Category: devotions

The Power of HAVING Jesus: A Deeper Look

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

“Hey, you wanna see what I have?” You ever heard that when you were a kid or been the kid asking someone else the same question? It usually came with a had fisted over something like a neat shaped rock, a ladybug, a four-leaf clover, a flower… It wasn’t usually that big or exciting. Maybe a tooth or a dollar from the “tooth fairy” but that’s about all.

I was doing a bible study and the author quoted John Piper. His words have been sticking with me the whole week so I thought I’d share them with you.

He said, and I’m not quoting because I’m not sure this is verbatim. But the gist is: If you have something. HAVE. All that that thing is or does belongs to you. For example: If you HAVE a cold, you have all the cold is and brings like a runny nose, fever, sneezing etc…  If you HAVE a doctor then you have all of that doctor’s knowledge, wisdom and skill to help you. Let me take it a little further. If you HAVE a whole house, then you HAVE  all that the house is and gives such as shelter, safety, a place to entertain and find comfort. You have access to all the rooms.  

Piper than goes on to say if you HAVE Jesus, then you HAVE all of who He is, what He can do, all that comes with Him. Because you HAVE Him.

That really hit different. If you’ve accepted the truth that Jesus is who He is says He is and you believe, then you HAVE Jesus. Not a little of Jesus. Not just some good words He proclaimed. You HAVE all of Him.

You have His grace and mercy.

You have eternal life.

You have a new identity in Him.

You have access to His healing–physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually.

You have the same resurrection power that raised Him from the dead living in You.

You HAVE it all.

But do you know what ALL is? The only way to know that for yourself is to be in that word, learning who you HAVE.  That would be like HAVING a whole house but never bothering to go into some of the rooms when you have full access to them all.

Why would you not do that?

It would be like being handed a present and turning it down, never opening it. Why would you do that? You wouldn’t.

So why, friend, do we go day after day not knowing all that we HAVE in Jesus? I encourage you today to look at the palm of your hand and remind yourself you HAVE Jesus and He’s far bigger than what might fit in the palm of your hand.

Even better, He has you in the palm of His. IF…you HAVE Him. And if not, let’s talk. I’d love to hear what you’re thinking.  

QUESTION:What’s one thing you carried in your palm as a child for someone to see? Me–lightning bugs! 

 

Until next time,

Go in hope!

Jess

Serve with Purpose: When to Say No in Ministry

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

When I was growing up, I watched my mother have a hand in nearly every type of ministry or committee or group at church. Often times I was voluntold to help out too. We made floats for parades, Christmas plays–we did all and I played a part in the show too. She brought people home to disciple and teach them the Bible. I can go on and on. 

I went to Bible college and then we made went on to head ministries and groups at our church where we were heavily involved in everything and I said yes to things I didn’t actually feel led to say yes to, but felt some pressure and also this thing called GUILT.

I should help everywhere and anywhere because it’s the right thing to do and no one else will step up. Meanwhile I was heading the Women’s Ministry where everything gets dumped whether or not it should be women’s ministry. I was the only one teaching a women’s bible study. I taught Wednesday nights for first grade girls and we pastored the young adults. To say I was worn out was an understatement not to mention my month in the nursery or a few times when someone called in or didn’t show.

By the time I hit my early forties maybe late 30s, I finally realized I didn’t have to say YES to everything that was asked of me. I didn’t have to feel guilty for saying no or not volunteering for everything. 

Friend, that was freeing. It freed me up to do what I know God led me to, confirmed and gave me strength for. And it also forced those who sat and soaked in pews doing absolutely nothing the conviction to do something. 

God will lead you and it won’t always be what you think. You don’t want to be in preschool but God says “Yep.” And so you do and you find that you actually love it. But it wasn’t on your radar.

That happened to me at the church we’ve attended for about 5 years. I wasn’t sure where I fit. What I did at our former church, there was no opportunity for me to do that–and I didn’t feel like I was supposed to. So I did nothing–for a short time. 

Then I started feeling that familiar itch to teach. But where? I wasn’t needed And yet it was growing. One Sunday, a young woman came up to me and said, “I’m going to be going to the new church plant and I felt led to ask you if you’d like to teach the Youth SS girls class.”

I didn’t have to pray about it because God had already been planting it and confirming it in my heart so I said, “YES!” on the spot. The ONE ministry I’d never worked in was YOUTH. For over 25 years at our former church–I never worked in the Youth. Never thought I would at our present church either. And yet… I’ve been doing it now for three years I think? I can’t remember. Maybe more. 

But I’ve also said “NO.” to a few things when asked. And you know what? I don’t feel bad or guilty for it. I’m doing exactly what he’s asked me to. Now does that mean I can’t bring a casserole or bake a dish for a new mom? No. Of course not. 

And you shouldn’t either. 

Be active in your local body. Be active outside the walls of the church–even more! 

But don’t feel guilty for saying no to things when you’re actively doing other things to serve in your church. 

No is a sentence all by itself. You don’t need an explanation behind it. It stands on its own.

“Serve willingly, as if you were serving the Lord and not merely people…” Ephesians 6:7

Willingly. Not out of guilt of self-guilt. 

 

This Book Needs More Mention of God! Actually…

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

By now, if you have read my trade thrillers which are NOT at ALL my Love Inspired Suspense novels, you know that I tackle very dark subject matter. I don’t shy away from dark themes that are prevalent in mainstream fiction because I don’t believe God shied away from the depravity in the Bible. He did not condone or celebrate wicked acts but he never sanitized them. He told them as they were. Read the book of Judges then talk to me about disturbing and dark. 

I don’t glorify evil in my real life or in my novels. But it sets the backdrop to the light to come. I never said I write happily-ever-afters in my thrillers. I don’t. I said I write hope-filled endings and I will always deliver on that.

For me, I feel led to explore the wicked heart. To SHOW someone living wrong and how that sin spills over into their life and others and hurts them. Then I SHOW them come to know the truth–to see the light and change their ways. Once my character is on the right path, the story is over. I don’t write about them living a faith-filled life with a few hiccups. That doesn’t interest me as a reader and it doesn’t interest me as a writer. Once the conflict is over, so is the story. 

The Other Sister by author Jessica R. Patch

In The Other Sister, I demonstrate not through a voice of truth telling Charlotte–you are living a destructive life and you are not finding joy in what you do have. You can’t see that you are loved because you’re too occupied with all the things you think you need to satisfy your deep, empty places. You’re broken, Charlotte, and only Jesus can save you, heal you, restore you and show you unconditional love. Only Jesus can satisfy the longing of your heart and make you whole. Lean on Jesus, Charlotte. Here’s how (and quote the Romans Road). This is all true and everything Charlotte needs. 

But I’d rather SHOW the brokenness. I’d rather use other characters to reveal parts of her heart–corruption, lies, justification of sin, wickedness and even depravity. 

I’d rather use a character as a type of Christ (as we see many before Jesus comes in the Bible) to test her, to challenge her, to point to faith being a choice and not some symbol worn in a cross necklace. To push her to make the right but hard choices and then to reveal that after all she’s done, he is not ashamed to dine with her. He is not afraid to be seen with her. That he would even after all she’s done, desire to be a part of her life. 

Recently, a reviewer wrote this about an early copy of The Other Sister: 

“This was by far the darkest book I’ve ever read. It’s the combination of a horror and an awful family full of secrets. To be honest, I hated it. From a demon child to a stalker to the very nasty, dreadful mess. I only continued reading to know what happened in the end. The only good thing I can say about this book is that it’s unpredictable. But there were also certain things that didn’t seem wrapped up to me. One character just vanished at one point for no real reason. All the characters were difficult to keep up with and the amount of evil things that the Christian author piled into this book is honestly concerning. I’ve read books about fighting and death and evil, but this one to me hardly classifies as a Christian novel. God was mentioned 8 times in this horrible novel. With the content, He should have been mentioned a hundred times. I most certainly will not be reading this book again. And I may never read another book by this author. I probably should give this book one star, but I know how difficult it is to write a book so I added another just for her effort.”

While I never speak to negative reviews, because once the book is in the world, it’s not my business and reviews sites are fair platforms to say how bad a book or good a book is without any repercussion from the author, I’m going to speak to this one because it appears she is an author/aspiring author? too and that makes it fair game for a colleague to speak of another colleagues words–we swim in the same pond. 

This book does classify as a Christian book because it’s a redemption story. It is full of Jeremiah 17:9, 1 John 2:15, Philippians 4:11-13, Romans 1:28, Romans 1:16, Revelation 3:20, Luke 9:26 . It shows biblical worldview. It shows a desperately abused, empty woman who desires to be loved wholly and completely. She’s the woman at the well. She’s Mary Magdalene. She’s the woman with the issue of blood. She’s me. She’s you. Desperate women do desperate acts–women who know the Lord and women who don’t. 

And along the way darkness bumps up against her in the form of liars, schemers and manipulators. In the form of depraved individuals. Darkness will bump up against us–it’s a matter of when not if. I hope this reviewer never experiences some of the depraved individuals I have or maybe that you have. I hope sin never spills into her safe space. I hope she never feels so alone and lost that she messes up in ways that are so disappointing and disheartening the shame is overwhelming and unimaginable. 

I have. Maybe you have too. That’s why I write what I do. I’ve experienced and seen enough in my almost 50 years that I know mentioning God 8 times is not enough. Mentioning God ONCE isn’t enough. Because just mentioning his name doesn’t do anything. But to say he needs mentioned more times to combat the darkness says he doesn’t have enough power to be mentioned once to do it. And my God only needs one word. He is an all consuming fire whether he’s spoken of once or 8 times or 800. 

Showing him throughout a whole story in the character of Christian Patrick is far more powerful. Revealing biblical truth through storytelling is as mighty as telling someone God loves them–dare I say even more powerful because we’ve connected as a reader, lived in Charlotte’s skin and seen through her eyes the actions of others that we need saving too. We need to take responsibility for our sin not try to outrun consequences. Sin does find us out. It is crouching at our door. It will master us if we do not master it. And it is a fight to the death–the death of our innate wickedness (flesh vs. spirit). No one is good. No one is innocent, not even 2 year olds or they wouldn’t lie to us when we ask for the truth. Did you eat that cookie? No. And yet the crumbs are on their cheeks. No one taught them to lie. It’s inherent.

And from a woman who also read The Other Sister: “I just finished The Other Sister! Wow! Great read! I LOVED it!! I would say it was your best, yet, but all of your books are great, and I love the redemption in them!! When I read where Charlotte thinks, “I never realized before that I was loved. I couldn’t see it for focusing on everything I didn’t have.” That is me, I have been focusing on all of the bad that has happened, and God doesn’t intend me to stay there, but to learn and grow from it to help others. I know you write fiction, but you also include God’s Truth among the people and pages! Thank you for using your talent to share the love of Christ to the lost and to those of us who are His, but need a little kick in the behind at times!!”

She saw what was shown. The Holy Spirit applied it personally to her own life. And she received the takeaway–as intended by the heart of the author who bathed this book in prayer. Even the wicked, vile demon child aspect–which I would call a born sociopath and exists. Did I add some horror element to it, well yeah I love the horror genre so duh.

Here’s what God revealed to me in prayer time this morning. 

It’s not the quantity of light. It only takes one little match to illuminate a dark cave. You don’t need a torch or a bonfire. We don’t leave the overhead light on for our children to sleep at night. We buy a small tiny bulb and call it a nightlight. It’s just enough to illuminate the way to the door, to combat total darkness and fear. One. Little. Light. We sing, this LITTLE light of mine… I’m gonna let it shine.

You can mention God 900 times. It’s no different than striking one small match. Because God is light is light is light is light. 

He is bringing hope with one flickering flame as much as He’s bringing hope with a mention on every page. He IS seen through the acts of people and in types of Christs–no different than CS Lewis in Narnia or in the story of Esther where we so clearly see him at work without a single mention of his name. Haman was as much of a narcissist sociopath as some of the characters in The Other Sister. 

I’m okay with being misunderstood. That’s part of the cost for writing the types of thrillers I write and I’m okay with that. I’m not okay with my faith being questioned by another “Christian”.

But I’m going to keep shining light in dark places. The real world and in fiction. 

 

 

 

 

Do the Ways of Jeroboam Matter? Spoiler Alert: Yes!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

Welcome, friend, to Forward Friday, A Patch of Hope. Feel free to forward this email to a friend that might enjoy occasional Friday devotionals. 

If you’re reading your Bible chronologically, like I am, then you’ve recently entered the Divided Kingdom era. It gets wild, let me tell ya! 

Jeroboam has become king of the Northern kingdom, Israel, consisting of 10 tribes. And Rehoboam, Solomon’s son holds the Southern Kingdom, Judah, with the tribes of Judah and Benjamin.

The split in kingdoms doesn’t exempt the Northern kingdom from the convent and Jeroboam begins to think (1 Kings 12:26-27): “Jeroboam thought to himself, “Unless I am careful, the kingdom will return to the dynasty of David. When these people go to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices at the Temple of the Lord, they will again give their allegiance to King Rehoboam of Judah. They will kill me and make him their king instead.”

But is this true? The thought is pretty standard human thinking. How will this affect ME? But are his thoughts TRUE? 

No.

Why?

Back up the bus to when God sent the prophet to Jeroboam to tell him he would be king.

1 Kings 11:28-38 (I’m only including verse 37-38 but you can read it all for yourself)

37 And I will place you on the throne of Israel, and you will rule over all that your heart desires. 38 If you listen to what I tell you and follow my ways and do whatever I consider to be right, and if you obey my decrees and commands, as my servant David did, then I will always be with you. I will establish an enduring dynasty for you as I did for David, and I will give Israel to you.

God told him he would be with him and establish him. IF (conditional promise) he would follow him. So had he consulted God and obeyed, God would have worked out the assumed problem from Jeroboam. We are often like this. Thinking God can’t handle the situation and so we have to figure it out ourselves. And that never goes well, does it?

The ways of Jeroboam matter because every single king of the north followed in them. And we too follow in them if we aren’t careful. What are the ways?

 

SELF.

Jeroboam appealed to his SELF. What is in it for me? What do I want? His issue wasn’t that he built shrines for pagan gods; not it wasn’t idol worship. 

It was a heart condition. A kingdom devised by what was in his own selfish heart.

Proverbs 4:23 “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.”

Can we trust our hearts? Should we follow our hearts? What else does the Bible say about our hearts?

  • Jeremiah 17: 9-10 “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.”

No. We can’t trust our own hearts. What about our own understanding?

  • Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

Jeroboam relied on his SELF and not God. So one of the ways we follow in the way of Jeroboam is when we divide plans according to our own heart’s selfish desires and rely on our own limited understanding without consulting God.

The Second Way of Jeroboam is the Way of Convenience.

Jeroboam appealed to convenience. And let’s be honest, any time we can take the easy way, that’s the way we’re going to choose.

He said to the people, “It is too much trouble for you to worship in Jerusalem. Look, Israel, these are the gods who brought you out of Egypt!” 29 He placed these calf idols in Bethel and in Dan—at either end of his kingdom. 30 But this became a great sin, for the people worshiped the idols, traveling as far north as Dan to worship the one there.”

Yeah, it has been a hard week and do we really want to travel all that way for just a few hours? It’s not very convenient so let’s go with the easier way. 

But was the easy way God’s way?

No.

God set the times of festivals, the prescribed way to worship, the priest who could minister (levites) and the place of worship. But Jeroboam instituted new festivals, new places of worship, golden calves and new priests from any ole average Joe.

Charles Spurgeon said, ““Men are willing to worship God if they are allowed to have a ritual and symbols which they have themselves devised.”

In other words, I will worship God if he meets my lifestyle (sinful habits)  but not if I have to change my lifestyle to meet his holy standards. That’s not convenient for ME.

The levitical priests and godly people then left the Northern kingdom when Jeroboam rejected God’s ways and commands. And the northern kingdom became a free-for-all. The word was no longer taught. And they did evil in the sight of the Lord.

When it comes to self and convenience over living out God’s truth in every aspect of the Word, we are following the ways of Jeroboam. Many false teachers who claim to be Christians say you can have God YOUR way. You can come without any change. Basically, just be a good humanitarian. 

But they’re wrong. Don’t fall into these traps, lies. 

Separate yourself from false teaching like the godly people and priests did.

2 Peter 2:1-3  “But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them. In this way, they will bring sudden destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of these teachers, the way of truth will be slandered. 3 In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago, and their destruction will not be delayed.”

Acts 20:28-30 “So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood[a]—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as leaders.[b] 29 I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock. 30 Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following.”

 1 Timothy 4:1-3 “Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons. 2 These people are hypocrites and liars, and their consciences are dead.”

 Jude 2-4 “Dear friends, I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation we all share. But now I find that I must write about something else, urging you to defend the faith that God has entrusted once for all time to his holy people. 4 I say this because some ungodly people have wormed their way into your churches, saying that God’s marvelous grace allows us to live immoral lives. The condemnation of such people was recorded long ago, for they have denied our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.”

Read your Bible for yourself. Learn to rightly divide the word and know what is lies. Follow Jesus. Look to Him. 

Mirror Mirror

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

Per usual, I’m reading through the Bible chronologically and we’re in the Exodus era. God had brought the people into the wilderness to build them into a nation, to give them laws and ceremonies and it’s exhaustive because they need them! 

God asks for those who have willing hearts to bring gold, silver, scarlet, blue thread etc… as an offering to build the tabernacle–a place he will dwell with them. And people came! They brought so much (from the wealth given to them by the Egyptians when they left after the death of the firstborn) that they told Moses to tell the people to stop bringing stuff. They had more than enough to complete the tasks God had assigned them.

This is big time giving right here! 

But what I loved most this go-round was this: Exodus 38:8 NLT “Bezalel made the bronze washbasin and its bronze stand from bronze mirrors donated by the women who served at the entrance of the Tabernacle.”

Women brought their mirrors which they’d taken out of Egypt. According to archaeological resources, Egyptian mirrors were ornate, full of gems and worth quite a bit. And yet these women freely gave these mirrors for the service of God.

They’d rather reflect on God than their own reflections. Their vanity was worth letting go to humble themselves before God.

The Forward Reflection Question of the day is: Who are you reflecting most? Yourself or God? And are you willing to give God all that you have, even what seems terribly valuable, for his kingdom’s causes?

 

What do you find most fascinating about building the tabernacle?

Can We Trust God In Our Suffering?

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

If you’re reading the Bible this year Chronologically, you know we’re in the book of Job. It’s a unique book  that wrestles with questions like: If God is all-loving and merciful, why do the righteous suffer? Where is God in my trials. 

We also see the sovereignty of God. He is all supreme and in all control. Of Satan–he tells him how far he can go and Satan goes no further. And over our circumstances. Job isn’t privy to the heavenly conversation. He has no idea Satan has been prowling around looking to devour him, but can’t. So when Satan challenges God that the only reason Job worships him and is full of integrity is because he’s wealthy, healthy and protected. So God allows Satan a certain amount of leash. He knows the truth, but later we find that Job knows he’s being refined and coming out as gold through this testing. When taking all way from him, Job doesn’t curse God and die ie give up on God and abandon his faith in him. Satan says well it’s because you haven’t let me touch his skin. A sick man will curse you. So he’s allowed to harm his body but not kill him–though Job wishes for death. Yet God is protecting his life. 

In Job’s suffering, he makes wrong assumptions about God–which we all do when our pain lead the procession of thought about God. And God is silent. Job begs God to show up and tell him why he’s going through this suffering. 

His friends aren’t friends at all. They accuse him of sin and his children of sinning. Repent! But Job holds fast that he is righteous.

God is still silent.

Job still asks why.

Finally God speaks. He corrects Job’s false assumptions about him. And he rebukes his friends, except the youngest Elihu for their terrible advice. 

But he never answers the question Job wants. Why? But he does answer. 

Many times we don’t get what we want from God. But we always get what we need from him.

Job repents. Job never abandons God even when he thinks God has abandoned him. And this testing refines him. It also speaks to us, as scriptures do–so that we can learn from them as they give us hope while we ourselves wait patiently for God to fulfill his promises. 

Forward Reflection: When I go through suffering, what do I believe about God? Do I make wrong assumptions too? Am I going to give up on God when he doesn’t answer me? Or will I remain steadfast? 

What do you love most/least about the book of Job?

 

 

Two by Two…Nothing to Do with You!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

Imagine building a massive boat when there’s never been rain? When no one believes you. Through hard labor, hard mocking, 120 years passing as Noah preached righteousness. No one surrendering their life. The boat is built. The animals were to come two by two. 

Note here that Noah did his part. He worked daily, he followed all the instructions and made sure he had all the specifications right.

God did all the rest. He brought brought what needed to be in the ark, into the ark and he himself closed the door. 

Knowing that two of each kind plus seven for sacrifice needed to be in the boat could have brought distraction and kept Noah from building and doing what God instructed him to do. “How will I get all these animals onboard? Where will I find them all? Ants are small! 

God rounded up the animals. “…two by two they went into the ark to Noah, male and female…” Genesis 2:9 NLT

Do what you’ve been tasked by God to do.  Don’t let other things distract you. You don’t have to do it all. You only have to do what God asks. He’ll take care of the the rest or He’ll give you additional instructions later. 

Maybe you’ve let the world’s influence distract you from living a holy life? It’s a slow fade. Maybe you’re distracted trying to do God’s part? You can’t ever do his part. You can only do your own!

Forward Reflection: Am I being distracted from what I know God has instructed me to do? Do I need to repent? Do I need to get back on task.

For fun: Which animal would you have “accidentally” forgotten on the ark? Me? Probably wasps. 🙂 

Hope Is Never Out of Reach

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

Welcome back to another Forward Friday. We’re moving forward every day in our personal relationship with Jesus. 

Today, I want to quickly look at Hagar. A woman who was a servant to Abraham and Sarah. In a circumstance she couldn’t control. When two people had to wait a very long time for a son of promise, things got scary. Uncertain. And like just like us, they took matters into their own hands to scheme to bring God’s promise to fulfillment.

But here’s the rub, friends. When we aren’t ones giving the promise, we can’t bring it to pass. God gives us steps sometimes, sure. Often it’s WAIT. Wait on Him. This produces trust and faith and dependance on Him.

They didn’t. Sarah decides she’ll give Hagar to Abraham as a surrogate wife which was custom and acceptable practice in that culture. But Abraham was to be set apart from the culture and customs of that day. Are you disobeying God because a practice in culture is acceptable and says you can? 

Once Hagar was pregnant, pride reared its ugly head and she treated Sarah with contempt. Sarah then went to Abraham and blamed him for everything. Sounds about right. We’re more prone to blame others for our mistakes than own up to them. He stays out of it and says do what seems best. She’s your servant. And Sarah treats her like trash. So bad she runs away.

The Angel of the Lord comes to her. He sees her distress and tells her to go back. To submit. To basically repent and humble yourself. This was his protection no doubt. Imagine a young pregnant woman with no protector or provision in the wilderness? And he gives her a promise too. 

She goes back. She submits. We read nothing more about mistreatment but when Sarah’s son Isaac–the son of promise–is made fun of by Ishmael, Hagar and Abraham’s son, it’s time to go (Genesis 21). She leaves and they run out of water. Has she forgotten the God who hears her, who sees her, who has made her a promise to make her son a nation? Maybe. Often in our suffering, doubts and fears we forget who God is, what he’s done and what he’s promised us.

He opens her eyes to see what was likely there all along…a well of water. Life. Salvation. Rescue! She gives the water to her son and they live. 

Hope was there all along. She just couldn’t see it through her fear, panic, dread, anxiety, suffering and uncertainty. 

Jesus is and always will be our hope. Sometimes we don’t see him for all the reasons Hagar didn’t see the water. He’s our living water. Our life. Our salvation. Our rescue. 

Forward Reflection: How do I respond in uncontrollable circumstances? Do I build my hope in nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness? Do I remember that my ground is solid? Do I need to repent? Do I need God to open my eyes to hope? 

 

*I know during these accounts it’s Abram/Sarai but it’s just easier to say Abraham/Sarah.

 

Fuel Your Faith Not Your Fear!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

Hey gang!

I’m writing a new book for a proposal I’ve sent to Love Inspired Suspense. I guess writing it is a step of faith. 🙂 Since we’re talking about faith–my heroine has faith but she struggles with a lot of fear about the future and all kinds of things that can happen in this world. So many bad things have already happened. I put together a playlist of worship songs that I think Georgia Maxwell needs to hear–songs that tell her story and would fuel her faith and to help her battle fear.

 

 

And it happens to be a timely message. We are still living in uncertain times. There’s a lot of fear and anxiety. While concern is legit, I don’t think paralyzing fear is! 

I thought I’d share the Spotify playlist I’ve been listening to for weeks while I work through this story.

Since I’m the author I already know she’s going to overcome it and rise up stronger than ever. God is our Author and Finisher of our faith and He knows how our story ends as well…in victory in Christ. We’re coming out of this stronger than before! 

If you listen to the playlist (or follow it if you’re on Spotify) I’d love to hear which song meant the most to you. Answer in the comments or find me on Facebook and let me know! 

Warmly,

Jess

Forward Friday: From Rascal to Regardful.

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

When I was seventeen, I was a brat. There. I said it. My deepest, darkest secret. Okay, it’s not. But it is true. Most seventeen year olds are brats. They have it all figured out. Know everything. Hey, if you weren’t, I said most not all. 

One of my favorite people in the Bible is Joseph. He’s great to study for character growth (writers, did you hear that?). At seventeen he’s a spoiled brat. Oh, yes. He is.

Genesis 37:3-4 MSG: Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons because he was the child of his old age. And he made him an elaborately embroidered coat. When his brothers realized that their father loved him more than them, they grew to hate him—they wouldn’t even speak to him.

He was daddy’s fave and Daddy made no bones about it. He made this amazing coat of prestige and honor and Joseph wore it proudly. Didn’t seem to mind the fact that it hurt his brothers deeply or that being the fave caused hatred in their hearts. 

These brothers couldn’t even speak peaceably to him. Now, I don’t know about you but when someone is unhappy with me, I know it. I can see it on their faces and feel it when I enter a room. That’s just someone unhappy! Not hatred.

But Jospeh didn’t care. He didn’t bother to see. Instead he chose to tell them his dream about how they’d bow to him. Yeah, that’s what you do when you’re hated. You lord a dream over them. Not once. But twice! Nice work, Jo.

And one day, Daddy sends Joseph out to check on his brothers. Why wasn’t he out there helping in the first place? Oh yeah, he’s spoiled. He’s a rascal. Dons the coat, oh yes, he does. Because that’s what you do when you’re about to approach your own brothers. Rub it in their faces that you’re loved most. I kinda feel bad for the brothers. 

While Joseph was in the distance, the brothers plotted to kill Joseph.

Not just give him the business, but murder him. They’ve murdered before…remember poor Dinah and the revenge on the entire town for the act of one.

But they end up selling him as a slave.

I wish we had time to pick all this apart. But we don’t. Joseph ends up a slave and then imprisoned and what we learn is that Joseph grows and matures over this period of time. Because how can a rascal like Jospeh rule a nation humbly? He can’t. Not unless he’s been humbled and molded into the kind of man God would need to rule and lead.

There are many glimpses of Joseph’s maturity and humbling process, but this one is one of my favorites. In Genesis 40, the chief butler (cup bearer) and the chief baker are thrown into the prison for offending the Pharaoh. Joseph is put in charge of them. Day in. Day out. 

Verse 3-7 MSG: “After they had been in custody for a while, the king’s cupbearer and baker, while being held in the jail, both had a dream on the same night, each dream having its own meaning. When Joseph arrived in the morning, he noticed that they were feeling low. So he asked them, the two officials of Pharaoh who had been thrown into jail with him, “What’s wrong? Why the long faces?”

The NKJV says, “He saw they were sad.” 

At seventeen, he was oblivious. He ignored the hateful glares, the snarled lips. The disdain in their words. Maybe he saw the looks of sadness when he wore that coat the first time. But he didn’t think to spare them the pain by not wearing it. By not having some kind of conversation with them or Jacob. 

But now.

Now, he’s seeing. “You’re sad. What’s wrong?” Not only does he see, but he speaks. He inquires. “Why are you upset?”

Joseph was now hoping for the future, but living in the present.

I wonder if he’d regarded his brothers’ countenances and inquired if maybe things would have been different. Maybe. Maybe God would have gotten him to Egypt to fulfill his destiny and God-given dreams another way. I don’t know.

I do know this: Joseph had been more preoccupied with being the favorite and his future dreams than he was about the present. And he missed A LOT! 

Our God-given dreams require planning and preparation on our part.  I had to actually write and do the work to be published. And I admit, that for a time I became so focused on the gift that I neglected the present. I wasn’t awake to the “now.” I wasn’t paying attention to what God might doing right then in me, through me. 

Maybe that’s you. Don’t be so consumed with the dreams and the future that you neglect what’s right in front of you.  Wake up! Wake up and be present in the moment. See the people around you. Notice the hurt, the pain. Notice you might need a conversation with someone you love. Humble yourself now! Don’t go through a pit and a prison to do it. 

Don’t miss the moments. 

Don’t wait dozens of years to wake up. 

Yes, God has dreams for you in the future. But He also has dreams for you to walk into today! 

Forward Challenge: Be awake today. Remove the apps from your phone. Step away from working toward your dream for one hour, two, a day and be present in the moment. Who looks sad and needs encouragement from you? 

Forward Scripture: “…Blessed the man, blessed the woman, who listens to me, awake and ready for me each morning, alert and responsive as I start my day’s work.” Proverbs 8:34 MSG

Forward Prayer: God, who made the day, awake me to present in it and responsive to Your will as You start Your day’s work. Thank you for Your good plans that include me. Open my ears to hear You and my eyes to see You and where You are at work. Help me to take notice of those around me and recognize when they need a word of hope, of encouragement and give me ,through Your Holy Spirit, the words to say. In Jesus’s name. Amen.

What do you need to do today in order to be AWAKE and present?