Same Song, Second Book

Via Google

So I thought I would be publishing The Kingdom of Fire and Ice the end of this summer. But I'm not...

   And I've been here before. It's not fun, especially because it's for pretty much the same reason. I'm personally not ready and neither is my writing.

   But I choose to seek God. I hold Jeremiah 29: 11-13 close. I choose to trust He knows what He's doing. I want to move forward. I choose to wait.

   Lord, help me trust You more. In all of this, let me rest in You.

RhoXie

God of Details

via Google

I love it when what I think of as a dry passage in the Bible comes to life

   Recently, I started studying the book of Matthew. It started, of course, with Jesus' genealogy, and I was tempted to skip it. But something, the Holy Spirit I believe, told me not to.

    At first, it was just a list of fathers and sons, many with names I couldn't pronounce. But then I came to verse sixteen.

"Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Mary gave birth to Jesus, who is called the Messiah."

~ Matthew 1:16

And it just kind of hit me that God had specifically picked a descendant of David to be Jesus' earthly father, and He didn't have to.  Mary was also a descendant of David, so that fulfilled the prophecy.

   But God knew the Jews traced family lines through the fathers, so He provided an earthly father, a descendant of David. It was just a detail, but God took care of it.

   While I was still marveling over that, the Holy Spirit spoke again and reminded me that I am also His child (Gal. 3:26). The same level of care He gave to Jesus, He gives to me. He shows the same level of interest in all His children's lives, in all their details. And not just the good ones. He cares about the bad ones too.

   And because He cares about them, we shouldn't be afraid to let Him handle them. Remember, before anyone, even Mary, knew Jesus was to be born, God took care of the details.

RhoXie

A Modern-day Psalm

Yes, I live. I disappeared for over a month, but I'm back now. Hopefully, I can get back into the swing of things and start posting regularly. But on to the psalm!

~

I praise You

      because You have saved me;

   I worship You because You

      have redeemed me.

I was sentenced to Hell,

   but You brought me

      to Heaven.

My sins were killing my soul,

   but You have healed it of them.

Satan pursued me;

   His demons sought me life.

I called on You, and

   You heard my cry.

You rebuked the Devil

      and scattered His servants.

You protected me

      because You love me.

You carried me to safety;

    my soul will not fear.

You brought me

      to a strong refuge;

    my heart will not be afraid.

Let the forest sing;

   let the rivers rejoice.

Let the mountains cry out

      and let the oceans shout

         aloud.

God has done wonderful things;

   He has shown His greatness.

No one can match Min;

   He is beyond all mankind.

Though princes plan

     and warriors fight,

   He is the One

      who directs the earth.

Though they wage war,

      He will decide the victory.

Mankind is nothing,
      a piece of ash vanished
         with the breeze.
   It is gone in an instant.

But He sees us.
   For us, He cares.
He looks down from on high
      and saves us from death.
He reaches forth

      and redeems us.

For this, praise Him.
   I will praise till life leaves me.

I will worship
      until death takes me.

RhoXie

1 Cor. 13:4-8 ~ The Way of Love

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

  Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away, as for tongues; they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.[...]

The True Christmas

For unto us a child is born,

to us a son is given;

and the government shall be upon his

shoulder,

and his name shall be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of his government and

of peace

there will be no end,

on the throne of David and over his

kingdom,

to establish it and uphold it

with justice and with righteousness

from this forth and

forevermore.

The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do

this.

~Isaiah 9:6-7

For he grew up before him like a young

plant,

and like a root out of dry ground;

he had no form or majesty that we

should look at him,

and no beauty that we should desire

him.

He was despised and rejected by men;

a man of sorrows, and acquainted

with grief;

and as one from whom men hide their

faces

he was despised, and we esteemed

him not.

Surely he has borne our griefs

and carried our sorrows;

yet we esteemed him stricken,

smitten by God and afflicted.

But he was wounded for our

transgressions;

he was crushed for our iniquities;

upon him was the chastisement that

brought us peace,

and with his stripes we are healed.

~Isaiah 53:2-5

Merry Christmas!

RhoXie

Wait on Him

I believe that I shall look upon the the

goodness of the LORD

in the land of the living!

Wait for the LORD;

be strong, and let your heart take

courage;

wait for the LORD!

~Psalm 27:13-14

   I have needed these verses over the weekend. First, the situation with our house is still iffy, second, I lost the typing program I use for my book, and third, we're not sure where we'll be next. So yeah, it was rough.

   I don't see God's goodness very clearly right now, but I chose to believe it's there. I believe and wait.

   Though it's difficult at times, I know God's timing is best. My belief in that makes me strong against these struggles.

   I have courage that God will bring my family through this. I admit I want it to be over, but I'm willing to wait on Him.

~

   Please grant me grace about posting as we move. On the plus side though, y'all can now subscribe by email so y'all never miss a post.

17 for 17

  My seventeenth birthday is almost here. In fact, it's Tuesday. Today. That fact is made even scarier by the fact that my youngest sister, Norah Beth, is six today as well.

Us at Christmas last year

   Over the course of my (short) life, I've picked up a few things. Allow me to share seventeen of them.

1.) Sin is big, but God is bigger.

2.) Family has an unique and special place in our lives.

3.) A good book is better than gold.

4.) Real friends aren't afraid to correct.

5.) No matter how good my plan is, God's is better.

6.) A good read and quality literature can be two different things.

7.)Reaching dreams requires sacrifice.

8.) Love is a way of life, not just a word.

9.) God blesses in ways we don't realize.

10.) Writing is a power to be used carefully.

11.) There's no better book than the Bible.

12.)Doing your best is perfect.

13.) Beauty is being yourself.

14.) Joy can'y be bought.

15.) God does everything for a purpose.

16.) A good song is a gift from God.

17.) You live each moment only once.

The Joy of the Lord

   I spent most of this past week at camp in Dayton, Tennessee. But it wasn't your regular camp. What my sister Miranda and I were doing was volunteering at a Joni and Friends Family Retreat. 

  This camp, one of many across the country and beyond, is for families that have members with special needs. The Short Term Missionaries either are assigned to a camper with special needs, a camper's sibling, or to help with a program. My sister had a camper, and I helped with the Children's Program.

   The theme for the week was Nehemiah 8:10:

For the joy of the Lord is your strength.

My part in the Children's Program was to teach the Theme Song (The Joy of the Lord by Rend Collective) and hand motions to go with it. My friend Emalyn also taught them with me.  Then on Wednesday, all the kids performed it on stage for their parents and the STMs. Every last one of them did great, and I was so proud of them!

   I came back Thursday, having made good friends and good memories. I reached home tired and ready for home cooking. I slept close to twenty hours by Saturday afternoon. But I would go back tomorrow if I could. Why?

   Because I found such joy in my service to others. Supernatural joy. The joy of the Lord  that gave me strength to serve all around me. I'm not living that well here at home, I admit, but I want to. Because such joy is too amazing for only once a year!

The Compassion of the LORD ~ Isaiah Fifty-five

Come, everyone who thirsts,

come to the waters;

and he who has no money,

come buy and eat!

Come, buy wine and milk

without money and without price.

Why do you spend your money on that

which is not bread,

and your labor for that does not satisfy?

Listen diligently to me, and eat what is

good,

and delight yourselves in rich food.

Incline your ear, and come to me;

hear, that your soul may live;

and I will make with you an

everlasting covenant,

my steadfast, sure love for David.

Behold, I made him a witness to the

peoples,

a leader and commander for the

peoples.

Behold, you shall call a nation that you

do not know,

and a nation that did not know you

shall run to you,

because of the LORD your God, and of

the Holy One of Israel,

for he has glorified you.

Seek the LORD while he may be found;

call upon him while he is near;

let the wicked forsake his way,

and the unrighteous man his

thoughts;

let him return to the LORD, that he

may have compassion on him.

and to our God, for he will

abundantly pardon.

For my thoughts are not your

thoughts,

neither are your ways my ways,

declares the LORD,

For as the heavens are higher than the

earth,

so are my ways higher than your

ways and my thoughts than your

thoughts.

For as the rain and the snow come

down from heaven

and do not return there but water

the earth,

making it bring forth and sprout,

giving seed to the sower and bread

to the eater,

so shall my word be that goes out from

my mouth;

it shall not return to me empty,

but it shall accomplish that which I

purpose,

and shall succeed in the thing for

which I sent it.

For you shall go out in joy

and be lead forth in peace;

the mountains and the hills before you

shall break forth into singing,

and all the trees of the field shall clap

their hands.

Instead of the thorns shall come up the

cypress;

instead of the brier shall come up

the myrtle;

and it shall make a name for the LORD,

an everlasting sign that shall not be

cut off.

Moving Peace

   This past Wednesday I had a small foretaste of what is about to come.

   Moving.

   Wednesday I only moved rooms. Soon I'll move houses. I've accepted it. I've told myself that it will be an experience I can use for my writing. But when I'm alone, I must admit that a part of me shudders at the thought.

   Everything packed up and carted off. My life in upheaval. Leaving behind all I've known for almost eight years.

You keep him in perfect peace

whose mind is stayed on you,

because he trusts in you.

Trust in the LORD forever,

for the LORD GOD is an everlasting

rock.

~ Isaiah 26: 3-4

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.                                                                                    ~ Jeremiah 29: 11

   My parents believe moving is God's will, His plan, for our family. I trust them, and I choose to trust God in this. Everything will work out for the best. I have peace about this. It's not perfect peace yet, but God and I are working on that. 

~

   On a side note, the sign-up form for my book reveal isn't working. If y'all would be so kind, please leave a comment with all the required information. I promise that all comments of that type will not be published. And Faye, if you would be so nice as to do another post on your blog about this in case someone from your readers did sign-up, I would be most grateful. 

REAL Love

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.- 1 Corinthians 13:7&8

  In today's culture these verses seem almost impossible, almost meaningless. Relationships crumble all around us. What God intended to last 'til death now "ends" in as little as a month. Just as bad,"love" has become an everyday, multipurpose word with hundreds of meanings. The label"sin" has been replaced with"love"in many cases. Everything, it seems, is good if done for the sake of "love".

  But does this "love"endure? Does it hope in spite of the pain? Does it believe? Does it bear hardship over and over again? I'm not saying love should put up with certain sins if they are continuely repeated.But, but, it should last through storms of many different kinds.
  We will be known as Jesus' followers by how we love (see John 13:34). Does the way we love show others our faith?
  Maybe I should just grow up. Modern love, real love, isn't like that. I'm chasing a fantasy, a hopeless dream. My standards are set way too high. Or are they?
  Define REAL love.
  Is it the kind that makes me happy, fulfilling my every wish? Does it involve little besides candlelight ans bubbly feelings? Does it tint my world rose-colored? Is it the kind that comes on a whim and disappears with a major fight?
  That doesn't sound real to me. Or is real love strong enough to face and last storm after destructive storm? Is it willing to submit to being spit upon and scorned, to be called foolish, old-fashion, and overprotective? Does it believe and last?Does it endure pain and even death?

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. - John 15:13

  This is real love. This is how I want to love God, family, friends, and the world. This is the love Jesus meant. It's messy and very dirty. The world's"love"maybe easier to do, but REAL love is greater in the end.   

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Two Book Recommmendations

I'm soooo sorry I've not posted in the last couple of weeks, but I'll try to make up for it now. As an avid reader and writer, books occupy a rather large portion of my time. Here are two of my favorites.

Radical by David Platt   A thought-provoking about how Christians are called to live. Biblically solid, it continually points back to Jesus' commission and then challenges us to really live our faith as Christ intended.It's available at Family Christian Bookstores. Fun fact: Mr. Platt is a native Georgian.

Cryptide  Hunters by Roland Smith   A well written adventure novel about twins, Grace and Marty, whose parents disappear in the Amazonian rain-forest. Their world turned upside down, they're sent to live with an uncle they didn't know they had.To Grace's dismay, and Marty's delight, their uncle, Travis Wolfe, seems obsessed with mysterious creatures called cryptides.  Available at Amazon and Thriftbooks.

Broken Beauty

     Imagine a soap dispenser made of yellow glass with a diamond pattern.Its pear-shaped frame is trimmed in brown.This dispenser not only did its function; it was beautiful until the day it was broken. When it was fixed, there was a noticeable crack. I like it better that way for some reason. My sister thought I was crazy.

      Later I wandered if I was weird to like it better that way. God's answer to that was no. Then He asked if I thought The Cross was weird. I told Him no, I thought The Cross was beautiful beyond compare.

      "But My Son was broken,"God said to me.

      "But He was broken in love," I argued back.

      "Moriah,it's good to see the beauty others miss,"God told me gently.

      Beauty, an interesting topic. But broken beauty is an even more interesting topic. The ultimate example is The Cross.

       Jesus was broken. His physical body was beaten, whipped, and humiliated. His soul was turmoil. Then, to top it off, they push thorns onto His head. That whipping? The soldiers were probably surprised to see Him moving.Why? Because most didn't come out able to breathe.Next they took crude nails and hammered them into His hands and feet. He was left hanging (literally), waiting for His lungs to collapse. The entertainment was watching men gamble for His clothing.

       It was a gruesome,beautiful sight. There was blood all over Jesus,but right then He was most beautiful.Jesus broken but beauty.

       All His physical pain was nothing compared to what was to come.'And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying,"Eli,Eli,lema sabachthani?" that is "My God,My God,why have you forsaken me?" (Matt.27:46,ESV)

       Since before the beginning of time,Jesus had always been with God the Father.Then,suddenly, their fellowship was broken.

        When I can't connect with God it's hard; it hurts my soul.Think how much harder it was for Jesus who had never been separated for a second. To Him,it was the worst pain ever,far worse than His physical pain.Not only was Jesus' body broken,His heart was broken.Yet it was  beautiful.His brokenness was beautiful.

          Yes, there is broken beauty.To me, it's the most beautiful kind of beauty.