May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
What it's about:
The book that J.I. Packer called, "Haunting, deeply pondered, and
beautifully written," is changing lives. A Small Cup of Light is the story
of an unexpected encounter with God in the desert of despair. Several years
ago, Ben Palpant suffered a sudden and massive health collapse that crippled
many of his faculties nearly overnight. That experience prompted him to ask the
hard questions, like, "What shall we do when confronted with the ache of
our suffering in the presence of a living God?" Palpant's story is proof
that a relationship with God can be more intimate not in spite of suffering,
but because of suffering. A Small Cup of Light is a bold invitation to face God
in the darkness. It is a rousing call to the human spirit, offering hope to the
hopeless and a song to the suffering.
My Thoughts:
I seldom read and review nonfiction. Not because I don't like it, but because
most of what I read is research for writing. Author, Ben Palpant attended the
Goodlit Writer's retreat with me and twelve other writers, where he shared
beautiful fiction prose. I knew he had published before in the realm of
nonfiction, so I thought I'd see what he had written when I got home. I'm so
glad I did. A Small Cup of Light is the heart-wrenching and yet, joy
filled story of a time in his life when he faced a difficult and scary health
crisis. Ben takes that hard time and opens up about how God met him there after
he learned to listen. This isn't a sugar-coated story of recovery. This is the honest story
of a man who came face-to-face with crisis and found along with the anger,
disappointment, and frustration, a joy that could only come from glorifying
God. Ben's book will lift the weary and weighted and offer hope to all of us. His
melodic writing comforts, along with the many references to scripture and
wisdom from other writers which he quotes. He says, "The very hope of the
Gospel rests directly upon our ability to imagine a world in which suffering
serves as the soil from which resurrection springs." I highly recommend A
Small Cup of Light. I purchased a copy.
Exodus 3:11-12
But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go
to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”
And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the
sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the
people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.”
Who am I?
My mind is still reeling from everything I experienced at
the Goodlit Writer's Retreat. Not only did we have excellent mentors and
teachers, we were fed well (I tasted food I'd never eaten before) I slept in a
beautiful old inn, and I bonded with writers from all over the country. More
than all the wonderful accommodations, teaching, and the people I met, I had an
overwhelming awareness of the presence of God.
I've known for a while God called me to write, but at
Goodlit, He met me face-to-face and poured into my heart to leave
discouragement behind. Most writers will tell you that we never feel our
writing is good enough—we find ourselves wondering why anyone would want to read
what we write. It's called imposter syndrome. Even as I sit and write this
devotion, the devil is trying to mess with my mind and tell me I'm wasting my
time. I'm not saying any of this so people will respond with encouragement,
although that is always appreciated. I'm saying this because I think we all
feel that way in our walk with Jesus.
Who am I to be redeemed, forgiven, sent into the battlefield
for God?
Moses wondered the same thing, but God had called him to
deliver His people. He asked Moses to bring His people out of Egypt. The
beautiful part of the story is Moses obeyed. He took God's calling to heart and
trudged on. Was it easy? No. Did he get accolades at the end? No. He didn't
even make it into the promised land with the people he led. Yet he obeyed.
God has called me to write, but even more important, He's
called me to obey. I may never win an award, or have a best seller. It doesn't
matter. What matters is obedience to the one who created me and knows my
purpose on this earth.
What is God calling you to? Listen and obey.
Genesis 1:3-5
And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that
the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God
called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there
was evening, and there was morning—the first day.
Glory filled the sky.
The best thing I can say about my week at Goodlit Writers
Retreat is—God
blessed me with a gift. An unexpected—I can't believe I'm here gift. Surrounded
by other people who strive to write for God, I witnessed the beauty of minds
and hearts opening up and pouring out. Folks from all over the country met in
the quintessential small town of Stanford, Kentucky, to better understand the
purpose of God's calling to write.
The different backgrounds and experiences meshed together to
form a group who, like me, wanted to obey and follow the journey God is leading
us on.
On Tuesday evening, Angela and Jess, hosts for the week,
invited us to their beautiful farm. For me, a country girl at heart, the trip
filled me with joy. After a delicious Kentucky dinner, Jess drove the tractor and
pulled us on a wagon (with upholstered seats) to the top of a grass-covered
hill and we watched the sunset. As the light and coming darkness played
together, the pinks and pale blues turned to glorious red and deep navy. Just
before night fell, the sky reminded me how when people come together to create
or work, or live as a family, God can bring harmony to the dance.
In whatever I do, I pray God joins me as I pursue my dreams.
He's the one who placed them on my heart and poured the talent and skills into
me. Angela owns a beautiful soap store in town, Kentucky Soaps and Such. When we
toured the production area, this quote was painted on the wall. "Lord, let
our workspace, whatever that looks like, be our worship place." When we bring the work we do before
the Lord and ask Him to partner with us, we couple with Him and bring Him
glory.
Watch a sunset and let the beauty fill you with joy and a desire
to dance with God.
Matthew 11:29
“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for
I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."
It's that time of year again.
On Wednesday, the first day of the 2023-24 school
year, I spent the day in Sara's first grade class. Those bright little students
took in a lot of information. They got refreshers on how to go through the
lunch line, play at recess, organize their desks, and they got to pick out
books from the Grammy Penny crates. Sara had them do a drawing activity, that
they'll write about this week, and a fun marshmallow story that showed them how
to be quiet and respectful in the hallway. All-in-all they had a wonderful
first day.
Whether public school, homeschool, private
school, college, trade school, or any other learning, being a student takes
work and being the teacher takes preparation. Hopefully, when the two meet, a
great learning experience happens.
I've worked in the public library, school library,
and college library. My mom always said I never stopped going to school. In a
way, she was right. I'm a lifelong learner, always seeking to gain knowledge
and wisdom about something. Maybe something as simple as what kind of butterfly
or flower I saw.
The most important learning I have ever
experienced is what I've learned from the Bible. God's word teaches so many
lessons, insights, and ways to live. There is no education more important.
Jesus wants me to listen and apply what I've heard and read. I'm so thankful
God prepared a book I could read and study that teaches life lessons, offers
encouragement, shares so many types of literature, tells remarkable stories,
and leaves me wanting more. Some say the Bible is boring, but I disagree. It's
fascinating.
I choose to read a few verses a day and ponder
and pray over it and discover what God wants me to hear and learn. That way I'm
not overwhelmed, and I remember it better. How do you approach reading the
Bible?
Be a lifelong learner of God's word.