And um…I wasn’t selling plasma. Needles. Not happening. Someone told me about working on my own time (good for a planner like me) telemarketing.

Yes, I was one of those people you hung up on…or told dirty jokes to. I have a whole other post on this. But hey, it was money and it was fun. 

One particular evening a blond-haired guy with smart-looking glasses set down beside me. Big blue eyes. Full lips. Wide smile that sent crater-like dimples into his cheeks. I thought, “A shy, smart guy. Cool.” So much better than the perv on my left. 

I was wrong. He wasn’t shy at all. In fact, without the f-bombs, he could have been a white Eddie Murphy. He leaned over my cubicle and made a witty remark about my phone skills and I don’t know if he had the intuition or was just so competitive himself that it didn’t matter, but he challenged me. 

Love to hear my man sing
and the sleeves rolled up…bonus!
What is it about a man with
his sleeves rolled up?

Um…don’t challenge me! Don’t make bets! I get all crazy-competitive. Ask Susan Tuttle and Julie Jarnagin. 🙂  I won btw…making the most calls without hang ups that night.

He offered to give me a ride back to my dorm, and I found out he attended the same college. I’d never seen him before. But later I found out, he’d seen me. 

I declined his offer. 

The next work night, I accepted. We sat in his truck until curfew laughing and talking. I found out he was an Evangelism major which immediately threw him off the radar. I was marrying a missions major. And I told him that. 

I will never forget that smirk and arrogant twinkle in his eye. “Okay.” His tone? Smug. But I let it go. No point arguing.

 

Me and my evangelist…in Thailand together
ministering to the children!

And then he asked me out for Valentine’s and again, I reminded him. I was marrying a missions major. “Come on, as friends.”

Friends?

“Alright. But just as friends. I’m serious.”

Arrogant eye-twinkle. Smug smirk. “Okay.”

When he showed up at my dorm, he had a dozen roses, heart-shaped box of chocolate, and a card. Inside I was giddy. On the outside, I frowned. “I said, as friends. This is a friend date.”

“Well, you don’t know me very well yet. I do this for all my friends.” He grinned, opened the door for me and we drove into Branson and had a steak dinner. It was fun, I had to admit. But I wasn’t marrying an evangelist. And I was going to India. 

That evening on the way back to the dorms, he pulled off a secluded road. I knew exactly what that meant. Oh my good gravy! I am not parking with this evangelist! Ack! I remember freaking out inside. He turned to me and grinned. 

“What are you doing?” I asked, a cautious look in my eye. 

 

Thai kids take ice cream sandwich literally.
They eat it on bread. Look closely!

He fiddled with the radio. “Hop out.”

“I’m sorry, what?” 

“Get out, Jess. Come on.” He opened his car door.

I thought, “Hey, better than the back seat.”

And that’s when he took me in his arms and we danced. Just a sweet, soft slow dance on the side of a road overlooking a field.

Yep, REO Speedwagon blared I Can’t Fight This Feeling. LOL But it was so romantic and sweet and I think at that moment, my heart slipped away.

The following year, we were married. He wrote me a song and sang it to me on our wedding day. 

No, we’re not in India…yet. But we’ve ministered to so many people as a team, a partnership. I can’t imagine my life with anyone else. We laugh, we act like complete idiots…well, I do! Tim is my best friend.  Here’s an example:

That’s a photo he sent me.
My ruts in the yard backing out!

I’m thankful for the latter half of Proverbs 16:9 “…but the LORD directs his steps.” 

Maybe you’re out there and you’re a planner. Like me. Remember, God has your very best interest at heart. And when He changes your plans, it’s okay. You always get something better than what you thought you ever wanted! I’m living proof. 

 

What was your first date like? I’d love to hear in the comments! And have you ever been on a missions trip before? Where did you go? How did it change your life?

Words From the Lover of Your Soul

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
 

I can think of nothing that gives me warm shivers like the book of Song of Solomon, especially when I understand the meaning according to my Savior–the Lover of my soul. It’s a beautiful love letter (like all of the Bible), but it’s intimate. Lovely. And yes, even romantic.

Wednesday, we’ll unpack this verse. I think it’s fitting since this week we’ll be celebrating Valentine’s Day. There is no greater special Someone than Jesus Christ, Himself. 

Musing/Meditation Prompts:  Reflect upon the times Jesus has spoken to your heart words of affirmation, reassurance, hope. When was the last time He asked you to rise up and come away with Him? What did winter look like in your life before Jesus blew in a new season of spring? Muse on His goodness for seasons. The passing of old ones. The springing forth of new ones.

 

What season would you say 
you are in at the moment? 

Real-life Romance: Pastor Greg & Nancy Davis

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

 

 
 
When I think of love enduring, I think of my Pastor and his
wife. Their story is an inspiration to anyone. I hope you’ll be encouraged
today even though she’s only sharing the nutshell. Thank you, Nancy, for being
here today!
 
Don’t despise small beginnings.  Isn’t that what you’ve always heard?  I would add “or young beginnings.”  I’m sure my mother never had any idea that
when she dropped me off for my first day of second grade at a new school that I
would meet the man I would marry. But there he was. About half way through second grade Greg asked me to marry him, and;
obviously, I said yes. Despite a couple of short-lived dramatic breakups
during elementary school we were an item. By the time we were old enough to
date there was no turning back.
 
Pastor Greg & Nancy Davis
Cornerstone Church
Newly married right out of high school we moved off to
attend Bible College (and, yes, the above-mentioned mother was a basket case)! Just
me and him and absolutely NOTHING else. We lived like paupers-as most students
do-and those were some of the most fun years of our lives. We discovered you
don’t really have to have much as long as you are happy with each other. Love doesn’t cost anything except time,
thoughtfulness and commitment.  It’s
a small price to pay for something so rewarding.
 
You know, in 32 (almost) years of marriage I’ve learned some
things that are ageless.  Love doesn’t have to be complicated.  It doesn’t have
to be demanding or smothering.  It does,
in fact, take work and effort.  It cannot
grow on its own without attention and nurturing but it can flourish greatly when fed a constant diet of respect and
consideration.
 
Not to say that marital love is perfect.  No love, other than that of our heavenly
Father, is. But you can certainly weather a lot of storms and face a lot of
“stuff” if you have someone to lean into. And, if handled correctly, the storms of life can make your love stronger –
more solidified. That’s right! I really did say that! Not that you invite
bad times – absolutely not!  But, you
have to know those times will come.  Just
as sure as life rolls on, those times will come. And how you walk through them
as a couple will make, break, strengthen or weaken your relationship.
 
Our 32 years (almost) has brought with it many “opportunities”
for strengthening: Eight years of infertility eventually resulting in the birth
of our son, Colton, being born with 6 separate heart defects and facing a total
of 6 open-heart surgeries before his 18th birthday; my battle with a
blood disorder that almost killed me and took two years for recovery; our newly
adopted 12 month old Chinese daughter being diagnosed with a large, cancerous,
potentially-lethal brain tumor followed by a 12 hour brain surgery and 1 1/2
years of chemo and radiation; full time ministry for 25 years (need I add to
that one?) with 15 of those being the Lead Pastors; and, much more – but who’s
counting, right?
 
In all of these storms came times of despair.  A moment – even if fleeting- when the
darkness seemed greater than the light. We’ve all been there at one time or
another for one reason or another. 
Without Greg, I might have remained there. He held me close when I
shivered from the fear. He allowed me to process my grief knowing that he would
pull me back to deal with the present. He whispered words of hope and love into
my life and into my heart.  We cried
together. We talked out our frustrations and our fears. We contemplated our
options. We talked about everything-whether or not it was easy to say or to
hear. Then, and this is important, we
celebrated all of the good things in our lives. We counted our blessings in
our times of want. We agreed that even though we might not understand our
situations we were certainly going to invite God into them. We also agreed that
we could allow our trials to make us bitter or to make us better. It was our
choice and we chose better every time. It’s always the best choice. Bitter gets
you nothing. Ever. That’s how we still handle our storms and we’ve yet to meet
a storm we couldn’t endure together.
 
A lot of our success comes from the little things. He fills
my car with gas because he knows I hate to. I buy whipped cream even though I
hate it because I know he loves it on everything. He buys me flowers on
Tuesdays because he says nobody expects to get flowers on Tuesday. I get up
early to turn the heat up and get coffee ready because he hates to get up to a
cold house. He tells me I’m beautiful
even though I’m constantly getting my hair colored to cover the gray and trying
new face creams to reduce the wrinkles.  I
tell him he still makes my heart pound and even though he has a little less
hair now I don’t even notice.  It’s an
ongoing cycle of giving.  What happens,
though, is when you continually give you – continually receive. Pretty nifty
how it works out that way!
 
 
There’s been a lot of water under the bridge since he popped
the question way back in 1971 in second grade! 
There is no one in this world I would rather paddle my way through life
with.  Marriage is designed to get better and better every year if that’s how
you build it. The trick is to get busy building.  
 
Thank you so much, Nancy, for guesting today. I never get
tired of your love story or watching it unfold every day. You inspire me!
 
If you’re
married, what are some things you do, to stay busy building a healthy and
successful marriage? If you’re not married, what are some qualities you’re
looking for in a spouse? (my questions)
 
 
 
  
    
 

How to Make it Through Tough Times

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

 

 
On Monday we mused
over Proverbs 19:23.
 
“The fear of the Lord leads to
life,
And he who has it will abide in satisfaction;
He will
not be visited with evil.” NKJV
 
So what
does this verse really mean and how can we apply it to our lives? After all, we
live in evil and harmful times. We’re not immune to it. In fact, James says in
chapter 1:2, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various
trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.”
 
Harm and
evil are part of this fallen world. It’s inevitable.
 
Solomon
said, “All things come alike
to all: One event happens to
the righteous and the wicked;” Ecc.9:2
 
Then we
need to dig into this verse and pull out the hidden gems. Because we know that
the Bible does not contradict itself. It’s infallible.
 
First,
let’s look at our…
 
Key Words: Life, Abide, Satisfied, Visited With
Evil
 
“Life”
in Hebrew is “chay” and it means, “living, alive, flowing (of
water), reviving (springtime). From the root word, “chayah” meaning
“to live, have life, remain alive, live forever.”
 
“Abide”
is “luwn” meaning, “remain, cause to rest, to lodge.”
 
And
“satisfied” is “sabea” meaning “sated, satisified,
abounding” from the root word, “saba” meaning “to be
fulfilled, sated (with food), be filled, to have in excess.”
 
So we could say, “To have a deep awe and respect for the Lord
brings us alive like living or flowing water, like the budding flowers at
springtime and we will live forever–eternally and because of this, we can rest
in excess and abundance of Jesus Christ….”
 
But what
about the latter half of the verse? “He will not be visited with
evil.” NKJV
 
I’m
reminded of the story of Joseph. A young teenager who was thrown into a pit by
his brothers. Begged to be drawn out, only to be sold–bound and fettered
before their calloused hearts and evil eyes–and taken to Egypt. (Genesis 37)
 
Working
as a slave to an Egyptian captain. (Genesis 39:1)
 
Yet he
continued to fear the Lord. And he abided in abundance. Everything he set his
hand to, God was with him.
 
Then
Potiphar’s wife nagged him everyday, working her best to seduce him until he’d
come to a point of weakness and he fled. “How can I do this wickedness
against God?” (Genesis 39:10-15)
 
And
instead of a, “Well done, Joseph! You passed another test!” He was
falsely accused or rape/attempted rape, and thrown into prison. (Genesis 39:20)
 
Which
tells me that evil–calamity, sickness, disaster happens to anyone. Even those
abiding in the Lord. It happened to Joseph. It happens to us.
 
Jesus
says in John 16:33, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may
have peace. In the world you will have
tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
 
Abiding in Christ brings an inner peace when everything on the
outside is falling apart.
 
“Visited
with evil” in the Hebrew means, “to pay attention to.” So we
could say:
 
“To
have a deep awe and respect for the Lord brings us alive like living or flowing
water, like the budding flowers at springtime and we will live
forever–eternally and because of this, we can rest in excess and abundance of
Jesus Christ and when calamity or bad things of this world happen, we don’t
have to be bothered or fixate on it because we know that all things work
together for good for those who love God.”
 
What
Joseph’s brothers meant for evil, God meant for good. (Genesis 50:20)
 
All
things work together for good. Not all good things happen. We have to trust
that the hurt, disappointments, calamities, sickness, deaths, rejection, abuse
can be used by God for good in our lives. (Romans 8:28)
 
That’s
hard to do sometimes, isn’t it?
 
Joseph
said, “You have made me fruitful in the
land of my affliction.” (Genesis 41:52)
 
It’s in
the worst of times, we learn to trust the most.
 
Would you say that you have learned to depend on God most in the
good times or the tough times? Why?

Musing on Proverbs 19:23

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

Today’s meditation
and musing comes from Proverbs 19:23. Here it is in a few other versions.
“The fear of the Lord leads to life;
then one
rests content, untouched by trouble.” NIV
“The fear of the Lord leads to life,
 and
whoever has it rests satisfied;
 he
will not be visited by harm.” ESV (English Standard Version)
“The fear of the Lord leads to
life,
And he who has it will abide in satisfaction;
He will
not be visited with evil.” NKJV

We’ll unpack this
interesting scripture on Wednesday. The key question: If we will not be visited
with evil or harm, then why does evil and harm happen to us? Hmmm…. Yep, there
is an answer and we’ll discover it in our study.
Musing/Meditation prompts:  Reflect and ask yourself what fearing the
Lord means to you? How can this lead to life? If I feared (had a deep awesome,
revering respect) the Lord how would my life look differently? Contentment to
me is….? How does my version of contentment line up with what scriptures says
about contentment? Remember when God satisfied you during evil and/or
frightening times. Give Him praise for those occasions.
What
does the perfect restful 
day look like to you?
Here’s mine: I would
sleep in (you know till like 8:30 lol) and my back wouldn’t hurt from being in
the bed too long. Coffee would already be brewed. I’d spend some time in my
Bible and chatting with the Lord then  my
husband would fix a big calorie-killer breakfast. Yes, it would involve bacon.
The house would be dust and clutter free. Candles lit. I’d read on my hammock
(since the day would be a perfect 70 degrees with sunshine and a light breeze).
Take a nap if I wanted. Write. No fussing or questions from children. My dog
wouldn’t have fleas or poop on my tile. And the Lord would be so close I could
breathe Him in. Then I’d take a hot bath, put on fresh PJs, climb in bed and
read the Word before going to bed. Perfect restful day!
**Feel free to pin the photo to your Pinterest board! If I knew how to put a “pin it” button on my blog, I would! If you know how, email me. jrpatch(at)yahoo(dot)com

Real-Life Romance Stories: Brad & Charissa Kerley

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

I’m kicking off Fridays with real-life romance stories that are meant to encourage and inspire you whether you’re single, engaged, or married! 

Each Friday during February, you’ll hear from one woman about her real-life romance! Today, I’m honored to have my dear friend (And my midnight Twilight Saga movie premiere partner) Charissa Kerley with us to share her unique story. 

I was so blessed to know Charissa during her teenage years and watch God do amazing things in her life. She’s always been a wonderful role model for my daughter and I couldn’t love her more! Welcome, Charissa! 

For as long as I
can remember I have been a romantic even back to elementary and middle school.
I was always daydreaming about my future husband, how we would meet, how
handsome he would be and how we’d live happily ever after.
 So naturally I was so excited when I
got to high school and would be around a ton of older boys whom I could
potentially date. However, in the 9th grade I strongly felt that the
Lord was asking me to give up dating much to my disappointment. Unless He
revealed the man I was going to marry with a ray of light and a hallelujah
chorus, I would not be dating anyone until I graduated. This wasn’t to say that
I didn’t have plenty of crushes and even a couple of offers throughout high
school, but I knew that God had asked me to sacrifice those things for Him.
These are not B & C’s hands. 🙂 
All throughout this time, I learned
so much about being secure in my relationship with Christ. I stood on the verse
that said: “For your Maker is your husband—the Lord Almighty is his name.”
Isaiah 54:5. Knowing that Jesus was the best husband I could ever ask for
taught me so much about who He is and who I am through Him. I look back on that
time in my life so fondly even though it wasn’t always easy when I was living
it.
One of my closest friends in high
school was named Kayla. We had an accelerated English class together and became
fast friends, having similar views and taste in movies and music. Towards the
middle of our sophomore year she began dating a guy who was a junior named
Luke. Luke had a twin brother named Brad and I’d seen both of them around
school before (they both had a notorious style, wearing huge baggy pants and
their hair color changing practically every month.) I got to know Luke through
Kayla, but I didn’t speak to Brad much.
Fast forward to my senior year. Kayla
had moved to Iowa
and Luke and Brad had both moved away after they had graduated high school the
year before. I kept up with Kayla through Myspace (you can see how dated this
story is now) and I had also become “friends” with Brad on there at some point
as well.
Towards the middle of my senior year
I began talking with Brad a little bit on our Myspace pages. He had recently
been through a bad breakup while he had been away in St. Louis and I would get on his page to tell
him jokes and say silly things to cheer him up. We began to talk more and more,
eventually upgrading to text messages.
As my senior year came to a close,
my choir held a banquet to celebrate all of the year’s accomplishments. Even
though Brad and I had never hung out one on one before and had only just
recently began getting to know each other, I asked him to go with me. He
immediately responded that he would be happy to go because he was coming home
for the summer.
The first day that Brad and I spent
any time alone together was (get this!) my very last day of high school. He
picked me up from the school and we spent the rest of the day together.
Me and Charissa at her
wedding! I was a bridesmaid!

That summer Brad and I were
practically inseparable. He became my best friend. Every morning that I woke up
I couldn’t wait until I could see him that day and any time we were apart we
spent texting each other constantly. He finally mustered up the courage to ask
me out at the end of the summer and of course I said yes. My family loved him
and Luke and Kayla (who were now married) and the rest of his family were so
happy that the two of us had gotten together.

We had a whirlwind romance, getting
engaged after only four months of dating and then getting married six months
after that (at ages 19 and 20!). We’ve now been married over four years and it
has been an amazing ride. It’s not always easy, but we constantly strive to
grow closer to the Lord and each other on a regular basis.
            Brad and
Charissa Kerley live in northern MS. Brad is currently in grad school at the University of Memphis to be an entrepreneur and they
both work heavily in their church’s missions department. They have a huge heart
for the country of Haiti
and hope to minister there permanently or periodically after Brad receives his
Master’s Degree.

I love that story! And I love you, Charissa and Brad! 
*Next Friday, you’ll hear from a very special lady to me…my Pastor’s wife! You won’t want to miss this incredible journey of love!
Were you best friends with your spouse before you dated? 

Celebrate the Power of the Mind! Mindspeak: Heather Sunseri

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

If you could read my
mind right now, you’d be hearing me gush about Heather Sunseri’s debut, young
adult novel, Mindspeak.
I wrote a review of
the book on Goodreads. You can read it HERE.
Heather has been
weighing her options between traditional publishing and self-publishing. I’ve
been amazed at the research she’s done and the knowledge she’s acquired while
deciding. In fact, she shares a lot of her journey and the information she’s
taken in on her blog. You can read them HERE.
A quality book with
a great message–which she’ll be sharing with us soon! A message of identity
and purpose. This book is a great read, whether you’re a young adult or
slightly older, ahem, like me! I love this genre. And I can’t wait to read book
2.
It launched earlier
than expected and without the online parties, blog tours, or big push she’s
already rocking the Amazon chart! I’m so excited! So…
Today we’re scarfing
on virtual cupcakes (for those of you who are health nuts, green apples!) and coffee and I’m even popping a bottle of bubbly to
celebrate. Cider or Champagne–your choice!
Over at Heather’s,
she’s holding a party too, with a fabulous giveaway so jump on over there and enter to win: $50 Amazon cash! Read the details on
Heather’s blog.
Congratulate her on
a well-crafted, well-designed book and by all means, share the love! On
facebook, on twitter…any social media site you have.  PUrchase Heather’s
debut while it’s on sale for $2.99. 
Visit Heather’sFacebook author page for some more fun and to keep up with her writing and
witticism.
Here’s a sneak peek at Mindspeak:
She was
created for a purpose so revolutionary, someone was willing to kill for it.
Seventeen-year-old
Lexi Matthews keeps two secrets from her elite boarding school classmates—she’s
the daughter of a famous and controversial geneticist, and she can influence
people’s thoughts.
But after
new student Jack DeWeese heals her broken arm with an anything-but-simple
touch, he forces Lexi to face a new reality—her abilities reach much further
than speaking to the minds of others.
After
Lexi’s father goes missing and she receives threatening emails, she can’t
decide whether to fall into Jack’s arms or run and hide.
As Lexi
seeks answers to what she and Jack are, she discovers a truth more unsettling
than anything her science books can teach. And letting Jack into her life of
secrets is not only a threat to her very existence, but it just might break her
heart wide open.

You can purchase Mindspeak: at
 Amazon
B&N
Smashwords
Kobo
And soon at iTunes!

 *soon to be purchased at B&N, Smashwords, and Kobo
Congratulations
Heather!
If you could have any super power, what would it be?

Don’t Drink the Water: Lori Wildenberg

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

I’m
very excited to have Lori Wildenberg here today to share! I encourage you to
visit her websites. Thanks so much for being here today, Lori! Take it away…

  Well…you
don’t have to tell me twice. Actually you don’t have to tell me once.
Seriously, who would drink toilet water? Okay… besides Murphy (my dog).
Like a
splash in the face, it hit me. I do. I drink toilet water. I pour all kinds of
tainted things into my heart and mind. My thoughts, the things I view, or what
I listen to can be poisonous.
Why do I
do this?
I am a sinner.
But…I
am a saved sinner. There is hope for me. God has given me the power to turn
from sin, to run from it. I just need to tap into His Holy Spirit power, drink
it in, and let it flow through my veins.
 On
my own, I’m parched, dying but His Spirit is the life-giving, pure
water-waiting to be consumed.
I pray my children will drink living water.
The
college years are filled with toilet water, beckoning the kids to take a sip,
next a gulp, then consume a gallon, finally it is their beverage of choice.
They can’t even taste the poison. (This can make a parent sick, heart-sick.)
If you
find yourself in this position of hurting due to your young adults choice of beverage,
PRAY.
My
prayer for my kids is any activity that does not honor the Lord leaves them
thirsty. I pray they desire clean water. I pray that only Jesus can
can quench that thirst.
The enemy may have won the battle but he hasn’t won the war.
Whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst.
John 4:14
When was the last time you were actually parched for God’s Word? So thirsty you thought you might die if you didn’t get to it right then? If you’ve never been that thirsty, why do you think that is? (question by me–Jess)

Lori
Wildenberg, co-founder of 1 Corinthians 13
Parenting, loves speaking and writing about raising kids. She’s a
licensed parent-family educator and certified teacher, passionate about
mentoring parents. Since Lori, her husband, and four kids are perfectly imperfect, her approach to family life is real,
honest, and warm-hearted. This style makes her a favorite speaker at women’s
and parent events. In her seminars, she offers practical and easily applicable
techniques based on living out 1 Corinthians 13 love. Lori is co-author of EMPOWERED PARENTS: Putting Faith First, a
contributor to many other Christian books, a radio station guest, a member of
The M.O.M. Initiative team, a curriculum writer for teacher development at the
Professional Learning Board, and is co-columnist of Parenting Prose seen in Marriage
Magazine. For more information go to http://www.loriwildenberg.com or http://www.1Corinthians13Parenting.com

Come by and join
in the conversation!
I’m  hosting!

*Lori took that photo at the Grand Canyon! LOL