The Pleasure of His Company

 

This is one of my new favorites!

This guy writes in a great conversational tone with humor at times. The book is full of inspiration, insight and I love that he's not afraid to go deep. Word studies on certain passages really open up meanings, and I love those!

This is the first book I've read by Dutch- don't you like that name? I hope it won't be the last. This one is well written. I know, I know, but that really matters to me.

The crux of the book is this- relationship and religion are not equal, not even in the same ballpark.

The Pleasure of His Company makes a great devotional. But, it's not light stuff, but meaty even though it's written in such a way that it doesn't seem "scholarly" - it actually is. I'm impressed. Get it for yourself and definitely get a copy for someone you care about. This is one of those "game changer" books.

About

Experience God's Presence in a Whole New WayThere's just something about people who are close to God. Through the ups and downs of life, they remain secure, hopeful. If you want a more rewarding spiritual life, if you want the pleasure of knowing your Creator's heart, this soul-lifting book is for you.

Learn from Dutch Sheets as he shares his life lessons for cultivating an intimate relationship with God. Each of the thirty short chapters reveals a simple practice or biblical mindset that will help draw you away from the noise of life and into the Lord's peaceful presence.

With profound insights from the Bible and stories you won't soon forget, The Pleasure of His Company is like a spiritual mentor, showing you simple ways to enjoy God more.

This powerful book can also be enjoyed as a daily devotional.

 

Knowing God by Name Review

 

I have for years been intrigued by God's names as He has revealed them to us in the Bible, and the ancient names in general since I found out that they actually had deep meaning- not like the way we name in our culture, just because we like it. Ancient names described a person, or revealed something, or prophesied or recorded an historical event- they had meaning!

 

Every time God revealed a name for Himself in the scriptures it's a revelation for us about who He is and what His character is. There's a promise in the Bible for those who know His name...and for the life of me tonight I can't remember where it is. If you find it before me please leave it in the comments okay?

 

This book is an 8 week devotional. Each day is a different name with a short devotion and scripture references. Each week is finishes with a study and prayer.

 

Written by 3 different women, with different voices, it's meant to be a conversational book. You can read through alone but as if it were with these ladies as your girlfriends, or you can do it with others.

 

I found this to be deep but doable with my crazy busy days. I should mention it's entirely timely (thank You Lord) since I am just about in fits of anxiety trying to make a major decision about an adoption right now. I really need encouragement from every angle and this is such a nice way to end my day. I love the Lord and I want to know Him SO much more. I'm finding "Knowing God by Name" to be a source of inspiration and comfort and really a good little study/devotion. I'll admit it's more devotional for me than study, which is okay. I am a mid-forties woman almost done raising her 3 kids and now starting over with 3 more. I. am. tired.

 

Author's Website

You can read more there, order a copy, or even download a free sample.

"I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review."

 

Please rank my review? Thanks!

 

 

How Do You Start Your Day?

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I have, for years started my day out with a coffee (now decaf latte, preferably with raw goat milk) , a devotional book, and then my Bible reading. In quiet seasons (which I barely recall) I also then did some Bible study- often with my kids. These days I am so busy with babies that I only some days get my Bible reading in- which is terrible for me and I certainly feel the lack! But at least I do get a devotional reading in somewhere during the day and a portion of Bible reading on my iPhone app even though it's just not the same.

 

I get a new devotional almost every year. It's become a tradition. Some are so good I will re-read them in a few years. Lord, I Give You This Day by Kay Arthur is definitely a devotional that falls into that category. It's meaty. Not too long, and not too short. It's convicting and encouraging truth in bite size portions. There's also a prayer at the end of each day's reading that you can pray. It's short and purposeful.

I feel this lovely book is feeding me, and that's vital when I am stressed and vulnerable especially.

Personally I think this is one of the best devotionals written recently.

You can get a copy here

 *I was given this book by the publisher free in return for an unbiased review*

Please take a few seconds and do us both a favor: rate my review and automatically be entered in a drawing for a free copy by the publisher. I have nothing to do with this part  :)

 

 

 

 

Feed My Babies

I have a new friend. A lovely woman with a heart for the Lord and His work. She's living out

 James 1: 27

 

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"Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world."

 

She raises money to provide high calorie, high protein porridge full of vitamins and minerals to hungry children in Kenya. I''m excited about this!

She's a sweetheart, and I'm blessed to get the know her better. She is able to send almost 100% of the money raised to the feeding program. Anybody involved in something like this knows just how hard that is. Anyway, please check out her ministry's website.
I just finished reading a blog post from the site and really, you need to read it too. Here's a portion of what Cindy Romberg wrote on her blog:

       Standing behind the tub and ladling porridge into a stream of cups gripped tightly by grateful hands, my heart was deeply moved as I looked up to gaze upon a single-file line that stretched as far as my eyes could see. I knew that for some this would be the only meal they would eat that day. I noticed that others were helped here by their friends because they were too weak to walk here on their own. Hiding the tears behind my sunglasses, I took a deep breath and continued to pour knowing that each child, in spite of her circumstances, was a special gift and deeply loved.

As the line eventually dwindled, I became aware of one little boy near the end who seemed to stand out from the others. I wondered why the light of his countenance was especially bright. I handed him a tangerine-colored cup of porridge and watched him as he made his way back through the crowd, only to stop in front of three other children. He must have known who needed to eat more than he, for he poured the entire contents of his cup into theirs. He gave all he had, every last drop!

"That is Kemani,” the program organizer commented to me. “He is 7-years-old and he has a heart for the poor."

"He has a heart for the poor?” I was stunned! “He is the poor! How could he do that? What would motivate a small child to spend his morning standing in the back of a long line of hungry masses just to receive something that he would only give away?”

The image of precious porridge thoughtfully draining from orange plastic will forever be with me. Kemani may never realize the extent of his deed, but his simple irreversible act of kindness made a profound impact on my idea of what it means to love. He showed me that it’s one thing to give from my abundance, but love gives from my need. More than just sharing my left-overs with others, love is extravagant and costs me something personally. It gives sacrificially, and at times may even require my last drop.
It’s been two years since I visited Kabera, but I remember my experience like it was yesterday. I will always be grateful for Kemani, and I pray that I will have the courage to follow his example of compassion to others no matter their circumstances… or mine. I don’t know what the future holds for little Kemani, but in my mind he will always be a 7-year-old boy with a heart the size of the slum in which he lives. And he will always be holding a tangerine cup looking for someone who needs its contents more than he.

 

 

join us in the fight against world hunger - Home

Thoughts on True Religion

 

Some resources for general orphan care and adoption here

 

Do you know in my state there are well over 5,000 churches. And there are almost 3,000 children who are legally orphans? How about your state? Do you know? Do you want to know?

 

Do you remember what the Lord considers true religion? Pure and undefiled before God and the Father? It's remembering orphans and widows in their trouble  (James 1:27) and keeping one's self unstained from the world. (culture)

What did Job claim as his proof of righteousness when he felt God had turned His hand against Him and his friends accused him? In Job 29:12-17 Job states: " Because I delivered the poor who cried out, the fatherless and the one who had no helper. The blessing of a perishing man came upon me, and I caused the widows heart to sing for joy. I put on righteousness and it clothed me; my justice was like a robe and a turban. I was eyes to the blind, and I was feet to the lame. I was a father to the poor, and I searched out the case that I did not know. I broke the fangs of the wicked, and plucked the victim from his teeth."

Remember what God said about Job?

"Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?"

 

In this day of various media, it can be overwhelming to read, see and hear about all the social ills and needs in our world. But you know, pray, and ask the Lord to give you one good cause. Take it up and rescue somebody. Even one. Do it with all your might.

For those of you who have been rescued- be grateful and pay it forward. (That would be all of us believers in and followers of Christ- who rescued us from eternal death with His very own blood)

 

Christian Devotions Speak UP!

Would you like to listen in on part of my testimony? I'm the 2nd half of this program. Christian Devotions Speak UP! is a great program and I was honored and inspired when invited on.

Radio Interview Aug. 14th

Do you know that God is exceptionally nice? He's just flat out kind. I have the best family. My husband is a gracious and intelliegent and hot firefighter. My kids are my friends, and I also have plenty of friends that are as close as family.

Some nice things the Lord has done lately:

brought our oldest child back to Himself

Allowed us to adopt CJ

healed a very strained relationship with our oldest son

Given us another adorable baby to love and nurture

provided me with lots of new Bible studies and really good books to read. I dearly love a good book- (the best is The Good Book)

Given our marriage a revival

and...

to put a little cherry on top so-to-speak, I have been invited to be interviewed on Christian Devotions Speak UP! by Scott McCausey.

What in the world I will have to share I have no idea, but I am asking the Lord- who is always generous to me (and there's a verse for that) to share something that will encourage others.

August 14th at  6 p.m. EST

If you care to listen the link is above. I'll be able to embed the radio program on my sidebar as well later.

I can thank the lovely Renee, a fellow blogger over at Tailspin Farm, for this. Her husband does the radio show and she asked him to consider me for an interview.  I have a feeling they were wondering what on earth I'm doing here. Some days a peek into my life would be like watching a train wreck, others aren't so bad. Hopefully it will at least make somebody feel better about themselves. :)

ChristianDevotions Speak UP! is a web-based radio show. Each show is aired live,archived and distributed as a Podcast to subscribers

www.christiandevotions.us

www.christiandevotionsspeakup.com

ChristianDevotions Ministry’s goal is to spread the Word of God via print, web, videoand radio. Our devotions are written by some of Christian writings top authorsand our radio show has over 45,000listens!

2012 Schedule

August 7 – Nathan Tasker, Musician

August 14 – Aimee Lynch & Dalyn Weller, Bloggers

August 21 – Frank Murphy, Former NFL Player & Author

August 28 – Jim & Jill Kelly, Hall of Fame QB & Founders of Hunters Hope

Every Tuesday evening from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Eastern

Jon Courson Devotional 4 Today

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.
I Corinthians 16:23–24

There could have been those in Corinth who said, ‘If you care so much about us, Paul, why did you point out our carnality and rebuke us for our immorality? Why were you so rough on us?’
Yet, under the inspiration of the Spirit, Paul simply says, ‘I do love you.’

Because open rebuke is better than secret love (Proverbs 27:5), the rebukes and exhortations which come our way should be embraced as friends. It’s much more comfortable for me to ignore a prickly situation or issue. But that’s not love. Love says, ‘I care more about your excelling and your succeeding than about what you think of me. If you think I’m not a nice guy, that’s OK if what I’m saying will provoke you to love and to good works, to think through what you’re doing and perhaps repent from the direction you’re heading.’ Faithful are the wounds of a friend (Proverbs 27:6). But make sure your correction is done in love...

As the disciples sat at the Last Supper, under the table were 24 dirty, stinky feet. To remedy the situation, Jesus didn’t give a lecture on foot washing. No, He girded Himself with a towel and washed feet Himself (John 13:4–5).

I have the right and responsibility to give admonition, exhortation, and correction; to openly rebuke and wound if necessary only if I am willing to wash the feet of the people with whom I deal. If I’m not willing to walk with them through their difficulty, stand by them in their trouble, kneel with them in prayer, it would be wiser for me to keep silent.

Paul was one who had the right to correct, admonish, and rebuke the Corinthian Christians because he worked with his hands to support himself, put up with their insults and risked his life to be with them. Thus, it was truly from his heart that Paul said to the church at Corinth, ‘My love be with you all in Christ Jesus.’

Courson, Jon: A Day's Journey : 365 Daily Meditations from the Word. Santa Ana, CA : Calvary Chapel Publishing, 2003, S. July 6