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Musing on Genesis 37:19 Always Dream

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

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

Faith Readers Group Review and Sugar Cream Pie!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

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

Does God Help Those Who Help Themselves?

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

 

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

Musing on Psalm 62:8, Pour It Out

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

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

Did You Know…?

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch
 

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

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

 
 

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

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




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


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

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



What are you doing to make history? 

Passport To Your Dreams

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

 

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

 

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

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

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

Musing on Psalm 31:24

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

Sometimes God will
ask you do something so far out there you have to ask, “God, was that you
or that extra chili dog I ate last night messing with my brain?” Those are
the times we have to lean on this verse. Be strong, take courage to obey and while
He works behind the scenes, wait, hope and expect!
I have a such a
great story to share with you about wild commands, crazy actions and a long,
long wait full of hope and expectation and yes even questioning, doubt, and
angst. So come back on Wednesday!
Musing/Meditation Prompts: What promise has God
given you? Are you waiting with hope and expectation or are you full of anxiety
and doubt? How can you actively take courage today to revive that hope and
expectation? Strengthen yourself by musing on past victories, past promises fulfilled.
What
is one thing you can do today to take
courage?

Guess Where I Am?

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

Hey everyone, I’m in sunny Florida today! Relaxing on the beach and reading fabulous books. 

April Fool’s! I’m not. I’m at home in an oversized sweatshirt and flannel pajama pants sipping coffee and about to get started on my WIP.

But seriously, I am somewhere else too.

I’m at Jennifer Hale’s blog today talking about winter seasons. I feel you should come over and chat with me. Not via Skype (refer to previous statement of what I’m wearing.)

See you Wednesday!

Happy April Fool’s Day!

Understanding the Impact of Passover

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch



The Old Testament isn’t a dry piece of bread. It’s moist and delicious, full of juicy details that consistently point the way to Jesus.

What does the Passover story mean for us today? I wish I had time to touch on all the details, but I don’t so here is the big picture!  Some of you already know. Keep reading, maybe you can offer extra insight or you’ll learn something new. Maybe it’s going to be a reminder of Love that made His way into our hearts and lives. 

The Lamb

Exodus 12: 3 “On the tenth of this month every man shall take for himself a lamb…”

Exodus 12:5 “Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year.”

God’s people are about to be delivered from Egypt–from bondage–into freedom. This is the last plague God institutes before that freedom comes.

Look at what the prophet Isaiah says, as he prophesied of another Lamb. “He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter…” Isaiah 53:7. 

John 1:29, “…Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!”

1 Peter 1:19, “but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish or spot.”

Revelation 5:12, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power, and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!”

Removal of Leaven
Exodus 12:8, “Then they shall eat the flesh on that night…with unleavened bread…”
Leaven represents sin and corruption in the Bible.

“…Do you not know that a little leaven spoils the whole lump. Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump…For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” 1 Corinthians 6-8

Blood on the doorposts and lintels
Exodus 12:7, “And they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it.”

The blood applied on the door saved all who chose to enter into it. 

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in  Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness…”  Romans 3:23-26

Not only is Jesus’ blood what covers and saves us, He is also the door. He says so Himself in John 10:7-10.

Notice the blood wasn’t applied to the threshold, where people would walk upon. Why? Because the blood of Christ will not be trampled.

“How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?” Hebrews 10:29

God executes judgment. We are exempt.

Exodus 12:12, “For I will pass through the land of Egypt…and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt…and against the gods of Eygpt I will execute judgment; I am the LORD.”

Exodus 12:13, “Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses, where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to to destroy you…”

“Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.” Romans 5:9

Whoever eats leaven, dies.
Exodus 12:15, “…For whoever eats leavened bread…that person shall be cut off…”
“Cut off” meaning death. Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death.”

Jesus entered Jerusalem at Passover time. He became the spotless sacrifice needed to save us, to give us eternal life. One sacrifice for all. No more sacrifices under the law. A new Covenant established in blood. It was His joy to endure the cross. For me. For you.
**this was a revised repost


What are your Easter plans?

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