Hearing Voices

"We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." -2 Corinthians 10:5

I spent two hours this morning listening to The Voices. Don't call the men in the white coats! It happens to all of us sometimes: we hear the replays of something hurtful that was said - something that cut us to our very soul. We feel rejected, ashamed, worthless. But then I heard another Voice speaking Truth and Love into my heart...

"I CAN'T BE FRIENDS WITH YOU FOR AWHILE."
"I will never leave you or forsake you." -Hebrews 13:5

"I DON'T KNOW HOW TO TALK TO YOU OR BE YOUR FRIEND BECAUSE YOU'RE SO NEGATIVE."
"You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book." -Psalm 56:8

"SOME OF US DON'T GET TO SLEEP IN UNTIL 10AM EVERY DAY OR LIE DOWN AND REST WHENEVER WE WANT."
"...for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust." -Psalm 103:14

"I'M TIRED AND DON'T WANT TO TALK TO YOU RIGHT NOW."
"You have searched me, LORD, and you know me. You perceive my thoughts from afar. Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely." -Psalm 139:1-4

"NOW'S NOT REALLY A GOOD TIME TO VISIT; THERE'S JUST A LOT GOING ON."
"Whoever comes to me I will never drive away."
-John 6:37

"YOU DON'T DO ANYTHING ALL DAY. YOU DON'T CONTRIBUTE."
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." -Jeremiah 29:11

"IT WAS NICE TALKING TO YOU, BUT I WANT TO GO SAY 'HELLO' TO SOMEONE [more interesting]."
"The Lord your God...will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." -Zephaniah 3:17

"EVERYONE'S BAILING ON YOU RIGHT NOW, AREN'T THEY?"
"I have chosen you and have not rejected you. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God." -Isaiah 41:9-10

"OH? YOU HAVEN'T BEEN HERE IN SUNDAY SCHOOL FOR 5 WEEKS?"
"You know when I sit and when I rise. Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?" -Psalm 139:2,7

"Out of all the voices calling out to me, I will learn to listen and believe the Voice of Truth." -Casting Crowns

The Miracle of Mercy Land by River Jordan

A Book Review

Mercy Land was "born in a bolt of lightning on the banks of Bittersweet Creek" in 1930's Alabama. In a time when young women were expected to aspire to marriage and motherhood at a young age, Mercy instead heads to Bay City to find her place in the world. Soon, she becomes the assistant to the town's esteemed newspaper man and finds herself the keeper of secrets concerning the disappearance of a childhood friend and the mystery of a supernatural book that could change the past. Faced with tough decisions, Mercy discovers that everyone's lives are connected by the choices they make. And she also discovers herself in the process.

Most of the story is narrated by the main character Mercy Land, and I found myself reading it in a thick, Southern accent in my head; you just can't help it! As beautiful as the language is, I felt the story line dragged on and was also quite reminiscent of Ted Dekker's Showdown in the Books of History Chronicles. I did find the name Mercy Land to be a clever allusion to the author's name and I also enjoyed the development of the characters very much. However, I must say I was a bit relieved when the story finally came to a close.

If you'd like to give this book a try, get your copy here.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Waterbrook Multnomah as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Life Without Limbs by Nick Vujicic: A Book Review

A few months ago, I saw this video about a man named Nick Vujicic. It's impossible to see this man, hear him speak, or learn about his story without feeling inspired. Born without any limbs, he has faced adversity that most of us could never understand, yet he travels the world to communicate to others the love of God and the message that their life has a purpose and can be lived without the limits we place on ourselves due to negative circumstances. Nick shares the joy that he has found by determining to live a "ridiculously good life" and using his struggles to encourage others to overcome obstacles and embrace life.

This is much more than a self-help book. This is a story of inspiration and courage. By sharing his own journey to accept that God did not make a mistake allowing him to be born without limbs and that he has an important message to share with the world, Nick Vujicic is a true example of what it means to live life to the fullest. His practical wisdom, humor, and raw transparency will encourage you to change your attitude about life, rise above your challenges, and find a way to ignite passion in others.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Waterbrook Multnomah as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

He Knows My Name

A Book "Experience" from Your Secret Name by Kary Oberbrunner

Every once in a while you read a book, and you just know that your life will never be the same. It feels like a personal message, meant just for you. And it becomes more than a book: it's an experience. I'd like to share my experience with you.

Each of us, whether consciously or unconsciously, is seeking our purpose in life - our identity. We want to know who we are and why our life matters in the grand scheme of things. As we go through life, we are given labels or Given Names that describe how others see us; and then we often spend the rest of our lives trying to live up to or to live down those names. But God has a Secret Name for each of us, a name that describes how He, our Creator, see us. Discovering our Secret Name is a journey that leads us to a deeper relationship with God and the beginning of truly understanding His plan for us.

As Author Kary Oberbrunner compared his journey to finding his Secret Name with the story of Jacob in the book of Genesis, I could not help but see similarities in my own life and realize I'd spent too long "playing the Name Game." I learned very early in my life that I could get recognition by being an achiever. The more awards I won, the more top grades I received in school, the more I improved my musical talents, the more people seemed to see me as a valuable person. This worked well for me until age 16 when I suddenly became "The Sick Girl," and I could no longer keep up with everyone's expectations of my being "Most Likely to Succeed." In my senior year of high school and through my freshman year of college I struggled just to get out of bed in the morning and stay awake through classes, but I did my best to put on a front that I had it all together as usual. But by the end of my freshman year I had begun to have major health problems and could no longer stay in school.

That's when I first noticed that I was becoming Invisible. I worked hard at improving my health and would have periods of remission where I would force myself to perform at work or at church so that I could have that feeling of being special and important. But inevitably my health would fail me again, and I would begin to feel Isolated and Abandoned by my friends and family. There were times I was out of commission for up to 6 months at a time, but I rarely had a phone call, email, or visit from any of those people I'd been trying so hard to impress. I felt Worthless and Forgotten, like I was a "Non-person." And as my health issues began to affect my weight, I no longer even recognized myself in the mirror. Pretty soon I was just a Fat, Sick, Depressed Person who meant very little to myself or anyone else. In the midst of a two-year downward spiral in my health and a series of events that left me feeling completely Invalidated by everyone in my life, I decided that my life was no longer worth living. And I attempted suicide.

Despite all the difficult circumstances over the past 17 years, I always felt God's presence and would see His hand at work in my life. I heard Him whisper loving assurances to me and would often picture Him holding me and singing over me, as in Zephaniah 3:17, "The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love,he will rejoice over you with singing." When Kary asked us at the end of the book to picture ourselves alone before God and to imagine what name He would call us, I immediately heard God say, "I see you. I hear you. I remember you. You are precious to me." I immediately was drawn back to Zephaniah 3:17 and discovered the name Zephaniah means "treasured by God." That's when He confirmed to me that the words I heard Him say all described me as His Treasure. When God looks at me, he values me as a precious treasure, of so great worth that He would never abandon, forget, or overlook me. And I don't have to earn a list of achievements to be treasured in His eyes.

"When I don't measure up to much in this life, I'm a Treasure in the arms of Christ." -From "Forgiven" by Sanctus Real

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Zondervan as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Voice of Truth

Satan is a liar - a good liar. He attacks my mind when I'm alone and vulnerable. He knows which buttons to push and exactly when to push them. He's a strong enemy who always knows where and when to strike to get the best results. He tells me I'm worthless - that my life is worthless. I don't contribute to anyone or anything because I'm shut in my house all day every day. He tells me I don't matter to anyone and that no one notices when I'm missing. He tells me that I'm unattractive because I'm overweight and that people don't want to be around an unattractive person. He tells me that I have no friends and that no one understands the challenges I face every day because of my health. He tells me things in my life will never change and that I should give up hope.

But I have learned to recognize the voice of the enemy, the lies of the enemy. And because I walk with God and hide His Word in my heart, when the enemy speaks I hear another voice: the Voice of Truth. And that Voice tells me something else; that Voice tells me who I really am - who God says I am - because of Jesus Christ. And here it is:

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence," - Ephesians 1:3-8

I am blessed
I am chosen
I am adopted
I am accepted
I am redeemed
I am forgiven

When I believe that I am who God says I am, the lies of the enemy have no power over me, whether they come from my own thoughts or by the lips of another. So when those thoughts come in a moment of weakness or distress, I just choose to listen and believe the Voice of Truth.

Memorize it. Hang it on your fridge. Tape it to your full-length mirror. Attach it to your sun visor. Satan knows your weak spot and he's waiting for a chance to attack. Be armed with God's Word so the Voice of Truth can drown out the lies of the enemy.