Always

Well, it’s been over a week since I’ve entered the gate.

Please forgive my absence.

As a wife, mother, and a support to many families of children with special needs, I have been literally exhausted.

Thank you for your patience.

God has been showing me many signs and signals of what’s ahead in my journey here on earth. I have been in prayer and have felt His presence more than ever recently—because I’m finally allowing myself to receive—completely receive His promises.

He really is who He says He is.

He really is here with me always.

And He is with you always.

Always.

The facts never cease to amaze me.

He has shown me His goodness and mercy over and over again, and I often hear Him telling me, “How much more do I have to show you? What do you need from me to completely receive my love—totally and completely?”

Over the next few weeks I would like to take you on my journey that the Lord has been guiding.

Through His love and His promises, He has saved me through my circumstances.

At times it may get lengthy, but hang in there with me—because just as He has saved me He can save you.

My prayer is that you will find at least one word of encouragement from my testimony.

I will pray that the Lord will guide the exact sets of eyes that were meant to read my gate entries.

I look forward to sharing the facts surrounding my salvation, and how God’s grace continues to overwhelm me…

Maria and her family reside in NE Ohio. She and her husband are the parents of two. Their daughter is a person with hemipelegic cerebral palsy. Because of her experiences, Maria provides parent-to-parent support for families involved in her local early intervention program. Her gift for writing has come directly from the Lord since her daughter’s diagnosis. She writes a monthly column entitled, “Special Parents, Special Kids” for the Mahoning Valley Parent magazine in Ohio; and has expanded into Parent magazines in parts of Pennsylvania and West Virginia. She is also a contributing author at www.mommiesmagazine.com. Maria is very passionate about getting the word out to special parents that they are not alone in their journey of raising their special child; and that they were chosen by God to parent their children. Maria welcomes comments and communication.

Like NBC and Disney....but better!

If you have kids and/or a TV, you know there are times when some channels have a theme of sorts where every show of that evening has a connection. I remember NBC having characters visit each others shows all on one night. Recently on Disney I recalled each show having a "wish gone amiss" episode.

Well today's blog (late again!) is like that, but better. Not because I'll do the theme a great justice, but because I sense God wants to break some misconceptions through simple definitions. To do this, I'm crossing against my own blog, http://thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/2008/04/journey-with-joy-mondays-part-two-on-is.html.

That post was a bit deeper than that blog is and uses terms that might be new or scary to those even in Christian circles. To those who do not have personal relationship with Christ, well my guess is they might be down right freaky and scary. They were to me.

So there are terms I'm going to list. If you are looking for the Anne Graham Lotz or Beth Moore definition found in the Greek or Hebrew, well, you are at the wrong place. I'm a simpleton and God uses that. I'm finally at the place that I get that is how He created me. Please, please take what you read here and look the terms up in the Bible, you can even go to the right of this blog, and click on the online Bible. Don't follow me, follow Him.

Here are words that tripped me up for a long time:

Born Again---It was John 3-7 that explains a logical question Nicodemus asked Jesus.
5.
Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.
6.
Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.
7.
You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.'

Born again was a term I didn't understand and because I didn't, I made fun of it. A kid in college returned from summer break announcing he was born again. I didn' get it. I knew he didn't go back in his mom's womb for a second birth, but I didn't know what this "church-y" term meant.

This is what I think of when I think of the term. Before I knew Christ in a personal way, as a friend, as One I talk to throughout the day, I was a person thinking of only one person-myself. I was full of the flesh. It was about me pure and simple. When I prayed and asked Jesus to be part of my daily life and admitted I was a sinner and He was the ONLY way to bridge that gap that sin gives, I knew the old me, the one before Christ, would have to be gone. I wanted it gone. The "old man" me, the fleshy part, died on the cross with Jesus and because He rose from the dead, I (and anyone who chooses) can live a new life as well. Accepting Him in my life started a new life. I may look the same on the outside, yet so much has changed. People have even looked at pictures of me and they could point out the "before" and "after" Jesus because of the glow on my face. I don't come right out and say "hey everyone, I'm born again" but if someone point blank asks me I'll admit it, but add what that means. I want to absolutely crush the thought that I am religious. I want no part of religion. What I do want and have is relationship. I absolutely would want nothing less.

Speaking in tongues----Yikes this is a touchy one and again, if you are looking for doctrine, that's not my gift. Search the Scriptures, it is a gift to covet but I was confronted once and told if I wasn't speaking in tongues, I was destined to hell. I do not agree with that and I do not find that Biblical. If you do we can debate it, but that tongue speaking man was a horrible model of faith in other ways, and set me back in fear so far that I did NOT want that because I didn't want to act like that guy.

Speaking in tongues to me is made more scary and complicated than it needs to be. I do not think it needs to be something that belongs strictly to the Pentecostal or Assemblies of God type churches, but they seem to be the denominations known for it. However I know Baptists, Catholics and Wesleyans who know Christ in a personal way who in their private prayer time use words that are not from their normal language.

I have heard stories of people praying in a prayer language only to have something from another country come up and say, "That was my home language. How did you know that---you were fluent, praising God." That person had no clue of that language.

I've heard the gift used in missions experiences when a border needed to be crossed but there was a language barrier. One person spoke in English yet the guard heard fluent Russian. When the Russian spoke back, the English person heard perfect English. That's God working through the Holy Spirit and that's not scary, it's cool!

For me, I learned that no one seeking this has to be up on altars screaming and yelling speeches in another language. I went to God in my own time, in my own way because I tend to be more introverted. I just praised God over and over. Say the word hallelujah, just keep saying it. Stop thinking (like I did) about what is going on, but just get lost in praising Him. He died for you, He is alive for you, isn't that worth some thanks?

You may hear yourself say something as simple as "ba" back and dismiss it. Don't. That is the beginning and it's worth rejoicing. Don't stop. Start small and watch your faith grow as the words do. I honestly have my prayer language time almost anywhere but church. They are special times between me and the Lord and I've enjoyed those times folding laundry, driving, and when I can't sleep. What I love most about the speaking in tongues/prayer language experience is guess who can't get in on that communication? The devil. As you speak you might be interceding for others you don't even know, perhaps you are speaking strategy from the Lord, but whatever it is, the devil can't figure it out. I love that.

Please, I was afraid of this for YEARS. I'd love to say everyone treated me with understanding but folks, if you are judging someone for not speaking in tongues, telling them they don;t have the faith, pounding on their forehead and nearly knocking them down to get them to comply----I take issue with that. God is about love. Try it.

Slain in the Spirit---again, this one carries fear and it should not have to, but I also know it's an experience that well meaning people have misused and turned others away. Remember Moses and the Burning Bush? God's presence is so strong, so holy that you can't stand under it even if you wanted to. Where He is, it's holy ground. The Holy Spirit is part of God, He is He, not it. The Holy Spirit is a teacher, counselor and guide. He is so much more than your personal Jiminy Cricket. When the Holy Spirit shows up, you may experience or observe different manifestations. They are going to seem off to you because you are looking at it from a human perspective and you want to react that way and put God in that same box. He hasn't changed in over 2000 years but His ways differ. Some may come into the presence of the Lord and feel it so strongly they are standing one minute and down the next. I've seen this many times, but I've also seen it abused. If you are forcing yourself down (I have a mentor who has seen people fluff their skirts out in preparation of falling) or if someone praying for you is pressing you so hard in an effort to push you down, well that bugs me. God is so powerful and holy if He needs your help, He'll let you know. Can I be honest? I have not yet experienced this because I am a controlling person. I want to fall on my terms and I'm afraid. Yet I don't want to be afraid, but I want to happen God's way and time, not mine.

Revival---This is when God shows up and blows any plan anyone has. You can't in my opinion schedule it, manipulate it. Can I be bold enough to say I don't think you can imitate it, I don't think you are supposed to. I know many churches have revival meetings but I don't think it is the same as a revival. For instance, right now I'm watching http://www.god.tv/. A month ago Todd Bentley was scheduled for a conference in Lakeland, Florida. He is someone God has gifted as a "hose" for healing. If you hear man ever take credit for works of God, be cautious. Jesus should always get the credit. Todd started sharing what God was giving in information and direction and as of tonight they are in a convention center full at 8,000. He has been there every night for a month. That wasn't his plan, the church that originally hosted him, God just showed up and people are getting healed. Again, this is an area that has been abused so don't believe me, go after God and ask Him to show you. People are getting medical documentation to back up what God has done and on line I have seen and even experienced amazing things while watching. There have been revivals where people on the streets selling drugs, their bodies, all sorts of stuff with no intention of asking Jesus in their life drop it all and run to the place where God is working. They pray, God moves, and they leave those lifestyles. There are revivals where people seek the destiny for their lives. Revivals can bring unique reactions from people, again, when you have the presence of God and His angels minstering over you, you can't operate under that on your own. People may shake, dance, cry, laugh or stagger as if drunk (it's called drunk in the spirit), sing, or like above, just fall right down. If you are trying to imitate those moves because you see it in someone else or another church and you want that, I don't think it's going to work. I know in the 1990's a church in Brownsville and an incredible revival experience and other churches came to visit out of curiosity. They returned to their churches and wanted it to be replicated exactly as it was in Brownsville. It split churches because it got so out of hand, I know because I saw it first hand. Keep in mind God had a plan for Brownsville, and He has one for you. It might not be the same, but it might not. Let the Holy Spirit be the guide.

Grace---Unmerited favor. You are given something good you don't deserve. My favorite story is of the student who breaks the rules and is supposed to receive a paddle from the administrator. The administrator calls him into the office and hands the paddle to the boy. The boy questioned him and the principal said to take the paddle and use it on the principal. The boy asked why. The principal took the paddle for him and said, "because I'm giving you grace." Grace is what Jesus extended to us. It is what is lacking in the body of Christ today, yours truly included. I desire grace.

I hope these terms give you a light bulb moment instead of the deer in a headlights look. I just don't want anyone to fear, stay away from or leave a situation because you don't understand it. I regret those years I felt and still feel paralyzed by fear.

I told you I'm a simpleton. I'll leave you with something so simple that it will be profound but wrap it around these terms and seek Him. Here's the simple statement.

God is love.

He loves you.

Thanks for reading today and being patient as our schedule is off a bit. I'm looking for volunteer writers this May to help me over at http://thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/. I'm participating in the daily blogging challenge called NaBloPoMo where the theme is "voices". I feel God wants me to give up my voice on that blog and ask others to take my place. I have some slots filled, others who are tentative, but many openings remain. Whether or not you have a blog I encourage you to consider writing. You can write one post on any topic. You can write asking to be anonymous. You can be an author or business owner who wants to get your name out. I'm quite flexible. If you have a blog you can send me a little introduction and then send a link to your own blog and a favorite post of yours. Interested? First come first served---send your post and an optional bio and picture to jarduini@faithwriters.net. Thanks!

Julie Arduini is a surrendered writer with her own blog, http://thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/. A graduate of the Christian Writers Guild, she blogs for the Christian Writers Forum Sundays as the mommy blogger and is the Forum's book club facilitator. She is active with FaithWriters and has several writings ready to publish in different books and anthologies in 2008-09. To get to know her better, read her interview by Lynda Schab at: http://www.faithreaders.com/featured-author-details.php?id=33%20To contact Julie, please use the e mail provided in our profile.

Switching It Up

As we stated when this blog began, our heart is to share Christ's love for you but there are days when life gets in the way. All of us have young children and this was my turn to take one to the ER and then a specialist. The praise is all worked out and no further treatment is necessary, but my eyes are closing as I type. I'm beat. I'd rather give you something quality from the Lord than be legalistic because I typically blog Thursdays.

So....I'll be back Monday. If you've ever watched a TV channel (NBC and Disney come to mind) when they take one night and somehow connect all the shows together, that's kind of what I'm thinking will happen Monday. Over at http://thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/ on Mondays I blog about the book by Joy Chickonoski called "Becoming Lovers, The Journey from Disciple of Christ to Bride of Christ." Well Monday's post is going to be a little heavier than what that blog is used to with some terms that might not seem as mainstream in Christian faith as some are familiar with.

I thought I'd tie it all together the best I can with His leading and blog here explaining the terms in ways I wish I had been told to hopefully help anyone who has their own perspective on those words. That way, if anyone is over at the Surrendered Scribe and seeing words that make them go woah, I'm not so sure about this, I'm praying Monday's blog post here will help.

I hope this makes sense. Call it procastination, call it wisdom, I'm calling it quits for the night and going to bed. Thanks for stopping by. Stop back tomorrow with Kim, and make sure to wish her a belated birthday. If you live near a beach, throw some sand in the air in celebration. She loves all things beach-y!

Julie Arduini is a surrendered writer with her own blog, http://thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/. A graduate of the Christian Writers Guild, she blogs for the Christian Writers Forum Sundays as the mommy blogger and is the Forum's book club facilitator. She is active with FaithWriters and has several writings ready to publish in different books and anthologies in 2008-09. To get to know her better, read her interview by Lynda Schab at: http://www.faithreaders.com/featured-author-details.php?id=33%20

To contact Julie, please use the e mail provided in our profile.

Jolted

This is one of those crazy days where it is running from one thing to another. It was a night where sleep didn't come easy or often, so now that I'm home, I'm winding down. I feel like what I'm going to share is cheating, by taking you to a link, but at the same time, I sense God wants this to reach some burdened readers today. Not because I wrote it and it happened to me, but because the truth God wants to impart here stopped me in my tracks. I can't shake the image, and I think I' m meant to share it with you.

So please, click on the link that will take you to my Sunday post at the Christian Writers Forum. And let God love on you.

http://christianwritersforum.com/Blog/?p=248

Julie Arduini is a surrendered writer with her own blog, http://thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/. A graduate of the Christian Writers Guild, she blogs for the Christian Writers Forum Sundays as the mommy blogger and is the Forum's book club facilitator. She is active with FaithWriters and has several writings ready to publish in different books and anthologies in 2008-09. To get to know her better, read her interview by Lynda Schab at: http://www.faithreaders.com/featured-author-details.php?id=33%20To contact Julie, please use the e mail provided in our profile.

TGIF

The sun is shining, the air is warm, the birds are singing, and I am so glad it is Friday! The weekend ahead holds hope and promise of time with family, laughter with friends, extra sleep, and worship with the Lord. I'm already looking forward to 'a day of rest.'

This past week has been filled with medical appointments, a front tooth extraction, and surgery for my son. I have spent so much time leaning on Him and His strength just to make it through the days. His peace and love for me has warmed my heart and kept me sane. My only side effect of it all has been my stomach rumbling as if to say, "Okay you have held it all together but I have had enough!" It was a reminder of just how weak my flesh can be in times of trial and tribulation. It was also a reminder of life before relationship, a relationship with Jesus, my Savior and friend.

It was only a few years ago, one cold January day when I let my walls of pain, anxiety, disappointment, anger, and regret down at the altar of a small church. It was a day where I was "sick and tired of being sick and tired." It was a day when I was ready to surrender it all and see what this life of being a 'Christian' was all about.

As I approached the altar the tears were flowing. When I arrived a woman approached me and asked if I wanted to tell her what I wanted prayer for. To ashamed of my sin and struggles I shook my head no. She gently touched my head and began to pray. It was as though she were reading my mind. She prayed for peace in my mind and spirit. She prayed for relationship and trust in Him. And it was there at the altar that I cried and felt Him lift my burden, inviting me to trust Him.

Since that day my walk with the Lord has been like an amusement park roller coaster ride. It has had uphill climbs with downhill delights, twists and turns, acceleration and speed, and moments of sitting on the track while He repaired the brokeness inside me. He has showed me, especially through His written word, how to trust Him as I lift my hands in total surrender anticipating the 'ride of my life.'

The past few years have been a ride like no other. And as the week comes to a close I lift my hands and thank Him for riding with me, strapped in by my side. I cannot imagine the week without Him. Amen.

Have a blessed weekend! Kim

Whatever Happened to Rhoda?

Okay, if you are a Gen X'er, you are probably thinking Rhoda? You mean Mary Tyler Moore's sidekick? Nope, not that one.







I'm thinking about the servant girl in Acts 12 Rhoda. The one who was at Mary's house, "mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying."







I'm not well versed on the role of the servant so I'm not sure if she was praying as well, but she was certainly aware of what was going on. Peter escaped from prison in the most miraculous way, an angel set him free. It was so supernatural and carefree (to the angel at least) that until the angel disappeared, Peter couldn't quite believe it was an angel. He thought it was a vision.







So there is everyone at that house praying for Peter's release. Were they specific to the point of saying 'please send an angel to set him free?' I'm guessing not, but I've been there. You pray and pray and pray some more and when it comes to pass in an amazing way, you can't even fathom it.







This is Rhoda's story. I'm guessing as a servant one of her job's was to answer the door. Peter knocks and announces his arrival. Rhoda is "overjoyed'. So much so, she doesn't even open the door. She runs back to tell everyone else, leaving Peter on the other side of a shut door. Can you just picture it? I just can't see her tapping John Mark on the shoulder and quietly saying, "Hey, um, the door? It's Peter." I see her jumping, screaming, hollering, and whooping it up. A true praise celebration.







Then the housefull of people tell Rhoda she's out of her mind. Still, she isn't giving up. She is so insistent finally they say well it must be his angel. Rhoda wasn't the only persistent one, Peter kept on knocking. Finally "they" opened the door and saw it was Peter. And "they" were astonished.







Boy can I relate. I was an infertility patient that knew in my heart God had children in His plan for us. For our son we prayed Psalm 37:4 "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of His heart." For our daughter we believed God had a promise for us in 1 Samuel 1:27, "For this child we prayed, and He answered our prayer." The funny thing is, when signs of pregnancy came knocking, I wasn't as much like Rhoda as I was the people in the house.







I was violently ill the first time around and thought I had the flu. When it dawned on me this just might be a pregnancy, one test didn't suffice. Even though the test was positive, I had to take another. When it was my pregnancy with my daughter, I didn't even take two tests, I took three. Talk about needing persistent knocking to convince me.







Is that you? Have you prayed and prayed on something and it finally comes to pass and you can't even believe it when it's right at your house? Do you have a Rhoda in your life so overjoyed that you dismiss her? I just came across this story this week and this time around, Rhoda got my attention.







My question---what happened to her? The rest of Peter's story in Acts 12 says that Peter motioned for them to be quiet so he could share how the Lord brought him out of prison. Was Rhoda on the dusty floor, listening intently, praising the Lord? Did she hightail it out of the house Paul Revere style to tell the countryside Peter was free and by an angel no less? Was she pouring some celebratory wine for everyone? Making Peter a splendid post prison meal?







Whatever it was, I bet she was praising Jesus.







Even if in her excitement she neglected to open the door.




Julie Arduini is a surrendered writer with her own blog, http://thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/. A graduate of the Christian Writers Guild, she blogs for the Christian Writers Forum Sundays as the mommy blogger and is the Forum's book club facilitator.

She is active with FaithWriters and has several writings ready to publish in different books and anthologies in 2008-09. To get to know her better, read her interview by Lynda Schab at: http://www.faithreaders.com/featured-author-details.php?id=33%20

To contact Julie, please use the e mail provided in our profile.

Rainbow Encouragement

(photo by Maria Spencer copyright 2008)

I’ve always loved rainbows. Even before I knew the things of God, I knew there was something very special about rainbows. Their pure hues of vibrant colors have always served as a sign of hope deep within my spirit.

Then once I came to know the Lord, I realized why I always felt connected to rainbows.

“Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.” (Gen. 9:14)

So what is this covenant and what does it mean in our lives?To me, rainbows represent this covenant from God, that He is working in our lives, and He knows just when to send color to our gray days.

I believe He sometimes sends an actual rainbow in the sky to display His greatness and His promise, but I also feel sometimes He sends us pieces of His rainbows through other means.

My five-year-old daughter is a person with hemiplegic cerebral palsy (the muscles on the left side of her body are tighter than ours). Because of a trauma she experienced as an infant, her body is the way it is. My husband and I have always searched and fought for what treatments and services that we felt were best for her. No matter how much faith we have, sometimes we still doubt whether or not all of our decisions will shape her future for the better.

The other day, I was having a gray kind of day—thoughts of doubts and worry regarding her care were coming at me full speed. I was in desperate need of a sign that we were going in the right direction. Then out of nowhere, I felt compelled to go and look out my back window. There, in beautiful shades of purple, green, yellow and red, was the awesome rainbow pictured above.
Then I heard, “It’s going to be OK, have hope-- hope in Me –I will take care of her. You are doing a good job. Keep believing”—Firm, yet gentle words that could only be from the voice of my heavenly father. In an instant, my breathing became easier, my mind was now clear. His covenant with me and my life was ever present in the form of this beautiful rainbow.

And if that wasn’t enough, He sent another rainbow.
This time, it came in the form of a person on the page of a magazine.
Her name is Abbey Curran.
She is “Miss Iowa” and recently competed in the Miss USA Pageant.
She looks like all of the other beauty queens-except for one detail.
She is a person with cerebral palsy.
A co-worker of mine put an article on my desk, which revealed details about her life, her upbringing, and how she never gave up on her dreams just because she had a physical disability.

This rainbow shone even brighter than the one I saw in the sky two days earlier.
As a Mother, I have had hopes and dreams for my daughter’s life hidden deep within my heart, because only the Lord knows what her future holds.
But on the pages of this magazine, He displayed His covenant with me ever so clearly.
Abby Curran’s life and achievements are a pure sign from Him that those dreams I’ve held on to for my daughter can become a reality.
She will always be an inspiration to me and my family.

So the next time I’m having a gray, cloudy kind of day, I will be able to see the bright, vivid colors of my daughter’s rainbow in Abbey Curran’s smile.

Maria and her family reside in NE Ohio. She and her husband are the parents of two. Their daughter is a person with hemipelegic cerebral palsy. Because of her experiences, Maria provides parent-to-parent support for families involved in her local early intervention program. Her gift for writing has come directly from the Lord since her daughter’s diagnosis. She writes a monthly column entitled, “Special Parents, Special Kids” for the Mahoning Valley Parent magazine in Ohio; and has expanded into Parent magazines in parts of Pennsylvania and West Virginia. She is also a contributing author at www.mommiesmagazine.com. Maria is very passionate about getting the word out to special parents that they are not alone in their journey of raising their special child; and that they were chosen by God to parent their children. Maria welcomes comments and communication.

Paving The Way

(www.classroomclipart.com)


Where the Narrow Gate Girls live, it's been a diverse weather season. When my family visited over Easter they noted the potholes are like sinkholes. People are seriously driving deep into them and needing expensive repair work to their cars.

It's not like the road crews aren't out, I've seen them. My dad's last working years were at a town highway department and he often shared his wisdom on patching, paving and the like. I can't remember a lick of what he said, but I can say this...

Temporary fixes are temporary fixes.

The visual God gave me was from last fall on the road below us. It was the first day of school and that was the day the town chose to strip the road down and repave, if I'm getting my terminology right. The thing is, they took the road apart, stripped it down, and made it new.

It was a permanent fix, and this season it's the one road that is smooth driving.

When I reflect on the roads, God showed me it is much like my heart and what He is doing to it. As I blogged today over at The Surrendered Scribe, http://thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/2008/04/stepping-into-clearing.html
health changes last year threw me into a refinement and transformation. I wanted it over fast and easy. I wanted a pothole patch fix.

God in His infinite wisdom, said no. He is stripping the road down to nothing so He can start over. Like the road pave on the first day of school it's incovenient, time consuming, hard and frustrating.

But the end road is a glorious one. Will my life be smooth sailing forever? No, and I don't want it to be that way, I want to need my Savior and if life gets too easy, I tend to forget Him. But this repavement process is worth it.

I feel like Spring is here in my life as much as it is outside. New opportunities, re birth. Summer is a season of activity, roads tend to be heavily used even when under construction. Fall is when things settle in and slow down, chill and finish up before a hibernation period of winter storms full of precipitation. Together all the seasons wear on the roads, so it makes sense they would wear on me too. So although I like the sound of easy fixes in my life, I get frustrated when I see a pothole patch because in short order, it's messed up again and my car falls in.

Can you relate?

What's God doing in your heart? Is He asking you for a repavement---a stripping of sorts to get to your foundation and start over? Are you fighting for a pothole fix, the temporary kind that doesn't last with changing weather and circumstances?

I know the process for me isn't done, but I definitely feel like God did a lot more than a pothole patchwork on me and I am grateful. Will you join me? Will you allow Him to Pave The Way?

Julie Arduini is a surrendered writer with her own blog, http://thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/. A graduate of the Christian Writers Guild, she blogs for the Christian Writers Forum Sundays as the mommy blogger and is the Forum's book club facilitator.

She is active with FaithWriters and has several writings ready to publish in different books and anthologies in 2008-09. To get to know her better, read her interview by Lynda Schab at: http://www.faithreaders.com/featured-author-details.php?id=33%20
To contact Julie, please use the e mail provided in our profile.

With Love . . . God

(classroomclipart.com)

The past few weeks I have been reading a book that I absolutely love and don't want to end! The title is Dangerous Surrender by Kay Warren.

In the book Kay describes dangerous surrender like this (pp.23-24):

Surrendering means that we have come to an end of our independence from him, our reliance on self-sufficiency, and our insistence that we don't need him. Surrender to God changes everything. Why add the word dangerous to surrender? Because we don't surrender to a benevolent but impotent grandfather figure; we surrender to Almighty God-the Creator and Sustainer of the universe.

Each chapter is just raw and loaded with thought provoking insight. It has left me both wrecked and ruined, and as Kay writes, "gloriously ruined." As the book comes to a close I have been struggling with how to 'walk out' what I have read, to 'see' what dangerous surrender looks like until a present arrived on my doorstep with a tag that read, "With Love, God."

Last weekend my husband and I picked up a friend to go to a wedding. When we arrived at her home one of children answered the door with his bright smile. Within a few minutes she hurried into the car and we were on our way. In the car she shared that another foster child had arrived this week, one hour before her small church group was to arrive at her home for their weekly study. (So now they have nine children with a wide range of special needs that they are loving and caring for.) Her words were this, "I said okay Lord!" And then she calmy said, "I told myself I was not going to lose the affections of the Lord." I thought to myself, "Did she just say what I think she said? I think I need to pinch her and see if she is for real." The beauty of it, she truly is!

After the wedding we went to her house to visit and when we arrived one of her best friends was putting together a crib because they needed another place for a child to sleep. Nine children in a small home filled with love and the joy of the Lord! (They have already fostered over 65 children.) We spent the evening visiting, each of us with a small child on our lap while the older children slept. When I went to bed that night I laid there thinking about our evening and the incredible couple the Lord has placed in my life. As tears streamed down my cheeks I felt as though God had handed me a gift with a tag that said, "With Love, God" and inside was a picture of my friends and the title underneath was "Dangerous Surrender."

For Him, Kim

(Kay's book can be found at the local library, on-line, or at your local bookstore. Join me each week at http://divingintohisgrace.blogspot.com/ where I am journaling my thoughts one chapter at a time. Enjoy!)

Verse for the Valley

Last month I blogged about how I have an overall life verse in the Bible that guides me through all situations. In addition to that, the Lord also gives me verses and songs for different seasons. Right now I'm doing a Bible study on the Psalms of Ascent by Beth Moore and she wondered---when we get to heaven would Jesus give us a personalized CD with our name on it with all the songs that accompanied our dramatic moments? I wonder the same about verses. Will I get a cute hardcover gift book in my heavenly welcome basket as well? He has surely carried me through mountains and valleys through verses. Today I'd like to share a valley verse.

The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged" Deuteronomy 31:8

Before I share my story I wanted to let you know again that on the right hand side of the blog is a button that will take you to a free Bible program where you can look up numerous versions of the Bible, take notes, I have yet to begin with all this site has to offer. Right now I'm doing the Bible in a year program in the New Living Translation. I love it! It's not the first time I've done the Bible in a year yet I still come across verses that jump at me like I've never seen it before.

Such is the case with Deuteronomy 31:8.

I was living in upstate NY and I didn't think my name was Julie, I was seriously wondering if it was Job. In a period of months the following took place: my job ended (a good thing overall but I was very anxious about my identity in that transition), my husband's job changed where he went from salary with benefits to commission and no benefits, I had a reaction to my c section (I'm always that 1 in 1000 you hear about) our daughter failed her newborn tests for congenital hypothyroidism, the office erred and did not relay that message to us in a timely fashion missing criticical dosage times, she was given a medicine she should not have that shut her down when she contracted croup and nearly died, she had RSV, and then pneumonia with numerous breathing relapses throughout 2004. Her brother was in kindergarten where I was homeschooling him but he was diagnosed with sleep apnea because of tonsil size. A week before we closed on our house in NY to move to Ohio, he had his tonsils and adenoids out. A few weeks after our daughter had her near death experience, my dad announced he had lung cancer. Although he responded wonderfully to treatment at first, by Spring things went downhill quickly and I was attending his funeral in late May. Three weeks before the funeral my husband received a call from a company out of state that gave him one hour and a half phone interview before hiring him. We visited that area praying the entire time, and we knew the move was for us. But the job and the move separated us as a family. So by summer 2004 I am for the most part a single mom selling a house in one state while my husband is alone with a new job in an apartment looking for a new house. He was looking for a school, doctors, and a new church family. I was taking care of the kids, both not in perfect health at the time, packing up a house, trying to be available for my grieving family, and grieving myself.

One afternoon I attended a luncheon in Kanona, NY through the Family Life Network http://www.fln.org/ (you need to be listening to their station, it is THE best!) FLN was about 30 minutes away and over the years we were blessed with great concerts and speakers. The speaker that day was a tool God used to give me peace, hope, and direction.

The speaker was Jill Kelly.

Wife of Buffalo Bill's famed quarterback Jim Kelly.

New Christian through a series of events pretty much surrounding the terminal condition of their son, Hunter, who has gone on to be with the Lord since that luncheon.

She shared her heart and she remains one of the top speakers I can remember because she gave her whole heart. She explained her background and it wasn't one of acting like a nun and having a strong faith in anything. She met Jim at a party. She was part of a celebrity lifestyle. Jesus Christ was about the last thing on her mind.

I can't remember Hunter's whole story but I remember my shoulders shaking because I was holding on to my emotions for all it was worth. We only had one ER visit that was life threatening for us and it shook me to the core and I had been in a personal relationship with Christ for awhile. Jill shared that every ER visit for them was one where they knew they just might not be bringing Hunter back. How on Earth did she make it through that time?

The dam broke when she exclaimed the verse God was using to get Jill through the excruciating time of knowing you are going to lose a child when you still have other children to nurture and a husband to care for all under the glare of celebrity spotlight---as a new Christian no less.

Here is the verse again:

.
The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.

From that moment on I clung to this verse like a shy child to a mother's leg. He was already in Ohio in our new house we had not found yet. He was already at the hospital double checking plans for our son's surgery. He was already in our daughter's bedroom stroking her hair when I was prepping the nebulizer and steroids. He was already at the real estate office making sure everything was ready for the sale of our NY home. He never not once left me. Every time I wanted to be afraid, I remembered the verse. I prayed for Jill. And I clung.

It's nearly four years since that luncheon and God has been more than faithful. We endured insurance woes once we moved that were difficult but so many good things too. Our son thrived at the school we felt directed to, if that was the only reason to be obedient to the move, I'd do it all over and over again. It wasn't though---our daughter's health has stabilized. She is doing fantastic. People in NY are blown away when they see and hear her. My husband loves his job and is good at it. Doors have flown open for me in ministry and with friendships. I have been blessed to keep special friendships in NY but make new strong ones as I have here with the other Gate Girls, Kim and Maria.

I sense this verse is meant for someone out there. Perhaps when they read this post it might not even be during the time of posting, but later. I don't know, but He does. Here is what I have for you my friend, don't be afraid. Don't be discouraged. The Lord has gone ahead of you. He is with you every step of the way. He won't forget you, He won't leave you. He's got your back, He's got you covered. No need to fear.

And wherever Jill Kelly is, I pray her faith has remained steadfast through the seasons of change. I wept when I learned Hunter passed, but I know her children and her knew whose arms he was now in. I pray Jim has that personal comfort as well.

Thank you Jill for sharing your heart that day. Your obedience to Him changed my life.

Julie Arduini is a surrendered writer with her own blog, http://thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/. A graduate of the Christian Writers Guild, she blogs for the Christian Writers Forum Sundays as the mommy blogger and is the Forum's book club facilitator. She is active with FaithWriters and has several writings ready to publish in different books and anthologies in 2008-09. To get to know her better, read her interview by Lynda Schab at: http://www.faithreaders.com/featured-author-details.php?id=33%20http://www.faithreaders.com/featured-author-details.php?id=33%20

To contact Julie, please use the e mail provided in our profile.

Maria's Thoughts As A Newborn Christian

Why me? Why did He choose me to love? Why does He think I’m worthy of His love? Why does He think I’m qualified to fulfill His purpose for my life?All the feelings of unworthiness, guilt, shame—have all been washed away—washed away with the blood Jesus shed for me. Me? Are you sure about me, Lord? Do you know what I’ve done? Do you know my past? Do you know some of my thoughts? Do you know the people I’ve hurt in the past? Do you know my sins?
He does. The beauty of the Lord is that He knows it all—He knows the dreams of your heart– He wants you to release the secrets of your being that have been holding you back for so very long. He wants to show you that through His love and His mercy, you can reach the desires of your soul—no matter where you’ve come from, or what you’ve done. He has no agenda. He will wipe the slate of your life clean.

Go ahead—Listen. That quiet voice you think no one knows about—that voice inside you that guides you to do the right thing no matter what…the voice that says “ You can do it!” , even though you’ve never tried such a thing before…The same voice that overrides your natural mind; the logical part of you.

Go ahead. Shhh. Listen.

That’s Him. That’s Jesus.

Let Him in. Let Him hold your heart and embrace your soul. Focus on Him and only Him—don’t wait…try it now. Shhhh.

Allow His love to take over and hold you like no other. He will keep you safe and take you step by step. Surrender your soul to His unending love and mercy. Listen to His call for your life. He’ll teach you things about yourself you never knew. He’ll show you gifts and talents that have been waiting patiently inside you—the more you listen, the more you will discover. Take that step. Let Him fill you up with His joy-His peace-and His unending love—It’s all there for you. Yes, you. Go ahead—don’t keep Him waiting any longer.

Maria and her family reside in NE Ohio. She and her husband are the parents of two. Their daughter is a person with hemipelegic cerebral palsy. Because of her experiences, Maria provides parent-to-parent support for families involved in her local early intervention program. Her gift for writing has come directly from the Lord since her daughter’s diagnosis. She writes a monthly column entitled, “Special Parents, Special Kids” for the Mahoning Valley Parent magazine in Ohio; and has expanded into Parent magazines in parts of Pennsylvania and West Virginia. She is also a contributing author at www.mommiesmagazine.com. Maria is very passionate about getting the word out to special parents that they are not alone in their journey of raising their special child; and that they were chosen by God to parent their children. Maria welcomes comments and communication.

A Matter of Life and Death

Before my blog rotation I pray and ask God what He would want to say through this blog. Typically I want to share issues that God is pointing at me about because I never want to come across as someone who has mastered anything. This topic is no different--I'm working on it, I still fail, but I wanted to offer awareness and hope. I felt the direction for today's post was about words. I get to church Sunday and guess what the sermon is on?



The power of words.



Nothing like a confirmation to seal the deal.



James 3:9 NIV
With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness.



I'm guilty of this. I can be in church worshipping and ten minutes later be in the parking lot heaping sarcasm on the kids. What is the one thing in common? Words come from the tongue. They can give life, or they can give death.



A compliment feels pretty good, doesn't it? I read once that it takes seven compliments to erase one, just one criticism. The saying "sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me?" I may sound a tad passionate here but I think that adage came from the devil himself. Words hurt. Words heal. Words are powerful.



For a long time I carried such guilt because I knew as someone with so much anger inside me, I spewed a lot of venom in my non faith and early faith days. I even became known as poison pen. Same deal. I might have put it on paper but still, I was wielding a mighty weapon with my pen--words.



My writing today is to make you aware and encourage you, as well as myself. Simple statements like "stupid, loser, failure" can damage in ways that could take years to heal. I suggest you even reflect on the nicknames you give to others. Are they words that build people up or tear down? If you are using the reason that you're just joking--is the other person laughing?



My husband and I have a heart for marriage ministry. Believe it or not, a man's top need is not in the bedroom. He needs to be affirmed and believed in. The very worst word you could throw at him besides divorce is anything that depicts him as a failure. I have been around conversations when the wife had not one thing, not one thing to say that was positive about him, even when pressed to think of something. It was heartbreaking to watch.



I've also been the recipient of a mom telling me my kid could do one thing because my kid was smart, but her kids never could because they are stupid. I stopped her right there. I knew enough about her family to know words had been used against them for generations. The cycle CAN be broken. I let her know that those words tear down and that her children are gifted by God Himself and I prayed against those words to ever be uttered again. But if mom isn't hearing words of life, how can we expect her to pass them on to her children?



The Bible has a lot to say on the tongue and our words. Do a word search on tongue and see what all comes up. There are great verses to think on. I know James 1:26 NIV
If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless is something I've seen in action. They let me know how often they are in church, what positions they hold on the board, and that I should be doing x, y, or z, right before they launch a joke session that would make George Carlin blush. I don't want to be around that, and I don't want to be that. How can I make sure?



Take every thought to Christ. If I keep my focus on Him, my words flow a lot nicer. I think of it like a pipe. If I make God my first priority of the day, water falls freely and clearly in the day. If I move my God time further and further until the day is basically over, I can picture a clogged rusty pipe called my tongue. I get short tempered, sarcastic and my thoughts aren't much better.



If you are someone that has heard negative words for any period of time, I want you to know you don't have to receive those words anymore. Years ago someone innocently made a comparison that pitted me against someone else. I came off as the smart one, and that person was portrayed as the pretty one. Couldn't we be both? I had no idea and for decades I unwillingly made choices based on what a "Smart" person would do. Once God showed me that I believed in a "word curse" I realized what was going on. I went to prayer and I let God know I no longer agreed with that statement and I wanted to make choices that reflected His plan for me, not what I heard years ago. It's a process. It took time and it truly took (and still takes) every word and thought to the cross. I'm not walking around like a model, but I wear bolder colors than I used to. I have my hair done with professional color, something I never thought I thought was meant for me because I thought it was a pretty person thing, not a smart person choice. The power of words.



I've seen people struggle in school because they were told they were not college material. I know women who had self esteem issues because someone laid their own baggage of guilt and shame on them and proclaimed them ugly or unworthy in some way.



I've also read about forgotten children with a scandalous beginning who came across someone who spoke a blessing over their life. Those kids came alive and became leaders, doctors, politicians and believing in the dreams God gave them.



I don't know where you fall---maybe both places. Maybe you are using hurtful words because someone hurt you. It's a simple cliche but a true one. Hurt people hurt people. But it doesn't mean it has to stay that way.



If you are using words that are tearing down instead of building up, confess it to God. Ask for His help. You can not conquer it in your own strength. Don't beat yourself up when you make a mistake because you most likely will. Keep going to God with everything, start your day with Him. Dive in the Bible and do the word search. Just don't let that spark called your tongue become a forest fire.



If you are remembering experiences where words defined you, ask God to reveal them all. You can't change what you don't know. Go to prayer and break agreement with those word curses. Let God renew your mind with His truth. He will never, ever put you down or make you feel like a failure or ugly or a loser. If that is a voice you are hearing, it is not God. God truly is love. He may rebuke us, but He'll never condemn.



And neither should we.

By the way, Joyr Chickonoski's mentoring and http://www.getrealliving.com/ is where I learned how to break agreement with word curses and live freely. She has a book available at this site as well that has helped me greatly called Becoming Lovers: The Journey from Disciple of Christ to Bride of Christ.





Julie Arduini is a surrendered writer with her own blog, http://thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/. A graduate of the Christian Writers Guild, she blogs for the Christian Writers Forum Sundays as the mommy blogger and is the Forum's book club facilitator. She is active with FaithWriters and has several writings ready to publish in different books and anthologies in 2008-09. To get to know her better, read her interview by Lynda Schab at: http://www.faithreaders.com/featured-author-details.php?id=33%20
http://www.faithreaders.com/featured-author-details.php?id=33%20To contact Julie, please use the e mail provided in our profile. She also feels she needs to confess as she was writing this post she yelled at her kids.

Time In The Desert

I remember the day I received Julie's picture of the Blue Heron asking if we had any insight to the bird's significance. (See yesterday's post.) I immediately consulted my son, the animal expert, and he shared information about the bird's solidarity and uniqueness. Over the next few weeks it was both exciting and amazing to watch the Lord speak and reveal His plans and purposes for Julie's life and journey with Him. When I read her post it took me back to that time and confirmed how God speaks and how He has been speaking to me too.

You may have read in my bio that I have a heart for the abandoned children 'over the seas.' The past few years I have been praying and asking the Lord to use me to reach others and be a voice for those who are unable to speak for themselves. In the beginning when I prayed I thought God would answer me with this 'booming' voice followed by a road map and clear instructions on which direction to go. I often became frustrated and could not understand why He was not speaking to me. He was speaking, I was just not paying attention. Then I thought that if I filled up my days with bible studies, prayer groups, church activities, . . . that I would have 'clear' direction like other spiritual people I interacted with. Again, He was speaking and this time I was too busy to listen. And then my life took a turn.


In April I traveled back to Romania, a dream come to true, to minister to the children and village people. My time there was eye-opening, heartbreaking, and confusing. Then I returned home not knowing what to do with all the emotions inside. In the meantime a childhood friend of mine and I started having some difficulty. Although there were apologizes and forgiveness, I felt in my heart it was time to walk away. The pain I carried with me was almost unbearable. Then summer came. Three months with little ones at home, friendships changing, long periods of lonliness, and inside I knew He was calling out to me.

I attended a conference alone during this emotionally trying time. It was my first time to the church sponsoring the weekend event so I was uncertain about what to expect. Well, God blew me away! To summarize, the speaker used a small willow tree as He spoke about God in our lives. First He began pruning it, gently, slowly. I could relate to that. We all need things pruned off our life like bad habits, negative thoughts, . . . Then He picked up a larger tool and whacked off the branches. I felt the tree and myself yell, "OUCH!" My friendship was one of those branches. Sometimes the things that are taken away hurt, I know my branch did. Then came the ax, I closed my eyes. The skinny little trunk was now in his hands. "Okay, enough!" I wanted to scream. He was still not done. He laid the the scrawny trunk on the floor, in the sun to dry out. "Ughhh!" I thought, but look, here he comes to pick it up. No, he came and turned the trunk over to dry out on the other side. My life, my body, was lying in the sun just like that tree trunk!

As Julie quoted from Hosea 2:14, "I'm going to allure her to the desert and speak tenderly to her." I was in the desert. He had allured me to the desert to speak to me, to spend time with me, to just be with me. And He wanted all of me. At times the desert was so hot and the only water that could be seen were the tears running down my face. Some days I found myself exhausted, falling to my knees wondering if I could withstand one more day. But it was there, in the desert, that I cried out to Him and said, "Lord, help me, save me! I feel so broken and shattered that I do not know what to do!" It was in the desert that I sat alone and listened. It was in the desert that I knelt and prayed. And it was in the desert that He taught me to rely on Him.

I cannot even remember the time coming out of the desert to where I am today. I can tell you that since then my life has focus - focus on Him, my family, and my purpose. So many things that consumed me before have been cut away. In my quest for direction the Lord heard my cry and led me His way, not mine. He knew what needed to be changed in me before His direction was to be revealed. Imagine that! And my prayer is slowly being answered in ways I never dreamed of.

Be Blessed, Kim

The Blue Heron

A couple weeks ago Maria wrote about people asking how do you know when it is God's voice.

http://thenarrowgateinvites.blogspot.com/2008/03/maria-shares-her-thoughts-on-that-voice.html

For me, I find repitition to be a huge clue for me that sends my spiritual attenae to attention. If I read a certain verse more than once in a short span of time, I know there is a message. If someone repeats a phrase that has been on my heart, I go to God with it for more. The same for music. Late last year, I was positive God was speaking to me through of all things-a blue heron.

I love walking in nice weather and feel closest to God when I'm near a body of water. Last September in a span of about 7 days I had in one form of another, several sightings of the blue heron.

1--I was taking pictures at a local park that has a lovely waterfall. I got home, printed my favorite, and in the middle of the picture directly below the large rock you can see a blue heron standing as still as can be. I couldn't stop looking at it. The picture is at the top of this post. Can you find it?

2. The next night I went to another part of the park located several miles away. I was walking along on a bike trail. I was in the middle of my "romantic" Captivating moment described by authors Stasi and John Eldredge. God gave me a huge sunset directly before me that I captured on my cell phone while driving. Crickets serendaded while I had the bike trail all to myself (that never happens) and birds flew ahead. I walked by a small pond and guess what was there...a blue heron. Again, standing as still as can be.

3. Two days later our family traveled to upstate NY. During this 300 one way trek I passed by two or three separate blue heron sightings. This is with 65mph highway driving with not a lot of bodies of water.

By now, I'm like ok, something is up with the blue heron. On the return trip home I asked God "if" this was something He was trying to show me (I can be kind of slow on these revelations!) to be very specific with the blue heron.

4. Twenty minutes later we passed a billboard, one I have not seen since. What for?

The Blue Heron.

No kidding. I can't remember if it was a restaurant or hotel but I recall my jaw dropping.

God talking to me? Yea, that doesn't surprise me anymore. In fact, I long for His communications. I am in a personal relationship with my Heavenly Father through believing in His Son. So that part doesn't surprise me so much anymore.

But by using a blue heron?

Well that part was new!

I have a network of friends that I trust when these things happen and I'll usually send out an e mail or call and ask if they have any prayerful thoughts. I went online and googled blue heron. One thing that struck me was that they were a solitary bird. At that time God was also giving me a verse from Hosea 2:14 (I'm going to allure her to the desert and speak tenderly to her).

He was also transitioning me from a very busy schedule to a very slow one. I felt like a freight train that went from full speed ahead to near stop, in about five seconds. It was jarring and unsettling. That verse comforted me because I realized it was of course by His hand, but also for His purpose.

I also saw the heron in a picture eating a snake. For any of you that know me, you know I dislike snakes so much I can't even stand them in cartoons. Like comedian Bill Engvall, I think the snake and satan are one and the same. I am an intercessor---it's no big title or job, I am just someone that God asks to pray for certain things and I do until I feel that burden lift. Sometimes just to pray for things feels like contending between two kingdoms---God's and the defeated one. To see a blue heron eating a snake, well that was exciting. Praying is a solitary thing a lot of the time and there are times when it is draining physically and emotionally. I love that picture of victory!

To read about the blue heron being isolated, this comforted me too.

Kim has a family member that is anointed with wisdom about God's animals. Honestly just name an animal and you'll learn all about it. This member is my go to person and I'm so thankful for their willingness to share.

She went to them with my blue heron quest. I received a summary that confirmed their solitary state. Blue herons also stand so still because they blend in for hunting purposes. Fish have no idea that they are about to be dinner.

Further feedback from a mentor gave me more to pray on. She was struck by the stillness to blend in. I tend to be someone that wants to make things happen. I don't always fit in places because I'm either frustrated by the mediocrity or outright rejection of the One I serve, or, I am so intimidated that I stick out with my quaking fear.

The blue heron for me, through a lot of prayer, gave me the insight to be still and at peace as I moved through a new season. For months now my entire life has changed. It has been a very quiet time where even if I could, I can't make things happen. The isolation and rest has given me time to mature, pray, seek, and prepare for whatever might be next. He has revealed so much to me in this. His words for me have been to seek and give compassion and grace. As I have sought this (not always with success) I find myself blending in better. Not because I'm giving up or compromising, but I'm not coming on like some obnoxious squawking bird.

I'm still. Solitary. At peace. Hungry. Devouring the snake. Loving water.

All of this from God---via the blue heron.

Think back---is there any sighting, reading, song, or sermon that struck you time and time again? It's not too late, ask the Holy Spirit for help. He's your counselor, teacher and friend.

UPDATE: April 4

Today in the mail I received a book I won online signed by the authors. It is I believe from Heartsong Mystery line, so it is a Christian book. The title? Homicide at Blue Heron Lake.

I am NOT kidding!

Thanks for reading! If you like the new design here at TNGI, please visit http://dustin-lee.com/blog/ and http://christianwritersforum.com/Blog/. These are creations by Dustin-Lee, and the neat part is God didn't just bless him with great artistry, he can also write. Check it out!

Julie Arduini is a surrendered writer with her own blog, http://thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/. A graduate of the Christian Writers Guild, she blogs for the Christian Writers Forum Sundays as the mommy blogger and is the Forum's book club facilitator. She is active with FaithWriters and has several writings ready to publish in different books and anthologies in 2008-09. To get to know her better, read her interview by Linda Schab at: http://www.faithreaders.com/featured-author-details.php?id=33%20To contact Julie, please use the e mail provided in our profile.Julie Arduini is a surrendered writer with her own blog, http://thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/. A graduate of the Christian Writers Guild, she blogs for the Christian Writers Forum Sundays as the mommy blogger and is the Forum's book club facilitator. She is active with FaithWriters and has several writings ready to publish in different books and anthologies in 2008-09. To get to know her better, read her interview by Lynda Schab at: http://www.faithreaders.com/featured-author-details.php?id=33%20To contact Julie, please use the e mail provided in our profile.

Thank You

Two simple words stated about the most powerful moment in history.

The moment when all of our sins were nailed to a cross-- always to be forgiven.

Simple, yet profound words stated by my eight year old son.

He loves the Lord, is curious about learning more about the Bible, and prays directly from his heart to God.

He viewed a portion of “The Passion of the Christ” at church Easter morning, and to my surprise, he didn’t ask questions, and more importantly, he didn’t question the power of that moment. Then almost a week later, he decided to draw this simple picture to respond to that moment:




He didn’t ask why, he didn’t try to understand every detail leading up to that moment, but in his pure, sweet mind he just simply wanted to say thank you.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we adults could just let that moment be an opportunity to express our gratitude to Jesus for dying on the cross for our sins, and not allow our minds to over-analyze it?

Why do our minds make it so difficult?

He loved us enough to have his only son die for our sins.

We should be forever grateful.

Ah, what peace would come to all of us if we could make a conscious effort of choosing to not complicate the fact that He did it just for us…

Thank you.

Such wise words from such a small boy.

It’s really that simple.

Maria and her family reside in NE Ohio. She and her husband are the parents of two. Their daughter is a person with hemipelegic cerebral palsy. Because of her experiences, Maria provides parent-to-parent support for families involved in her local early intervention program. Her gift for writing has come directly from the Lord since her daughter’s diagnosis. She writes a monthly column entitled, “Special Parents, Special Kids” for the Mahoning Valley Parent magazine in Ohio; and has expanded into Parent magazines in parts of Pennsylvania and West Virginia. She is also a contributing author at www.mommiesmagazine.com. Maria is very passionate about getting the word out to special parents that they are not alone in their journey of raising their special child; and that they were chosen by God to parent their children. Maria welcomes comments and communication. If you would like to talk to her, please e-mail her. Our e mail address is in our profile. We also love comments!

Free Sacrifice: An Oxymoron

One of my treasured Christmas gifts was Beth Moore's A Heart Like His Personal Reflections 90 Day study. This study on David was something I was excited to dive into, as I am with any Beth Moore resource.

It's April 1 and I'm excited to say I finished this study. I learned so much not just about David--his ups, downs, victories, mistakes, strengths and weaknesses, but about the Father in Heaven who loves David so much, and you! Take heart---if God can call David a man after his own heart after committing adultery, conspiring to have the husband killed, being disobedient, and a pretty lackluster parent, well then isn't there great hope for all of us!

One particular element of David's life is one I can't shake. In fact the same day I read about it in 2 Samuel 24:18-25, I read it in another devotional as well. Those are the times you know God is trying to say something. Well Lord, your clueless servant is listening!

I don't know that I totally comprehend what He's trying to teach me, but this I can say I grasped out of that part of David's life. Sacrifice is not free.

18.
On that day Gad went to David and said to him, "Go up and build an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite."
19.
So David went up, as the LORD had commanded through Gad.
20.
When Araunah looked and saw the king and his men coming toward him, he went out and bowed down before the king with his face to the ground.
21.
Araunah said, "Why has my lord the king come to his servant?" "To buy your threshing floor," David answered, "so I can build an altar to the Lord, that the plague on the people may be stopped."
22.
Araunah said to David, "Let my lord the king take whatever pleases him and offer it up. Here are oxen for the burnt offering, and here are threshing sledges and ox yokes for the wood.
23.
O king, Araunah gives all this to the king." Araunah also said to him, "May the LORD your God accept you."
24.
But the king replied to Araunah, "No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing." So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen and paid fifty shekels of silver for them.
25.
David built an altar to the LORD there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then the LORD answered prayer in behalf of the land, and the plague on Israel was stopped.
(Christianity.com Bible Study Tools---you can access it for yourself at the right of this blog.)

Before this reading we learn that David took a census and had to choose what method of punishement to take. A census isn't so bad unless you are being disobedient, and David did it with a spirit of pride. Of the three choices God gave David, he chose the plague. Seventy thousand men died because as Beth Moore stated in the study, David deserted the throne and didn't trust God. He didn't intercede for his nation, and he had the wrong motive for the census.

As we read this passage, God commands David to go to the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite to build an altar. After you saw 70,000 men die of a plague that was basically your fault, you'd get moving to the threshing floor, wouldn't you? David did.

Araunah greeted King David with open arms and after learning David was there to buy the threshing floor to make an offering of sacrifice to the Lord to end the plague, this man wanted to give the floor to David. No need for a real estate transation, just have it. Nice sentiment, right?

It is, unless you came to make a sacrifice. It's pretty hard to offer a sacrifice when there is no---well---sacrifice! Verse 24 has David saying basically, I insist. I have to pay. I can't give the Lord my God an offering that cost me nothing.

David paid for the threshing floor. He built an altar for God.

The plague stopped.

Whatever your goal or destination, I'd be shocked if the journey was full of smooth paths and short cuts. Sure we have blessings and easier seasons than others, but full devotion to your Heavenly Father takes sacrifice. It isn't free and without adversity. Sacrifice costs. Just ask God's Son.

But I have a feeling when we get to heaven to talk with the Savior and King David, they both will agree sacrifice is worth every penny, every bead of sweat, every tear, every drop of blood.

By the way, this Beth Moore study explains further that the threshing floor of Araunah was so special to God because it was the exact spot in Genesis 22 where Abraham obeyed God and sacrificed Issac. Later on that same spot would be used again by Solomon. As Beth notes, this place is a place of sacrifice and substitution.

May David's payment encourage you in your own threshing floor sacrifice.

Julie Arduini is a surrendered writer with her own blog, http://thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/. A graduate of the Christian Writers Guild, she blogs for the Christian Writers Forum Sundays as the mommy blogger and is the Forum's book club facilitator. She is active with FaithWriters and has several writings ready to publish in different books and anthologies in 2008-09. To get to know her better, read her interview by Linda Schab at: http://www.faithreaders.com/featured-author-details.php?id=33%20To contact Julie, please use the e mail provided in our profile.

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