The View from Caesar's Head

Psalm 95:4-7
He holds in his hands the depths of the earth
    and the mightiest mountains.
The sea belongs to him, for he made it.
    His hands formed the dry land, too.

Come, let us worship and bow down.
    Let us kneel before the Lord our maker,
for he is our God.
We are the people he watches over,
    the flock under his care.

Tim and I drove down to see Hannah in South Carolina. On the way we cruised through the Great Smokey Mountains. As we powered along, I watched the landscape for any signs of autumn. And bears—I always watch for bears. From the highway, we looked over the ridges and felt we were well above the tree-strewn valleys. That is until Saturday, when Hannah took us to a place called Caesar's Head. From our point of view, about 3200 feet above sea level, the scene took my breath away.  A valley, that stretched as far as I could see, housed a vast forest dotted with gold and red. A lake as smooth as glass sprawled between hills. The majestic mountains rose in the distance.

We stood on top of this rock formation called Caesar's Head

Gazing over the beauty, reminded me of two truths from Psalm 95. Number one: Everything was created by and is owned by God. As I stood on the top of Caesar's Head, I saw wonder in God's natural world. I drew in fresh air. I imagined what animals roamed those mountains. (Maybe, a bear or two.) Number two: God watches over me. He cares about me and loves me just as I am. I needed that reminder, because sometimes I forget or take for granted our incredible Lord. He has more love than we can imagine, and he wants to pour that out on us if only we seek him.

Let us come to him with thanksgiving. 

Let us sing psalms of praise to him.

                                      -Psalm 95:2

Nonfiction Book Review: The Most Important Women of the Bible: Remarkable Stories of God's Love and Redemption by Aaron & Elaina Sharp

Book Description:

From well-known women like Eve and Esther to those lesser known like Jochebed and Zipporah, women of the Bible play a vital role in God's timeless story of redemption.

This book traces the stories of three dozen of the most important women in Scripture, each handpicked by God to play a crucial part in his gracious plan for all humanity. Every chapter begins with a short biography followed by an explanation of how each woman fits into the overall narrative of the Gospel message, pointing to God's love for the individual as well as his larger plan to redeem sinners through the sending of his son. The Bible is the story of God's relationship with his people--men, women, Jews, Gentiles, saints, and sinners. But this book reveals that it's also the story of his relationship with you.

My Review:
I love to read about the women in the Bible. Aaron and Elaina Sharp have chosen 32 biblical ladies in 31 chapters. From Eve to Priscilla, they summarize the story surrounding each woman, then share about their "Role in Redemption." I love that they show how each woman played a part in God's ultimate plan of salvation and grace. The authors bring out Bible truths from each woman's story that we can apply to our lives today. I also like that the authors breathe life into some stories that might otherwise be overlooked. The Most Important Women of the Bible would be great for a women's Bible study or a devotional reading. I received this free from Bethany House.

Children's Book Review: 'Twas the Evening of Christmas by Glenys Nellist, illustrated by Elena Selivanova

Book Description:

For over 200 years, families have gathered on Christmas Eve to hear the much loved words of Dr. Clement C. Moore’s ’Twas the Night Before Christmas. This year, families can gather together to share the real Christmas story––the story of Jesus’ birth. ’Twas the Evening of Christmas echoes the familiar language and rhythm of Dr. Clements’ poetry, but instead of focusing on Santa, it focuses on the baby Jesus, who is, after all, the true hero of Christmas. All families will delight in this simple retelling of the most famous story ever told. With a cover that comes alive with foil and sculpted embossing, this book is sure to become a Christmas classic.

My Review:

I am excited about sharing Glenys Nellist's rendition of  this well-loved Christmas classic with my family. For years, our family has read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas and the Bible's story of Jesus birth during the holidays. This year I want to add this new classic, 'Twas the Evening of Christmas.  Glenys did a lovely job rewriting the story to reflect Jesus' birth. Her rhyming is smooth and flows beautifully, the rhythm is consistent with the original story. The colorful illustrations add charm to the story. But, my favorite part of the book is the very end, where we hear sweet words from Mary, Jesus' mother. This would be a sweet book to share on Christmas Eve or morning. I received this free from Zonderkidz.

Children's Book Review: God's Great Love for You by Rick Warren, illustrated by Chris Saunders

Book Description:

God’s Great Love for You, written by #1 New York Times bestselling author and respected pastor Rick Warren, takes children on a whimsical and heartfelt journey that lets them know God’s love is with them wherever they go. With breathtaking illustrations by Chris Saunders, the simple yet poignant text comes alive as a child journeys to places far and near and discovers God’s great love is perfect, and everywhere, and will never end.

My Review:
God's Great Love for You is absolutely beautiful. The spare wording gives a heartfelt reassurance that God loves us. The illustrations made me feel like God's love is huge. So big, he is everywhere. This book is perfect for preschool through Kindergarten. And could be used to teach a class of little ones about God's amazing love. The main character is a little girl. Her expressions create a sense of wonder which adds a layer of delight. This is definitely one I will share with my youngest granddaughter. I received this book for free from Zonderkidz.

October

Listen

Two Ears and a Mouth

James 1:19-20
Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.

from commons.wikipedia.com

I have a confession. Sometimes—I lose my temper. Unfortunately, that's a true statement. The weird thing is, I am usually at work when this happens. And almost every time, someone has told me something and instead of listening and thinking about their words, I let my mouth fly open. "Why did this happen?" "Why did that happen?" "That's not fair!" The one not being fair might be me, because I don't know the whole story. Yet God does, and he sees my behavior. I have proof—last Friday I was feeling bad about something I'd spouted, so I prayed. The next morning, in my Bible app, the verse of the day was James 1:19.

God knows my thoughts and my heart so well, I'm thinking he knows yours too. That's why I'm sharing this. James is a smart man, the brother of Jesus, and an inspiration to me. I love the book of James. Evidently, I need to read it more to remind myself of God's truth. When I read the verse on my phone, I was reminded of something I used to tell my elementary students at storytime. We have two ears and one mouth. We need to listen more than we talk. Sounds like I need my own advice.

On Monday morning, when I returned to work I taped a copy of James 1:19 on my computer. That little verse has been a great reminder, and practicing the wise words has given me a better week. What's God trying to tell you? Do you need a visual reminder. So far that method has helped me. Consider God's wisdom, it's the most amazing life transformer I know.

Seek Light

Soccer and Sun

2 Corinthians 4:6
For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.

We've spent several Saturdays watching grandsons play soccer. Sitting on the sidelines our view often faces the sun. The bright rays make us squint. We have to lift our hands to block the glare (when we forget our baseball caps.) The sun makes watching the games a bit uncomfortable. But we tolerate the heat and brightness  because we love our grandsons and want to support them.

With Jesus, the opposite happens. In life we find ourselves in uncomfortable situations. Maybe a loved one has died or we've found out we're ill. Perhaps our hearts break for a sad situation or we've experienced abuse. What happens in this world is sometimes so difficult we don't understand. But then the light of Jesus warms our hearts. His light breaks through the darkness and brings comfort and peace. His light is so brilliant, once you let it in, the radiance of hope outshines the darkest night. But that's just it, we have to choose to let Jesus in. He wants, more than anything, to fill our lives with his light. His offer of comfort, peace and joy is open to everyone. His light is not something to tolerate, instead it's something to cherish. If you need light in your life, seek Jesus. He loves you.

Joy from Jesus

Joy!

Do You Know the Joy?

1 Peter 1:6-7

In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 

Our three-year-old granddaughter bubbles over with joy. Born with a huge personality, she entertains and loves in a big way. She sings about Jesus and dances with delight. Her precious little smile causes me to melt, especially when her eyes twinkle and her sweet dimple shows. She loves life and shares that love with a joy-filled heart.

Our world is filled with tragedy and grief. On the days when evil rears his ugly head and causes pain and sorrow, I find it difficult to grasp the joy that's "down in my heart." Growing up we learned a fun little song, that Ella Cate is probably being taught in Sunday School. "I have the joy, joy, joy—down in my heart. Where? Down in my heart." That joy, delight, elation comes from trusting in Jesus. When I dedicated my life to follow Jesus, he poured his love and yes, joy in me. Even when I've suffered heartache, illness, distrust, or tragedy, Jesus' joy sustained me. No matter what happens on this earth. No matter how scary, heartrending  or catastrophic— because I love and follow Jesus—I still have a glimmer of hope.

So when I visit with my granddaughter and she bubbles over with joy, I'm reminded of the joy that bubbles in my heart! That hope fills me with peace. I pray for peace for all who are going through trials. I pray for the joy of Jesus to overflow.

Luke 18:16 Then Jesus called for the children and said to the disciples, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children."

Fiction Review: Hearts Unfolding (The Rockwell Chronicles, Book 1) by Kathleen E. Friesen

Book Description:

Kennedy Rockwell takes pride in working for her family’s Rockwell Concrete Works, but she plans to branch out into her own landscape design business. Strong and independent, she is determined to succeed. Romance can wait…until Austin Warner turns her emotions inside out.

Austin works hard to achieve his goals, and the one closest to his heart is something he’s never really had—a family of his own. Kennedy seems to be the answer to his prayers until a small complication brings huge consequences. 

Troubles from their pasts threaten to crush their dreams and push them apart. Can Kennedy and Austin learn to yield everything to the One who can grant them the desires of their hearts?

My Review:

I love to read stories with flawed characters, especially the ones who have depth and have gone through difficult times. Kathleen delivers that in Hearts Unfolding. The story touched my heart and kept me cheering for Kennedy and Austin. As Kennedy and Austin face problems and stand against their pasts, they are surrounded by people who care and point them to God. I love the spiritual thread that flows through the story. If you enjoy a heart-felt read, this is the book for you. Five stars. I purchased Hearts Unfolding on Amazon.

God Cares

Keep Praying