There is this person who we already are in God’s eyes.  And we are learning to live like it is true.”

What if a successful news anchor’s dad dies a mysterious death and he needs answers.  The problem is that the answers begin to come from God speaking to him-literally.  So just like the Old Testament prophets, John Barrett, a successful, doubt-filled man becomes a reluctant prophet.  Part of the suspense of the book is trying to figure out who killed John’s dad but the real enticement of the book is wondering how far a reluctant prophet can run from God.

Peretti has a wonderful way of pulling the spiritual realm into everyday life.  You can’t read this book without wondering what you would do if God began to speak to you the way he did to Moses or Samuel.  The characters are genuine and the book provoking.  Give it a read: You’ll be glad you did…

http://www.amazon.com/Prophet-Frank-Peretti/dp/1581345267/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1306363061&sr=1-1

When we were kids, my brother, sister and I used to make the BEST blanket forts.  We’d use every blanket in the house, all the stools, a few chairs, boom sticks, large books and tons of clothes pins to make a blanket fort so big it would cover the entire room.  It was unbelievably awesome.   Yet one day, I wanted the fort built my way and if they didn’t do it my way I’d take my blanket and leave. Did my manipulation stop the awesome fort from being built? No, but it did result in me siting in another room with my blanket over my head reading a comic book with a flashlight.  Not much of a fort.  I guess my way didn’t turn out so good.

In the Bible, Sarah tried things her way and they didn’t turn out so great either.  God had promised Sarah’s husband Abraham that he would have a son and from that son.   But Sarah didn’t think God’s plan would work because she was old and childless.  So Genesis 16 says Sarah told Abraham to have a child with her maidservant and he did.  Needless to say, that created lots of problems.  See?  Sarah’s plan didn’t turn out so good either .

The truth is we all have times we think our plans are better than God’s.  It’s not that we don’t know God’s plan, it’s just that we like ours better.  God’s plan for Sarah was to trust in Him; instead Sarah manipulated others.  Maybe you’ve had times God wanted you to admit you did something wrong, instead you blamed others.  Maybe other times God’s plan was for you to take your consequences for your actions instead you cheated the system.  And then there’s the times God’s plan was for you to be honest but your plan was to keep just a few secrets.

At the onset, our plans look smoother with less conflict and more benefits than God’s plan for us.  It’s not that we don’t want to do things God’s way it’s just that we don’t want the conflict and the hassle that comes with it.  Or maybe like Sarah we think God’s plan is ridiculous and would never work.  We have narrow thinking and a lack of trust in God.  In our head it sounds like “Telling the truth will only hurt them.”    “I don’t want the fight if they know what I did.”  “It’s not a big deal.  I just won’t tell them.”

God’s way is often not the smooth way.  You see God knows that lying, manipulating and cheating pulls you away from other people and away from His plan.  Your plan may look better in the short run but it’s never better in the long run.  That’s why God’s plan takes trust.  Do you trust God can use your honesty and integrity to lead you to a better place?  Sarah didn’t trust and she made a mess.  Isaac, her son, still came into her life as part of God’s plan but she had that blessing in the middle of the mess she made from not following God’s plan.  Trust me- I know from my own mistakes: Don’t look for the smooth way.  Look for God’s way.

Imagine jumping in your car with a map, a tank of gas (and a camera grew) to display the meaning of a song.  That is what Britt Nicole did for her song The Lost Get Found.  The opening screen of her video says:

“On September 16 and 17 I took a road trip and asked God to put people in my path that were in need.  These are the people I met.  I hope this encourages you to reach out to those around you.”

This is the song she was trying to demonstrate:

So when you get the chance
Are you gonna take it?
There’s a really big world at your fingertips
And you know you have the chance to change it
There’s a girl on the streets, she’s cryin’
There’s a man whose faith is dyin’
Love is calling you

Don’t let your lights go down
Don’t let your fire burn out
’cause somewhere, somebody needs a reason to believe
Why don’t you rise up now?
Don’t be afraid to stand out
That’s how the lost get found
The lost get found

I love the mix and uniqueness of all the people she touched in her video but the thing that impresses me the most is her prayer.  What if you prayed that prayer and God started popping all these folks in need around you?  What could you do for them?  How would that fit into your schedule?  What if you saw a needy person when you were with your kids?  Do you really have time in your life for needy people?

Be inspired not just by the song but by the video too.  CHECK IT OUT: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GO2prEoATH8

Deceived by James Scott Bell definitely left me wanting more.  It’s like I didn’t want to let go of the characters that he created for me to get to know.  Rocky Towne is a cynical, part time private investigator that takes insurance claims to get by and has a bad habit of picking bad men.  Her brother Arty shows up dead by a suspicious accident.  Arty’s unscrupulous wife and ex-con best friend add to the confusion along with Arty’s quacky  friends from church.  Dead bodies keep showing up and Rocky is off to find the killer.

The thing that sets James Scott Bell’s mysteries out from the rest is his ability to wind the development of his characters around a startling yet completely believable plot.  There is nothing flamboyant from the past to explain the evil in his books.  It’s just people- struggling and choosing their own paths when temptation hits.  A lot like you and me.

After watching the folks struggle and choose I really cared about them and wanted to know more.  You will too.  Find out more at:  http://www.jamesscottbell.com/

“As all of us can testify, God does not speak to the hurried, worried mind.”

It’s amazing how little I know about automobile maintenance.   I know where to put the gas and I know to get an oil change when the sticker on my windshield tells me.  That about covers everything I know about maintaining my car.  So every so often my husband drives my car because he knows I am clueless.  We’ll drive along and he’ll say “Do you hear that?”  I, of course, hear nothing.  I ask “What is it?”  His usual response is “I don’t know but something doesn’t sound right.”  I’m so thankful he can hear when something sounds off.  I guess if you can’t hear that something isn’t right, you won’t know that something is wrong.

Do you know the sound that something might be going wrong in your life?  It’s the sound of temptation.  Most of us go through our days, cruising along and not hearing the sound of Satan trying to yank you off course.  Satan is sneaky.  He covers up his lies with half-truths- like he did with Eve.

See Eve was living in the Garden of Eden with her husband Adam and everything was perfect.  She had perfect weather for her perfect meals that she made for her perfect husband.  All Eve had to do to keep her perfect life going was to not eat from the Tree of Good and Evil.  Then in Genesis 3:5 Satan told Eve something that did not quite sound right. “ God knows that in the day you eat of it, your eyes shall be open, and you will be as gods, knowing good from evil.”  Satan told Eve only half the truth.  If Eve ate of the fruit she would have her eyes opened and she would know the difference between good and evil.  That part is true.  But the lie is that she would become like God.  She did not become a god, she became a sinful person.

Now it’s easy after the fact to say Eve should have heard Satan’s lies but do you?  Do you hear the half-truths Satan uses to tempt you?  They might sound like:

• It’s OK to scream at my kids because nothing else seems to get through to them.
• It’s OK to take that extra printer home from work because no one is using it.
• It’s OK to not stay in touch with my parents because I am so busy.
• It’s OK to think I am worthless because it’s what my parents always said.

Can you hear the half- truths? Can you hear how the half-truths make the temptation feel like it’s not so bad?  After all, maybe screaming does motivate your kids, and maybe no one is using that printer but that does not make ungodly actions all right.  We all fall prey to Satan’s half-truths sometimes but remember, you’re not cruising through life alone.  Let God teach you how to hear the sound of temptation by asking Him for good judgment to keep you on course.  Just like with my car, if you can’t hear that something isn’t right, you won’t know that something could be terribly wrong so be smart.  Listen up!

You probably never heard this song on the radio but if you love cartoons you will love it!!!  No introduction needed…just watch!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xu7FBK9RVHE

It’s amazing to me the since of suspense and anticipation I could have from a series of letters.  Letters from the Land of Cancer is a collection of letters Walter Wangerin wrote after his diagnosis of metastatic lung cancer.  He takes you into the world of reacting to your loved ones reactions, and the frustrations of our bodies not doing what they’re suppose to do and the sense of adventure that God is going with him to a new place- first cancer then heaven.

The first thing that you must know is that Wangerin writes beautifully.  His letters are as rich with metaphors as his books so the letters are a joy to read.  The second thing is that he is extremely honest and therefore at times raw about facing his immortality.  This is not a cancer book that says” battle on and it will be OK.”  It’s a book that says ” it will be OK…that’s all.”  The last section of his book he writes about his peace on this adventure in cancer comes from knowing Jesus will call his name.  That part alone is worth reading the book. It’s beautiful and most importantly true.

Don’t miss this book...http://www.walterwangerinjr.org/new_web/publish_details.php?id=49

“I have come to believe that belief is something that happens to us…this deep, deep conviction… that life is about this thing, and it really isn’t an option for it to be about something else.”