WORD up!

Please forgive this rough draft format, as these are my raw study notes on Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians. I felt a great sense of urgency to publish them rather than waiting until I had the time to pretty them up. Thank you and I pray that God blesses and encourages you through this material. I’m not sure of the condition of the world at the time of this publication. At the time of its writing, early 2009, things are looking pretty bleak with the economy and unemployment among other things. Are these the first stages of birth pains? The last? God only knows. Stay strong. Encourage each other. Pray. Jesus is coming… Stacey Take a few minutes to pray and savor 1 Thessalonians Chapter 5. Then return here and ponder the thoughts, answer the questions, and be sure to leave comments about your own revelations… 5:1-11 – How are you preparing for Christ’s return? 5:1 – We don’t need lessons about times and seasons because we’ve witnessed changes and outcomes, and we’ve drawn conclus...

Route 66: A Crash Course in Navigating Life with the Bible, by Krish Kandiah About the Book: Welcome to Route 66, a journey to discover how the 66 books of the Bible help us to know God--and know how to live for Him. Packed with practical help and helpful programs to help you live your whole life guided by the the Bible. Here is my review of this terrific study: First of all, I would like to extend a heartfelt “Thank you” to Krish Kandiah and his publisher for sending me a copy of "Route 66: A Crash Course in Navigating Life with the Bible" to review for them. I am truly grateful for this generosity. I really appreciate the time, effort and expense it takes to make a reviewer copy available to me. Are you ready to take an eight-week road trip through scripture? Krish Kandiah’s “Route 66” is precisely that type of journey. This is a challenging Bible study that can be used solo or with a group (where the accountability will be greater). I am shocked at the compact...

Lt. Ray Novak prefers to follow his calling into ministry rather than the cockpit. But his current position offers him the luxury of a personal life since he is stateside training B-17 pilots. His interest in Helen, the young war widow, grows, but he knows she is hiding a painful past under a frenzy of volunteer work. Ray is called to fly a European combat mission at the peak of the air war. Their romance is tense because Helen is afraid, but Ray cannot help because he is in Europe. As Helen tries to make ends meet and confronts the past, Ray encounters a deadly enemy of his own. Will they find the courage to face their challenges? Will the truth come out? Will hope and redemption ring true for Helen? The great era of World War II in Blue Skies Tomorrow is brought to life by Sundin in this emotion-packed novel. Here is my review of this wonderful work of historical fiction: First of all, I would like to extend a heartfelt “Thank you” to Sarah Sundin and her publisher for ...

Shortly after arriving at the Kentucky fort commanded by Colonel Cassius McLinn, the Colonel tells Roxanna that her officer father has died. Penniless and destitute, Roxanna accepts the Scrivener position once held by her father. Before long, Roxanna discovers secrets that her father uncovered shortly before his death. Who could she trust with this discovery that she found in her father’s Scrivener desk? Could she trust the Colonel? Was his attraction to her real or was he hiding his own secrets including her father’s death? Roxanna needed answers that only the Colonel could provide. Set in 1779 The Colonel’s Lady is a powerful and emotion-packed story full of love, suspense, intrigue, faith, and forgiveness from reader favorite Laura Frantz. Her solid research and skillful writing immerse readers in the world of the early frontier while her realistic characters become intimate friends. Here is my review of this beautiful romance: First of all, I would like to extend a he...

Kaye Dacus’ “Turnabout’s Fair Play” is a wonderful novel! Jamie O’Connor just lost his job in sports marketing, and it sets him on a path of self-discovery. Flannery McNeill thinks Jamie is an arrogant jerk. But when they fall victim to their grandparents’ matchmaking efforts, Flannery learns that things aren’t always what they seem. And as she accompanies Jamie down this path, she learns that she’s dropped a few things on her own road to professional success. This novel reminds me of the twisted comedic plots of Shakespeare. As Jamie and Flannery are being set up by their Grandparents, these young people return the favor. Arranging ways to spend time together to set up their Grandparents, these matchmakers have created a double-dose of romance. “Turnabout’s Fair Play” is a heart-warming, chivalrous romance that plucks the heart strings.

Please forgive this rough draft format, as these are my raw study notes on Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians. I felt a great sense of urgency to publish them rather than waiting until I had the time to pretty them up. Thank you and I pray that God blesses and encourages you through this material. I’m not sure of the condition of the world at the time of this publication. At the time of its writing, early 2009, things are looking pretty bleak with the economy and unemployment among other things. Are these the first stages of birth pains? The last? God only knows. Stay strong. Encourage each other. Pray. Jesus is coming… Stacey Take a few minutes to pray and savor 1 Thessalonians Chapter 4. Then return here and ponder the thoughts, answer the questions, and be sure to leave comments about your own revelations… 4:1 – Finally – Paul is wrapping up. The term “brothers” implies an equal footing between Paul and the people. He truly had a servant’s heart. They are living in a manner pl...

Here is my review of this wonderful, inspirational read: First of all, I would like to extend a heartfelt “Thank you” to Debora Coty and her publisher for sending me a copy of "Too Blessed to be Stressed" to review for them. I am truly grateful for this generosity. I really appreciate the time, effort and expense it takes to make a reviewer copy available to me. “Too Blessed To Be Stressed” by Debora Coty is a charming book with a valuable message. This incredibly witty and uplifting read is loaded with great quotes and amazingly thoughtful reflection questions. There are quizzes to assess your stress level and songs about the stuff we women stress over. From the beautiful and colorful front cover to the equally lovely back cover, these 40 chapters offer sage advice for dealing with pressures, relationships, priorities and things that steal our joy. This is a wonderful gift book idea. It would be a terrific daily inspirational reading break.

In Priscilla’s final video, she issued a challenge to keep studying on my own. So, now I need to choose a book of the Bible. Lord, I pray that You will speak clearly and let me know what to study. Speak, Jesus. Footnote: I watched that video 12 days ago. Since that time, I have used the 5 Ps study method everyday in my quiet time to study the book of James. I have also used this technique to study passages on which my Pastor said he was planning to speak. Jesus has certainly used this method of Bible study to speak to me.

Please forgive this rough draft format, as these are my raw study notes on Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians. I felt a great sense of urgency to publish them rather than waiting until I had the time to pretty them up. Thank you and I pray that God blesses and encourages you through this material. I’m not sure of the condition of the world at the time of this publication. At the time of its writing, early 2009, things are looking pretty bleak with the economy and unemployment among other things. Are these the first stages of birth pains? The last? God only knows. Stay strong. Encourage each other. Pray. Jesus is coming… Stacey Take a few minutes to pray and savor 1 Thessalonians Chapter 3. Then return here and ponder the thoughts, answer the questions, and be sure to leave comments about your own revelations… 3:1 – Paul, Silas and Timothy couldn’t stand that they had been torn away from the Thessalonians. What do you miss when you’re prevented from ministering? 3:2-4 – Paul sent ...

From Apathy to Action. What a great topic for a final study! I can’t believe that six weeks is already up. I pray that I’ve learned a few new habits. Nehemiah 1:3-6, 11. Areas of weakness and brokenness exist where there should be protection for God’s people. As I mentioned yesterday, we are weak where we should be strong because we aren’t creating disciples. The process of becoming a disciple on your own is doable, but it is frustrating and takes a long time. I’ve been there. It saddens me that the body of Christ is in this condition and this lesson has prompted me to pray about it. God wants us to live powerful lives in His name. He has given us a Spirit of power, not timidity. And I believe that this is a prayer He longs to answer for His children. I am willing to pray day and night for this power to be manifested in God’s people, but as a “fat and happy” and free American, I know that I lack the discipline and desperation to do so without God’s help. So, I pray right no...

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book! You never know when I might play a wild card on you! Today's Wild Card author is: Skip Heitzig and the book: You Can Understand the Book of Revelation Harvest House Publishers (August 1, 2011) ***Special thanks to Karri James, Marketing Assistant, Harvest House Publishers for sending me a review copy.*** ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Skip Heitzig is a popular speaker, author, and the senior pastor of Calvary of Albuquerque, ministering to more than 13,000 adults and families weekly. He earned a B.A. and M.A. from Trinity Seminar...

The call to act. Stand at attention and be alert. Ephesians 6:10-11, 13-18. Ah, the armor of God. We are warriors in the midst of battle. We forget that too often, thinking that life is merely difficult. We forget that we are under attack and the enemy is prowling around. Are we well-trained like soldiers ready for battle? I don’t think that many of us are. I believe that we as Christians have fallen down on the job of discipling those less mature than us, and that we are too arrogant to admit that we have lots to learn from those who are more mature than we are. Because of this, I believe the body of Christ is weak and we need to take it upon ourselves to teach others. Encourage and discipline the less mature and ask questions of elders. Ask a more mature Christian to mentor you. Take a baby Christian under your wing. I pray that You will empower and strengthen the body of Christ, Father. Make us into a powerful fighting force fully capable of standing in battle. In Chr...

Recognizing the holes. The spirit of the age comes in through false teaching. 2 Timothy 3:1-7. Tough times are coming. People will be wicked and cruel. They won’t love good. They won’t love God. We should avoid those who appear godly, but don’t acknowledge God’s power. Among them are those who will lead others to sin. They appear intelligent and knowledgeable, but don’t know the truth. In a nutshell, Christians must study the Word so that we will not be led astray. Memorizing the Word is a good way to cleanse the mind from the inside. Memorization is a huge divot that I need to replace. Please help me, Papa, to absorb Your Word. Write Your Word upon my heart so that I might not sin against You.

Short lived love. How sad is that? Haggai 1:2-9. Are we so preoccupied with our own stuff that we don’t even care about what we’ve been called by God to do? Getting His Word out to others is of paramount importance and His timing is perfect. Am I so busy building up my own house that I am ignoring His? Has He presented me with opportunities to participate in this work of His and I’ve been oblivious to it or worse – ignored it? The lasting treasure we can accumulate is comprised of people. Souls are lasting. The other things we store up will be destroyed. So why would I do anything but share Christ with others? Fear of rejection? Would I rather be rejected by man or God?

Before I really got into pulling principles out of today’s scripture, one of those anticipated “life holes” presented itself for patching. A pleasant two-hour conversation was the result. And, although a two-hour conversation doesn’t restore a relationship, it is a start. My homework is to initiate another conversation in the future. The Hole Under the Door. Revelation 3:15-20. Jesus wants us to be on fire for Him, but this scripture says that He would prefer us to be frigid instead of indifferent. I recognize that I take Him for granted sometimes and treat Him with indifference. I pray, Lord, that You would re-ignite my passion for Jesus. I ask that You would make my heart race when I think of Him. That my breath would quicken when I approach the time I spend with Him. That I would relish that time and not want it to end. That I would neglect other things to be with Him like watching television and reading novels.

A golfing scenario sets the stage for the idea that every life has its share of divots. Displacing chunks of dirt and grass are part of the game of golf, but leaving those holes unattended makes for a rough and unplayable course. In fact, it’s even difficult to walk a course that has been neglected this way. Just like divots on a golf course must be repaired, the same is true for life. And as it pertains to our spiritual selves, it involves self-examination and determining where our issues are, and seeking God’s healing for them. This is going to be a wonderful week where God strengthens my weak and bruised places. This week, we are going to discuss the holes in my life that need to be patched up.

Please forgive this rough draft format, as these are my raw study notes on Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians. I felt a great sense of urgency to publish them rather than waiting until I had the time to pretty them up. Thank you and I pray that God blesses and encourages you through this material. I’m not sure of the condition of the world at the time of this publication. At the time of its writing, early 2009, things are looking pretty bleak with the economy and unemployment among other things. Are these the first stages of birth pains? The last? God only knows. Stay strong. Encourage each other. Pray. Jesus is coming… Stacey Take a few minutes to pray and savor 1 Thessalonians Chapter 2. Then return here and ponder the thoughts, answer the questions, and be sure to leave comments about your own revelations… 2:1 – Did some people believe that Paul’s visit to Thessalonica was a failure. Their idolatry was conquered by the Holy Spirit’s power. See 1:5, 9. 2:2 – The gospel message ...

Changing clothes – Putting on the New. Galatians 5:22-25. Did you glance at this scripture and realize where we were going? Have you memorized these verses as a child? The presence of these qualities is evidence of the Holy Spirit’s presence in one’s life. If we allow the Spirit control of our lives, this fruit will manifest the evidence. Self-examination of this evidence can be painful. Especially when we don’t see the display of fruit that we imagined would be present. But God is so good to hear and answer our cries to Him to teach us to walk in His ways. And when we step out in faith and obedience, the fruit will come. Hallelujah! A question in the study guide about what God would have me do to begin to practicing the fruit of the Spirit led to immediate action and lots of conversation with God.

Changing clothes – Taking off the Old. Reading Ephesians 4:22-24 was a good idea before diving into the study today. The Message translation was particularly poignant. So, removing the old life is like changing clothes? I wish it were that easy. Maybe the hard to release habits are like that favorite ratty t-shirt that just needs to go, but we have trouble getting rid of it? Isaiah 43:18-19. Don’t dwell on the past. God is doing a new thing, and it’s definitely distinguishable as His activity because it’s just so odd! At least it looks odd to us. Especially if we’re stuck in the past, continuing bad habits that are hard to get rid of like that ratty old, but comfortable t-shirt. Let go. Look for where God is working. Keep your eyes open and join Him in what He is doing. A tough, but rewarding, lesson. So, what do I need to let go of? Pain. What is the point of holding onto it? Mistakes I’ve made. Just remember enough not to make them again. Mistakes others have made. ...

I am necessary. Romans 12:4-6. I am part of the body of Christ. God has given me specific gifts to use within the body. I belong to Christ and to the other members of the body because God’s plan makes us interdependent upon each other. I see this set of verses as a word picture of a puzzle with human participants as the pieces. We fit together and our gifts compliment each other’s. It’s fascinating that God designed us that way. He doesn’t need us at all, but He made each of us a standalone masterpiece that belongs to the other masterpieces He created through the gifts that He gave us. Prior to today, I knew I belonged to Him, but I never thought about belonging to the other members of His body. We had a nice talk about that this morning on the way to work.

“The Promised One: Seeing Jesus in Genesis” by Nancy Guthrie is a wonderful Bible study that I have imagined myself for years! Do you recall the passage at the end of Luke’s gospel where Jesus meets the men on the road to Emmaus, but they don’t recognize Him. On that road trip, scripture says that Jesus told them everything about Himself in scripture from the beginning. THIS IS THAT BIBLE STUDY! Finding Jesus so plainly identified in the Old Testament ignites the faith of the believer to know that Jesus was God’s plan from the beginning. He was always the Promised One. This wonderful study would be a good personal or group study topic. It is a ten-week study that is divided into three sections each week: Personal Bible Study, Teaching Chapter, and Discussion Guide. Each week takes a different story from Genesis and identifies Christ. This is book 1 in the “Seeing Jesus in the Old Testament” series. Once you begin to realize how Jesus is showcased in Genesis, you will never see Ol...

I am a masterpiece. Ephesians 2:10. I memorized this verse years ago when my church had small group Bible study for Rick Warren’s book “The Purpose Driven Life”. Today, reading it in the quiet of intimate fellowship with Christ, this verse brought tears to my eyes! My prayer time concluded with one thought that I haven’t been able to forget: The Lord created me with the beauty of His imagination. I’ve had to stop several times already to contemplate this. God gave me a smile that could only come from Him. He created sparkling eyes and a unique personality. He gave me an odd sense of humor and a voice that loves to sing His praise. What are the components of the masterpiece He made of you? There is so much more to study today. I am hand chosen by God…to be blessed. Ephesians 1:3-4. As Christians, we are united with Christ, and have received every spiritual blessing because of that union. Before creating the world, God chose us to be united with Christ and set apart for His ...

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book! You never know when I might play a wild card on you! Today's Wild Card author is: Ronie Kendig and the book: Wolfsbane, Discarded Heroes #3 Barbour Books; Discarded Heroes edition (July 1, 2011) ***Special thanks to Camy Tang and Ronie Kendig for sending me a review copy.*** ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Ronie Kendig grew up an Army brat, married a veteran, and they now have four children. She has a BS in Psychology, speaks to various groups, volunteers with the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), and mentors new writers....