This came to my email (again) this morning, so I thought I’d post it here… that way it can be remembered from time to time.

MEMO FROM GOD:

To:             YOU
Date:            TODAY
From:           GOD
Subject:       YOURSELF
Reference:   LIFE

This is God.  Today I will be handling ALL of your problems for you.  I do NOT need your help.  So, have a nice day.

I love you.

P.S.  And, remember…
If life happens to deliver a situation to you that you cannot handle, do NOT attempt to resolve it yourself!  Kindly put it in the SFGTD (something for God to do) box. I will get to it in MY TIME.  All situations will be resolved, but in My time, not yours.

Once the matter is placed into the box, do not hold onto it by worrying about it.  Instead, focus on all the wonderful things that are present in your life now.

• If you find yourself stuck in traffic, don’t despair. There are people in this world for whom driving is an unheard of privilege.
• Should you have a bad day at work; think of the man who has been out of work for years.
• Should you despair over a relationship gone bad; think of the person who has never known what it’s like to love and be loved in return.
• Should you grieve the passing of another weekend; think of the woman in dire straits, working twelve hours a day, seven days a week to feed her children.
• Should your car break down, leaving you miles away from assistance; think of the paraplegic who would love the opportunity to take that walk.
• Should you notice a new gray hair in the mirror; think of the cancer patient in chemo who wishes she had hair to examine.
• Should you find yourself at a loss and pondering what is life all about, asking what is my purpose? Be thankful. There are those who didn’t live long enough to get the opportunity.
• Should you find yourself the victim of other people’s bitterness, ignorance, smallness or insecurities; remember, things could be worse. You could be one of them!

Now, you have a nice day.
                         
God 
 
====================

A friend of mine posted this to our shared online group, today, and I thought it was so powerful! I had to share it here:

A man found a cocoon (chrysalis) of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if the butterfly had gotten as far as it could, and it could go no further.

So the man decided to help the butterfly: he took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time. Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.

What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were nature’s way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings. It would thereby be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need to make us grow stronger. If we were allowed to go through life without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as what could have been. And we could never fly.

Your own metamorphosis takes time… Give yourself the time YOU need to change.

(Source: Unknown)

The Fern and the Bamboo

In reading Shannon Ethridge’s book, “Completely His: Loving Jesus Without Limits“, I read a passage from Haddon Robinson’s book, “Biblical Preaching“, which talked about how to make the most of your Bible reading time — how to get the most out of what you read. And, I’d like to share that passage here:

“God reveals Himself in the Scriptures. The Bible, therefore, isn’t a textbook about ethics or a manual on how to solve personal problems. The Bible is a book about God. When you study a biblical text, therefore, you should ask, “What is the vision of God in this passage?” God is always there. Look for Him. At different times He is the Creator, a good Father, the Redeemer, a rejected Lover, a Husband, a King, a Savior, a Warrior, a Judge, a Reaper, a vineyard Keeper, a banquet Host, a Fire, a Hen protecting her chicks, and so on…

“Not only is it important to look for the vision of God in a passage, but you will also want to look at the human factor. How should people in the biblical text have responded to this vision of God? How did they respond? Should this vision of God have made any practical difference in their lives? This human factor is the condition that men and women today have in common with the characters in the Bible. The human factor may show up in sins such as rebellion, unbelief, adultery, greed, laziness, selfishness, or gossip. It may also show up in people puzzling about the human condition as a result of sickness, grief, anxiety, doubt, trials, or the sense that God has misplaced their names and addresses. It is this human factor that usually prompted the prophets and apostles to speak or write what they did.” [Haddon Robinson, "Biblical Preaching", p.94-95]

 
I really liked this. I needed a new way to make my Bible reading come alive, and be more meaningful, so I’m going to try Mr. Robinson’s suggestions.

In one of my online book groups, we were discussing “Biblical Fiction“, or fictional books that are based off of Biblical accounts. The one lady says she knows someone who won’t read these books because she doesn’t want to “mess with the Bible stories“. I can understand that. But, I also know that –for me, personally– these types of stories are very helpful!

Many times, reading the actual Bible stories doesn’t “do” much for me. I can’t really get into them, or understand why they’re in the Bible. Reading fictional works based off of these stories sometimes helps them to “come alive” for me! Hence why I have no trouble reading them.

Mind you, I have my limits, too. I prefer that the stories stay very true to the Biblical accounts — just maybe “fluff” them out a bit. That’s all I really need.

Some great books I’ve enjoyed, in this “genre” are below:

Book Description:
Her name is Dinah. In the Bible, her life is only hinted at in a brief and violent detour within the more familiar chapters of the Book of Genesis that tell of her father, Jacob, and his twelve sons.
 
Told in Dinah’s voice, Anita Diamant imagines the traditions and turmoils of ancient womanhood–the world of the red tent. It begins with the story of the mothers–Leah, Rachel, Zilpah, and Bilhah–the four wives of Jacob. They love Dinah and give her gifts that sustain her through childhood, a calling to midwifery, and a new home in a foreign land. Dinah’s story reaches out from a remarkable period of early history and creates an intimate connection with the past.
 
Deeply affecting, The Red Tent combines rich storytelling with a valuable achievement in modern fiction: a new view of biblical women’s lives.

Book Description:
Here from Marjorie Holmes, one of the most  beloved authors of our day, is the extraordinary  bestselling novel that tells the story of Mary and  Joseph as it has never been told before–the greatest love story of all.

This is the  story of two real people whose lives were touched by  God: two people chosen by God to provide an earthly  home for His Son. Here are Mary and Joseph-a  teenage girl and a young carpenter-alone, frightened,  in love, faced with family conflict, a hostile  world and an awesome responsibility. It is a story  for young and old alike; for everyone who finds the  Christmas tale a source of timeless beauty and  wonder, a compassionate, emotional novel of divine love.

Book Description:
Though as naturally elegant as any queen, Tuya came as a teenaged slave to Potiphar’s household, a personal gift from the mighty Pharaoh. Tall and slender, the young girl had eyes that shone like a stream of gold in the fading light, and her face was as perfectly chiseled as the statues in the finest temples. She knew nothing of her past, except that she had always been a slave.

Another young slave came to Potiphar, purchased from traveling Midianites. Though stained with dust and fatigue, Joseph seemed lighted from within. Indomitable pride was carved into that handsome face, along with intelligence and hard-bitten strength. If harnessed properly, Potiphar envisioned that this lad would pull more than his share of the work load.

In the household of the captain of Pharaoh’s guard, Tuya and Joseph come to share their dreams of better things-of freedom-and of love. But as quickly as their destinies seem to entwine, they are torn apart. Will the dreams they share destroy them both?

Book Description:
It’s been thirty years since he sentenced the troublemaker to die,
but Pontius Pilate can’t get Jesus out of his mind. . . .

Forced to live out his life in exile, Pontius Pilate, the former governor of Judea, is now haunted by the executions that were carried out on his orders. The life and death of a particular carpenter from Nazareth lay heavily on his mind. With years of solitude stretched out before him, Pilate sets out to uncover all he can about Jesus—his birth, boyhood, ministry, and the struggles that led to his crucifixion. With unexpected wit and candor, Pilate reveals a unique, compelling picture of Jesus that only one of his enemies could give.

In a vibrant, inventive, completely engaging novel that places Jesus and his teachings in a wonderfully accurate historical setting, James R. Mills has created nothing less than a new gospel that illuminates the beginnings of Christianity from an astonishing and unexpected point of view.

Book Description:
Both a palace thriller and a Jewish woman’s memoir, Hadassah brings the age-old story of Esther to life. This historically accurate novel layered with fresh insights provides a fascinating twist on a pivotal time in religious history, and readers will find it bursting with page-turning drama.

During in-depth research on the life of Esther and its setting in ancient Persia–contemporary Iraq and Iran–Tenney discovered a compelling, heart-stopping tale lying at its core. He uses here his skilled storytelling gifts to capture the power and beauty of the peasant girl who became queen.

SEQUEL: “The Hadassah Covenant”

Book Description:
Divine Obsession brings readers face-to-face with a God who is crazy about us. He longs to be with us. His love is Illogical, Inseperable, Insane, Incomprehensible, Immense, Inconceivable, Irresistible, Indestructible, Impassioned, Inexplainable…you’ll never look at God or yourself the same way again.

My friend, Andy, had this on his blog, and I couldn’t help but bring it over here to share it! This is goofy, but good! LOL

Beth Moore had this written on her blog recently (here), and I really thought it was cute!

“Girls, listen. GIVE GOD HIS GLORY! When He does something for you, don’t sit there and wonder if that may have been Him. GIVE HIM SOME GLORY!! Jump up and down about it. Get excited about it! I don’t know about you, but I want God to ENJOY doing some things for me. I want Him to think I’m fun to get a reaction out of. I want to dang well NOTICE. Can you imagine when we thank Him for something that He’s up there on His Throne shrugging His shoulders and saying, “I’m not sure what you’re talking about. I didn’t have anything to do with that”? Does Phil. 2:13 not say that God works in us to will and to act according to His good purpose? Ain’t no doubt, Girlfriend. It is GOD.”

I think Beth is so funny! But I love her style! I loved the part where she said “I want Him to think I’m fun to get a reaction out of.” LOL.

Last year I read through the entire Bible for the first time. This year, though, I’m struggling to do the same — struggling to even get my Bible open on any given day. Part of me wants to do something different. I’ve thought of just opening the Bible randomly, and reading wherever I open it to … I figure God will speak to me through His word in a special way if I do this.

But, another part of me worries that, if I just leave it up to random reading, I won’t keep myself disciplined; I almost NEED those dates at the tops of the pages to keep me accountable!

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I have felt, recently, that I should be learning more about God’s character. I can’t seem to attain the closeness I seek with Him, and I think I’m hindered by my lack of knowledge of who He is. Okay, I have some knowledge… but it’s mostly HEAD knowledge. I have a hard time getting that knowledge into my heart.

So, to gain more knowledge, I’ve gathered together a pile of books on the subject of God’s character, and I’m reading like crazy. I’m also praying that God will open my heart to soak up the knowledge of who He is, and enable me to grow closer to Him.

This has got to be my all-time favorite retelling of the Creation story… taken from Rob Hensser’s book, “Divine Obsession” (pages 56-57):

“…Finally, the Father did something completely different. Until that point, God had just spoken the word, and everything in creation had come into existence. This time the creator got down onto His hands and knees and began to pull the dust and dirt together, forming man.

“Lovingly and tenderly, He personally molded the shape of man with His own hands. Then the Father leaned over and His lips touched Adam’s in the most intimate, holy kiss, as God breathed life into him. Adam’s chest suddenly inflated as air surged into his lungs for the first time. His back arched off the ground as his body filled with the sweet, humid air. His eyes fluttered and slowly opened. Light streamed into his eyes for the very first time.

“The first thing Adam saw when he opened his eyes was God’s face, just a few inches from his own. He felt the warmth of God’s breath on him. Unable to contain His excitement and pride, the Father was grinning from ear to ear.

“The Father slipped His arms around Adam and carefully helped him stand up. He held His wobbly friend until strength flowed into his leg muscles. Adam rose shakily, swaying to and fro as he stood for the first time. Not willing to wait a moment longer, the Father began to tug at Adam, “Come on, let Me show you around.”

“Throwing His arm around His friend, God excitedly and proudly took Adam on a tour of his new home. “This is all for you; here is every green plant for food” (from Genesis 1:29,30).”

Don’t you just LOVE that?! I have always held this crazy belief that God is so solemn and serious… so this view of Him as giddy as a kid on Christmas morning just has me tickled! I can totally picture Him getting this excited… and it helps me feel that maybe God IS crazy-in-love with me.

I absolutely LOVED this word-picture from page 145 of Rick McKinley’s book, “Jesus in the Margins“:

“Jesus wants you to feel secure, to be fully at home in God. You belong with Him. You don’t have to leave your suitcase packed. You can put on your pajamas and climb up next to Him and relax in His presence.”

What a great picture of God as our Comforter… we can put on our jammies, and cuddle up next to Him.