Tuesday, September 27, 2016

Book Review- Gardenias for Breakfast

Is there a memory from childhood that remains perfect?  Do you ever wish you could go back and relive that vacation, that summer at Grandma's, that school year?

In Gardenia's for breakfast Abby and her daughter get a chance to visit Louisiana from their home in Maui, Hawaii.  Abby has fond memories of her summer there and looks forward to giving her daughter a chance to make similar memories.   However, she is confronted with the reality that life does not always remain as we left it.  Things change, and some memories cannot be remade.   But even so, there is space for new ones to form.

Gardenias for Breakfast is beautiful story of the relationship between a mother and her growing daughter.  A coming of age in a sense for both women.  

And a reminder of God's grace intertwining with our lives, even when we don't always see it.

Overall ratings below.

Story- 9
Beauty- 9
Bookshelf worthy-  9


Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Light Shines in the Darkness

"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."  John 1:5

This week we remember a day that was very dark.

America changed on that September 11.   

On September 10, 2001, it was inconceivable that a plane could become a missile.

On September 10, 2001, passengers could walk, fully clothed through the simple metal detectors, with full sized bottles of shampoo stashed in their carry on.

No one could have guessed the changes that would follow.

Was it just airline convenience that changed? Or did America change too? 

Did we suddenly realize that the darkness could reach us?  Could invade our land? That perhaps darkness didn't exist only in lands across the sea, while we counted our blessings to be born in the country of light?

And yet.  The light shines in the darkness.  And the darkness has not overcome it.

Where does the light come from?  Jesus gives us a clue in Matthew 5:14.   "You are the light of the world.....let your light shine before others."

Darkness cannot overtake our nation as long as God's people continue to shine our light, which of course is really His light, into the world.

May God bless America.  
Stand beside her. And guide her.
Through the night.  With a light.
From above.









Photo Credit: https://unsplash.com/@aaronburden 



Tuesday, September 6, 2016

The Difference between Prayer and Magic

Recently two very different things happened around the same time.

1)  I finished a fascinating fantasy book full of magic and complex characters.
2)  I learned that Craig McConnell, a key member of Ransomed Heart Ministries and someone whose voice I know from podcasts, was unexpectedly dying after a long battle (which he thought he had won) with cancer.

As I was praying that day, I couldn't help contrast the difference between words of a fantastical spell and words of a prayer.

In most fantasy worlds I have visited, the hero is the special one.  And they gain victory by growing stronger or faster, or smarter than their opponent.  They have the power.   And they can control that power for good (in the books I read) or perhaps even for ill.

But in our world, such magic does not exist.  We might like to pretend it does.  (Because really, how cool would it be if I could say a word and make a flower grow.) But it does not.

There is however; power in our world.  Power that makes the flowers grow, that brought people out of dust, and that can intercede even when science says it cannot.

All good things flow from their Creator.

And we learn through His Word that there is also power in prayer.  That we can partner with Him to fight for good and beautiful things.

BUT, this is also where we must be careful.  A strong prayer with beautiful, powerful words, is not magic.

The difference between prayer and magic is this: in our world it is God who is the strong, special, powerful One.   Not us.  And whatever power comes through our earnest prayers, is placed beneath His will.  If our request will bring Him glory, will be for His ultimate good, then let it be so. But if not, we must learn to submit, and do to so without despair.

If prayer was more like magic, I think Craig would be healed, ready to live many more years with his family.  The Ransomed Heart team has a book on effective prayer that I love, and (as best as I can tell) they are strong warriors of faith.

But in the end they submit to the will of God, just as we must. While still believing that He is good. Remembering that our story may not always be clear in this life, but that it does not end with this life.

There is a phrase in second Peter 1 that I love:  "You will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts."

The world is not always as it may seem.   There is great power here.  We do not always understand the battle we face.   But if we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, our Morning Star, we will never be left in darkness.