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The Millimeter Miracle!

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I had planned to take this week off from writing my Monday Morning Blog, but after the attempted assassination of President Trump while we were on vacation last week, and Biden pulling out of the presidential race, I feel I can’t wait another week to share what the Lord’s been revealing to me.

Like so many other history-making events in the past, I’ll never forget where I was when my texts started blowing up with the news of the horrific, satanic, cowardly attempt to take President Trump’s life. Dave and I were enjoying a meet-and-greet party at our son’s house in North Carolina where we were meeting our grandson’s bride-to-be and her family the night before their wedding the next day. We were surrounded by family members and friends we hadn’t seen in years and looking forward to seeing our new six-month-old great-grandbaby and her mommy, neither of which we had met yet. It was a joyful gathering and then the conversation turned to President Trump’s harrowing experience as new details filled all our phones.

There was relief that Trump would be ok, but sadness to learn that a rally attender was murdered while shielding his wife and two daughters from the bullets and two others were critically injured. How did this happen? Why did this happen? As I write this blog, we still don’t have those answers and I wonder if we ever will.

Why have so many Democrats, liberals, media pundits, and progressives, including the Biden Administration, tried to silence and gag Donald J. Trump and his supporters during this presidential campaign? Why are they so afraid of a fair political fight? They’ve tried to intimidate him, falsely impeach him, imprison him, take him off the ballot, and now eliminate him? I think it’s because . . .

Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. John 3:20

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. 1 John 1:7

They’re afraid that Trump will uncover and expose the evil, selfish, corrupt deeds they’ve undemocratically imposed on the American people in order to destroy America for personal and political gain, greed, and power. I don’t care who they nominate to replace Biden, the Democrat political platform and agenda is demonic and evil. Those who subscribe to it have been deceived by lies.

Trump doesn’t even need to reveal their lies and demonic platform. God is doing it for him. For example, all Trump had to do was show up at the debate, and Biden showed the world the great four-year cover up that he is not capable of leading America. Someone else is obviously running the White House and every person and media pundit who swore he was capable, was lying. Most of us who are paying attention already knew that. Now, with the dark deceit and deception exposed to the light, it can’t be denied. Just as when light hits cockroaches, they’re all scrambling for cover and cover up.

Speaking To The ‘Never-Trumpers’

I’m sure some in my broad mailing list don’t like President Trump. You are still talking about the mean tweets, even though he hasn’t been on Twitter, now X, for four years. It’s hard for you to admit that life was so much better during his administration because you don’t like him personally. I don’t know all your issues, but here are some that I’ve heard from Never Trumpers:

  • Trump’s been divorced and married three times. Well Reagan was divorced and married twice. Did you hold that against him? I’ve been divorced and married twice too. Do you hold that against me? I know God hates divorce, but He also gave us free will and some of us, or our spouses, made poor choices in our earlier years. I was unequally yoked because I didn’t have wise mentoring as a young college grad. I’ve asked God for forgiveness and received God’s grace to marry my husband of thirty-two years, Dave, and become a Christian author, speaker, and director of Woman to Woman Mentoring and About His Work Ministries. 
  • Things Trump’s said and done in the past. When I looked at a list of things Never-Trumpers claimed he said or did, most of them have been debunked, even though the media and Democrats continue to tout the misquotes and lies. King David actually raped another man’s wife and when he impregnated her, he had her husband killed. Yet, God called David a man after his own heart and used David in the lineage of Jesus Christ. David had consequences like the loss of the son he and Bathsheba conceived, but then God gave them Solomon. Many of us find solace in reading King David’s Psalms, which are a favorite part of our beloved Bible. God can turn our past into purpose, and I do believe that’s what he’s going to do with President Trump.
  • Trump’s Language. I’ll admit I cringe a lot too, or at least I did. But in his 90-minute Republican National Convention (RNC) speech, he didn’t say one cuss word!! He mentioned that a few months ago Franklin Graham had asked him to not use foul language and he said, “the last four or five times I’ve been good.” So, he knows and he’s trying! Trump also said, “I humbly ask for your vote.” He used the word humble at least twice and when he gave tribute to the fireman who was killed by one of the assassin’s bullets, Trump quoted, “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.” 1 John 3:16

I say to every “never-Trumper,” he who has never sinned, go ahead and throw the first verbal barb. But oh yeah, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) We’re voting for a platform, not a personality!

A Changed Man Still in the Fight

Near-death experiences change you forever. When I had my first diagnosis of breast cancer, I wasn’t sure if I would live or die. But I experienced a serenity of either being with the Lord for eternity, or if God spared me, knowing He had a purpose for my life that I had not yet tapped into. Obviously, I lived and actually lived through two more breast cancer scares. It changes you. In the Introduction to my book Dear God, They Say It’s Cancer, I wrote: “I continuously seek a new term to describe the ordeal because I’m more than just a “survivor”; I’m also a “winner”! You see, there is a spiritual battle going on around us—a battle for our souls, our hearts, and our minds—and God does not want us merely to survive this battle. He assures us that with His help we will be victorious. Wounded but not defeated. Not just surviving, implying we barely make it, but energized by running the race, staying the course, and fighting the good fight. Somehow, some way, we will be better women because of this experience.

I don’t feel I just survived’ rather, I believe God had a purpose and a plan in my breast cancer. He wanted my heart to break for every woman going through this. He intended for me to write this book and speak freely so others also might find purpose in their breast cancer.”

If you heard President Trump’s RNC speech, you heard him describe in detail the events of his near assassination. He said that might be the last time we hear him talk about it because it’s just too painful to recall. I wrote exactly that in Dear God, They Say It’s Cancer: “It took me months to write the first words of this book. I wanted so badly for you to have it in your hands, but every time I thought about putting my journey into words, it seemed too painful. Finally, I cried out to God to release what was holding me back and discovered that freeing power came when I wrote through the pain and despite the pain.”

Many of us have prayed for President Trump for years, and yes, we always pray that he will grow closer in his relationship with God. Escaping a near death experience will do that for you.

In President Trump’s case, the bullet missed blowing off the side of his face by ¼ inch, even closer than a millimeter, as he tilted his head to look at a graphic on the screen. His son, Eric, said his father’s Guardian Angel protected him. He usually shows that graphic towards the end of his speech, but in Buttler, Pennsylvania, he went off script and asked to show it just before the bullets started flying. When he showed the graphic at the RNC, he mentioned he never got to see it in Buttler, but it providentially saved his life turning to look at it. A Millimeter Miracle!

 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. Gen 50:20

Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. Phil. 1:12

Following are some direct quotes from President Trump the week following the attempted assassination.

  • On Truth Social, Trump acknowledged it was divine providence that spared him and an act of God: “Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers yesterday, as it was God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening. We will FEAR NOT, but instead remain resilient in our Faith and Defiant in the face of Wickedness. Our love goes out to the other victims and their families. We pray for the recovery of those who were wounded, and hold in our hearts thememory of the citizen who was so horribly killed.”
  • “It was God who helped me!”
  • “It changes your attitude, your viewpoint on life. Honestly, you appreciate God even more!”
  • “I’m not supposed to be here tonight, and yet, I stand here before you in this arena only by the grace of Almighty God who had other plans!”
  • Referring to when he dropped down after sensing something flying by his right ear and bringing his hand down full of blood knowing it was a bullet: “The amazing thing is I felt safe. I felt serene because I had God on my side.”
  • “None of us knows God’s plan for us. If I learned anything from last Saturday (July 13th), every moment we have on earth is a gift from God.”

To that, I, Janet, say Amen.

Pray for Former President and Republican Presidential Nominee Donald J. Trump’s Spiritual Transformation, Growth, and Reliance on God!

“I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, in order that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.” 1 Timothy 2:1-2 (NASB)

Twice in the last week, I’ve heard President Trump mention how his father took him to Yankee Stadium to hear Reverend Billy Graham. He’s remembering his spiritual roots. We must keep praying for President Trump because he can’t help but experience some PTSD from such a traumatic experience. Since he knows and acknowledges that it was God who saved him for such a time as this, our prayers can help him overcome any negative feelings as we celebrate with him a victory over an evil attempt to take him down.

I don’t know why God chose to use adulterer and murderer King David, or secular King Cyrus (Chr. 36-22-23, Ezra 1:1-2), and I don’t know why God’s using Donald J. Trump to make America great again. But I do believe God has called him and will protect him and use him to save America physically, globally, economically, and spiritually. When you consider the many evil attempts to discredit and destroy Trump, yet he still prevails, I think we need to agree with Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who was President Trump’s Press Secretary and now the youngest governor in the United States and the first female governor of Arkansas, when she said at the RNC:

President Trump’s immediate reaction to the assassination attempt was captured in the iconic picture of him standing amongst Secret Service agents under the American flag with his fist in the air and blood streaming down his face, telling us to not give up or give in but to “Fight, Fight, Fight!”

We too must not lose heart, give up, or give in! However God leads you in the next four months to fight the spiritual and political battle, we can turn this all into good. We can help bring back civility, love for fellow man, and most importantly our dependence on, respect for, and love of God our Great Creator, Provider, and Ruler!

For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. Phil. 2:13

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Rom. 8:28

Join the Fight for this Election Write Now! Join the My Faith Votes 2024 Presidential Election Letter Writing Campaign to encourage registered Christian voters in swing states to vote on November 5. We’re on a mission to motivate and equip Christians to Pray Think Vote in every election.

I’m sure you have some thoughts about this blog. Please leave a comment here and I’ll reply.

July 22, 2024
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5 Examples of How to Join God in Bringing Good Out of Evil Intent

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How Does God Want Us to Bring Good Out of Evil?

I struggled with what to write this week. As I prayed, God kept bringing to mind two thoughts: Lying always backfires and evil is being exposed.

If you haven’t read my last two blog posts, I hope you will. I’ve received many encouraging comments that they might be the best I’ve ever written and to that I say, “To God be the Glory!” I honestly never know what He’s going to ask me to share with you. I pray and sit down at the computer and suddenly I have a blog post. I often read it later and am amazed at what I wrote. Only God.

10 Things You Can Do in a World Gone Mad!

How Not Mentoring Millennials Implodes a Political Party. What Can the Church Learn?

Everyone Knows The Difference Between Good and Evil

Since Satan enticed Adam and Eve to eat from the fruit of the Tree of Good and Evil in the Garden of Eden, humanity has known the difference between good and evil, truth and lies.

15 The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it.16 But the Lord God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden— 17 except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.” Genesis 2:15-17 (NLT)

Satan: “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Genesis 3:5

Everyone, even those who choose to do evil and lie, has a conscience. They know the difference between right and wrong . . . except maybe psychopaths

It’s a matter of whether we choose to make evil or good our guiding life force. Tell the truth or lie to our own advantage. You don’t have to be a Christian to make that choice. Even unbelievers can do good and be truthful.

[Tweet “Our choices between good and evil usually come down to whether we’re self-centered or other-centered.”]

Our choices between good and evil usually come down to whether we’re self-centered or other-centered. Caring only about our own selfish desires or caring more about others than ourselves. Again, you don’t have to be a Christian to make the choice to do good, but Christians should always make that choice.

When I hear politicians and pro-choice advocates expound that every woman should have a choice with her body, I want someone to challenge them with asking, “A choice to do what? Good or evil?”

Let’s look at 5 examples of how we can join God in bringing good out of evil intents.

1. Abortion

Many agree that abortion is evil, but until recently how many really did anything about it. Yes, there were annual walks for life and pro-life advocates, but few people, even Christians, let the murder of innocent babies keep them awake at night or invade their everyday life.

Then abortion went to the next level of infanticide and everyone started taking notice. When New York approved abortion up and through delivery and lit up the city in pink to celebrate this evil, the governor of Virginia told us in graphic terms that a baby who survives an abortion could be left to die, and Congress voted to legalize infanticide . . . suddenly we were kept up at night. We were appalled. We couldn’t ignore that 50 million innocent souls are tortured to death in their mommy’s tummy every year.

[Tweet “We can’t ignore that 50 million innocent souls are tortured to death in their mommy’s tummy every year.”]

Social media lit up with graphic pictures and descriptions of the atrocities of abortion. The mainstream liberal media, as usual, wouldn’t touch the topic, but FOX News did. You’d have to be a hermit today to not know what happens to babies during abortion.

So how could this publicity about the atrocities of abortion be used for good?

Pushing the envelope to late-term abortions and infanticide has now made abortion a topic of discussion and disgust.

There’s renewed hope and fervor for overturning Roe vs Wade. We must keep the momentum going when the publicity dies down.

We can’t become complacent again while murder of innocent babies happens in our own hometowns every single day!

Women who have long suffered with the guilt of abortion have an opportunity to use their story for good by sharing their testimonies and turning the bad in their life into good by helping to save more babies. We can pray for these mothers and share with them the forgiveness that comes through a relationship with Jesus Christ.

A young dad who had no say in the death of his own baby when his girlfriend chose abortion, has now brought an unprecedented legal case for the rights of fathers.

We can send a message to Congress that all newborn babies should be welcomed with warmth and care, and join thousands of Americans in a End Birth Day Abortion campaign.

End birthday abortion. Stop infaniticide.

[Tweet “See the movie Unplanned releasing March 29. Tell all your friends about this movie and encourage mothers to take their teenage daughters and sons.“]

Go see the movie Unplanned releasing March 29. The true story of former Planned Parenthood Director, Abby Johnson, who suddenly saw the evils of abortion and became a pro-life advocate. A former abortion doctor has a role in the movie also.

Tell all your friends about Unplanned and encourage mothers to take their teenage daughters and sons. The movie is by the same producers who made God’s Not Dead. It has an R rating only because Hollywood promotes abortion and they’re trying to discourage people from seeing it.

[Tweet “Only God could bring out the movie Unplanned at a time when abortion is in the national discussion. We can work with God in helping publicize it.”]

Only God could bring this movie out at a time when the atrocities of all abortion is the topic of national discourse. We can work with God in helping publicize Unplanned.

[Tweet “An evil world has made killing babies a political issue. Abortion is a criminal issue. Make it your spiritual issue“]

An evil world has made killing babies a political issue. Abortion is a criminal issue. Make it your spiritual issue.

God created each baby in His image with a unique fingerprint and DNA from the moment of conception. Let’s not be satisfied until the world acknowledges this truth.

As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive. — Genesis 50:20 NASB

2. The Mueller Investigation

I know you’re saying, “How could that be used for good?” We’re all so sick of it and it has plagued our president since before he even took office. Now he’s vindicated!

But consider that if there had been no investigation, would we have ever known about the corruption of some in the FBI and Justice Department? Those evil men and women who chose to put their own political interests before the good of the country have been exposed.

And the lies, lies, and more lies of the mainstream liberal media and politicians during this investigation are now boomeranging on them as the Mueller report is released.

Let’s pray for a revival of honesty and truth in our government and that our country can begin to heal. Corruption would continue to be eradicated and God would be brought back into our schools. We would vote into office godly public officials. It starts with we the people!

“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.

Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes
    and clever in their own sight.

22 Woe to those . . . who acquit the guilty for a bribe,
    but deny justice to the innocent.”  Isaiah 5:20-21, 23

3. Democrat Presidential Candidates Running on a Platform of Socialism/Communism

I know again, how could this be good? It’s not. Socialism is evil, but the younger generation and school age kids aren’t being taught that in school. This is our chance to educate them on the evils of socialism, which leads to communism and a dictatorship.

[Tweet “We have a choice. Take action or stay silent while Democrat candidates lie about the freebies of socialism without exposing how it ruins countries.”]

Again, we have a choice. Take action or stay silent while these candidates lie about the freebies of socialism without exposing how it ruins countries and lives. Speak out against their platforms and mentor truth to the next generation. If you don’t, who will?

“For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people.” 1 Peter 2:15

4. Suffering

It’s hard to find good in suffering. It’s painful. Dreadful. Costly. Debilitating. Destructive. And yet, it happens to most of us at some time in our life. We try to avoid it by taking good care of our bodies, eating healthy, exercising, and taking vitamins. But one day we can’t outrun the diagnosis that stops us in our tracks. We want to deny it, but we can’t.

While in the moment it seems all about us, maybe God actually wants us to use our suffering to help others.

When I first had breast cancer, I wanted to go through surgery and treatment and then move on with my life. The last thing I wanted to do was identify as a breast cancer survivor. Then God took hold of my heart and I wrote the book I wished I had going through my cancer journey, Dear God, They Say It’s Cancer: A Companion Guide for Women on the Breast Cancer Journey. I’ve had many women tell me it was like God and I were walking along beside them during their breast cancer.

I’ll never know how many women God has used to turn evil cancer into a blessing for other breast cancer sisters.

“Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church.” Colossians 1:24

5. Sin

No matter how good we try to be, the evils of sin enter our life often through our wrong choices. But here’s the Good News: at Calvary God traded evil for good. The horrible death of Jesus Christ by evil men, and His ultimate resurrection, ushered in the amazing opportunity of salvation for everyone who chooses to believe in Jesus and receive forgiveness for his or her sins.

23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. 24 Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. 25 For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, 26 for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he makes sinners right in his sight when they believe in Jesus. Romans 3:23-26 NLT

[Tweet “For believers, evil doesn’t have the last word in our life. No matter how evil the world becomes, we know that this world is not our final home.”]

For believers, evil doesn’t have the last word in our life. No matter how evil the world becomes, we know that this world is not our final home. We must share that Good News with everyone we know who might not be joining us in eternity.

The best way to exemplify the goodness of our Holy God is to let our Light shine in the midst of a dark unholy world.

“Do all things without grumbling or disputing, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast to the word of life . . . .” Philippians 2:14-16

We each have a choice:

Stay silent about evil or expose it.

Turn our backs on evil or work with God to bring good out of it.

“Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.” Romans 12:21(NLT)

Will you share in the comments where you’ve worked with God to bring good out of what Satan meant for evil.

If you received this blog by email, please leave a comment here.

You might also enjoy a slide how I wrote for Crosswalk.com 10 Powerful Gifts to Pass to the Next Generation. 

March 25, 2019
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Liz Curtis Higgs Reminds Us: God Is More Faithful Than the Pizza Man

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Liz Curtis Higgs reminds us that God is more faithful than the pizza man

Did you notice there wasn’t a Monday Morning Blog from me last week? It’s Ok if you didn’t miss it. I had a short turnaround from speaking in South Carolina and heading off to Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference in Scotts Valley, California, where I had the honor and privilege of being on the faculty. As I prepared for teaching and packing, something had to give. The blog post. I know you’ll forgive me and maybe even congratulate me for pacing myself.

The conference was amazing! The theme was BOLD: “Since we have such a hope, we are very bold” 2 Cor. 3:12. God’s presence boldly permeated every area of the conference grounds and every aspect of the activities.

[Tweet “The theme of Mount Hermon Writers Conferece was BOLD: “Since we have such a hope, we are very bold” 2 Cor. 3:12. “]

A special treat was having award-winning author and speaker Liz Curtis Higgs as our keynote speaker. Liz presents her godly bold messages with humor, passion, and love. I had heard her speak at Mount Hermon before and knew we’d be in for a treat. But I also knew something would be different about Liz this year. I even wondered if she would be able to still speak at the conference.

Liz Curtis Higgs was amazing at Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference

Liz was wearing a wig and needed her husband to help her on and off the stage. She sat on a stool while speaking instead of roaming around the stage. Precious Liz recently completed surgery, radiation, and chemo for endometrial cancer. Thinking all was well and on the road to recovery, her doctors assured her a routine cat scan would reveal the cancer eradicated.

But that was not the case. While Liz was on chemo, a cancerous tumor continued to grow. Apparently, she is resistant to a platinum component of the “chemo cocktail.” Liz is not cancer free. She also has neuropathy in her feet making it difficult to stand. Yet, in three worship services, Liz shared her trademark message of God’s hope and faithfulness through laughter and tears . . . ours and hers.

[Tweet “Liz Curtis Higgs refers to her cancer as, “An unexpected journey toward hope.””]

When you look at Liz’s face in pictures taken while she was speaking, you see joy, smiles, peace, and faith. She refers to her cancer as, “An unexpected journey toward hope.”

Liz Curtis Higgs sharing her story at Mount Hermon Writers Conference

[Tweet “God is more faithful than the pizza man!–Liz Curtis Higgs”]

Which brings me to the topic of this blog: God is more faithful than the pizza man! I’ll try to paraphrase Liz’s points, and now that you know a little bit about what she’s going through, I assure you it will have even more meaning.

“Lizzie’s” Faith Message

Liz recounted for us something we’ve all done repeatedly: called the pizza man to order a pizza delivered. Usually, we don’t know the person at the other end of the line taking our order, and we don’t know the delivery man or girl. Yet, with faith and trust, we hang up the phone, no doubts that a pizza will soon be delivered to our doorstep. We have faith in the pizza man.

When the doorbell rings we don’t question, “Oh, I wonder who that could be?” We’re sure that a hot pizza is awaiting us when we open the door. We even have payment and a tip ready for the delivery person, or in faith, we gave the pizza man our credit card number over the phone.

When we open the door, we’re not shocked or exclaiming, “What a miracle!!! The pizza I ordered arrived!”

True, we might get pepperoni instead of sausage, but we never question, worry, or fret over whether or not the pizza is coming. We wait expectantly, ready to receive it from a stranger.

Now, contrast when we offer a prayer request to God, who isn’t a stranger and we know Him intimately. He’s proven to us over and over again that He hears our prayers and will answer in His timing and according to His will.

[Tweet “Yet, we often question, worry, and fret whether our Lord and Savior will actually show up at our doorstep. “]

Yet, we often question, worry, and fret whether our Lord and Savior will actually show up at our doorstep. And when He does, we’re shocked. “What a miracle!” we proclaim, as if we didn’t really have faith that He would come through for us . . . again.

Do we take time to thank God, like we thank and tip the pizza delivery person?

We trust the pizza man more than we trust God.

I say “we” because I’m right there with you if you’ve ever doubted God would really answer your prayers. And even though He’s repeatedly proven to be faithful throughout my lifetime, I wonder if I’ve reached my quota of requests.

My Recent Faith Journey

2017 was not a good year for me. If you follow my blogs, you know I wasn’t able to travel and speak due to health issues, as I wrote about in the May 1, 2017 blog, I Didn’t See This Coming. I wondered if the Lord was closing the speaking door. Then in the fall, I received several speaking requests for 2018 and the invitation to teach at Mount Hermon.

My first speaking event of 2018 was in Simpsonville, SC in early March. I wondered if I would still feel comfortable on the stage speaking. Was it like riding a bike? Would it all come back to me? I prayed and agonized before the Lord until I heard Him say, I release you to go back out and share My message. I wouldn’t send you anywhere that I haven’t equipped you to go.

My husband was with me on that speaking trip and he marveled that it was as if I’d never been on a speaking sabbatical. When I took the microphone, I knew I was back. I gave God all the glory for using me as His servant voice again.

God is so much more faithful than the pizza man!

As an attendee learning how to write at this conference for ten years, serving on Mount Hermon’s faculty was a distant dream. Then big surprise, last fall I received the invitation to lead a main track Mentoring Clinic on Writing Your Personal Story and Memoir and a workshop on Writing Engaging Bible Studies.

After I said, “Absolutely,” doubt plagued me. Would I be worthy? Did I know enough to help aspiring writers like I had been helped? Who was I to accept this tremendous responsibility? Again, I heard God’s reassuring whisper, I wouldn’t send you anywhere that I haven’t equipped you to go.

The experience was beyond anything I could imagine. I knew from the first morning of the mentoring clinic, this was exactly where I was supposed to be, at that time, and in that place.

This picture of my “mentees” on the last day of our memoir writing mentoring clinic shows that my Lord was faithful to them and to me.

 

God is truly more faithful than the pizza man.

I’m on a very expensive medication, the sixth one after others have failed or given me horrendous side effects, and we’ve reached the end of options. Insurance only gave me a good rate for four months, then what? My doctor said, “Don’t worry, let me worry about it.” His office staff said, “Don’t worry, we’ll come up with something.” My husband said, “Don’t worry, we’ll figure it out.” But I worried.

After much pleading with the insurance company, I learned of a program for this medication that if I qualified, it would be FREE! My doctor and I filled out the application and faxed it to the company. This time, I trusted God to figure out a way, even if I wasn’t accepted into the program. I heard God clearly say, Don’t worry. I have many more plans for you and I’m on it.

I trusted that God was more faithful than the pizza man.

I gave it over to Him, even when the 24-48 hours they said I would know the answer turned into 10 days. Then I got the call. I was prepared for the answer, either way it went, because I knew God would figure something out for me.

I was approved. I cried. I praised God and gave Him all the glory to the point that the woman on the other end of the phone was starting to cry too and said, “Yes,” every time I praised God.

Your Turn to Trust God More Than the Pizza Man

So now it’s your turn. Even in the face of cancer that didn’t respond to treatment, Liz Curtis Higgs can say . . .

As I’ve walked out my cancer journey this year, strengthened by your prayers, I’ve learned that everything the Bible says about God is the absolute truth. He is exceedingly faithful and endlessly merciful, “keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments” (Deuteronomy 7:9). Liz Curtis Higgs

What do you need to trust God with?

Where do you need to believe like “Lizzie” and me that God truly is more faithful than the pizza man?

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Mark 11:24

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 1 John 5:14

If you receive this blog by email, please leave a comment here.

Thank you to Karen Barnett and Jenn Fries for pictures of Liz Curtis Higgs.

Liz Curtis Higgs teaches God is more faithful than the pizza man.

Liz Curtis Higgs and Mount Hermon friend and author, Jenn Fries

April 2, 2018
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Love Your Body: Let’s Mentor Each Other On the Ketogenic Diet

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Love Your Body: Let's Mentor Each Other on the Ketogneic Diet.

Love Your Body Like God Loves It

If you’ve followed my Love Your Body posts on the last Monday of the month, you know I’m not a fan of “diets,” especially those that limit or reduce a particular food group. I’ve heard of the Ketogenic Diet, as probably many of you have too, but always dismissed it since it goes against everything we’ve ever learned about eating large amounts of fat. I’ve always eaten healthy fat, but only in moderation and have enjoyed good heart-healthy blood tests over the years.

Now I’m suffering from a neurological disorder and on the sixth medication trying to control it. Many of you were following me earlier this year when the fourth medication led to numerous kidney stones and horrendous surgery. Since going off that med, I’ve tried two more and we’re running out of options if this one doesn’t work.

So I did what many of us do and started researching more to see if there was anything else I could try. Mind you, I had read and read about this condition and felt like I was doing everything the doctors and I could do, but still the symptoms or adverse reactions to a medication continue.

Then suddenly last week, while back on the internet, I saw this: Sometimes going on a Ketogenic diet can help. Whoa, why hadn’t that appeared in any of my previous research? I contacted my neurologist to see if they had any success with this diet and they hesitantly said, “Some, but you would need to be followed by a Pediatric Dietitian and it will not replace medication.” I was surprised about the “pediatric” part, but it could be because they’ve only used it with children, which my research showed was easier for kids to follow this diet than adults. I thought that was interesting.

Since many of you know my first career out of college was a Registered Dietitian, I felt confident I could figure this diet out on my own.

I mentioned the diet to my endocrinologist and he said, “Oh it’s just the Atkins diet, but it could really help your LDL levels” (which had suddenly started rising). He encouraged me to try it.

This diet is also supposed to help reduce causes of cancer, and since I’m a three-time breast cancer survivor, this peaked my attention too.

When I started checking out the diet on different websites, I became more and more confused. It’s not the old Atkins diet. Then a dear friend loaned me a big book by a doctor, and I’m trying to wade through it. I have so many questions, and I’m hoping some of you who have successfully been on this diet could mentor me and others thinking about also trying it.

[Tweet “If you’ve been on the ketogenic diet can you answers some questions for me?”]

Here are some of my questions. Please write in the comments at the end of this blog, if you have answers:

  1. Did you gradually go on the diet, how did if feel when you started, and how long did it take to go on it completely?
  2. What did you follow to know foods to eat and foods to avoid?
  3. How do you know if you’re in Ketosis? What do you use to test?
  4. Any websites or books you suggest reading to learn more and find recipes?
  5. Did you see any changes in your cholesterol or LDL levels?
  6. How do you feel after being on it for a while?
  7. I’m not trying to lose weight, but did you lose weight?
  8. Did your family go on this with you, and if not, how did you make it easy to cook this way just for yourself? Because if your family eats high fats and doesn’t reduce carbs, that can be bad for their health. I did figure that out, and I don’t think hubby is going to do this with me.
  9. How long did it take you to see results?
  10. Did you go on this diet for health reasons?
  11. What tricks do you have for eating out and staying faithful, especially with the holidays approaching?
  12. How do you prepare kale?

I could go on and on with questions, but I know your answers to these questions will help me get started, and maybe help others who have been considering going on it too.

Don’t feel you have to answer all these questions to respond, but I would love to hear from you in a comment below, so we could all learn about your experience on this Ketogenic Diet.

Also, feel free to ask more questions in your comments, because I’m sure someone is going to have the same question and/or know the answer.

This is Mentoring!

[Tweet “Mentoring is just sharing our experiences with those who are in a new season of life.”]

I hope you’ve had an opportunity to pick up a copy of my new book Mentoring for All Seasons: Sharing Life Experiences and God’s Faithfulness. Mentoring is just what I’m asking us to do in this post . . . share our experiences with those who are in a new season of life. You may be younger or older than me, but you can help me learn more about the Ketogenic Diet. Then I can pass on to others the knowledge and help you’ve given to me and everyone reading this post.

Always exciting to see your new book Mentoring for All Seasons at LifeWay bookstore

I had fun last week stopping by our new LifeWay Bookstore in Boise to take pictures of Mentoring for All Seasons with the manager of the store. It never gets old seeing your “baby” on the shelf, and it was right in the front on the “New Release” shelf. If you have a LifeWay Bookstore near you, why not stop by, pick up a copy, and support your local Christian bookstore.

[Tweet “If you have a LifeWay Bookstore pick up a copy of #mentoringforallseasons and support your local Christian bookstore.”]

I didn’t hear from any of you last week, but the publisher is offering an incredible discount on 5 or more copies of Mentoring for All Seasons through the end of December. You can use it yourself, share with your church, your women’s ministry, small group, or whoever would benefit from the book. Contact me and I’ll send you the information.

You can also purchase on all the online bookstores, Amazon, or I’ll sign and personalize it from our website store.

[Tweet “Two are better than one, and I need help figuring out a Ketogenic Diet”]

Ok, remember two are better than one, and I need your help figuring out this Ketogenic Diet. I hope many of you will leave comments and give me some advice.

Two are Better thank one because if one falls down the other can pick them up!

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September 25, 2017
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Three Things I’ve Learned in 24 Years of Marriage!

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wedding-picture

Yes, as you read today’s Monday Morning Blog, December 19, 2016, hubby and I are celebrating our 24th wedding anniversary! Several of you have mentioned you enjoy learning a little about my life lessons in these Monday mornings blogs, so as I pondered what to share with you so close to Christmas, I thought what better words of wisdom than what God has taught me about loss, life, and love in our marriage. I hope you’ll keep reading, even if you’re not married, because the principles God has taught me can apply to any relationship.

Loss of Expectations

Our wedding, just six days before Christmas, was a second marriage for both of us. Dave had three children and I had one daughter. I was single for seventeen years and Dave only a few years. The kids ranged in age from fifteen to nineteen, so I didn’t anticipate any problems in everyone living happily ever after.

[Tweet “Blending families doesn’t come without its challenges, and all bring baggage and different ways of doing things from nuclear families.”]

Well, if you’ve blended a family or been around one, you’re probably laughing hysterically about now. Blending didn’t come without its challenges, and we all brought baggage and different ways of doing things from our original families. I learned right away that I was going to have to lower, and in many cases lose, my expectations: we would never be a nuclear family. Christmas or holidays or special occasions would always be a compromise of negotiating between two families, which would only become more complicated as the kids married and added extended families with their own traditions.

I couldn’t control who would be with us on what day or at what time . . . or even at all. There has only been one time since all our grandchildren were born that all four children, their spouses, and the eleven grandchildren were together, and that was at Thanksgiving six years ago at our son’s house—it wasn’t even at our home. For Dave’s 70th birthday last year, I had a dream . . . still hadn’t let go of all those expectations . . . of the whole family celebrating together for a reunion at our home in Idaho, where some had yet to visit. But one family couldn’t join us.

Dave and I have learned to pray about each event, and then enjoy who comes and not worry over who doesn’t. That hasn’t been an easy lesson for me to learn, but it has been necessary to maintain sanity and family relations. It relieves stress, worry, and disappointment when I let go of my expectations and let God fulfill His.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

What Divorced Christians Want You To Know

Life Is Ever Evolving

When we were first married, Dave had a wonderful job with great benefits. I was so happy that I would have some relief from the pressures of supporting a family after seventeen years of being a single mom. So after three years, we decided when the last child left home, I could quit my job and go into full-time lay ministry starting the Woman to Woman Mentoring Ministry at Saddleback Church. If you’re not familiar with the term “lay ministry,” it means no pay. I was never on staff at Saddleback. Three months after I quit my job, Dave was laid off from his corporate career and that was the end of a corporate job with benefits and great income . . . forever!

Read more of that story at About His Work Ministries.

Dave eventually found various labor-intensive jobs, until the last one resulted in him having to have reconstructive foot surgery and medically retire, which is how we ended up moving to Idaho. I tell that story, along with his multiple layoffs, in Dear God, He’s Home!: A Woman’s Guide to Her Stay-At-Home Man.

Right before Dave’s second layoff, I had my first battle with Breast Cancer and started radiation two days before our 10th wedding anniversary. Little did we know then that I would go on to have breast cancer two more times, and 6 ft. 4 in. Dave would take a job that had him in a uniform crawling on his belly under houses and in attics. But through it all, God has kept me About His Work, and used us in a mighty way. Dave supports me as I write and speak for the Lord. Dave is my helpmate with his techie abilities, helping with the website, and for those of you who receive our newsletter, I write the articles but he puts it together.

Dave now travels with me when I speak, and the women really appreciate how we work as a team with him “manning” the book table. I used to pray that God would send me an assistant . . . I just never expected it to be Dave. Our personalities and gifts are polar opposite, but God has taught us, as life has evolved over these twenty-four years, how to combine our differences into a united effort working together for the Lord. What Satan tries to pull apart and use to separate us, we’ve learned to identify and let God make us stronger and better together.

[Tweet “What Satan tries to pull apart and use to separate us, we’ve learned to identify and let God make us stronger and better together.”]

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” Ecclesiastes 3:1

Love Jesus First

pastor-pete-marrying-us

If you’ve read Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter or Dear God, He’s Home! I talk about a Marriage Builders course taught at the time by Pastor Pete McKenzie who married us [picture above]. On a whiteboard, Pastor Pete would draw a triangle with God at the pinnacle, a stick figure man in one lower triangle corner, and a stick figure woman in the opposite corner. Then he would draw an arrow across the bottom of the triangle explaining that when we have our eyes on each other, we’re the farthest apart. Next he would draw arrows up each side of the triangle, explaining that as we each move closer to God, we move closer together.

[Tweet “As we each move closer to God, we move closer together.”]

triangle-charm

On one of our early anniversaries, Dave had a charm made for me (picture above) symbolizing that triangle with the pearl of God at the top and our birthstones on each corner. Yes, my birthstone is a diamond! As long as Dave and I remember to keep Jesus first in our lives, everything runs smoothly in our marriage, no matter how our expectations are dashed, or how our life is evolving for good or bad. But if we take our eyes off Jesus, even for a moment, chaos can reign in our home.

[Tweet “All relationships have challenges, and so often those magnify at Christmas and holidays.”]

All relationships have challenges, and so often those magnify at Christmas and holidays. I hope the three lessons I’ve learned in my marriage, will help you maintain peace, joy, and Jesus’s love no matter what your circumstances or challenges this year or in the New Year. They’re definitely not the only three lessons I’ve learned, but they’re definitely at the foundation of all the others.

“Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.” Ephesians 6:24

Merry Holy and Blessed Christmas to all my dear friends and family.

wedding-on-boat

 

December 19, 2016
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Who Will Stand in the Gap?

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“I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one.” Ezekiel 22:30

It was greeting time at church, a friend hugged me and said, “Thank you for standing in the gap!” She was leading the Women’s Bible study reading my book Forsaken God?: Remembering the Goodness of God Our Culture Has Forgotten. I wanted to say back, and also say to everyone who has left similar comments on my Facebook timeline when I’ve taken a stand for God on difficult or controversial issues—“Join me.” God calls all Christians to be His hands and feet on earth. That’s why we’re here. Why aren’t we ALL standing in the gap? Why are some silent or taking a noncommittal position at a time in history like our parents and we have never seen before— choosing between two radically different Americas!

[Tweet “We’re choosing between two radically different Americas!”]

Morals versus Politics

A few, not just the liberal progressives, have accused me of being “political” and even “hypocritical.” I have never been a political person, but for the first time since I could vote, I see this election as so much more than politics. America, the only country founded on the freedom of religion, now has a platform called “progressive liberals” who are trying to remove God from our country. The only thing progressive about the Democratic agenda is they’re progressively moving our great country towards Satan and away from God. Towards hell . . . away from heaven. Towards evil . . . away from good. We are becoming a country where immorality reigns and is legalized, and those believing in morality and the Bible are penalized and punished.

[Tweet “The only thing progressive the Democratic agenda is progressively moving our great country towards Satan and away from God. “]

The church watched government gradually and successfully infringe on our religious and moral rights…and did nothing. The Supreme Court legalized abortion. The Supreme Court took prayer and God out of schools. The Supreme Court legalized gay marriage. These are not political issues…these are moral issues. How have we let what God deemed wrong be deemed right? Why didn’t we put up a bigger fight?

[Tweet “How have we let what God deemed wrong be deemed right? Why didn’t we put up a bigger fight?”]

As Donald Trump, who wants to build a wall (Ezekiel. 22:30), said to the group of evangelical leaders he met with when he decided to run for president: “If you don’t mind me saying so, YOU GUYS HAVE GONE SOFT.” He’s right. Dr. Lance Wallnau in his book God’s Chaos Candidate:Donald J. Trump and the American Unraveling, which I encourage you to order and read quickly BEFORE November 8, wrote, “Trump gave nervous evangelicals a gift that many of them lacked—the gift of boldness.”

Trump is the first political candidate I’ve ever heard say boldly without hesitation, as he did in the third debate, that he is against abortion, late-term abortion is horrific, and he would appoint conservative Supreme Court judges who would try to overturn Roe vs Wade. Every other candidate, even the evangelicals, have always danced around the topic of abortion wanting to get everyone’s votes.

“But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. The field is the world, and the good see stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one. ” (Matthew 13:25, 38)

Be Bold for Christ While We Still Can

“Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.” Acts 4:29

[Tweet “In Forsaken God?, I wrote about the need for Christians to be bold for Christ, long before there was an election or any indication of who the candidates would be”]

In Forsaken God?, I wrote about the need for Christians to be bold for Christ, long before there was an election or any indication of who the candidates would be:

“Can you imagine the revival if Christians actively influenced the culture to remember God? My challenge to you is together let’s start a bold and brave movement to create a God-centered culture that remembers the magnificent goodness of our great God in our homes, communities, and churches.

Being Bold About Your Faith

We live in a culture where vocal minority factions lobby to remove God from every public place, ceremony, and conversation. They reject God’s ways, which can only mean accepting Satan’s ways. There is no in-between—support God’s ways or Satan’s ways … the secular world’s ways. The two will never meet or overlap—no straddling the fence between two polar opposites.

Christians, the silent majority for years in America, are watching our majority-ranking decline due to passive apathy. Letting a lost world lose God! Read the Gospels, Jesus wasn’t silent or passive and he confronted sin and Satan! It’s long past time for Christians to get noisy about the only right way—God’s way. People say I’m bold about my faith and it surprises me that’s considered an unusual trait … because shouldn’t every Christian be bold? Our faith isn’t a secret to hide; it’s the answer to the world’s woes. Unfortunately, Christians often worry more about offending the world than offending God.

Bold doesn’t mean obnoxious. It simply means not being afraid to speak the truth, even in the face of adversity: “Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold” (2 Cor. 3:12). Today’s culture calls it unloving to confront untruths or lies, but that’s a ploy of the enemy. The Bible says, “Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth (1 Cor. 13:6). Nothing could be more loving than helping someone find eternal life and freedom from the bondage of sin. Love without truth is cowardly. Truth without love is powerless.

Who do you know who is trying to straddle the fence between the world’s ways and God’s ways, or walk too close to the edge of temptation? Where has God been nudging you to be brave and bold about your faith? It will require getting out of your comfort zone, but comfortable isn’t God’s way. You won’t be “politically correct,” but that wasn’t Jesus’ way.”*

Who Will Stand in the Gap?

“After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.” Acts 4:31

[Tweet “We stand on the brink of the annihilation of conservatism and religious freedom in or country.”]

I am boldly supporting the conservative platform! Not for political reasons, but because we stand on the brink of the annihilation of conservatism and religious freedom in or country. Franklin Graham went to all 50 state Capitols to pray for our country and this election because he has 10 grandchildren directly impacted by the results, and he said if he died next year, he will know he tried to make a difference. I have 11 grandchildren and echo his heart. If you’re even considering voting for the progressive liberal platform, I have two thoughts for you to consider:

  1. You are siding with a group that has written on my Facebook timeline, the worse filthy, hateful, and vulgar language I have EVER seen or heard! Even as I’m writing this sentence, a “progressive” began posting terrible, vulgar, evil, awful things on a post about Mike Pence. I couldn’t delete the vulgarity fast enough, and had to block the person. This comes from both progressive men and women. If you don’t believe me…here’s one mild comment, the rest are far too vulgar… but it’s a window into what a vote for Hillary stands for and the progressive thinking. I simply asked, “What do you have in common with Hillary?”

“I am a progressive. I believe in a universal health care, I don’t believe in discrimination or segregation of any kind. I believe that all US citizens should be able to vote regardless if they are imprisoned or don’t have a Drivers License. I believe in Science and I believe that humans are destroying the planet, and it’s our duty to protect it. I believe that woman have a choice but after birth you need to protect society from deadly diseases. I believe that the top 1% have been given a free ride since Regan silently paved the road to destroy middle class. I believe the education is more important than anyone’s right to own assault weapons. I believe that Obama will arguably be one the best Presidents in history and I do believe that if you feel differently, then you’re a person that hates Gays, Color, or any nonwhite religious person. And that Hillary represents more of what the last 8 years, which is the only choice.”

  1. Hugh Hewitt who has taught Conservative Law for 20 years, says in God’s Chaos Candidate:

“If Hillary Clinton wins, the Left gavels in a solid, lasting almost certainly permanent majority on the Supreme Court. Every political issue has a theoretical path to SCOTUS, and only self-imposed judicial restraint has checked the Supreme Court’s appetite and reach for two centuries.

That restraint will be gone when Hillary Rodham Clinton’s first appointee is sworn in. Finished. This is not hyperbole…I know what a very liberal Supreme Court means: Conservatism is done. It cannot survive a strong –willed liberal majority on the Supreme Court. Every issue—EVERY—issue—will end up there, and the legislature’s judgments will matter not a bit.”

Your Children Need to Hear the Truth Boldly from You

“Living counter-cultural isn’t easy and many children succumb to believing a fake gospel that seems easier and less confrontational. No one likes being the brunt of harassing name-calling: intolerant, homophobic, old-fashioned, legalistic, or rigid. Even conservative is spewed with disdain. These kids are afraid to offend someone by talking about God or worry they won’t have an answer when challenged as to why they’re Christians.

It’s no wonder they’re confused and apprehensive. Satan is hijacking high-profile liberal pastors and several mainline denominations who expound that: the Bible isn’t inerrant or relevant, God is a myth, Jesus is a legend, and the church needs to catch up with the culture. Essentially, they’re atheists trying to mask themselves as “progressive Christians,” as if they’ve discovered the true, open-minded Christianity that doesn’t need the Bible. Wolves in sheep’s clothing—straight out of Titus 1:15-16. Culture never trumps Scripture. Even if you’ve been a member for years of one of these denominations or churches that now succumbs to this unbiblical, satanical teaching—run—leave immediately, and take your family with you.

The “liberals” defiantly ignore Jesus’ warning that Christians are in the world, but not of the world. And Jesus didn’t come to conform to the culture; he came to reform the culture. Jesus loves all people, but he hates sin—that’s why he went to the cross. Not so we could keep on sinning, but because, “the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 6:23). Whoever doesn’t believe these truths cannot claim the cherished name of Christian.”*

Depending on the results November 8, and the choices we make as a country, we could have a massive revival, or we could reap what we’ve let Satan sew in our country while we slept and let our walls fall as a nation. We could admit, “Yes, we’ve forsaken God, but we’ll stand in the gap and turn our country back to God.” Or God could say, you had your chance and “There will be no more delay!” (Rev. 10:6).

*Excerpts from Forsaken God?: Remembering the Goodness of God Our Culture Has Forgotten available from Amazon or signed on our website.

I highly recommend quickly ordering God’s Chaos Candidate: Donald J. Trump and The American Unraveling by Dr. Lance Wallnau. You can read the first chapter for free at www.GODSCHAOSCANDIDATE.com

gods-chaos-candidate

We are still offering a special price until the end of October for Dear God, They Say It’s Cancer: A Companion Guide for Women on the Breast Cancer Journey.

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October 24, 2016
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Life Without A Bucket List

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October Ushers in National Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

[Tweet “October ushers in National Breast Cancer Awareness Month! “]

This month marks fourteen years since I was first diagnosed with breast cancer, October 2002. I’d like to say that I had surgery, radiation, took Tamoxifen for five years, and that was the end of it. But that’s not how my story goes. I was diagnosed with a recurrence in October 2008, and again in June 2011 right after we moved to Idaho, and this summer I had a MRI-driven needle biopsy–praise God it was benign. I don’t know why. I only know that God is not through with me yet, and that is why I write, and that is why I speak, and that is why I evangelize and try to mobilize the Christian community to take a stand for Christ and give purpose and meaning to the years the Lord has spared me.

breast-cancer-cover3-252x300

[Tweet ” I wrote, Dear God, They Say It’s Cancer: A Companion for Women on the Breast Cancer Journey after my first diagnosis.”]

I wrote, Dear God, They Say It’s Cancer: A Companion for Women on the Breast Cancer Journey after my first diagnosis. It was the book I wished I had going through the battle myself and many women tell me it’s as if the Lord and I are walking right beside them.

Gloria Gaddy, who shares her story in the book, recently wrote to me:

10 Years ago I purchased this book, read it like my Bible, slept with it and prayed every day that God would heal me, He DID !  Now I am breast cancer free no more chemo meds and doing very well.  I might have to pick my book up just to remember how it brought me over.  Every time  someone is attacked with cancer it’s another opportunity for God to show up.

As a gift to my breast cancer sisters, and to any of you who have friends or family with breast cancer, we’re offering a special price for the month of October for Dear God, They Say It’s Cancer at our website shop, and I personalize and sign each book.

[Tweet “We’re offering a special price in October for Dear God, They Say It’s Cancer at our website shop.”]

You might also find this excerpt from the book helpful for knowing what to say and what not to say to a woman fighting the breast cancer battle. The Top Thirteen Things to Do or Say and NOT to Do or Say to Someone with Breast Cancer

[Tweet “Wondering what not to say to someone with breast cancer?”]

Life Without a Bucket List

Kara Tippetts was a young mother who lost the breast cancer battle, but starting with her diagnosis she wrote openly about her journey in a blog. Now, a year after her passing in March 2015, And It Was Beautiful: Celebrating Life in the Midst of the Long Good-Bye brings a collection of Tippetts’ insights, taken mostly from her popular blog. Great care has been taken by David C Cook’s editorial team to present her thoughts with as few changes as possible in order to capture her distinct voice and unique way of arranging words.
      I thought it would be too hard for me to read And It Was Beautiful, but I couldn’t put it down and got permission from David C Cook to share her chapter on “Choosing a Mentor” in my new book Mentoring for All Seasons.
      In this post, I’m sharing with you the excerpt, “Life Without a Bucket List.” Like Kara, I consider every day of life a fulfilled bucket list, and as I lay my head on the pillow each night my husband Dave prays, “Thank you Lord for another day of life. We don’t take that for granted.”
 [Tweet “Kara Tippetts shares Life without a Bucket List”]

An excerpt from And It Was Beautiful by Kara Tippetts

© 2016 Kara Tippetts. And It Was Beautiful is published by David C Cook. All rights reserved.

Kara Tippetts 1_Jen Lints Photography

I can confidently say that I don’t live with a long list of things I want to do, see, or complete before I’m done in this place. I carried a dream for years of having a farm. I was in love with all things Wendell Berry. I could picture it, the life of routine created by the land and its rhythms. But beyond that I’ve never longed for having a list and checking things off. I’m happy with my old cars, my simple wardrobe, my lack of fancy things and vacations. Don’t get me wrong, I do love a good concert, but I also love an organic dance party in my kitchen. I love great food, but I also love a hot dog over the fire pit in my backyard. I love a hike in the mountains, but I also love a walk around the block with my people.

Last week, when I heard I may have another long road to travel on this journey, I turned to Jason and cried. I told him how day after day this place is losing its grip on me. Driving down the street this place sometimes feels so slutty, so wanting my money without a care for my heart. Billboards blare at me what to buy, what to think, how to vote. But the tie that binds me here is relationships. Sickness makes those bonds more real, more important. It’s people who grip my heart.

Suffering has a way of exposing our theology, certainly our practical theology, where what we believe about God collides with where we live. My heart always hurts a little when someone hears my story and begins to question God’s goodness. I have found that suffering makes my faith more childlike, more simple. Our ideas of God are not necessarily made bigger or more grandiose through suffering, but they are simplified as we wade through the unknown of what comes next. Last week, in that unknown, I was smooching on Lake and the thought hit me that I won’t be around to help him navigate his first heartbreak. I was in a public place and I nearly lost my footing because of the fear that gripped me in that moment. I looked up and saw my growing girls and was almost suffocated by the thought of who will help them during the awkward years of puberty. Shouldn’t it be me? That’s the way it’s supposed to be, right? Can’t I stay and be here for them when they need me?

The truth is none of us know the length of our lives. So we pray for daily bread and say thank you when it comes. For today I have a little boy who will cross the room to give me a hug. I have a baby girl who gives me ten kisses when I ask for five. I have a preteen who still holds my hand in public, in front of her friends even. I have a second born who loves to tell me every tiny detail of her day. I have a guy who makes coffee just like I like it. A bucket list? No, I don’t need one. I’m so rich. It’s relationships that matter. And for me, paying attention to the precious gift of today is the only thing on my list.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kara Tippetts’ life was dramatically changed in 2012 when she was first diagnosed with breast cancer. She shared her journey on her popular blog, www.mundanefaithfulness.com. She was the author of The Hardest Peace and the co-author of Just Show Up. Since her death in March 2015, her husband, Jason, is parenting their four children and leading the church they founded in Colorado Springs, CO.

And it was Beautiful

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Remember the special October price for Dear God, They Say It’s Cancer: A Companion Guide For Women on the Breast Cancer Journey.

October 3, 2016
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Choosing a Mentor

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Kara Tippetts 1_Jen Lints Photography

I was asked to review Kara Tippett’s book, And It Was Beautiful. I knew a little of Kara’s story that she was a young Christian mom of four and author who had lost her battle to breast cancer, but during her valiant fight she blogged her thoughts. Not just about the cancer but what was happening in her life, her thoughts, her struggles, her joys. Being a three-time breast cancer survivor myself, I wondered if it would be too painful for me to read Kara’s book, but it was just the opposite . . . I couldn’t put it down. Yes, it was sad, but her writing seldom made me sad. Instead, I got a chance to meet a very special woman who loved the Lord, her family, her church, and her friends and she left them and us a treasure in her blogs, which were more like having a chat with her.

When I came to the chapter titled “Choosing a Mentor,” I knew I had to share it with you. I received permission to share her words in this blog and in my new book releasing next year: Mentoring for All Seasons: Women Sharing Life’s Experiences and God’s Faithfulness. Enjoy!

Choosing a Mentor

By Kara Tippett

Apart from the Holy Spirit, it has been the mentors in my life who have made the longest-lasting, deepest impact on who I am as a person. Some mentors were women I specifically asked to mentor me. Some were women who opened their lives wide open for me to watch. But both nurtured new strength in me. Here are a few things that have served me well in finding a mentor.

First, do they love their family well and speak with love and admiration of their husbands? Can these be areas of tension and struggle in a family? Yes, but I look to see if their overall desire is to move toward a spouse and children, and not away.

Second, do they speak vulnerably about weakness, or are they more concerned about appearances? I have found this area to be critical. I struggle to share openly with someone who wants to appear they have it all figured out. I look to see if they are willing to speak openly about where God is challenging them, and are open about themselves without bashing others.

Third, and most important, do they seek Jesus in their moments throughout the day, especially the mundane? Do they see their neediness and weakness, and are they able to be wrong and be corrected by Scripture?

When Jason [her husband] was a youth director, we had the privilege of seeing kids who truly loved Jesus. From that observation, we often sought out their parents. We wanted to sit at their feet, eat at their table, and watch how they did it. I love to watch someone discipline with kindness. I love to watch someone including their children in the events of the home. I love watching someone loving their spouse creatively. And I really love to see women involved in community building. You can receive a lot of mentoring just by watching.

Common interests help as well. I have had mamas show me a craft, women who love to write as well as read, ladies who love to garden, build a fire, and cook, and women who just cannot get enough of their Bibles. I often try to enter the life of a person who might be a good fit as a mentor in a place of common joy. I want my mentors to be my friends, as I want to befriend the women I mentor.

Things to be wary of? Be careful of people who like to gossip. Be willing to be flexible. Mentoring relationships take on so many different looks. Sitting down across from one another with Bibles open every week? That’s an awesome model, but it’s certainly not the only one. Look for someone who will promote freedom in Christ, not tie you up in a load of legalism.

Finally, as you search for a safe place, be a safe place in return. God loves seeing us seeking Him together.

An excerpt from And It Was Beautiful by Kara Tippetts bolding added.

© 2016 Kara Tippetts. And It Was Beautiful is published by David C Cook. All rights reserved. Shared with permission.

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Kara Tippetts’ life was dramatically changed in 2012 when she was first diagnosed with breast cancer. She shared her journey on her popular blog, www.mundanefaithfulness.com. She was the author of The Hardest Peace and the co-author of Just Show Up. Since her death in March 2015, her husband, Jason, is parenting their four children and leading the church they founded in Colorado Springs, CO.

And it was Beautiful

May 9, 2016
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Love Your Body—Go Nuts for Nuts

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Love Your Body Like God Loves It

Love Your Body Like God Loves It

“My mom always has her bag of nuts with her!”

My daughter, Kim, made that comment when my daughter-in-law asked her what she should prepare for my hubby and me when we were coming to visit since she knew we try to eat healthy, raw, and organic. Kim was saying: don’t worry about it. If my mom can’t find enough to eat, she’ll snack on her nut concoction.

cracked walnuts

I’ve always enjoyed a variety of nuts since I was a kid. I remember sitting with my mom shelling walnuts for hours from big bags we would fill from the walnut orchards that used to be so prevalent in Southern California. After their harvest, they let the public come through and glean walnuts. Great memories and great walnuts! My heart breaks as I watch so many of these walnut orchards destroyed to build new houses. I want to scream: “Don’t you know how good those walnuts are for you and how long it took for those trees to grow?” But I don’t think anyone would listen to me.

We always had walnuts. We baked with walnuts and loved just snacking on them. I can remember eating as many as I shelled!

Then as I grew older and was always watching my weight, I started hearing how high in calories nuts were and I treated them like a delicacy…only adding to banana nut bread or an occasional crumb topping or Waldorf salad (apples, celery, and walnuts). But then there was a trend to put nuts in salads and I was all over that. How had we missed all those years how delicious walnuts or pecans are in a salad with strawberries or pears or any array of fruit? Oh and that was something new too. Salads didn’t just need to be veggies and tomatoes—fresh fruit of all kinds is fabulous in a green salad and topped with nuts and raspberry salad dressing, a real treat.

salad

Cancer Changed Everything

[Tweet “So over the years, I enjoyed nuts sparingly and guiltily. But all that changed when I was diagnosed with breast cancer and began researching the best foods for fighting cancer.”]

So over the years, I enjoyed nuts sparingly and guiltily. But all that changed when I was diagnosed with breast cancer and began researching the best foods for fighting cancer. At the top of the list were nuts! Not just any kind of nuts though: organic and raw were the best because the high roasting temperatures used in roasting nuts can destroy many of the good nutrients and the pesticides sprayed on nonorganic nuts negate much of their nutritional value.

[Tweet “Nuts are little gifts from God, packed with powerful nutrients for not only fighting cancer, but heart disease, high cholesterol, endocrine and inflammatory problems…the list is endless.”]

Nuts are little gifts from God, packed with powerful nutrients for not only fighting cancer, but heart disease, high cholesterol, endocrine and inflammatory problems…the list is endless. Yes, they have calories, but they are such a concentrated source of nutrition, that you don’t have to eat many to gain the benefits. Nuts are good calories. Calories you want to include in your diet while you eliminate wasted calories.

So I make my own “trail mix” with a variety of organic, raw, unsalted, and if possible, sprouted, nuts. I always start with almonds, cashews, and walnuts, and then I might add pistachios, shelled sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, macadamias, Brazil nuts, or pecans. Sometimes I add dried unsulphured fruit, but usually, it’s just a mixture of nuts, which I take with me everywhere and keep on my desk in my office while I’m writing!

[Tweet “Remember that raw nuts are unprocessed so keep any extras in the refrigerator or freezer.”]

Remember that raw nuts are unprocessed so keep any extras in the refrigerator or freezer. I like to buy raw, organic nuts in bulk and then freeze them. Then I’ll defrost some and make a big batch of my “trail mix” combining a variety of nuts and portion into smaller bags that I keep in the refrigerator and take out one bag at a time to enjoy.

Yes, if you walked into my office today, you would see my bag of nuts . . . in fact I just had a handful while I was writing this. If you looked in my travel bag, yep there would be a bag of nuts. When hubby and I go to town for the day, you guessed it, I have my bag of nuts if I want a snack while we’re shopping or watching soccer games or hanging out with the family.

[Tweet “It doesn’t take many of these powerhouse gifts from God, so a handful or two will do you nicely and probably quench your appetite so you don’t eat so much at the next meal. “]

It doesn’t take many of these powerhouse gifts from God, so a handful or two will do you nicely and probably quench your appetite so you don’t eat so much at the next meal. Think how much better this is for you than a bag of chips or candy bar or even popcorn. Popcorn does not have the nutrients of nuts, but you can add nuts to your popcorn and that’s yummy too.

Check out These Websites

So I’ve researched a couple of websites that I think you will enjoy. The first one, Why You Should Go Nuts for Nuts is one I really like. On the first page, after you read the introduction, hit on “View All” and it will take you to pictures of different nuts. When you hit on the picture, you’ll get a summary of all the health benefits of that particular nut.

And here’s a great article about walnuts, 10 Surprising Facts About Walnuts.

Tips for Going Nuts

  • If you find nuts hard to chew, try grinding them and adding to your recipes or chopping them.
  • Add nuts to your salads, cereal, oatmeal, granola, cereal, vegetables, cookies, cobblers . . . the list is endless.
  • If you can’t go raw nuts, Dr. Oz says in his book, You On a Diet, that it’s OK to cook them at 275 degrees for 9-12 minutes to roast without damaging the good oils and nutrients.
  • If raw organic are too expensive, I would opt for at least raw because roasting at high temperatures damages most of the nutrients. You might wash them off and then do a light roasting, as I mentioned above.
  • If you don’t like a particular nut, no problem. There are so many to choose from.
  • Substitute almond milk for regular milk. Some people like to make their own almond milk and I just discovered how to make walnut milk. Yummy!

What are some ways you’ve found to use nuts?

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*Pictures are from the websites listed in the article.

April 25, 2016
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Why Don’t We Ask for Prayer?

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I'm not lucky                                            And How Many People Have Prayed For Me!

The day before my mammogram last week, I realized I hadn’t asked anyone to pray for a good result. This wasn’t just a routine mammogram. I’ve had breast cancer three times in 13 years, so I have a MRI or mammogram every six months, and there have been times when it was every three months. It’s been four years since a mammogram showed cancer, so why was I feeling apprehensive?

What Stops Us Asking for Prayer?

Maybe it was because I have a new book releasing in February that I know Satan is not happy about—Forsaken God?: Remembering the Goodness of God Our Culture Has Forgotten. We were under such spiritual attack while I was writing it, what would Satan do next to try and stop me from sharing the message of this timely book?

Maybe after so many mammograms and MRI’s over the past thirteen years, I thought surely, people had tired of praying for these tests. After all, I had been cancer-free for four years. How could I ask . . . again . . . when there was no reason to expect the test not to turn out fine?

Maybe I feared that no one would pray.

Maybe I knew so many people who needed prayer more than I did.

Maybe I didn’t want to draw attention to a health weakness.

Maybe I dreaded the question of why I chose the type of treatment I did. That question plants doubts, instead of comfort.

It’s a Privilege to Pray for Each Other

But in the back of my mind was the nagging thought: I was cancer-free for six years before the second recurrence, and only two years between the second and third round with this dreaded disease. So time passing isn’t reassuring to me.

I wrestled all day with whether or not to ask for prayer. I kept dismissing the thought and then the Holy Spirit would prompt me again. That made me wonder, even more, why was the Holy Spirit so persistent that I ask for prayer? What did He know, that I didn’t know?

Finally, at 10:00 that night, I put this prayer request on Facebook and got ready for bed:

I’m having my 6 mo. diagnostic mammogram tomorrow. I’ve wrestled with the Holy Spirit all day about His prompting me to ask my peeps for prayer for a continued “all clear.” So here I am again….asking you to pray with me that it’s the Lord’s will that I will remain cancer-free. Thank you dear ones who see this. Appointment at 10:30 am MT.

By the time I turned out the light, thirteen night owl Facebook friends had posted that they were praying. Wow! I slept peacefully.

The next morning, 180 “likes” on my prayer request post and over 70 friends had left a message that they were praying for me. Here were some of the comments:

Praying for you, Janet. Never be afraid of asking for prayer from others.

God will bring you reinforcements when you need them.

Don’t wrestle! Just ask! Praying!

God never tires of our repeated requests. May you sense His presence with you.

Don’t know why you wrestled so much, that’s why you have friends in the Body of Christ for support and encouragement. Of course, I will pray NOW!

Thank you for sharing because I would love to ask the Lord for “the all clear” ♡

That’s the reason I’m on Facebook . . . to pray for others.

[Tweet “People actually thanked me for asking for prayer and giving them the privilege of praying for me! “]

Yes, people actually thanked me for asking for prayer and giving them the privilege of praying for me! I was overwhelmed with the outpouring of love, caring, concern, and prayer flooding the Holy of Holies on my behalf.

Some FB friends were praying who I don’t know personally, be we’re brothers and sisters in Christ.

[Tweet “The Holy Spirit was prompting me to ask for prayer, but Satan was provoking me with all the reasons I shouldn’t ask for prayer.”]

The Battle Belongs to the Lord

Looking back, I realize I wasn’t only wrestling with the Holy Spirit. There was a spiritual warfare going on. Yes, the Holy Spirit was prompting me to ask for prayer, but Satan was provoking me with all the reasons I shouldn’t ask for prayer. That battle went on in my head and heart all day long, but praise God, the Holy Spirit prevailed.

I knew that I had done the Lord’s bidding when I was scrolling down Facebook “home” on my phone as we headed the hour and a half to town for the test during a terrible rain and windstorm. I came across a friend who hadn’t read my prayer request, but her post that day was simply Philippians 4:6 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

I kept that verse on my phone screen all the way to the mammogram, and I knew it was the Holy Spirit’s way of confirming I had won the spiritual battle. The prayers kept pouring in on my phone and I was at peace. I don’t know how the test would have turned out had my friends not flooded the heavens. Did that change the outcome of the test? I won’t know that until I get to heaven, but what I do know is that I will never hesitate to ask for prayers again, and I hope you won’t either.

When the test turned out “all clear,” I posted this message to all my praying faithful’s:

A BIG cyber hug of gratefulness for the many many many peeps who prayed last night and today for my 6 mo. mammogram and ultrasound. If you didn’t see my message on the post…ALL CLEAR and I didn’t have to have the ultrasound.

As many of you know, I’m a 3x breast cancer survivor, the latest 4 yrs ago, so I have of a mammo or MRI every 6 months for the past 13 yrs, and usually it’s no big deal, but this one did seem big. So I can’t stop thanking God and all of you for petitioning Him for me.

You are all amazing and I pray I’m half the friend to you that you are to me. Please let me pray for you sometime too!

PS I celebrated by going wild at my hair appt!!! I have lots of fun red highlights:) Merry Christmas dear friends.

The praises and “likes” for that message started pouring in and filled my heart with gladness and joy!

When I call on JesusSpiritual Inspirations

Asking for Prayer is a Testimony and a Witness

[Tweet “Asking for Prayer is a Testimony and a Witness”]

Someone needed to see the body of Christ respond to my public prayer request. It wasn’t just me who needed confirmation that prayer warriors never tire of praying.

Maybe it was you with an “unspoken” prayer request you need to share with someone.

Maybe it was the many who read my Facebook posts and saw the outpouring of prayers.

Maybe it’s someone reading this article.

Only God knows for sure, but often we have not because we ask not. We’re so sure that things are forgone conclusions, that we don’t bother God with prayer…or “bother” our friends.

My dear friends, many of you have prayer requests, right now! Especially at this time of year. Won’t you share them here so I can pray with you and anyone who is reading this blog can lift your request to the most High.

Three times in thirteen years, we prayed the tests would not reveal breast cancer, but three times, they did. But 35+ times we’ve prayed for those same tests, and it was an “all clear.” I’ll take those odds to my knees any day . . . how about you?

Side Note:

I wrote Dear God, They Say It’s Cancer: A Companion Guide for Women on the Breast Cancer Journey, while recovering from my first occurrence, I had to write a difficult chapter: “It Could Come Back.” Here’s some of what I wrote when I had no idea that, indeed, cancer would return two more times:

Dear God,

Would everybody be there for me again or be burned out on breast cancer and not able to deal with it anymore? Oh Lord, I cannot imagine how lonely that would be. It was so hard the first time; it must be devastating to relive it. In many ways, cancer is like living with a time bomb. You don’t know if it is defused or if it’s ticking away, ready to catch you off guard and blow your life apart again . . . maybe this time actually taking you to a place of no return. I have to admit these thoughts go through my mind at random times.

Lord, I must put my complete faith and trust in You. I will do everything the doctors tell me to do when they tell me to do it . . . no playing games with this . . . and I pray You continue to protect me and restore me to complete health. However, if there should be a recurrence, I also pray my family and friends would rally back around me, and You would give the doctors the same wisdom and insight You did the first time. Let them catch it early again—breast cancer will not win the battle for my life. Confidently Yours, Janet*

God has answered that prayer through two recurrences, and so I encourage you to ask for prayer and keep on praying for those you know in need of prayer.

*Excerpt from Dear God, They Say It’s Cancer

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Breast cancer book

December 14, 2015
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