Tag Archive - Wisdom

8 Year Blogiversary

April 2, 2012 in On Writing with 9 Comments

2012 marks a huge milestone in my writing career. I began writing 8 years ago in 2004 before blogging was cool, hipster, and on WordPress.

My first blog was called More Words Than Webster on blogspot. I had a lot to say then as I do now! Then I changed the name to E-couragements. 

After reading some of my four-hundred blog posts–my mentor Marcia Ramsland, The Organizing Pro named me Devotional Diva and it stuck!

I cannot say how grateful I am to have this medium on which to express myself. Without blogging I probably wouldn’t be here today. I went from a shy, fearful girl into an expressive and transparent woman thanks to blogging and writing.

Below are 8 excerpts of some of my favorite blogs and 8 helpful tips (I hope) on writing.

Whether you’re just getting started or you’re a long-time pro like me–we can all use the encouragement to keep writing!

8 Excerpts

1. Ten Tips to Renew YOUR Devotional Life – My favorite ways to stay refreshed spiritually.

2. Beautiful Girl – My favorite poem.

3. I like Big Butts – My favorite revelation from Scripture.

4. I Suck Without Jesus – My favorite devotional from Faithbook of Jesus.

5. When God Says No – My hardest lesson learned.

6. Launching Devotional Diva Ministries – My transition into full time writing as a ministry.

7. Endorsements for Not Another Dating Book – My supporters–I couldn’t have done it without them.

8. Happy Endings Do Exist – My love story.

8 Tips

1. Accidental Author – I didn’t set out to become a writer or dream of the day I’d make a living as an author. I actually wanted to teach high school math. I’m so glad I obeyed God’s nudging into writing because it turned out to be something I love and can use to support myself with.

2. Spur Others Forward – My number one passion is encouraging others through writing (1 Corinthians 14:24-25, Hebrews 10:24).

3. Publish His Deeds – I write because of what Jesus has done for me (Psalm 96:3).

4. Suffer With Those Who Suffer – One of the fruits of the Spirit is longsuffering (Galatians 5:22, NKJV). It’s easy to follow those who have everything going for them, but a real friend is one who can stick close during the hard times. I write for them!

5. Writing Is Worth It – If you’re looking for a wider audience to reach others with your writings I urge you to find a writing mentor, get into a writing critique group, and attend multiple writers conferences. If you feel writing should be your business/calling/whatever then it’s worth making the investment. I spent a couple thousand dollars to rebrand myself, which helped to catch the eye of my first publisher, NavPress.

6. Pay Your Dues – You may feel compelled to write on a certain subject, mainly your story, but to make it in the writing business you’ve got to be versatile. Pay your dues so one day you can write about what really matters to you!

7. Make Friends First – Build your audience with your friends and family first. This is usually the toughest but most loving. If Jesus wasn’t welcomed in his own hometown, then you’re going to be rejected also. Persevere because a crown is waiting for you on the other side.

8. Never Surrender – I can personally attest to the fact that writing is one of the hardest jobs I’ve ever had. Writing my first book put me in the hospital with panic attacks. I continue to write because of the things God teaches me in every day life, and because I’d die inside if I couldn’t express those Truths that transform not only my life, but for others as well.

To watch this Wwek’s Video Blog please click here.

God Said, He Said

March 19, 2012 in Daily Devotionals, Dating & Relationships with 3 Comments

God said: “Speak to that rock.”

He said: “[Struck] the rock twice with his staff.”

What’s wrong with this picture? Sounds to me God and Moses were saying two different things.

I was reading Numbers 20 in my One-Year Bible this week, and couldn’t help but see a familiar picture.

God says one thing; we do another.

Or he (or she) says one thing, and we say (or do) another.

It Starts With A Problem (Doesn’t it always?)

“Now there was no water for the community, and the people gathered in opposition to Moses and Aaron” (Numbers 20:2, NIV).

No matter how perfect we think our relationships are, give others the benefit of the doubt, or claim to be perfect–we come face to face with problems.

This world is not perfect.

Moses served imperfect people striving to follow a perfect God. They came upon no water, and once again the people grumbled against Moses and the Lord.

Moses was used to accusations; just like you and I are.

His leadership was questioned; just like yours and mine are.

Moses and Aaron humbled themselves. They fell “facedown” before the Lord. After spending time before the Lord, God gave Moses simple instructions: speak to the rock. God had told Moses to strike the rock before (Exodus 17:6). This time, for whatever reason, things were different.

Moses leaves God’s presence and perfectly obeys God’s command. Nope.

He goes, but instead of obeying the word of the Lord in full, he partially obeys. He strikes the rock twice instead of speaking to it.

This may sound like a game of God said-he said, but there is Truth for our relationships.

Moses knew better; as do we.

God may have been testing His listening ears. Sometimes, we are so used to old habits that we have no idea our disobedience to God is affecting others from honoring His holiness because of our sin. Wow.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer said in his book Life Together, “Alone you stood before God when he called you; alone you had to answer that call; alone you had to struggle and pray; and alone you will die and give an account to God.”

Moses brought dishonor to God and also sealed his own fate. He is further cut off from bringing the Israelites into the Promise Land (Numbers 20:12).

Charles Ringma prays for us, “Lord, grant that I may ever have the courage to face You and the challenges of life. Help me not to hide or rationalize and not to see personal security above the doing of Your will. Amen.”

 

My Confession

March 12, 2012 in Daily Devotionals, On Writing with 7 Comments

If conviction follows intention, then confession must follow both.

This is my confession.

Before I chicken out; I am taking the rest of the year off from speaking and writing my fourth book.

The past few years I have been furiously working, writing, researching, and speaking towards 20-somethings.

This girl needs a break.

I finished the work, the race, and I sped my little heart out.

My third book is done, minus edits.

My second book is launched.

Now it’s time to rest and wait on God to show me His glory.

Exodus 33:3, NIV84 says, “Go up to the land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people and I might destroy you on the way.”

I refuse to go anywhere without God. The blessings of the Lord are not enough. His presence alone is worth more to me than the calf. I have made my blessings into an idol and for that, I confess.

Everything I write and speak must be from personal conviction. My intentions are not good enough. I must leave room for faith.

Hebrews 11:1, NIV84 says, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”

The guest pastor at North Coast Calvary last night said, “Religion is not just memorizing it and doing your best.” I want the thrill of sin to repel me. I refuse to go anywhere unless God goes with me.

This is not an emotional high.

This is about me instantly obeying the voice and command of God to remain intentional.

I wouldn’t have written Faithbook of Jesus, Not Another Dating Book, and especially not my third book without intense years of suffering in prayer for God to restore me so I could publish His deeds across the nations.

With that said, I find myself overcoming self–to once again be led by God. I’m excited to honor two words for the year, “Remain” and “Intentional.” My blogs will still continue, but other than that who knows. God?

To view this week’s video log, click here.

God’s Call

January 23, 2012 in Daily Devotionals, On Writing with 3 Comments

“God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world”. C.S. Lewis

I just love that quote. It reminds me in a very powerful way that God’s call on our lives is real. It’s tangible. Something we can taste, touch, feel, and see. And it’s not something so far out of our grasp that we’ll fail.

Failure.

Every time I tried to manage my schedule the past couple weeks–I’ve failed. I just wasn’t doing a good enough job. When my panic attacks came back, I felt like a big fat one–failure that is.

I just wanted to cuddle up in my blankets and hide in my bed until things got better.

When they didn’t I roused myself out of bed really early to deal with it. I decided that it’s now or never. I finished writing my third book on forgiveness.

The hardest part for me has been revisiting all the painful stories of the past. When I write books, God doesn’t just give me fluffy words, He reminds me. I get to relive each story in present day. “Oh joy!” I say sarcastically.

Then I read about Joseph in Genesis 39:2 & 21

“The LORD was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home [palace] of his Egyptian master…But the LORD was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love. And the LORD made Joseph a favorite with the prison warden.”

The truth is, “we must be ready to allow ourselves to be interrupted by God…” says Dietrich Bonhoeffer in Life Together.

It’s funny how God had to interrupt me in my misery. Last week I said in Something Borrowed that I have no idea what to pray for–now that I’m married.

Then I read this in “Seize The Day with Dietrich Bonhoeffer.” In it Charles Ringma writes:

“In the final analysis, the key issue is not whether we are married or unmarried, a missionary or a mechanic. The more important issue is that we have made some sense of God’s call in our lives. For that call to be realizable, we need to understand ourselves sufficiently so that we know our gifts, motivations, strengths, and weaknesses. When God’s call harmonizes with our giftedness, we become candidates for lasting achievement. And true achievement does not arise from a negative reaction to life, but from embracing God’s perspective on what is good” (Charles Ringma).

Lord, please show me your favor. Everywhere I go, don’t let me be afraid of suffering. It’s not up to me to determine my life, but only You. Help me to stay flexible even when change scares me BIG TIME. Show me how to be blessed like Joseph whether I’m in the palace or in prison. Amen.

p.s. I’m sorry Lord for doubting Your call on my life. Please forgive me?

29 Things

June 30, 2011 in Daily Devotionals with 4 Comments

Everyone who knows me, knows how excited I get about my birthday, and that I celebrate my birthday month! So on the last day, I wanted to share with you 29 things I’ve learned in my short lifetime in the hopes that you’d be inspired and most of all encouraged!

1. Your spiritual birthday matters more than your earthly ones. ~ I proudly accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of my life and became born again on my 5th birthday, June 24, 1987.

2. It’s never too early to get a Bible concordance. ~ When I was 7, I balled my eyes out when I saw how horrible the conditions were for orphans in Romania. I yearned to help the orphans, and my parents bought me my first Bible concordance so I could give them same hope and faith I had. Why? Because God is the only one who can guarantee 100% spiritual adoption!

3. It’s okay to grow up under a rock. ~ I was home schooled, sheltered, and grew up in a Christian home with two loving parents in full time ministry…need I continue?

4. Living without cable TV is not the end of the world. ~ I didn’t have a TV until I was 9 years old, nor did I have cable  until I was 15. During those years I learned how to read, write, play piano, and many-many-many more things! I do not regret the years without it, although I know I’d find it more difficult to go without now…

5. Be creative. Pick up a hobby and practice until it becomes perfect. Even if it takes years to master the piano, or water coloring, or writing–someday it will be worth it and you might even be able to make a career out of it. It’s okay to do what you love!

6. Pray. One of the most beloved gifts I received from God as a child was my cat, Lemon. My dad was never going to buy me a cat, so I had to wait on God’s timing. The day my life fell a part Lemon showed up on my door step. NEVER STOP PRAYING!

7. Hug others; Pets are allowed too. Life is too short; It can be challenging, difficult, and begin in brokenness. God has placed others around you for a reason. Value someone today through the power of touch and show someone you care!

8. It’s okay to cry. I was the shy kid growing up. When our family moved to CA from NE, I didn’t have any friends. I spent my afternoons crying and feeling alone. Adolescence was painful, but nothing compared to the suffering that was to come during the ages of 14-24. God’s used every season of isolation to bring me closer to Him and give me new life. Not once, not twice, but many times!

9. Find freedom in Christ and you’ll find everything else. ~ My parents did a good job of helping me find freedom in Christ at a young age. They had me go through Neil T. Anderson’s “Seven Steps to Freedom in Christ” which helped me overcome anxiety many times. My favorite verse to pray over my anxious thoughts is, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7, NLT).

10. Being broken doesn’t mean you’re actually–broken. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve felt less than, believed I didn’t measure up, and didn’t feel a part of the cool crowd because of my health limitations. Years later I realized this was a bunch of crap. I am my own worst enemy!

11. Take Sunday naps. Whether you’re a kid at heart or you hate taking naps–naps are important. One thing I’ve learned in all my life is if you don’t take care of your own health, no one else will. It’s important to rest–after all–that was the first thing Jesus did with His creation.

12. Memorize Scripture. I grew up in a Baptist Church and loved going to Awanas. I learned Scripture like nobody’s business, and was always the first to win at Bible sword drill. (Give me a verse and I’ll prove it to you!) Seriously though, the verses I learned as a little girl have carried with me throughout my adulthood. I don’t know where I’d be without my foundation and knowledge of the Word.

13. Have a daily quiet time. No adult has made a bigger impact on me than my mom. Every day she starts her mornings with God in prayer and reading the Word. Growing up, she would ask me, “have you spent time with God today?” If the answer was no, I’d have to go back in my room until I had spent time with God. At first I resented her, but the more I saw her in action and admired her character–I realized I wanted what she had. Now, I model my life after her mission to impact my generation and connect them to Jesus daily.

14. It’s okay to be afraid of boys. I was always taught that a guy should be the one to make the first move. If I could boil down all the words of encouragement from my upcoming book on dating and relationships–it would be this: purity matters. I always hated the fact that popular girls got boyfriends and I didn’t. I have seen over the years that it was God’s hand to keep me pure.

15. Invest in relationships. I cannot say how grateful I am for friends and mentors who have stood by me and encouraged me through bad times and good. Without them I wouldn’t have priceless memories, uncontrollable laughter, and lots and lots of pictures!

16. You are what you eat. I have struggled with food my entire life. I gained 100 pounds from taking prednisone for my eczema (rash). It took me a few years and a couple thousand miles later to bike off the weight. I still struggle with controlling my anxiety and how much food I eat. Food is a daily reminder that keeps me humble!

17. Family matters. Every night I eat dinner with my family as long as I’m living at home or don’t have other plans. My mom cooks and my dad cleans. I cannot tell you how many problems have been worked out over the dinner table, and how blessed I am to be a part of such an amazing family.

18. Be ministry minded. My parents have been in ministry as long as I can remember. Their legacy has left more than just an impression on me, but a rich spiritual inheritance that drives me to my knees to leave the same for my kids!

19. Be kind to strangers. Love is action and Jesus told us to give to those in need who can’t give back to us. By giving to others we’re actually giving to God, Himself and this pleases Him (Matthew 25:31-46, NLT).

20. Your money belongs to God. My family wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for people who gave to missions fund or personally supported us over the years. Now that I’m raising personal support I value the gift of money more than ever. We are called to be stewards of the resources He has already given to us whether that’s tithing to your local church, a missionary, or ministry.

21. Set and obtain goals. Whether small or large, setting goals is important. It took me five years to achieve the things I set out to do and never thought I’d accomplish. Without those goals starring me in the face (hanging on my wall, actually) I never would have made it. My life map verse is Proverbs 4:25-27 that says, “Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you. Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path. Don’t get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil.”

22. Find your promise. When I was in the hospital, my mom read a verse over me from Hosea 6:1-3. It made me want to read the Bible for myself and find my own promise in Scripture. I didn’t want my parents faith anymore, I wanted my own. Eleven months and twenty six days later, I found it in 1 Peter 5:10, NLT. “In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.”

23. Nothing good happens after 9 PM. I never want to think that I’m strong enough to stand up underneath temptation. We’re supposed to run away from temptation and stand up to trials and NOT the other way around!

24. Unbelief is a killer. God healed me when I thought I was a dead woman. Other times He made me lie down in green pastures and walk through the valley of the shadow of death. I had to learn how to trust in Him and not lean on my own understanding. Every time I doubt God I hinder Him from working in my life. (Note to self: don’t doubt!)

25. Do what you love and keep doing it. You have to start somewhere. (Long before anyone will ever see, notice, or appreciate YOU!) I started my first website on geocities in 1995 and blogging in 2004 on blogspot years before personal websites or blogs were cool.

26. Live passionately. I love what God has done in my life and I’m never going to stop shouting it. Even on my worst days when my health is killing me, I know God is still faithful.

27. Love others. Because God said so and because people are the currency of heaven (I can’t remember who said this).

28. Forgive, and forgiven often. People hurt people–all the time. You won’t end up with many friends if you can’t forgive others. Moreover, if you don’t forgive your Christian brothers and sisters, God won’t forgive you (Matthew 18:35)!

29. Live one day at a time. “‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me (2 Corinthians 12:9, NIV). It wasn’t until struggling with health issues that I realized I couldn’t live in my own strength. I needed His grace daily. Yes, I make goals and I DREAM BIG, but I no longer take life for granted. I give God the day and live for Him as best as I can–TODAY!

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