Snakes and doves

Have you ever been sent out to do a certain task? 

Maybe you had to sell raffle tickets, gather up a group of people to do some volunteer work, visit someone and bring a message, or go to some foreign country to preach Jesus.

Sending out

Whatever the case, such 'sending out' is often accompanied by a wish for good luck, farewells, warnings (be careful, come back as quick as you can), and lots of advice of course.

When Jesus sent out His twelve disciples, He said this:

I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves [Matthew 10:16].

One or the other

Uh, excuse me Lord? You want me to be as a snake and as a dove? I don't think that will go very well together. It's either one or the other, right? One is either clever or stupid, extravert or introvert, loud or quiet, obnoxious or sweet. Oh, how we love to add labels and put people in boxes. We don't even realize how much we limit ourselves when we do so.

Perfect example

God is different. With Him all things are possible and He wouldn't be God if He had not set the perfect example Himself. Jesus is the Lamb of God and the Lion of Judah. Yeah, both the lamb and the lion. Jesus displayed tender compassion as well as harsh anger. He is the judge as well as the savior.

We have a tendency to accept the side of God we like the most and ignore the rest. But, let's not forget, God is love but He is also just. Yes, God loves the sinner but hates the sin. Yes, God forgives but He also corrects and disciplines.

Pure in an evil world

When Jesus says we should be shrewd as snakes and innocent as doves, He is not asking for the impossible. He wants us to be pure in an evil world. He wants us to be determined and yet dependent on Him. He wants us to be outspoken and diplomatic at the same time. He gives us both courage and meekness, power and love, alertness and rest.

In Him, we will have the perfect balance. In Him, we will speak up when necessary and be silent when required.

You have been called by God

In my previous blog post, I wrote that we all have something particular to do for God.

God calls each person to do works that He has prepared in advance (Ephesians 2:10) which I find very exciting. Shouldn't we all go on a quest to find out what it is? In the Bible, we see that age doesn't matter, circumstances don't matter, and background doesn't matter.

One of the tips I gave in my previous blog was to get inspired by reading the Bible, by the men and women that went before us. Such a man was Paul. He wrote in Ephesians 4:1,

Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.

He wrote this to the believers in Ephesus, not to a particular person. His urging and encouragement were general and we can take his words to heart, even today! 👉As a matter of fact, I urge you my dear readers: 'You have been called by God.' I am not talking about a phone call here, but about the mission He has for you.

Maybe you don't know whether you are called to write or sing or preach or start a business. No panic! The apostle Paul continued his writing with this: Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.

Now that is a calling we should all say YES to. The works God has prepared for each of us cannot and should not be done without practicing the right attitude. Who cares if you're successful but a pain in the butt?

We live in a crazy world where it is possible to lack good character and yet be successful. But God's standard is different. He does not want us to be all over the place, doing a zillion different things. We are called for something greater. Ephesians 4:4 says,

For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future.

If you could ask for one thing

If you could ask one thing of the Lord, what would it be? Restoration of health or finances? Peace in your country or in your heart? Family members to turn to God? The answer to that question is probably different for everyone.

A long time ago, God asked King Solomon that question and the King answered: 'Give me wisdom and knowledge that I may lead Your people'. And so King Solomon became the wisest man that ever lived and God added wealth, possessions, and honor like no other king ever had (you can read that amazing story in 2 Chronicles 1).

Health is important, but so are peace and wisdom. I was reading Psalm 19 in my New Living Translation and I noticed God offers all that we need, in His Word. Take a look at verses 7 and 8.

• The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. Oh my goodness, how I need that every day! My health depends on a thriving soul!
• The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. Yes, please Lord, yes, let it be me!
• The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart. I know the joy of the Lord will be my strength, I need it!
• The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living. I must have this in an ever-changing world that seems to have gone insane.

Such riches in God's Word: instructions, decrees (laws), commandments, and commands. 👉We may not always embrace such terms, but they are filled with spiritual riches. I discovered that in my own life when I started my writing journey.

While working on the book series about the Ten Commandments, I received a totally different perspective on God's laws and regulations. They are not restrictions, on the contrary, they offer great opportunities to heal our souls, to make us wise, to bring us joy, and to give us all the insight we will possibly need!

Writer's muse

Due to lack of inspiration for a quick blog post (which none of you suffer from, I suppose), I rummaged through the bins of the past and came upon something I wrote many years ago, just after finishing my first book (how interesting)...

When He spoke, the world was created. You can find those words in Psalm 33:9. Besides the world, He created you and me and He embedded His creating power in us (by giving us His Holy Spirit). That is why we love to build, design, fabricate and invent. That is why we love to write!

Never before would I have thought it possible to write so much about just two verses in the Bible, like I did in Sacred Sabbath. It tells me something about the enormous impact of God's words. If just two verses give enough inspiration for a book, just imagine how many books are hidden in the Bible! People get inspired every day, all over the world, when reading God's word.

Think again about that word 'inspired', it means in-spirit. I don't get inspired because I am so good and wonderful, it is because the Spirit is alive in me. He shows me things I simply could not see before. Reading God's word must be like being with Jesus. The gospel of John ends with these words: Now, there are many other things that Jesus did. If they were all written down one by one, I suppose that the whole world could not hold the books that would be written!

Wow, I am looking forward to endless inspiration! Isn't that every author's dream?

PS: Are you sometimes looking for inspiration in the weirdest places?

Trees can talk

Well, yeah... it's the month of December. That calls for rummaging through old notebooks and journals... just for remembrance sake. It also calls for short blog posts, because no one has time to read them.

I just LOVE going through old spiritual journals. Reading the old entries takes me back to the excitement of being a new believer. It takes me back to discovering truth and reading the Bible with eyes open for the first time. The other day I was going through some of my musings and found something that, I believe, is worth sharing...

The few lines I wrote down that day capture the essence of fresh faith: being surprised and excited about everything that can be learned from His Word! And that excitement captures the birth of this weblog Fresh Insights on Ancient Truths as well.

March 7, 2005

"Lord, what do I know about you? What do I really understand about everything You created? According to your Word stones can listen (Joshua 24:27) and trees can talk (Judges 9:9). That goes against everything I know to be the truth. Just because I never heard a tree (or a donkey for that matter) speak, doesn't mean it is impossible. Everything is possible with God!"

Just being curious:

Do you use this month to look back on the past year, and do you ever go through old journals?

Happiest church

At the moment I am reading an interesting and inspirational book. It is called Faith under Fire, written by Andrew White (the vicar of Baghdad).

Apart from my own books and books by fellow bloggers, I hardly ever recommend or review books on this blog (simply because by doing so, people will try to put me in a box). But books about the world wide (persecuted) church really have a place in my heart. They ALWAYS teach me important life lessons. At some point Andrew White writes:

"Despite the fact that St. George's is constantly under fire, it is the happiest church I have ever served in..."

That one sentence jumped off the page and I thought: wow... It puts things in perspective, doesn't it?

Father, forgive us for being spoiled...

The Moses Conspiracy blog tour

Most bloggers are writers, or... should I say: most writers are blogggers? Whatever the case, blogging is a great way to improve our writing and to be part of an online community. A community where we inspire, encourage and help one another in our writing efforts.

Today the spotlight is on fellow blogger and author Susan Reinhardt. We've been keeping an eye on each other's blogs for I don't know how long. I love Susan's Friday Roundup's and I am thrilled to hear that she has published her first novel: The Moses Conspiracy. This debut novel is now available as e-book on Amazon and I highly recommend it. When Susan sent me a copy of her thriller I started reading immediately and I must say I was pleasantly surprised! Her writing is vivid and full of suspense. It's hard to put the book down once you've started.

Her writing journey is an inspiration for every wanna-be-author. Susan shared about her writing process on Cecelia Lester's blog: "The first draft took 4 months, but then I had to learn how to write fiction. I cut my writing teeth on this book. There were multiple re-writes while I shopped it around. It took 8 years to write, get a contract, and an agent. The journey was far from easy. From 2006-2007, I wrote very little due to my husband's battle with leukemia, death, and subsequent challenges. When I came through the grief process, I knew I had to finish the book both in his memory and because I felt the Lord had directed me to write it."

Here's a quick blurb:

A trip to post-terrorized Washington, D.C. in 2025 and a buggy accident in  Bird-in-Hand, PA set in motion events that expose a diabolical plan to destroy the Christian community. Ellie and John  Zimmerman find themselves embroiled in a life-threatening investigation, fighting a shadowy enemy.

Convinced it's now safe to visit D.C., Ellie and her firstborn, 8-year-old Peter, travel to the nation's capital. Both mother and child make an effort to enjoy the sights, but they're unprepared for the challenges they face. Her nightmares come true when she and Peter are separated.

You can find Susan here:

http://www.susanjreinhardt.com
http://twitter.com/susanjreinhardt
Interview I did with her back in 2011!

GOODmorning!

Hallelujah!

Let all creation testify...

Gospel of Luke inspires

This is the 4th blog post in my series on the Gospel of Luke, again... viewed from a different perspective. Grab your head phones, turn up the volume and listen...

Happy weekend!

Interview with Cecelia Lester

I am delighted to host an interview with fellow blogger Cecelia Lester. She writes from her heart on her blog Following My King and I am happy and thankful that she graciously agreed to answer the questions I emailed her. Let's get to know Cecelia a little better...

Please, introduce yourself… anything special we need to know about Cecelia Lester?

Hello Marja, Thanks for having me on your blog. I am happy to be here.  My name is Cecelia Lester. My dad gave my mother a lapel pin that was a little Dutch girl with blonde braids. He called it ‘Cecelia.’ Hence, my mother chose to name me that. I am an encourager, it’s one of my spiritual gifts. One of my local friends sent me a card reminding me. I have a few bad habits that I am trying to break. I am a pack rat. I am easily discouraged by people; but I get my encouragement from Jesus. I am married to my husband,Jim, for 44 years. We have a grown son who lives in Kansas.

How and when did you start your blog?

In planning for the presentation of one of my plays for Good Friday 2007, I was talking to our pastor. I told him I wanted to share my writing with others. He suggested that I start a blog. My first attempt wasn’t very good. I tried to make my blog work on the first site but in July 2008 I moved Quiet Spirit-following my king to Blogger. 

What is your drive behind blogging? What do you hope to accomplish?

My mission statement says: “Quiet Spirit writes with the focus to minister to those who hurt, to them who search for God, and those who wish to have a closer walk with Jesus.”

Your word for 2013 is GRACE. Any reason why you picked that?

Last fall, I reviewed a book by Max Lucado, GRACE: more than we deserve-greater than we imagine. I fell in love with the concept. Several years ago, the church I was in studied Philip Yancey’s What’s So Amazing About Grace? From time to time I need a refresher course in the basics of my beliefs.

You live in Indiana. Please tell us, fellow bloggers, why we should come and see your state.

Our state park system is wonderful. We have park land set aside at different locations throughout the state from Indiana Dunes in the northwest to Clifty Falls in the southeast. Our Indianapolis Motor Speedway presents the Indy 500 the end of May and the Brickyard 400 the end of July or first of August. The fall is a beautiful time of the year in Indiana. The leaves dress themselves in reds, yellows, and golds .

Top three on your ‘places-to-see list…

1.) New England, 2.) Mount Rushmore and 3.) Yellowstone or Carlsbad Caverns (Yes, I like to travel.)

If the whole world could see your bumper sticker, what would it say?

“What would our world look like if we all followed the Golden Rule?”

Do you have any authors or specific books that have been an inspiration to you?

Having worked in a library for a few years, I became interested in several authors: John Grisham, Nicholas Sparks, James Patterson, Beverly Lewis, and Janet Evanovich. (I started reading John Grisham before I went to work at that library.) The first Christian author I read was Catherine Marshall. I have read most of the Left Behind series by Tim La Haye and Jerry B. Jenkins I have on my desk another book by Max Lucado. On my coffee table I have two books by Lauraine Snelling, Ruby and Pearl.

Any words of encouragement to us bloggers?

It is a privilege to read your blogs. It is an honor to become friends with a lot of you. Keep up writing your blogs. 

Thank you Cecelia, for taking the time to tell us a bit more about yourself, your writing and your influences. We truly appreciate your quiet spirit!
Cecelia can be found here:

Website: Quiet Spirit
Weblog: Following My King
Cecelia also contributes a weekly column at Live as if...

Talent & the Kingdom (6)

So far we have learned a lot from Jesus's words regarding the parable of the talents:

• The advancing of the Kingdom is an assignment for the believers
• Jesus will ask us what we have done with the talents he gave us
• Building God's Kingdom is not an option!
• God is still the owner of our talents, we are the stewards
• Everyone has received at least one talent from God

Let's go back to His words, one more time. Matthew 25:14-15 says, Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. What struck me the most in this scripture is the part where it says 'each according to his ability'. That shows the love and care and precision of our heavenly Father. We will receive just what we can handle, something that fits our personality. That means our talent is unique for the building of Gods Kingdom.

We are able to do something in a way, no one else can. Of course, there are many people with a writing talent. Personally I know hundreds of people who do a much better job than I do. My writing talent in itself is not so special. But... my writing talent in combination with my character, background, humor, and knowledge is very special! The way I see things, perceive things, process things in my mind and the way I add a  personal touch to a story... THAT makes my talent unique.

So it is with your talent. Maybe nothing special in itself... But, in combination with your unique personality, experiences and background it becomes a unique tool for God. He desires to use everything and everyone to spread His Word and Truth around the globe; whether we use a pen, brush, screwdriver, or crochet hook!

Moving forward...

Discouraged? Disappointed? Tired? Writers block?

Great! You're on the right track.

No sweat, no glory.

Keep writing!

We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

[1 Thessalonians 1:3]

Interview with Dawn Paoletta

It is my pleasure to host an interview with fellow blogger Dawn Paoletta who writes at Beneath the Surface. She is an aspiring author, seeking to be published. Well, who isn't :) Please, take a cup of coffee, sit back and enjoy as Dawn shares part of her writing journey ...

Please, introduce yourself… anything special we need to know about Dawn Paoletta?

Well, I love bottomless cups of coffee, long conversations, living like a local tourist, contemplating deep thoughts (silly ones, too) and quietness. I am married to my best friend Angelo, have one sweet girl, Katherine (11)  as well as 2 cats,1 dog and a bunny! What you need to know is how amazingly aware I am that this life that I am living is a mist. I am on a mission to know, love and serve Jesus Christ every second with every breath He allows me to breathe. I fail daily and rely fully on His grace. The older I get the less I care about what others think and the more I see His beauty, grace and joy everywhere. 

How and when did you start your blog?

I started this blog after I suffered a hip injury last Memorial Day weekend of 2011. I had been feeling strongly that I needed to share my writing for a while, but once I was unable to work, teach class, do nothing but sit, it was as if God whispered, "Now." I also had gone on a white water rafting trip with my daughter's Girl Scout group about two weeks prior to the injury and I had so many God insights about our river guide, I felt I would bust if I did not share! The whole trip felt like one amazing adventure of God saying, "See me here", "I'm like this", this is "how I am with you"...and I really felt for two weeks after as I burned with insights that God was pressing within me to share what He showed me...publically, but I was a bit clueless about how to go about it. I finally got the blog started and it was my second post: The River, The Journey and The Guide. I think it reflects my writing "voice" and style on the blog pretty accurately, although I have been told that my writing has developed and changed over the course of the year.

Have you taken any steps to become a published author?

Funny you should ask. One of those God affirmations came in the form of a wonderful local book coach, who has given me the gift of a manual and some input to start. I started a Fiction Murder Mystery, which is a tale of redemption, which I shelved. I feel God is leading me to write something closer to home. I have a title and some of the outline. It is about some of my more recent lessons in life. It is written with the same voice I bring to my blog. My goal is to use the manual Lisa Tener gave me back in March to as she says "bring my book to life"! I am hoping to have a first draft by the end of this year. God willing. OK, really, God is willing, I need to be more disciplined to see it through to completion.

What role does your faith in God play in your daily life?

I love the verse in Acts: In Him we live and move and have our being. That sums a lot of my daily life up. I want to be like that tree planted by the water, in Jeremiah 17: fearless, confident in Him. God used those verses to speak to me when I was a new Christian. I know what it is like to lean on the arm of flesh. I have learned much the hard way. Now I want to abide in Him and exalt His name, forever and encourage others to do likewise! 

Can you give us a few good/fun reasons why we should visit Rhode Island?

Oh, Yes! Rhode Island may be the smallest state but there is so much beauty to be seen, here. We have the most beautiful coastline and lovely state parks as well. We have amazing diversity from rural farm areas and hiking to an amazingly active Capitol city which remains fairly easy to get around, visit and enjoy the sites. I am actually getting ready to do a series called The Local Tourist where I will regularly feature Rhode Island's sweet spots and unique places to visit! 

What writing-related struggle have you overcome?

I think learning to be concise. Not rambling. Yet, if you know me that's how I talk. So I have to overcome myself when I write! That's where God helps me. But the issue I am trying to overcome right now is directing some of my writing time into the book I am writing. I believe I need to discipline myself, prioritize and focus on writing daily for this book. I look at the blog as my place to "workout" in writing. Like an athlete training for his specific sport or event. I am stretching and working my writing muscles at my blog space! I enjoy blogging so much...I feel like I was meant to do it. However, my heart's desire has always been to be a published author; I never even knew what a blog was until a couple of years ago.

Top three tips from you as an ACE Certified Personal Trainer and Lifestyle & Weight Management Coach. 

1. Listen to your body & keep it simple (except when it says eat chips in front of the Telly!). Just because everyone else is doing the latest fitness trend does not make it right for your body, mind and lifestyle! Our bodies were made to move. It's not as hard as you think. Learn to enjoy bending, stretching and the way the body is designed to move, that is the beginning! 

2. A little is better than nothing. The battle is in the mind but the victory will come when you act - the Just Do It campaign works. The feelings follow the action. Just move a little and see.  Choice is a powerful thing. You can train yourself to like healthier foods and exercise regularly...one step at a time. Take the first step, then the next. Don't over think it. It's easier than we make it out to be!

3. Try new things! Balance is about rolling with what comes your way and remaining flexible, consistent.  Our lives change and so do our preferences. The sport that worked when you were in college may not be the thing for you today. I think there are many ways to stay active and make healthier choices.  If you have never been successful with a program, keep exploring options for movement. Don't quit seeking. Simply walk, or even try ballroom dancing. Be an exercise explorer. Never give up giving yourself grace to start again...just like in our walk with the Lord!

Any words of encouragement to us bloggers?

Well, I am still new but I have learned a lot. I think the best thing I can say is live your life like a local tourist. Everywhere you go and everything you see is a story, a lesson or a poem waiting to be expressed and shared. Every single moment presents an opportunity to learn, teach, and be stretched. I carry a journal everywhere I go- I think everyone should. I explore and experience everything as an inquisitive visitor to this world. Pretend you're on assignment from God to investigate and discover hidden gems in every place you go and every person you talk to. Expect miracles. He is everywhere!

Make sure to visit Fitness For The Fainthearted

Has waiting paralyzed you?

I don't know your situation, but maybe you are waiting to start your own business or ministry or plan... maybe yo are waiting for the right moment, the right people, the right money to come your way. A healthy and biblical measure of waiting and planning is good for any dream to succeed, but sometimes we wait so long that we end up doing nothing at all... Has waiting paralyzed you?

Courage

This past weekend I worked on one of my monthly articles for a Christian magazine in Holland. I wrote about courage, or maybe I should say: on people who have lost courage. I see that happening all around me, people who have given up... God, however, is looking for men and women of courage. Will He find you?

Guest at Heading Home

Today I am honored to be a guest at Lynn Mosher's blog Heading Home.

She posted my article The Essentials. Have you ever packed your suitcase too full? Have you ever been on a trip where you discovered your luggage was way too heavy to carry? That is often how we plan a new day, week or even year too, way too much stuff. Hop on over to Lynn's and be blessed with some great tips to plan your time wisely. Enjoy and happy weekend!

Call to action

How majestic...

This past Thanksgiving weekend we went on a camping trip. We stayed at Jalama Beach in Southern California. The weather was a pleasant 80F (yes!), perfect for long walks on the beach.

We really took time to talk with the Lord and each other about pressing matters concerning our work and ministry. We enjoyed camp fires and cup-o-noodles, I read 3 books, believe it or not, and have set some short term goals for my writing. All in all an inspiring weekend, my motivation is back!

Jalama Beach is in a pretty deserted area along the coast, so at night the stars are just spectacular! The sunsets were absolutely beautiful too. We were in awe, as the psalmist was:

When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?

[Psalm 8:3-4]

May I ask, what do you do to get inspired and motivated again?

Very short sermon