No Regrets

Several years have gone by since I read the entire Bible from start to finish. This year I’m reading through the Bible chronologically. After reading several books of the Old Testament, I’m reminded of how grateful I am to live under God’s grace and not the law.

During my reading of Leviticus 17, in the New Living Translation, I stopped and reread verse 11.

For the life of the body is in its blood. I have given you the blood on the altar to purify you, making you right with the Lord. It is the blood, given in exchange for a life, that makes purification possible. 

That’s what Christ did for you and me. He shed His blood as a gift to us to give us new life through the forgiveness of our sins.

This time of year, we remember what Christ did for us when He went to the cross, died, and rose from the dead.

When growing up, my parents and the church taught me about Jesus. I understood He gave His life for my sins, but I never realized I needed to make a personal decision to follow Him. The teaching I remember was to attend church whenever, partake in communion once or twice a year, and try to be good.

At twenty-one, my relationship with Christ changed. When I committed my life to Him, He became my Savior, Lord, Deliverer, Friend, Healer, Provider, and so much more. I wanted to serve Him every day of my life. To not only follow His ways, but to surrender my life to Him. The head knowledge I accepted as a youth became heart knowledge and a personal part of my life as a young adult. 

If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.
Romans 10:9-10 (NLT) 

When I understood my need to repent and surrender my life to Christ, I gladly followed through.

I have no regrets.

That decision transformed my life. God changed me because I allowed Him full access to my heart and soul. He is mine for eternity, and I am His.

Have you given Him full access to your heart and soul? If not, surrender your life to Christ and experience the joy of Easter as a child of God!

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Photo by Ray Shrewsberry - Unsplash

Our Faithful Love

Today I’m posting an interview with Melanie Meadows, heroine in Our Faithful Love, the newest release in the Love in Pleasant Springs series. She just moved back to her hometown here in Tennessee after being gone for several years and agreed to chat with me at Mama Lou’s Café.

Thank you, Melanie, for agreeing to meet with me.

She smiled and nodded. “Please call me Mel.”

Mel? Didn’t the café owner call you Lanie a few minutes ago?

“Yes. But Mel suits me better.” She sipped her coffee. “I’m not the same person who grew up here in Pleasant Springs.”

How have you changed?

“I realized I couldn’t trust anyone, and I had to be strong all on my own. The name Mel conveys more strength than the name Lanie.”

Interesting. Tell me about yourself. What brings you joy?

Her eyes sparkled, and she grinned. “The kids I serve. I’m a caseworker. Doesn’t matter if I’m finding them a good foster home or reuniting them with their birth parents. I love working with the kids.”

That’s good to hear. As a Christian author, I’d like to know where God fits into your life.

“My parents and church taught me about God, but I’ve learned that He doesn’t care about me.” She fidgeted in her chair and stared at her coffee cup. “I haven’t gone to church in a while.”

Why? Do you no longer believe in Him?

She lifted her head and widened her eyes. “I think He exists. But He doesn’t care about what I do.”

Oh, but He—

“I’m sorry.” She leaned toward me and furrowed her brow. “Could we please change the subject?”

Okay. You moved back to your hometown after living in Chattanooga for the past eleven years. Are you excited to be home?

“If you include my time in college there, I’ve been gone for fifteen years.” She sighed and picked at a piece of fuzz on her shirt. “Coming home wasn’t my first choice.”

Why did you return?

“My sister Jill talked me into coming back. But it’s a temporary arrangement. The agency I worked with in Chattanooga had to downsize and let me go.” She took another sip of her coffee. “I’ve applied in Nashville at two private agencies and hope one of those will come through soon.”

What will you do in the meantime?

“Jill arranged an interview for me two weeks ago with Clancy County Children’s Services here in town. I’ll start on Monday.” She pinched her bottom lip. “I moved in with Jill and will try to make this work for now.”

You said, “try to make this work.” Do you and your sister not get along?

“Oh, no. I love my sister. We get along well.” She rested her elbow on the table, placed her hand on her forehead, and squeezed her eyes shut. “It’s just that I vowed to never return home. There’s a person here. Someone I don’t want to see. I must avoid him.”

Sounds like a story worth sharing. Care to elaborate?

“No.” She lifted her eyes to mine and placed her hand on her chest. “I haven’t shared what happened between us with anyone.”

I finally got the story from both her and the man she never wanted to see again, Luke Gibson. Learn why Melanie lost her trust in people and in God and the circumstances that led her to trust again. Join her, Luke, and a full cast of characters including Billy, an eight-year-old boy in need of a foster home, a dog named Grizzly, and a cat named Mims. To discover their story, check out Our Faithful Love, a tale of forgiveness and reconciliation available from Amazon! 

Love prospers when a fault is forgiven,
but dwelling on it separates close friends.
Proverbs 17:9, NLT 

And coming soon, for one day only, the Kindle edition for Book One of the Love in Pleasant Springs series will be available on Amazon for $0.99. Mark your calendars and grab your copy of An Odd Request on Friday, March 17!

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Photo by Gemma Evans - Unsplash

Walking As Jesus Walked

Do you have days when your attitude needs to change? I do. This past week. Then I read these verses about walking as Jesus walked.

But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

1 John 2:5-6, NKJV

I don’t recall Jesus having a poor attitude.

To me, the above verses say that when we keep God’s word, we are showing our obedience to Him and that we truly know and love Him. Through our obedience, His love is then perfected or made complete in us. If we claim we are His, we ought to walk in the same way that Jesus walked by following His example and living as He did.

How did Jesus walk? What examples did He leave for us to follow?

Here are a few instances of Jesus offering love, acceptance, and forgiveness.

In John 8 we read of the woman caught in adultery. The Pharisees wanted to stone her. Jesus told the crowd that whoever had never sinned could throw the first stone. The Pharisees slipped away, and only Jesus and the woman remained. He didn’t condemn her—He forgave her.

We read the story of the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well in John 4. Jesus didn’t criticize her for having had five husbands and living with a man who she was not married to. He accepted her and forgave her.

And what better model is there about forgiveness than when Jesus forgave His accusers and killers?

Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.

Luke 23:34, NKJV

Besides offering love, acceptance, and forgiveness, Jesus modeled obedience when He surrendered Himself to God’s will. After the Last Supper, Jesus prayed this on the Mount of Olives:

Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me;
nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.

Luke 22:42, NKJV

His time of arrest, suffering, and death soon followed.

Jesus modeled servanthood in John 13 when he washed his disciples’ feet and when he carried out the ultimate sacrifice—His death on the cross.

Jesus also met the needs of others by sharing God’s truths, calming the storm, and feeding the hungry.

Am I called to do any less?

Will it be easy? No. But so worth it!

Lord, I desire to keep your word and walk as you walked—in love, acceptance, forgiveness, obedience, surrender, servanthood, and by meeting the needs of others. Guide my steps, Lord. I desire to always abide in You.

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Photo by Arek Adeoye - Unsplash

Acknowledge His Greatness

Have you praised the Lord today and acknowledged His greatness? He blesses us beyond our comprehension, and for that, He deserves our praise.

I’ve prayed for months for a miracle of reconciliation between two members of my family. The repair of their relationship didn’t look promising in the natural, but when God intervenes, all things are possible. The first step to harmony between two people I love took place this past week. I serve an awesome God!

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every
spiritual blessing in Christ.
Ephesians 1:3, NIV

Perhaps you can recall a time when God answered your prayer for a special need—a new job, a financial miracle, or the mending of a broken relationship. He’s still in the miracle working business.

Ephesians Chapter 1 tells us God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing. Why? Because we are followers of Christ. He chose us to be holy and without blame as we walk in His love. We belong to Him, and He has given us grace and accepted us as His children. His love and kindness for us are so great, that He bought our freedom with the blood of Christ and forgave our sins.

He’s united us with Him, and He’s working everything according to His plan. We are His own, and we know this by the gift of His Holy Spirit, who is God’s promise to us that we have eternal life. The Holy Spirit in us brings spiritual blessings through God’s gift of grace. His purpose for us is to bring Him praise and glory.

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.
Ephesians 1:13-14, NIV

We are to praise and worship Him, not only for what He has done for us, but for who He is and for His excellence. One way to bring Him glory is to acknowledge His greatness as we surrender ourselves in obedience. He is holy, faithful, merciful, and offers us His love and grace. He gives to all who seek Him. Even in the bleakest of circumstances, He knows, and He cares. Tell Him what you need. The answer to your prayers may take months as mine did, but He’s listening and working.

Thank you, Father, for Your spiritual blessings. I’m grateful You hear my cries for help as I pray for matters that concern myself and others. Your love knows no boundaries. I praise You and acknowledge Your greatness, power, and authority as I surrender myself in obedience to Your Word. In Jesus’s name. Amen.

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Photo by Guillaume de Germain - Unsplash