Find God in Wedding Gifts

January 31, 2012 By 1 Comment

By Karen O’Connor:

In a recent issue of The Wall Street Journal I read about a new trend catching on among brides and grooms before their wedding. One woman, for example, donated 140 cupcakes to a homeless shelter for women and children in place of a bachelorette party. And some couples are now requesting, in lieu of wedding presents, donations of money to purchase chickens, goats, and pigs for impoverished families in third-world countries. What an opportunity this is for people to find God in wedding gifts.

My husband and I made this choice for Christmas last year. Instead of buying the usual tech gizmo or fashion piece, we sent gift certificates to people on our list telling them we’d purchased a chicken and five ducks in their name, and the animals would reach a family in dire need. Honorable charities such as Oxfam America and Heifer International are among the many that make such giving possible. “Giving to charity,” says wedding blogger Nina Callaway (quoted in the newspaper), “is one way of being grounded.” It’s also a way of bringing God into a ceremony that for most people has some spiritual significance.

The wedding industry in the United States today is estimated to be worth more than $70 billion annually. Imagine the good that could be accomplished in the world if more brides and grooms opted for a goat to be sent to Mali instead of receiving yet another pair of silver candlesticks. With such a giving spirit more people might find God in wedding gifts and transform their lives even before they say, “I do.”

Enjoy this informative YouTube video on how to donate living gifts to impoverished communities through Heifer International.

©Karen O’Connor. Karen is an author, writing mentor, and frequent contributor to the Finding God Daily blog. Visit Karen on the web at www.karenoconnor.com

 

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Comfort from God Through a Long Distance Call

January 30, 2012 By Leave a Comment

By Laurie Winslow Sargent

I lay crumpled on the floor, weeping, my hand resting on the phone. How desperately I needed to hear comforting words from a dear friend. Yet I had no idea that I would soon receive comfort from God through a long distance call.

My husband,  Gordy, had been hospitalized for several weeks in a Norwegian hospital, severely burned by chemicals in a work-related accident.  He had to lie on his badly burned back, despite agonizing pain, to keep the top of his severely damaged foot upright.  He was healing from traumatic skin grafting surgery, but might need a second operation.  It now was Friday afternoon and despite his pain, we were told his medication could not be increased because his doctor had left for the weekend. Finally we both broke down in tears: he in extreme pain, I in distress at not knowing how to help him.

When I returned home, I fell apart sobbing. I cried out, “God, please help us!”

Suddenly I felt a desperate need to hear the voice of one of my dearest friends, Cyndi, who lived in Washington State, USA. I reached for the phone, then remembered the nine-hour time difference. It was  6:30 AM, her time:  Cyndi would still be asleep, and I didn’t want to wake her.  Unsure of what to do, I resumed weeping with my hand still resting on the phone.

Suddenly, the phone rang beneath my fingers. In a daze, I answered it weakly. “Hello?”

I heard, “Laur? Is that you?”

I sobbed and barely whispered, “Yes.”  No other words came at first, as I realized with amazement that it was Cyndi.

She sounded alarmed. “Laur? What’s happening?! How is Gordy? The Lord woke me up and told me to call you.”

Consider the odds. God reached across the ocean and multiple time zones, to supernaturally awaken a dear friend at the exact moment I prayed for help. She felt led to dial an international call the instant my hand lay on the phone in Norway.  Try to recreate that scenario!

My plea, “God help us!” was all I could think to pray. We can’t  always find precise words, nor know solutions, when we pray. Yet God knew I needed comfort and  that Gordy needed practical help. He knew Cyndi would wake and respond quickly to His prompting: that she would reach for the phone out of obedience and caring instead of rolling over and going back to sleep.

Amazingly, only a few hours after speaking with Cyndi, I received an email from a  friend of hers. It was a nurse at one of the finest burn treatment centers in the United States. She suggested a specific burn cream, which the Norwegian nurses agreed to try. They also found a doctor to increase Gordy’s pain medicine. By early evening Gordy’s pain was decreased drastically.   Not only did I receive comfort from God through a long distance call from a dear friend: my husband also received practical help and healing within hours of my desperate prayer–even when I did not know what words to pray.

Lord, may I walk so closely with you that, like Cyndi, when you prompt me to reach out to others in need, I do not hesitate. Thanks for being a God in real life, one who meets needs in practical ways but with extraordinary and miraculous timing. 

 

Psalm 145: 17-18

The LORD is righteous in all his ways

 and faithful in all he does.

The LORD is near to all who call on him,

 to all who call on him in truth.

(To hear Psalm 145 read aloud, click HERE, then click on the picture of the microphone.)

 ©Laurie Winslow Sargent. Laurie is a multi-book author, magazine article writer, and writing workshop instructor.  Visit her at www.LaurieWinslowSargent.com.

As we ponder how God cares for us during difficult times, I hope you enjoy this poem, Footprints in the Sand, written by Mary Stevenson and set to music by TheHeartPrints. You can also read the history of  Footprints in the Sand, by clicking HERE. Although the poem was copyrighted in 1984, it was written in 1936, when Mary was 14 years old.

 

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Finding God in Attacks

January 29, 2012 By Leave a Comment

by Dianne E. Butts:

Do you ever feel like you’re being attacked? We can be attacked by people we thought were our friends. By criminals. By our country’s national enemies. And by spiritual forces. But when we put our faith in God and rely on Him daily, it is possible to be finding God in attacks.

Everyone gets attacked. The most hurtful attacks come from people we thought were our allies—such as Christian friends. When we expect someone to be on our side, attacks from them are especially discouraging. But in the grand scheme, they cannot hurt us because God knows the truth.

Sometimes we need to do the attacking. When evil forces come at us, through prayer, speaking forth God’s truth in Scripture, and standing firm in what we know about God, we go on the offense and ATTACK!

Whether we are being attacked or doing the attacking, most of what is happening lies outside of what we can see. Elisha’s servant was frightened about a coming attack and already feeling defeated, but Elisha asked God to let the servant’s physical eyes see the spiritual reality. This is what he saw:

 15 When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh, my lord, what shall we do?” the servant asked.

16 “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

17 And Elisha prayed, “O LORD, open his eyes so he may see.” Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

Elisha and his servant were surrounded by strong angels! You can read the whole story in 2 Kings 6:8-23.

There will not always be attacks—not even in nature. After the “End Times,” after all evil has been dealt with, Isaiah 11: 6-9 tells us what it will be like:

 6 The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them.
7 The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox. 8 The infant will play near the hole of the cobra,
and the young child put his hand into the viper’s nest. 9 They will neither harm nor destroy
on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD
as the waters cover the sea.

But for now, we must endure attacks. And sometimes we must do the attacking. Take a look at this video. In this instance, imagine the attacker is evil. How much hurt is really done to the one being attacked? If you can remember this image the next time you’re attacked, you just might be finding God in attacks.

Cutest Attack Video:

©Dianne E. Butts ( www.delivermebook.blogspot.com). Dianne has over 275 articles and short fiction in more than fifty publications and eighteen books. You can visit her at http://www.dianneebutts.com/

 

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Find God in Humor: The Way Church Used to Be

January 28, 2012 By 1 Comment

By Dianne E. Butts

When you were growing up, did your family go to church? Were you dragged there? Was church fun for you? Or…dreaded?! If you dreaded church, then you need to find God in humor: the way church used to be.

At the bottom of this article you’ll find a wonderful video by humorist Kelly Swanson. She had me laughing with memories! Yes, I was dragged to church as a youngster. But I never had the gumption to fake the flu! We went to church Sunday mornings but I know some of my friends were in church Sunday evenings, Wednesday evenings, and eight or nine other evenings of the week as well.

I do have to admit church can be a lot more fun these days. I do often go in my blue jeans. In fact, I always wear blue jeans when I ride my motorcycle to church, which is as often as possible in the warmer months in Colorado.

I’ve had some bad experiences with church, even as an adult. In the thirty years we’ve been married, my husband and I have moved to a new town five times and so have gone looking for a new church five times. Most of the time, it has been surprisingly difficult to find a good church for us to attend. But I have learned a few things about what to look for. Here are some hints:

 

  • Look around. How many people carry their own Bible into church with them? Most of them should. This tells you this church cares about teaching out of the Bible which, in my opinion, is the Number One most important thing for a church to do.
  • Do they open the Bible, read from it, and talk about what it says? I’ve been to many churches that pray and sing and do a lot of things, but never talk about the Bible—even in the sermons. This is a bad sign. I suggest you find another church.
  • Are the people friendly and genuinely interested that you are there? I’ve attended churches for weeks where not one person spoke to me. A church is not a social club, but it is important to build relationships and study God’s Word together. If this isn’t happening naturally, something is wrong.
  • Does this church reach outside to others?

It’s not wrong to search for another church. Find a church that challenges you to go deeper into God’s Word, which is the Bible. Regularly attend a church that helps those who attend grow in their knowledge and understanding of God.

As our country and our world face ever-deepening challenges in economies, violence, war, social issues, and many other concerns, it’s important to find our strength in God daily. (See Samuel 23:16.)

A good church helps people do this. But if that seems too heavy right now, take a moment to find God in humor: the way church used to be.

Enjoy this video: Wipe That Smile Off Your Face, This is Church by Kelly Swanson

Copyright ©Dianne E. Butts ( www.delivermebook.blogspot.com). Dianne has over 275 articles and short fiction in more than fifty publications and eighteen books, and is a regular contributor to Finding God Daily.

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Finding God in Technology

January 27, 2012 By Leave a Comment

by Karen O’Connor:

 Finding God in technology was as much a surprise to me as it was to my husband. It all started the day our printer and copy machine crashed. Time to make a Staples run! So off we went with debit card in hand and not a clue about which brand to buy. The salesman was polite and informative. He spoke our language—that of a white-haired couple who hadn’t kept up with the latest innovations. We looked at a machine that could Fax, copy, scan and print! Such a deal. But who would set it up?

“No problem.” The clerk told me about the tech guy whose job it is to help folks like us—and for only $79.99. I gulped hard but then, what choice did I have? I could not possibly do this on my own, and my husband, a tech expert during the 1950s, was no help.

However, we faced an obstacle. The tech man was out with the flu and would be down for several days, at least. Sigh! We bought the machine while it was on sale and stowed the box in our office, willing to wait. But that night I lay in bed wondering if I should give it a whirl. I awakened the next morning with the distinct impression that God was nudging me to go for it and he’d guide me. So I crept out of bed while my husband was still sleeping, followed the instructions to the letter and then took a deep breath, turned on the machine, and printed out a copy. We were in business—God and me!

Finding God in technology was pure joy. His words from the Bible came true once again. “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” Hebrews 13:5).

Enjoy this inspiring You Tube video from the Maranatha Singers on the blessings of God in all things.

  ©Karen O’Connor. Karen is a multi-book author, writing mentor, and a lifelong learner. You can visit Karen at www.karenoconnor.com

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Find God’s Forgiveness in a 1963 Football Game

January 26, 2012 By Leave a Comment

by Dianne Neal Matthews:

Sports programming changed forever forty-nine years ago with the introduction of the instant replay. Our lives can change forever if we learn a spiritual lesson from that historic 1963 football game that will help us learn how to find God’s forgiveness. CBS director Tony Verna had been frustrated at the lulls between plays in games and the fact that the television audience missed much of what the live audience saw. He eventually discovered a method of marking videotape in a way that allowed fast and accurate rewinding.

Verna decided to test his “video replay” at an Army-Navy game (the “biggest” game before the days of the Super Bowl) and arranged for a 1,200-pound videotape machine to be transported from New York to Philadelphia. He had trouble with static and previously taped material appearing on the monitor. Finally, in the fourth quarter Verna was able to replay a touchdown. To prevent the viewers from being confused, the announcer said, “This is not live! Ladies and gentlemen, Army did not score again!”

Find God’s Forgiveness

Our brains come equipped with an instant-replay feature. We can replay a scene, a conversation, or a decision over and over in our mind for days, weeks, even years. This tendency can be beneficial for us if we handle it properly. The Bible urges us to “examine our ways” so we can see when we’ve strayed from God and return to him (Lamentations 3:40). By prayerfully rehearsing our actions and decisions, we can spot our weak areas and react in a more Christlike way the next time we face similar circumstances.

Unfortunately, Satan uses our “instant replay” against us. By rehashing the details of our past failures and sins, we become stuck in guilt and regret. Psalm 32:1-2 says that once we confess and repent of our sins, they are literally taken away so that God doesn’t even consider them. God ­doesn’t use instant replay of our sins that he has already forgiven, and neither should we.  We can find God’s forgiveness when we remember what happened in that 1963 football game and choose to fast-forward the tape in our mind instead of rewinding it.

What events in your life do you tend to replay over and over?

Enjoy this video of Tony Verna remembering the first use of instant replay:

©Dianne Neal Matthews (www.Dianne Neal Matthews.com). Dianne is a freelance writer and the author of four daily devotional books. This material is adapted from Dianne’s book, The One Year On This Day (Tyndale House, 2005).

 

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Find God While Playing a Game

January 25, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Karen O’Connor

Photo by ariadna

Who’d have guessed that I’d find God while playing a game of Wordfeud on my iPhone with my friend Glenda. We both love words. My car license plate says Wordy and one of her email handles is wordyone. So it seemed fitting that we play this game together.

Glenda has been one of my trusted confidants and prayer partners over the years. Whenever we’re in contact––in person or in cyberspace––conversation always includes talk about the Lord and how he is guiding and blessing us as we go through life’s ups and downs. We also share words from the Bible (the Word of God). Here’s a beautiful example from Psalm 139, which upholds us when the storms roll in.

 

Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?

If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.

 

Yes, I can find God while playing a game with my friend. As I search for just the right word to fill in the blanks, I’m grateful for the fun I’m having, for Glenda’s friendship, and for the Lord’s faithfulness in all things––from games to gab!

 Enjoy this helpful and entertaining You Tube video on the game Wordfeud with a FREE download link if you want to try it.

 ©Karen O’Connor. Karen is an author, writing mentor, and she loves word games! See all the ways Karen has blessed others with her own words, at www.karenoconnor.com

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Finding God While Cooking

January 24, 2012 By 2 Comments

By Karen O’Connor:

Last week my eight-year-old grandson Miles asked me to make his favorite dish—Easy Chicken and Mini Penne Casserole   posted under Southern Food by Dianna Rattray. Of course I agreed and invited him and his family over to my house so we could share the meal together. That afternoon while I prepared the chicken and pasta, the sauce and the vegetable, and the dessert for later, I realized I was finding God while cooking. I felt happy and grateful and excited to entertain the family with good, nourishing food. And I loved being asked to do something that would please my grandson––just as I believe God loves his children to ask him to do things that would please them. What a nice revelation that was!

The next morning I asked my husband what he’d like for breakfast. “Oatmeal with nuts and fruit and yogurt and maple syrup,” he said, “like you usually make. It’s my favorite.”

A few minutes later I was in the kitchen finding God, once again, while cooking. What a nice feeling it was to serve Charles what he wanted and what’s healthy too. How easy it had become to give to others freely and without expecting anything in return.

Surely I could apply this truth to all areas of my life—cleaning my house, writing my books, planting flowers in my garden, visiting with friends. Finding God while cooking and in everything, for that matter, is such a joy when I just do it!

Enjoy this delightful You Tube video of Linda Evans Shepherd and Penny Carlavato making Russian Chicken.

 ©Karen O’Connor. Karen is an author and writing mentor, and to friends and family, a good cook too!  Find Karen on the web at www.karenoconnor.com

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Finding God on a Hike

January 23, 2012 By 1 Comment

By Karen O’Connor:

Last week I hiked with a group of women friends along the coastline in Santa Cruz, California from Lighthouse Field to Natural Bridges State Park. It didn’t take long for me to realize that finding God on a hike happens whether you’re thinking about it or not. It would have been impossible to look at the waves crashing on the rocks, or the surfers trying to ride them, or the dogs and children frolicking on the beach––even in January––without seeing the gracious hand of God everywhere.

Sunshine overhead, mountain peaks in the distance, abundant foliage within reach, and graceful Cypress trees bending in the wind all spoke to me of our Creator. When you feel low, overwhelmed, confused, or dismayed about life, there is nothing like a good long walk or a hike in the snow or in the grassy fields, to set your mind at rest and your heart at peace.

 Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul.  John Muir, Scottish-born American naturalist, author, and early advocate of the preservation of wilderness in the United States.

I returned home refreshed and renewed, ready to take up my responsibilities again. At bedtime as I mulled over the many gifts of God that day I was humbled by his awesome power and his abundant grace. And I didn’t have to pay a dime or a dollar to enjoy this fruit of his hand. I just had to show up, pay attention, and put one foot in front of the other. Finding God on a hike is something I plan to do every week from now on.

View this inspiring video about a couple who hiked to the top of Mount Whitney—the highest peak in the contiguous United States.

Karen O’Connor is an author, writing mentor, and an avid hiker. Her greatest accomplishment in the wilderness is hiking to the top of Mount Whitney with three women friends and making it back to tell about it! Find Karen on the web at www.karenoconnor.com

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Finding God on Sanctity of Human Life Day

January 22, 2012 By Leave a Comment

President Ronald Reagan designated a Sunday in January as Sanctity of Human Life Day. This was designed to coincide with the anniversary of Roe vs. Wade, the Supreme Court case that ruled abortion as constitutionally protected. In 2012, on Sunday, January 22, we can be finding God on Sanctity of Human Life Day.

You may recall our previous post, Finding God in an Unplanned Pregnancy, where we reviewed the book Deliver Me: Hope, Help, & Healing through True Stories of Unplanned Pregnancy, by Dianne E. Butts.  Throughout that book, in more than fifty true stories, women and men explain how they found God’s love. Many also found His forgiveness after they found themselves in unplanned pregnancies, some of which ended in abortion.

We’d like to add here a few additional reviews for this great resource:

Emily M. Akin, a freelance writer and blogger at Tennessee Christian Reader noted,  “Married women as well as unwed mothers find themselves in this situation. Often, they think abortion is their only option.” Akin describes the book saying, “Mothers who chose to keep their babies share their decision-making experience. Those who had abortions tell of the mental anguish they suffered and how they found healing.”

Book reviewer Catherine Boyle says she reviewed the book mainly “because this is one of the defining issues of my generation.”  She wrote, “I’ve known two women who gave up a baby for adoption.  Several others kept their babies, some as single moms, the rest got married.  My own husband was born to an unwed teenager, and adopted at birth.” Boyle added,  “Deliver Me provided excellent statistical references on a variety of issues surrounding unplanned pregnancy.”

Reviewer Donna Collins Tinsley says, “Dianne E. Butts has compiled a much needed and encouraging book. Nearly every story I read I thought ‘this is my favorite’ and then there would be another one that stole my heart. . .”

On Amazon, Kathy S., wrote: “Overall this book is an excellent resource for anyone involved in an unplanned pregnancy including pregnant women, their partners, parents, grandparents, friends, family, and those involved in the work of crisis pregnancy centers.”

In addition, those experiencing unplanned pregnancies can find compassionate, confidential help at a pregnancy centers. You can find the one closest to you at www.Optionline.org.

This year it’s possible to be finding God on Sanctity of Human Life Day, as we remember the value of life: even during unplanned pregnancies.

On a related note,  this is a great day to remember the story of Samuel Armas, who before birth, at 21 weeks gestation and during fetal surgery, grasped the finger of his surgeon. (See: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,519181,00.html ) Although Samuel is now twelve years old, the photo taken during his surgery before his birth has just as much impact today as it did then.

The YouTube video shows, at the end,  the photo with Samuel’s hand:

 

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Finding God in a Love Letter

January 21, 2012 By 4 Comments

By Deborah Lovett:

Have you ever had a personalized letter from someone really important? I received one verse each day for eighteen days, and when I put them together I realized God had been writing me a personalized love letter about guarding my body, His temple.

I would like to share this personal letter with you today, for it spoke to me in so many different ways and in hopes that it speaks to your heart (and body) as well. If you are like me, you never really think about finding God in a love letter:

 

Dear Deborah Lovett, (Put your name in where mine is! God’s Word is for us all!)

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price.

Therefore honor God with your body. For you know it was not with perishable things such as silver and gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.

So beat your body and make it your slave so that after you have preached to others, you, yourself will not be disqualified for the prize. Therefore, I urge you in view of my mercy, to offer your body as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship.

Against me, me only, have you sinned and done this evil in my sight. Now, however, you have no excuse for your sin. So be strong, and take heart and wait for Me. Don’t you know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred and you, Deborah, are that temple. Do not deceive yourself.

Since you have these promises. dear lady, purify yourself from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. For physical training is of some value but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.

I will take vengeance, vengeance for my temple. Therefore, reinforce the guard, station the watchmen, prepare the ambush!

Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

So whatever you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God, so that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of the Christ. Be filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Remember, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach and their glory is in their shame. Their minds are on earthly things. Such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.

I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. Your food is to do the will of God who sent Jesus and to finish His work. Now go, I am sending you.

Love,

Your Heavenly Father

Now that’s what I call finding God in a love letter, don’t you?

 ©Deborah Lovett (www.deborahlovett.com). Deborah is an International Speaker for Women’s Events, Retreats, and Conferences and a regular contributor to Finding God Daily.

Enjoy this lovely video from YouTube: Love Letter (background music by David Lanz: Cristofori’s Dream):

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Finding God in Unexpected Places

January 20, 2012 By Leave a Comment

By  Karen O’Connor:

 

Photo by kakisky

I’ve never found it difficult to connect with God in a blooming garden. In fact, it’s my favorite spot for prayer and meditation. But I was surprised this week to discover myself finding God in unexpected places within my California garden, even in winter: in a patch of weeds along the fence, and a flower bed now covered with dead leaves. Neither place is particularly beautiful this time of year. Yet I still experienced the hand of God, even among the dying foliage and in the midst of unwanted plants.

I was reminded in that moment of how God is with us in all the unexpected places. Therefore, we never need to worry or be afraid. He’s with us at the scene of an auto accident, while riding a Ferris wheel at a county fair, during a battle with cancer, in the ocean riding the perfect wave. God himself is unexpected—lavishing his people with undeserved and unsparing love, comfort, guidance, mercy, and protection.

Whether we are feeling up, down, or somewhere in between, the certainty of finding God in unexpected places is a wonderful truth to cling to. It will help us move forward in the new year with confidence and trust and hope.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27 NIV Bible).

Enjoy this inspiring You Tube video, featuring Christian author, journalist and blogger, Cathleen Falsani on finding God in unexpected places.

 ©Karen O’Connor. Karen is an award winning author and writing mentor from Watsonville, California. Visit Karen on the web at: www.karenoconnor.com

 

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Finding God at the Golden Globe Awards

January 19, 2012 By Leave a Comment

By Karen O’Connor:

Photo by mconnor

On Saturday night I attended church, on Sunday morning watched Pastor Joel Osteen on television, then on Sunday night tuned in to the Golden Globe Awards. What a surprise to discover that finding God at the Golden Globe Awards was almost as easy as finding him at church.

I realized while listening to the various award recipients that despite what they said, the gracious hand of God was on their lives. It was he who gave them their talent for acting, writing, producing, directing. It was he who brought them into the world and guided them to this point in their lives, whether they acknowledged him or not.

One of the award announcers, Mark Wahlberg, had appeared on the CNN show, Piers Morgan Tonight, a few evenings before. I remembered him talking about his wasted years before a priest came along and helped him turn his life around. He now lives and works for God, is faithful to his wife and four children, and starts each day with prayer at his local church. He ended the interview by saying, “I am a blessed man.”

As the show and the follow-up interviews came to an end, I sat there realizing that despite the glitz and glamor of Hollywood, finding God at the Golden Globe Awards is not impossible. There are many stars who know and love God and live their lives for his glory and the good of others.

Watch this video on YouTube featuring an interview at the Golden Globes with Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt who, like Mark Wahlberg, do inspiring humanitarian and educational work in the world:

 Karen O’Connor is an award winning author and writing mentor from Watsonville, California. Visit Karen on the web at: www.karenoconnor.com

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Finding God in Hollywood in the 168 Film Project

January 18, 2012 By 1 Comment

By Dianne E. Butts

Photo by mconnors

Have you ever been discouraged by the low moral content of movies and television shows? Do you wish someone would raise the bar and make more moral and God-honoring productions? Have you heard the saying, “You can curse the darkness. Or you can turn on a light”? In an effort to raise the bar and increase the number of people finding God in Hollywood, the 168 Film Project is a training ground for Christian filmmakers.

The 168 Film Project competition takes place in February. Filmmakers make a short film (12 minutes max.) based on a verse in the Bible in 168 hours. That’s one week. Hey, God made the whole universe in one week, so anyone should be able to make a short film in one week, right?

The Bible verse is assigned to each team ten days before filming begins. That gives teams, based all over the world, ten days to write a script, scout locations, and get everything worked out before filming begins. Teams begin filming not one minute before the set time, then must get their short movie shot, edited, and turned in (or in the mail) to 168 Headquarters by a set time exactly 168 hours later. Film teams range in age and experience from beginners to seasoned professionals. Filmmakers or team members need not be Christians, but their films will be judged by how they “illuminated” God’s Word, so an understanding of God’s Word is essential.

All qualifying entries are sent to the 168 Film Project headquarters in Hollywood for judging. The top 20 films are chosen as semi-finalists, and then the top three win awards. But all entries are screened at the 168 Film Festival in March or April to honor all the efforts of the aspiring filmmakers by actually showing their film on the big screen in Hollywood. Check the web site for ticket information to the 168 Film Festival.

Ministries like the 168 Film Project can use your support through your prayers and/or in other ways if you wish to get involved. You can also give a donation to the 168 Film Project if desired.

Who knows? If you get excited about the thought of people finding God in Hollywood in the 168 Film Project this might be a challenge you’d like to try. That’s what I’m doing this year!

The signup deadline for  the 168 Film Project, 2012, is February 5: at that time a team gets its assigned Bible verse. (For international filmmakers, that date is January 23.)

Filming week is February 16 – 23 with submissions made by February 24. You can see all the rules, HERE.

We’ll see if I’m able to put together a film team and a film that screens in Hollywood. Care to join me?

Would you like to see an example of a 168 Film Project 12-minute movie made in a week and based on a Bible verse? Watch the 2011 winner of the 168 Film Project contest, titled Useless, here:

See the 2010 168 Film Project promo video here (only 1 minute, 44 seconds!):

©Dianne E. Butts ( www.delivermebook.blogspot.com). Dianne has over 275 articles and short fiction in more than fifty publications and eighteen books.

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Drawing Closer to God, Book Review: Finding God in Questions

January 17, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Everyone is looking for answers—about God, about our relationship with Him, about how to live a life of meaning and fulfillment. God’s Word has the answer to any question we could ever ask; sometimes those answers come in the form of questions. The Bible is full of questions asked by God, His followers, His enemies, seekers, Jesus, Satan, and even a donkey. In Drawing Closer to God: 365 Daily Meditations on Questions from Scripture, author Dianne Neal Matthews shows that even as we look for answers in the Bible, we’ll be finding God in questions.  (At the end of this review, see also a related video on this topic: Questioning God by Sam Burke.)

Some biblical questions express doubts and struggles that all of us wrestle with at some point, but we may be reluctant to verbalize them. David cried out, “Why are you so distant, Lord? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?” (Psalms 10:1) Gideon asked an angel, “If the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us?” (Judges 6:13)

Jesus used questions as a powerful teaching tool:

“Can any of you add an hour to your life by worrying?” (Luke 12:25)

 

God uses questions to comfort us:

“Is anything too hard for the Lord?” (Genesis 18:14)

… and to convict us:

“Why do you call me Lord but don’t do what I tell you?” (Luke 6:46)

If we read carefully, we’ll see that God has already answered many of our questions before we think of them. Before Pilate asked the universal question, “What is truth?” (John 18:38), Jesus had already answered it earlier that evening: “Your words are truth.” (John 17:17)

Carolyn R Scheidies of Author’s Choice Reviews appreciates the practical nature of the devotions. She writes,“Matthews takes the question she poses from the daily portion of scripture to be read for the day and melds explaining the Scripture with application for today. The devotionals flow from Scripture to the challenges and situations we face today.”

Each meditation in Drawing Closer to God ends with either a question for readers to ask themselves (self-reflection) or a question to ask God (prayer focus). Amazon reviewer M. Hausam agrees that this approach encourages readers to apply the concepts to daily life: “I like the way she encourages the readers as she guides them through the questions. The real-life examples she gives aids in seeking the Biblical truths and applying them in our own lives.”

In her introduction, Matthews notes that writing the book strengthened her conviction that “God is never offended by honest questions”. She also hopes that readers will be finding God in those questions. “Since our human understanding is limited, there are some things we’ll never fully understand during our earthly life. But we can know the One who is the answer to all our questions. I hope these meditations will encourage you as you draw closer to him.”

Here’s an interesting related video, Questioning God by Sam Burke:

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Finding God in Prophecy about Israel

January 16, 2012 By Leave a Comment

By Dianne E. Butts

Photo by duboix

According to the Mayans and their calendar, the world is supposed to end on December 21, 2012. Many people have heard the hype about the world ending and think it’s crazy. Christians don’t put their faith in the Mayans or their calendar. Yet many do believe we are approaching–or in–the “End Times” described in the Bible, and are finding God in prophecy about Israel.

Some prophecies are so concrete and specific that they can’t be questioned.  One impressive “Sign” (another word for a prophecy or miracle) is that Israel is back in the Promised Land.

In Ezekiel 37:1-14  God gave Ezekiel a vision of a valley of dry bones, bones so dry there was no way they could come back to life. But then the bones got up, flesh and muscle developed on them, and those bones lived! This represents the nation of Israel.  Take a closer look at verses 12-14 in that passage. God is specific about  the Israelites being back in their own land:

12 Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. 14 I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.’”  (Bold emphasis, mine.)

Israel had not been its own nation, governing itself, in the “Promised Land” (the geographical land that God gave to Abraham) since 63 B.C. I found this note in the NIV Study Bible (1984), (page 1319, on the map):

“Continued political rivalries in Judea brought the intervention of the Roman general Pompey in 63 B.C.  This event signaled the end of Jewish political independence, except for periods of brief autonomy during the ill-fated revolts of the first and second Christian centuries.”

Do you know when Israel again became a nation in its own geographic land, governing itself?  May 14, 1948.

That year, 1948, is not ancient history. That’s within the lifetimes of many living among us today—the World War II generation. Israel became a nation again soon after the end of World War II, after Hitler tried, but failed, to annihilate the Jews.

Now that’s specific and concrete!

This is one Sign that is unique to our generation. No one can argue saying this Sign has not been fulfilled. Israel is back in the Promised Land. That’s an incredible fulfillment of prophecy, and that’s why many people are finding God in prophecy about Israel today.

See these videos about Israel from YouTube:

Israel 1948 Footage:

1948 – The Birth of Israel:

 

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Finding God in my Wants and Needs

January 15, 2012 By 2 Comments

By: Deborah Lovett:

It is so comforting for me to know I can be finding God in my wants and needs!  Here is my list, dedicated in a letter to my Lord.

Dear Abba Father,

I write and read this list to you, Father, believing and knowing that You will not only fill my well today but overflow it!

Lord, help me:

1. be a mighty Woman and Warrior of the Well through prayer.
2. be hearty, heroic, compassionate, and fearless for my King.
3. be holy like You, and be great in faith and love for my Prince.
4. look only to You, and as I do, help my flesh to be crucified.
5. be like a generous flood, a gushing spring of life for others.
6. surrender daily to You and to the secret place.
7. hear angels sing and see the vision of Your glory!
8. have life renewed and refreshed daily through Your Word.
9. know what divine communion looks, feels, hears, and tastes like with You!
10. learn to worship You in reckless abandonment.
11. not be lazy or lukewarm, but passionate in my stature.
12. live simply, in truth, with sincerity, and authenticity.
13. be fruitful for Your kingdom.
14. know what it means to live in the power of Your resurrection.
15. drink more deeply and believe more bountifully, give more graciously, and forgive more fully.

God, help me to know how BIG you really are!

Allow me a burning passion that sees your GLORY! (But help me heed to, and apply, the passion correctly!)

Thanks for sending Your Son as the gift that never quits giving. In Jesus name I pray.

Love Always,
Your Daughter:  Deborah

I am so grateful to be finding God in my wants and needs. How about you, dear readers?

 ©Deborah Lovett (www.deborahlovett.com) is an International Speaker for Women’s Events, Retreats, and Conferences and a regular contributor to Finding God Daily.

See this beautiful video called I Need You God, from www.thedesperate.com

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Finding God in Nature in the Andes in Bolivia

January 14, 2012 By Leave a Comment

By Dianne E. Butts

Aerial photo of the Andes, from Wikipedia

What would it be like to walk on clouds?  Some people seem to, as they are finding God in nature in the Andes in Bolivia.

Salar de Uyuni in southwestern Bolivia is the world’s largest salt flat. According to the travel article “Mysterious Sights” on the Bing Travel Blog, when the area becomes covered by water, it “becomes a mirror, and anyone walking across it appears to be walking on clouds.”

 The salt crust is high in the mountains at just a few feet under 12,000 feet elevation above sea level. It covers more than 4,000 square miles. The area is nearly flat which, interestingly, “makes it ideal for calibrating the altimeters of satellites,” the article said. It is also “a major breeding ground for several species of flamingoes.”

Common thoughts of heaven pictured it as people (or angels with wings) sitting on clouds lazily strumming harps. Maybe those images come from verses in the Bible like Revelation 14:1-3 and  Revelation 15:2-3.

When we get to heaven I don’t know if we’ll be able to walk on clouds or expertly play harps, but this I do know, there will come a day when Jesus the Christ will come again. Before Jesus was crucified, when He was still alive on the earth, He talked about what it would be like when He comes again. He said:

“At that time men will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens” (Revelation 14:1-3)

After Jesus was crucified and died, he was raised from the dead and talked with many people. The last group He talked with watched as He was taken into heaven like this:

“After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.

“They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. ‘Men of Galilee,’ they said, ‘why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven’” (Acts 1:9-11).

Revelation 1:7 says, “Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him…” [  ]

Are you watching for Him? When you see Him walking on clouds, will you recognize Him? We live in a magnificent world that God created and in all kinds of mysterious places we can find God. We can even be finding God in nature in the Andes in Bolivia.

 Copyright ©Dianne E. Butts ( www.delivermebook.blogspot.com). Dianne has over 275 articles and short fiction in more than fifty publications and eighteen books, and is a regular contributor to Finding God Daily.

Here is a video with a song and beautiful photos of the earth and animals, posted on YouTube: I Believe-by Andie Isle.

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Find God After Sexual Abuse

January 13, 2012 By Leave a Comment

By Dianne E. Butts:

Kirk Martin was willing to do anything, and I mean anything—including make a pact with the devil himself—to get what he wanted. And that’s exactly what he did. Kirk told Satan if he would give him everything he wanted: make him a god to be worshiped, give him money, fame, and an ability to crush people, Kirk would serve Satan until the end of time. But when Kirk finally told his story, he revealed how he had been sexually abused when he was a boy then described how he came to find God after sexual abuse.

Within two days of making that promise to Satan, Kirk was offered a heavy metal recording contract. He could have had all he thought he wanted. But just before he signed it, Kirk had a strange encounter.

A man Kirk had never seen before sat down right next to him in an otherwise empty diner. Kirk got ugly with the man, but the man responded by telling Kirk about the sexual abuse Kirk had endured as a child, events Kirk had never told anyone. The man used the exact names of Kirk’s abusers! The man said God had sent him to tell Kirk that God loved him and God was not responsible for the actions of the young men who had molested him. The man said Jesus was waiting for Kirk to turn his face toward home. After the man left, Kirk got up and chased after him but the man was gone.

Soon after, Kirk says he encountered the spirit of God while sleeping in his rock band’s van. The Light that came to Kirk was so filled with love that Kirk couldn’t remember why he hated God so much.

Kirk never signed that music contract. Instead he found a church and began to grow in his understanding of God. A counselor urged Kirk to forgive those who had abused him. Kirk set out to track down his two abusers and he found them. He asked why they had abused him. They told him their own stories of being abused and of looking at pornography. But since that time, both of those boys, now men, had found God in Jesus Christ, too. The three of them sat down and talked about it and cried and prayed. And Kirk forgave. He says that’s how he got past it.

Kirk now has a wife and children and uses his music for God’s glory.

Jesus loves you, too. No matter who you are, what you’ve done, or what has happened to you. It was not God’s will for evil things to be done to you. Even if you’ve made a promise to the devil, you can break that promise right now and turn your face toward Jesus and home. Jesus will do everything for you that He did for Kirk, because He loves you just as much as He loves Kirk. You truly can find God after sexual abuse.

Copyright ©Dianne E. Butts ( www.delivermebook.blogspot.com). Dianne has over 275 articles and short fiction in more than fifty publications and eighteen books, including the book Deliver Me: True Stories of Unplanned Pregnancy.

Watch Kirk Martin tell his story here:

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Finding God in The Gift of Life Movie

January 12, 2012 By 2 Comments

By Dianne E. Butts:

The new documentary, “The Gift of Life,” premiered in Des Moines, Iowa, on December 14, 2011. People who see it will find God in “The Gift of Life” movie.

The anti-abortion documentary is narrated by former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee. He was present and spoke at the premiere, but he wasn’t the only one.  According to First Read on MSNBC.com, “Michele Bachmann, Newt Gingrich, Rick Perry, and Rick Santorum addressed the 1200 person crowd before the house lights dimmed for the ‘The Gift of Life’ premiere.”

According to the article, “‘I do want you to take note,’ Huckabee told the crowd. ‘There were four candidates who cleared their schedules, and made this a priority event.’”

On the movie’s web site, Huckabee writes, “My own pro-life journey took place in the early 1970s shortly after the January 1973 Roe v. Wade decision was handed down by the United States Supreme Court. By the time I had finished college, in December 1975, I had begun to understand that the decision was a radical departure from the norms of our culture and law.

 “Over the years, I’ve come to believe that this was far more than one of many political issues that needed to be won through legislative and judicial battles. The right to life is a moral issue that can’t be taken from you and should not vary from state to state. ”

Besides Mike Huckabee, the cast of the The Gift of Life movie includes:

  • Sandra Cano, known as “Mary Doe,” in the Doe v. Bolton case
  • Michael Clancy, photographer of the famous “Hand of Hope” photo
  • Carol Everett
  • Rebecca Kiessling, speaker and author of the pamphlet “Conceived in Rape: A Story of Hope” and a pro-life attorney
  • U.S. Representative Chris Smith from New Jersey
  • U.S. Senator Roger Wicker from Mississippi

The Gift of Life movie web site About page states: “The Gift of Life…looks at the lives of individuals who were nearly the victims of an abortion, but through God’s grace were spared. Some went on to great accomplishments. Some may be your neighbors and friends. These stories are all around us.” As viewers see this DVD and God’s grace in the lives of those featured in the film, people will find God in “The Gift of Life” movie.

Here’s the VIDEO with the  movie trailer:

Here, too is a video of Newt Gingrich’s speech at the premiere:

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