Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. 1 Cor. 15:58

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Wednesday, June 26, 2013

A Little R and R-- New Blog Added to Directory

Who doesn't need a little rest? Here is a blog that hopes to give it to you.

A Little R & R


A Little R & R seeks to encourage women to be content in what God created them to be.  With posts ranging from spiritual application to recipes and organizing tips; there is something for everyone.  So grab a cappuccino, put your feet up and enjoy A Little R & R!

~Kelly

Saturday, June 22, 2013

Where The Dice Fall

Saturday’s Devotional:
Proverbs 16:33
We may throw the dice, but the Lord determines how they fall.

I haven’t written a devotional since February.

Why?

Because I threw my dice…

Some of you may know that I write books. I have two out now: CROSSING THE DEEP (Grace Award Winner for best young adult Christian book) and SAINT SLOAN (Amazon bestseller in Teen/Religion). I’m not telling you this for you to go and buy them. But there IS a point.

Despite the wonderful reviews, there isn’t much money in writing Christian fiction. Most people think they are ‘preachy’ or ‘out of touch’ with life. My books are not preachy and are actually pretty edgy for Christian fiction. They get their point across and God across with relatable stories and suspenseful mysteries. In short, I love them.

So what’s the problem? Like I said. There isn’t much money in writing Christian fiction.

That formed the idea in my head (you can’t kill an idea). Hey, I have great reviews! People have complimented my writing style! People say I am a good storyteller! The only issue is what I write! I need to write mainstream… Throw God in there as an afterthought… and sell more books.

I threw my dice.

Anyone want to know how it turned out?

Yeah

Writer’s block.

I’ve been working on this one book for months, but it won’t flow right. Why? Because I’m trying to do it my way, not the way God wanted.

When I finally got it through my head that it’s okay to not sell 1000 copies as long as it touches one person and started on the Christian fiction side again, the words just flowed out. No more writer’s block.

Sigh.

I threw my dice, but the LORD determined how they fell.

I still wish there wasn’t a stigma with ‘Christian fiction’, but maybe it’s my job, my calling, to change that. I went on a blog tour a few weeks ago where people (mostly non-Christians) read Saint Sloan… and loved it! I’ve always wanted to write books so compelling that even non-believers would like them so they would think about God… maybe for only a few minutes, and maybe for just that one day… but at least they would think about Him.

You can’t kill an idea.

What changed my outlook on this? One review on Goodreads. I got it a few days ago. My first 1 star. At first I was sad. No one likes bad reviews. Then I actually read it. Here was a person who hated the characters, hated the story, hated everything about it. Then went on to say maybe it was because she was an atheist. When I read that part, I smiled. One, she could have had such a bad reaction because she really hated the book (her right. I’m not mad about it.) Two, she could have had such a strong reaction because God was dealing with her, and she didn’t know how to handle it (that’s what I hope).

Will I ever know? Not unless she tells me some day. But I can be assured that for 224 pages, she thought about God. And maybe something in there planted a seed… an idea (and, remember, you can’t kill an idea)

What does this have to do with you? Well, do what God tells you to do and don’t try to throw your own dice. You can of course. You can throw your dice until your hand is tired, but in the end God is the one that determines how they fall. If God has put on your heart some way to serve Him, do it. Don’t try to talk yourself out of it… and don’t try to follow the money ;)

God has big things for you… even if they don’t seem big to you at the moment.


~Kelly

BTW, CROSSING THE DEEP and SAINT SLOAN are now in paperbacks!!!! *happy dance* You can only get them through Amazon though. Maybe someday I'll be in a bookstore, but hey, that's up to God. I just write the books ;)

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Thursday, June 20, 2013

God's Side of the Line-- Guest Post by Jeanne

God's Side of the Line
It's so easy to tell when I am on God's side of the line instead of being on my side.  So, I am always  amazed  at how long it takes  for me to figure it out!  I sit around feeling completely overwhelmed.  Everything  is so huge and I am so tiny.  "I'll  never  be able to do any of this,"  my head screams,  "I just want to go hide."
"You're no good at any of this!  You can't possibly do it!  You failed before and you will fail  every  time!!"   

 I hear it over and over again.

Oh Brother!  I recognize this voice!!  I wish I had recognized it sooner.

It is the accuser. The one who knows what I want my life to be about.

I want to live for God.
I want my light to shine  
so that people around me will see Jesus.  
This is who I am.  

 When you read what I write I want you to see God not me.  When I sing my songs I want you to hear God not me.  He put a light in me, not for me to shine, but to illuminate Him.  

I am here for only one reason -  to lead you to Jesus.
 Matthew 5:16 (NIV)
"...let your light shine before men (and women),
that they may see your good works and praise your Father in Heaven."

The accuser does not want that to happen!

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So Satan, the accuser, starts whispering in my ear.  He starts with the truth to make it look good.  He tells me I am responsible for taking care of my home, my family and my husband.  OK those are jobs God gave me.

Then he begins to  redefine  'taking care of '  to mean keeping my home perfect at every moment, pictures perfectly straight on the wall, nothing out of place, not even a speck of dust.  He goes on to tell me I must keep my children entertained, I must buy them every new thing that comes out, and I must allow them to do what they want - or -  they might not like me!   Soon he's on to my job as a wife, saying I must anticipate all of my husband's wants, that Satan of course  redefines as needs.   It becomes my  job to do  everything  for my husband, even the things that he should do for himself, even the things he would rather me not do!  It's becomes my fault if  anything  goes wrong in our relationship.

Satan assures me that the world  will  end if I allow my husband or my children to be  unhappy  for even a second!
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Good grief!  No wonder my jobs look way to huge!!

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They have become not only huge but also  quite impossible!    I could do them with God's help but I don't believe He would help, because I don't believe that is His will for me.  

I believe God's will for me is to do those jobs as God defined them. {<--Tweet this}

I believe that I am to obey my husband 'in the Lord.'  To obey him as he obeys Jesus. To follow him as he follows Jesus.  To love Jesus and my husband, as my husband loves Jesus and me.

Ephesians 5:23-25  (The Message)
 The husband provides leadership to his wife the way Christ does to his church,
not by domineering but by cherishing.
So just as the church submits to Christ as he exercises such leadership,
wives should likewise submit to their husbands.
Husbands, go all out in your love for your wives, exactly as Christ did for the church
a love marked by giving, not getting.

Loving  this way means respecting my husband enough to let him do the things  he should  and  wants to  do for himself.  It means releasing him from  my control  back to  God's control .  It means I need to do the same for my children.  It means working with  joy  in my home - not allowing it to become an  obsession.

"Satan I will not allow these things to become idols."  {<--Tweet this}

God promised us joy everlasting,  not  happiness every moment.   They are very different things!

I am calmer now!
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Say!  This is looking better.  I'm getting bigger and the jobs are getting smaller.  Here Lord -  let me hand this last piece of  Your job back to You and I'll just step back across this line, onto  my  side.  Hey, everything is right sized over here, how about that!    Please Lord forgive me  for once again trying to run the show.  I'll just  -  stay over here  -  cool my heels  -   and mind my own business   -  instead of  Yours.
Wow!   

All of a sudden I have more than enough time to do what I am supposed to do and I have time to hang out with You, God! {<--Tweet this}


How cool is that ?!    I like this a lot better!!
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Are you trying to be perfect?
Are you doing things for other's that they should be doing for themselves?
Who's side of the line are  you  on?
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Life is so much more pleasant on our side of the line.
You might ask God to help you get back.
I'll be waiting over here for you.

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Blessings.

Jeanne from iamnotperfect-yet.com


Happily shared with Simply Helping Him, My Daily Walk in His Grace, Christian Mommy Blogger


~*~*~Thank you so much for being on the blog today, Jeanne! We've needed a new devotional for a long time :)

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Blog Added to the Directory

I'm very happy to announce a new blog added to the directory. Please, check it out. I know you'll love it :)

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My prayer for Essential Thing Devotions is that it becomes a place where God speaks, encourages and inspires.  That it helps women to know His love, feel His embrace and enable us to be our true selves.

Also, I should apologize (again) for the lack of content on this Encourage 365 blog. There is really no excuse. 

~Kelly