Illumination Award for True Worshipers

Anyone writing blogs, books, or articles knows how encouraging it can be to receive good reviews, reports, or comments regarding your work. We all need that boost from time to time to keep going 😉

So, I am happy and thankful to be able to announce that my latest book True Worshipers received a bronze medal in the 2021 Illumination Book Awards, and well in the category Christian Living.

The fact that the book is being noticed, that the jury found it worth reading, and that it deserves an award is an encouragement to me. I know that I wrote this book for a time like this, and if you have not ordered your copy yet... please do so. It is available on Amazon.

The message in the book is based on the conversation Jesus had with the Samaritan woman at the well, as described in John 4. He prophesies that God the Father will be seeking a certain kind of worshipers, people who will worship Him in spirit and truth. An intriguing concept, especially in our time.

👉In the past year, our concept of worship has been challenged, on a worldwide scale. Churches had to close their doors, concerts and big events were canceled, meeting together restricted, and even singing forbidden, etc. Where does that leave us? A challenging question, whether you abide by these restrictions or not...

Of course, I had no idea the world would look like this when I wrote the book back at the beginning of 2020. That makes the message all the more interesting. I hope you will decide to read True Worshipers and evaluate whether you are one of the worshipers the Father is seeking!

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A psalm a day...

In my previous blog I wrote about my #oneword for 2021: connect.

To be honest with you, I find it quite difficult from time to time to stay in close contact with people during these crazy times ... family, friends, readers of my blogs and books. Some people want to connect, others don't;  you have to be careful these days and try to feel and understand where people are in this crisis.

I often pray about it, "Lord, show me what I can do, how I can keep encouraging others and myself." Well, that's how we started our small group at the end of September which is such a precious and joyful time with several ladies.

And that is how last weekend I got the idea to record a series of videos about the psalms. For years there was a sign in our kitchen with the saying: 'An apple a day keeps the doctor away'. I once brought that over from America. And suddenly the thought came to me: 'A psalm a day ...' 

Why not encourage people to read a psalm a day and get something personal out of it? A bit like an antidote to all the negative news. So I now post a very short encouragement (2 minutes) about a psalm every day and with it the challenge to read that psalm out loud and see which verse appeals to you.

Since my personal reflections are in English, people from Georgia, Kazakhstan, Macedonia, Ukraine, Slovakia, and the USA have already joined me in reading through the psalms.

You can follow the video series on my YouTube channel, my IGTV, Facebook, Twitter, and MeWe. Make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel!

My #oneword for 2021

At the beginning of a new year, I often pray for a word. Yes, one word that will become a common thread throughout the upcoming months.

A word that gives color and meaning to the year. After a few days of praying and listening, I finally got my #oneword for 2021 about three weeks ago: connect, or associate, hook up, relate.

My first reaction to that word was one of amazement. Connect? How? We are under worldwide orders to isolate ourselves, to not hang out with other people (well, that is my interpretation). But that first thought led to another thought: Connection contradicts isolation. And so my #oneword turns out to be quite revolutionary; connection is the opposite of isolation.

God's thoughts are opposite to the thoughts of the people in this world. This has always been so, and always will be. The Bible warns against loneliness (it is not good for man to be alone and a sheep that strays from the flock is in danger) and calls believers to look after one another and to keep hospitality a priority. Yes, in good times and bad times.

I see my #oneword for 2021 as a reminder that right in the midst of a world that has gone insane I can/must have a different message, that I can/must extend the invitation of Jesus: Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

I trust that He will show me whom I can 'connect' with from day to day.

Do you have a word for 2021?