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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

It’s All About Water

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

On a sunny day in the middle of July, after being outside for more time than I care to be…I get thirsty. Parched. I can get a water bottle on about any corner. Or in my house. Water is accessible. 

In more ways than one. Imagine desert heat. Sticky-hot wildernesses. No CVS. No tap. Unbearable heat. 

But…

God makes rivers and gives water. 

Musing/Meditation prompts: Imagine the last time you were in a mess, how God made a way for you. Was it unexpected? Was it satisfying? Give Him praise for making the impossible, possible. He’s limitless. All-knowing, All-powerful! His voice is like a rush of waters. Tremble at His awesomeness. And muse on the fact that you are His beloved. He chose you. You did nothing to make Him choose you. Before you were born, He said, “You are mine. I want you.” His Word is living water. When was the last time you craved a drink? 

Fill in the blank:
If God came down (again) in the flesh to spend the day with just me, I would want Him to take me to___________ and we would__________. 


Here’s mine: I would want Him to take me to a tropical island–just the two of us. I would hold His Hand, chase Him along the beach–when He wasn’t chasing me–splashing Him with the water. I’d like to listen to Him tell the creation story as we sat in warm sand, the waves lapping at my imperfect toes, washing over his scarred feet. And as the sun set, I’d ask Him to recite a passage from Song of Solomon as I leaned on His shoulder–that took bruises for me. I’d trace my fingers along His hands, feeling the ragged edges of endured pain. He’d wrap me in the train of his white robe when I shivered from the salty air and whisper how much I’m loved. And I’d cry and squeeze Him tighter and tell him the same. Then I’d beg Him not to go or to at least whisk me away into eternity. Because a day like that, I don’t think I could ever go back to “normal” and He’d say, “I don’t want you to. I want you to go back and share the love we treasured today with others. But don’t cry…” He’d wipe my tears away and slide them into a crystal bottle He holds close to His heart. Then He’d lean down, his eyes would flash like flames of fire, and He’d whisper, “I’m coming back.”

*Lori Wildenberg will be here on Wednesday talking about Living Water! Don’t miss it! Especially if you’re a parent. 

Burn Calories by Kissing: Guest post by Lynda Schab!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

 You read that right! But you almost didn’t because at first I had the title, Burn Calories by kissing with Lynda Schab! I’m sure she’s glad I proofread my stuff! 
Lynda does list some interesting facts about kissing, but she’s talks about
marriage and romance and how that ties into her second novel, Madily In Love.
I’ve had the privilege of reading both her books and I’m begging, begging you to buy them. Today. Seriously. Fun and light-hearted, yet deep spiritual messages. I laughed, man did I
laugh, and I even cried at times. So enough gushing and let’s hear what Lynda
says about real romance!
Romance: A
feeling of excitement and mystery associated with love.
Who doesn’t want
that? I mean, do you know anyone who doesn’t want
to feel excited about spending time with the one they love? If I had to guess,
I’d say 98% of us crave or desire romance.
Now for my next
question: Who actually has that? Who can say their marriage is bubbling over with romance?
My best guestimate would be 5%? Maybe 10%? Okay, 15% tops.
So maybe it’s not all about the romance. Love is an action,
blah, blah, blah. But, come on. There’s a reason God created romance. He wired us to have a desire for thrill and adventure
(don’t believe me? Read The Song of Solomon). Marriage without romance is sort
of like eating a slice of cake without frosting. The cake may taste good, but
the frosting makes it all that much better.
As a side note, kissing is a major romantic act. Here are three
interesting facts about kissing:
  • Men who kiss their wives in
    the morning live five years longer than those who don’t (tell your
    husbands!). 
  • A team of medical experts in
    Virginia contends that you’re more likely to catch the common cold virus
    by shaking hands than by kissing (great news!). 
  • A fairly passionate kiss
    burns an average of 9 calories (that’s equivalent to six M&M’s!)
In my book, Madily in Love, Madi McCall is just coming out
of a marital rough patch (you’ll have to read Mind over Madi for that story)
and is determined to get back the romance she’s lost with her husband over the
years. But that’s not so easy. Especially when she’s just re-entered the
workforce, is dealing with a rebellious daughter, a son who is dating a girl
who is not exactly Madi’s idea of the perfect choice for him, and a
mother-in-law who has (temporarily) moved in and seems to have…um…criminal
tendencies. But Madi isn’t letting that stop her.
She bites the bullet
and attends a romance class at church, which offers great suggestions… that
fail miserably. All she wants is to find the peace among the chaos, and
rekindle the fire that has gone out of her marriage.
Although this book
has to do with the importance of adding romance to marriage, the main thing I
hope readers can take away is that even though
life seems unmanageable, disorderly, and chaotic, God is always in control.
One of the recurring
phrases throughout the book—as mentioned by Madi’s counselor—is “Embrace this place.” In other words, no matter
what you’re going through, recognize that it won’t last forever. And down the
road, you might just look back and see just how that “unbearable” season was
essential in moving you to a place of growth and necessary change.
And most of all, I
hope to show the fun—and not the frustration—of trying to add a little zest to
your marriage. There are a few good tips to take away, along with fun quotes
throughout, beginning with this one, which pretty much sums it up:
“Happy
marriages begin
when
we marry the ones we love,
and
they blossom
when
we love the ones we marry.”
-Tom Mullen
Lynda Lee
Schab got her writing start in greeting cards (Blue Mountain Arts, Dayspring)
and from there went on to write articles and short stories (Mature Living, Christian Home & School)
and in many places online. As a freelance writer, she works behind the scenes
at FaithWriters.com and is a regular book reviewer for FaithfulReader.com, as
well as a staff writer for www.SharedSorrows.com. 
Both books in the Madi series have finaled or semi-finaled in various contests.
Lynda admits she has a lot in common with the character of Madi. Not only are
they both addicted to ice cream, chocolate, and computer games, they struggle
with the same types of insecurities and continually require a hefty dose of
God’s grace. Lynda lives with her husband, Rob, and two teenagers in Michigan.
Connect
with her on her blogs, On the Write Track (for writers) and
ThePrincessMentality (for princesses everywhere whose lives are not a
fairytale). Also find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads. The Madi series
is available through OakTara.com, and can be purchased from Amazon, Barnes& Noble, Christianbook.com, or ordered from any brick and mortar bookseller
around the country. Lynda also has signed copies available for purchase on her
website.
All Madi
Lee McCall wants is to fall madly in love again…
with her
husband.  
After a
rough patch, Madi’s determined to get her marriage back on
track.
She’s even taking a romance class at church and getting great
suggestions…that
fail miserably. The distractions are plenty. She has just reentered
the workplace as a health spa receptionist. Her 16-year-old daughter,Christina,
is pushing the limits, and Christina’s twin, Max, has fallen hard for a girl
who isn’t Madi’s picture of a perfect match for her son. Even younger
daughter, Emily, is developing a teenager-ish attitude.  
When her
mother-in-law moves in—temporarily, of course—the stress starts to drive
Madi a little crazier than normal. What she wants, more than anything, is some
peace among the chaos. 

The Pasture of Uncertainty

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

 

Where do you dwell?
Today we’re breaking down Psalm 37:3. After spending Monday musing and
meditating over this verse, I think it only fair to spend today studying it.
 
The NKJV says it
like this: “Trust in the LORD and do good; Dwell in the land and feed on
His faithfulness.”
 
But the KJV puts it
like this: “Trust in the LORD, and do good so shalt though dwell in the
land and verily thou shalt be fed.”
 
Looks like we need
to pull out…
 
Key
Words: “good” “dwell” “feed on His faithfulness”
 
Trust in the Lord.
Trust defined by the dictionary is: “assured reliance on the character,
ability, strength, or truth of someone or something”
 
But what is good?
It’s a broad word.
 
“Good” in
the Hebrew is “towb” meaning, “pleasing, agreeable (to the
senses” it means to be pleasing, be joyful, be beneficial.” (from the
root word)
 
So we could say,
“Rely on God and His character, ability, strength and His truth and be
joyful and beneficial…”
 
What exactly does it
mean to dwell? Off the top of my head, I would say live. But it actually means
something else.
 
“Dwell” in
Hebrew is “shakan” and it means to “settle down, abide” and
the root word of “shakan” is “shakab” which means “to
lie down, to rest, to relax”
 
 
Reminds me a little
of David’s Psalm, “you make me lie down in green pastures.”
 
And what of land?
Well, the Psalmist might be referring to 
Canaan–the promised land. However, we can’t all just pick up and move
on in over there. So it must mean more than just that particular piece of land.
Right?
 
It can also mean
land in general or the whole earth.
 
And our last key
word before we put it all together is that phrase “feed on his
faithfulness” or in the KJV, “thou shalt be fed”
 
The Hebrew word for
this phrase is “ra’ah” meaning, “to pasture, to tend, to graze,
to shepherd.
 
So we could say,
“Rely on God and His character, ability, strength and His truth and be
joyful and beneficial and you will abide and be able to relax on this earth and
be fed as sheep in a pasture, tended by a good shepherd.”
 
We
live in a land that is full of uncertainty, chaos, violence, disease, death,
grief and the list goes on.
 
Proverbs 3:5 says,
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own
understanding.”
 
I’m so glad that’s
there, because when it comes to this earth and what happens in it, I don’t
understand. But I don’t have to. And neither do you. We are to trust the LORD
in every sense of the meaning.
 
 
This scripture in
the Psalms is like a sandwich. It begins with a command to trust and what? do
good. Be beneficial and joyful. Romans 12:2 says, “Do not be overcome by
evil but overcome evil with doing good.”
 
God knows the place
we live can suck the joy right out of us. He knows we need to trust Him and He
speaks that first, and then we’re plopped into the land to dwell. But…the hope
and promise is in the last part of the verse.
 
You shall be fed
i.e. taken care of, provided for, able to rest and abide because someone is
looking out for you and caring for you.
 
John 10:11 (Jesus
speaking) says, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his
life for the sheep.”
 
I can trust a
shepherd who laid down His life for me. 
And so can you.
 
He is faithful!
 
Practical
application: Trust God to take care of you in an uncertain world. Relax. Be
joyful. He is the good Shepherd.
 
What
is one of your go-to scriptures when you are in uncertain times and need to be
reminded you can trust God?
 
Come by I’m hosting! 🙂 
 

Trust in the Lord: Psalm 37:3

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

Today we’re going to
muse and meditate on Psalm 37:3. Maybe you’re familiar with it. On Wednesday,
I’ll unpack it and give a practical application! I hope you’ll join me.
Here it is in a
couple other versions:
“Trust in
the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou
dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.” KJV
“Trust in the Lord, and do good;
Dwell in
the land, and feed on His faithfulness.” NKJV
Musing/Meditation prompts: Do I trust in the
LORD? Remember over past things you’ve trusted God for and how He’s taken care
of you. Think on those moments of comfort when you trusted God in uncertain
times–what other scriptures did He use to “feed” you during those
times? Look those up and reflect. What does “dwell” mean to you?
What is one thing you will do today to show that you put your trust in
God?

*Wednesday, we’ll unpack this verse and take a deep look at what it means and I’ll give a practical application. Hope you’ll join me!
*Feel free to pin the photo to your Pinterest board! 

Fact or Fiction…or Both with Laura Frantz!

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

Most of my life I’ve read romance novels, suspense and thriller, but a few years ago, I gave historical romance a try. I honestly didn’t expect to like it. I mean how much romance can go on when folks couldn’t even leave the room without someone chaperoning them? 
Was I ever wrong! I can honestly say that some of the BEST romances I’ve read about come from historical romances. Laura Frantz is one author I read early on in my new discovery of historical romance and I can tell you, she is one of my all-time favorites! And she’s super nice! 
I just finished Courting Morrrow Little. One, is that not a great name? Loved it. The story itself is wonderful! Something I love about Laura is the way she keeps you in total angst. It’s off-the-chain! But what really gets me is, I never know if she’s using real-life history or just making it all up. It’s that good. So I asked her about her main character, Red Shirt and she’s here today to share with us what is and what is not real in her story! 
Thanks so much, Laura! Take the floor!
the real red shirt

 
Readers often ask where the inspiration for a character comes from. I always
point to history books and old photographs. Here is the real Red Shirt. Born along Nebraska’s Platte River in the
1830’s to an Indian mother and white father, he is something of an enigma. I
discovered him 20 years ago while researching the Oglala/Lakota (Sioux) Indians
for a Dances With Wolves type novel. He identified with the Lakota and
lived free till his people were placed on reservations. He and his wife, Pretty
Woman, had several children. The photo shows him (far right) accompanying the
famous chief, Red Cloud, in a delegation to Washington DC. Later, he joined
Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show and then faded from history. There’s a simple
grave at the Rosebud Cemetery that bears his name in South Dakota. I’ve not
been there but I’d like to go. 

I’ve carried him around in my head and heart for a long time:) Of course, I had
to alter him a bit for my book. He had to leave the Sioux and become Shawnee.
And Pretty Woman was a thing of the past! I also had to tweak his name to fit
into the historical context of the 18th-century. Most importantly, my Red Shirt
found freedom in Christ as well as freedom to exist where he pleased. Literary
license is a fine thing. Every reader will have a different picture of him in
their head and heart, too.

What is life? It is the flash of a firefly in the night. It is
the breath of a buffalo in the wintertime. It is the little shadow which runs
across the grass and loses itself in the sunset. ~Crowfoot

Visit Laura HERE! at her website
On Pinterest
& Facebook
Thank you so much, Laura! Now, everyone stop what you’re doing and go purchase Courting Morrow Little! You won’t be disappointed, I promise…even you skeptics of historical 
romances! 
Do you like stories that mix fact and fiction? Why or why not? 
Here’s a peek at the novel! 
Morrow Little is haunted by the memory of the day her family
was torn apart by raiding Shawnee warriors. Now that she is nearly a grown
woman and her father is ailing, she must make difficult choices about the
future. Several men–ranging from the undesired to the unthinkable–vie for her
attentions, but she finds herself inexplicably drawn to a forbidden love that
both terrifies and intrigues her. Can she betray the memory of her lost loved
ones–and garner suspicion from her friends–by pursuing a life with him? Or
should she seal her own misery by marrying a man she doesn’t love? This
sweeping tale of romance and forgiveness will envelop readers as it takes them
from a Kentucky fort through the vast wilderness to the west in search of true
love.

Joy from Light Bulb Moments and a Lesson from Daniel

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

Ah-ha
moments. I love them. How about you? Those moments when the light bulb clicks
on over your head. We’re unpacking Psalm 19 the next few weeks. Let’s look at verse 8 today.

“The
statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the
eyes;” NKJV
Here
it is in the Message:

“The
life-maps of God are right, showing the way to joy.

The directions of God are plain and easy on the eyes.”

KEY WORDS Today: Statutes/life-maps/pure/eyes
(always pull a few key words from
scripture to help you understand the meaning better)
Statutes
or life-maps are also translated as precepts.
Statutes
in Hebrew is, “piqquwd” and it means “precepts.”
Precept
according to the online dictionary means:
1. A
rule or principle prescribing a particular course of action or conduct.
2. Law An authorized direction or order; a
writ.
So,
we could say, God’s authorized
directions that come from His written Word make the heart glad and bring joy.
The
order, commandment, of God is pure. “Pure” in the Hebrew is “bar” and
it means sincere, or clear. It enlightens, or brings light to the eyes. Eyes in
Hebrew is “ayin” and it means, “eye” “of mental or spiritual
faculties/qualities.”
So
we could say, God’s Word is sincere and
clear and it gives us spiritual and mental ah-ha light bulb moments about our
life and the direction we need to take.
Let’s
look at someone from the Bible who had an ah-ha moment. We’ll look at what it
led him to clearly do and the result that came from his obedience.
Let’s
look at Daniel. Chapter 9 starting in
verse 1.
“It was the first year of the reign of Darius the Mede, the
son of Ahasuerus, who became king of the Babylonians. During the first year of
his reign, I, Daniel, learned from reading the word of the Lord, as
revealed to Jeremiah the prophet, that Jerusalem must lie desolate for seventy
years.” 
From reading scripture (scrolls and Jeremiah’s word more
specifically), Daniel had a light bulb
moment. Here’s what God told Jeremiah:
“This message came to Jeremiah from the Lord early
in the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah. “This
is what the Lord says: Stand in the courtyard in front of the Temple
of the Lord, and make an announcement to the people who have come there to
worship from all over Judah. Give them my entire message; include every word. Perhaps
they will listen and turn from their evil ways.”  Jeremiah 26:1-3
God’s people were turning from Him. He’d warned them early on that
if they stopped serving Him, He would do whatever was necessary to draw them
back. Jeremiah has come to warn them and bring judgment–which is fair.
Here’s what God instructed Jeremiah to say, and this is what
Daniel read years later.
 “Say
to them, ‘This is what the Lord says: If you will not listen to me
and obey my word I have given you, and if you will not listen to my
servants, the prophets—for I sent them again and again to warn you, but you
would not listen to them—–then I will destroy this Temple as I destroyed
Shiloh, the place where the Tabernacle was located. And I will make Jerusalem
an object of cursing in every nation on earth.’”The priests, the prophets,
and all the people listened to Jeremiah as he spoke in front of the Lord’s
Temple.  But when Jeremiah had finished his message, saying
everything the Lord had told him to say, the priests and prophets and all
the people at the Temple mobbed him. “Kill him!” they shouted. Jeremiah 26:4-7
Not exactly welcoming to God’s
words, huh? So…
“Then Jeremiah spoke to the officials and the people in his
own defense. “The Lord sent me to prophesy against this Temple and
this city,” he said. “The Lord gave me every word that I have
spoken.  But if you stop your sinning and begin to obey
the Lord your God, he will change his mind about this disaster that
he has announced against you.” Jeremiah 26:12-13
However they did not. And…
“‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God
of Israel, says: With my great strength and powerful arm I made the
earth and all its people and every animal. I can give these things of mine to
anyone I choose.  Now I will give your countries to King
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, who is my servant. I have put everything, even the
wild animals, under his control.  All the nations will serve
him, his son, and his grandson until his time is up. Then many nations and
great kings will conquer and rule over Babylon.  So you must
submit to Babylon’s king and serve him; put your neck under Babylon’s yoke! I will
punish any nation that refuses to be his slave, says the Lord. I will send
war, famine, and disease upon that nation until Babylon has conquered it.”
Jeremiah 27:5-8
Seems harsh? Nah, not really
and besides…
“‘They will all be carried away to Babylon and will stay
there until I send for them,’ says the Lord. ‘Then I will bring them back to
Jerusalem again.’””Jeremiah 27:22
When?
“This
entire land will become a desolate wasteland. Israel and her neighboring lands
will serve the king of Babylon for seventy years.” Jeremiah 25:11
And what will happen then you ask?
“This
is what the LORD says: “You will be in Babylon for seventy years.
But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I
will bring you home again.” Jeremiah 29:10
And what famous verse comes after?
 “I say this
because I know what I am planning for you,” says the Lord. “I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt
you. I will give you hope and a good future.” Jeremiah 29:11
And we know in Daniel Chapter one, it begins. Nebuchadnezzar comes
in and takes them captive, a young Daniel is swept up among them.
At this point in Chapter 9, Daniel is an old man, still serving
the Lord, still reading scripture. He’s been in captivity about 67 years. And
he discovers that the 70 years is almost up. The same words we take comfort in today, Jeremiah 29:11, he took
comfort in on that day.
God was about to do something awesome! Daniel had trusted God on
many occasions. When he refused to eat idol-sacrificed food at the king’s
table, when he interpreted dreams for the Neb and then later his
great-grandson, and of course when he was thrown into the lion’s den for not
compromising his faith.
Daniel knew when God spoke a
word, He was good for it. Do you know that? Do you believe it?
As a result of reading this, of having his eyes enlightened—he knew
good things were coming. Freedom could be tasted! What did Daniel do?
 “I turned to the Lord
God and pleaded with him in prayer and fasting.” Daniel 9:3
Turned;
prayer; fasted
Daniel’s
prayer is amazing and it’s recorded in verses 4-19. But I want to pull out
these verses:
“But
the Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled
against him. We have not obeyed the Lord our God, for we have not followed
the instructions he gave us through his servants the prophets. All
Israel has disobeyed your instruction and turned away, refusing to listen to
your voice.” Daniel 9:9-11
God wasn’t being harsh, He was being fair. They rebelled. They had
not followed the instructions.
What does Psalm 19 say? The instruction of the Lord (His precepts)
rejoice the heart. When we do not follow them, when we rebel, we go into
captivity. Maybe not like the Israelites…but I assure you, you’ll find yourself in
bondage. Enslaved.
And miserable.
Like Daniel, we pray. And God,
Who is faithful to forgive us our sins when we confess them, acts. On our
behalf. With mercy. And grace.
 “O my
God, lean down and listen to me. Open your eyes and see our despair. See how
your city—the city that bears your name—lies in ruins. We make this plea, not
because we deserve help, but because of your mercy. O Lord, hear. O
Lord, forgive. O Lord, listen and act! For your own sake, do not delay, O my
God, for your people and your city bear your name.” Daniel 9:18-19
Daniel’s faith and faithfulness to God opened up a special
blessing. God gives Daniel some amazing visions, and he gets to see Christ in all
His glory in a few of them! What could bring more joy?
All because he loved the Word of God.
Practical application: Spend time in God’s Word. When we spend
time with God in His Word, it will always keep us pointed on Jesus Christ.
When was the last time you
had a light bulb moment from scripture? If it’s been awhile, why do you think
that is? And care to share that amazing moment in the comments? 

I’m hosting at LBG today!
Come by and share your
favorite verse about light!


**Photocredit: lightbulb tree: freedigitalphotos/zirconicusso
**Photo credit: bulb with a book: freedigitalphotos/digitalart
**Photo credit: clear glass of water: freedigitalphotos/by gt_pann 
**Photo credit: rubble: freedigitalphotos/cbenjasuwan 
**Photo credit: infant hand: freedigitalphotosNutdanai Apikhomboonwaroot
**Photo credit: faith and believe: freedigitalphotos/thepathtraveler
/**Photo credit: steel cage: freedigitalphotos/bejim

Reaching the Top

Posted on by Jessica R. Patch

It’s another Meditation Monday! I love the following verse. Truly, I do. And since we’ll be talking about Daniel on Wednesday, I thought it would be fitting to meditate on some of his most powerful God-breathed words. 

“…the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great
exploits.” Daniel 11:32

Meditation Prompts: Think about your accomplishments, education, abilities in comparison to simply knowing God! God is looking for those who will get to know Him to do great things. He’s not looking for the smartest, prettiest, best dressed, best mom, dad, sister, brother, teacher, or the richest. He wants someone who is willing to give them their time–to know Him! What dream is inside you that will take strength? How can you know Him better today? 
What does knowing God 
look like in your life? And why do you think people who know God can be strong and carry out great exploits?

*Just a reminder, I’m now offering critiquing services! Are you entering the Genesis contest? About to query sample pages? Need a fresh eye on your manuscript? I’d love to partner with you to make it shine. Please see my Critiquing/Editing page, with endorsements, HERE! (at the top right of the sidebar)
*photocredit for repelling: freedigitalphotos/SuraNualpradid
**photocredit for climbing a mountain(first photo) freedigitalphotos/SuraNualpradid