WORD up!

Please forgive this rough draft format, as these are my raw study notes on the Gospel of John, although they are a bit better formatted than former efforts. 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. But at the time of its writing, fall 2009 through late spring 2010, things are looking increasingly bleak with the economy, health care and unemployment, there is a renewal and increase of racism, and godly principles of living being disregarded, there are floods in India, earthquake and tsunami in Samoa. Are these the first stages of birth pains? The last? God only knows. And He is very busy these days. Seek His wisdom. Encourage each other. Pray. Jesus is coming to deliver His people and judge the wicked… Stacey Take a few minutes to pray and savor chapter 8 of the boo...

First of all, I would like to extend a heartfelt “Thank you” to H. Daniel Zacharias and his publisher for sending me a copy of "The Singing Garmmarian" 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.   “The Singing Grammarian” by H. Daniel Zacharias is a nifty set of videos that teach songs designed to help Greek students learn grammatical rules and exceptions to those rules.   The songs are catchy and will be meaningful to students of the Greek language.   Since I am not such a student, I cannot tell you if these songs teach the basics of Greek grammar or if their subject matter is more advanced.   But as a layman who has never taken a Greek class, I can tell you that my Biblical word studies have led me to be familiar with some of the terminology (like Aorist Active) even though I don’t know what the terms mean.   Also, I have studied other lan...

A cowboy who wants to be a preacher. An outlaw's daughter who wants to change his On his way to interview for a position at a church in the Piney Woods of Texas, Crockett Archer can't believe it when he's forced off the train by an outlaw and presented to the man's daughter as the preacher she requested for her birthday. He's determined to escape--which would be much easier if he could stop thinking about Joanna Robbins and her unexpected request. For months, Joanna had prayed for a minister. A man to breathe life back into the abandoned church at the heart of her community. A man to assist her in fulfilling a promise to her dying mother. But just when it seems her prayers have been answered, it turns out the parson is there against his will and has dreams of his own calling him elsewhere. Is there any way she can convince Crockett he ended up right where he was supposed to be? With her signature blend of humor, history, and lively western romance, two-time R...

I have heard the book of Acts referred to as “The Acts of the Holy Spirit” (my personal favorite) and “The Acts of the Apostles”.   Now, I will add another nickname for this book to my vocabulary:   “Luke, Volume Two” because the book is authored by the writer of the Gospel account that bears his name.   It is believed that both books were written in part because trial documentation was required to precede a prisoner to Rome, so these accounts were sent when Paul appealed to Caesar during his imprisonment. The arrival of the Holy Spirit to inhabit every believer lights up the candles on the birthday cake of Christianity.   Other significant events such as   the stoning of Stephen and introduction of Saul figure prominently in this book that Dr. Missler refers to as being the gateway to the epistles. One of my favorite moments in this video teaching involves the story of Philip and the eunuch who happens to be the treasurer for the queen of Ethiopia. ...

Please forgive this rough draft format, as these are my raw study notes on the Gospel of John, although they are a bit better formatted than former efforts. 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. But at the time of its writing, fall 2009 through late spring 2010, things are looking increasingly bleak with the economy, health care and unemployment, there is a renewal and increase of racism, and godly principles of living being disregarded, there are floods in India, earthquake and tsunami in Samoa. Are these the first stages of birth pains? The last? God only knows. And He is very busy these days. Seek His wisdom. Encourage each other. Pray. Jesus is coming to deliver His people and judge the wicked… Stacey Take a few minutes to pray and savor chapter 7 of the boo...

  I’ve never been involved in the planning of a women’s retreat, but the “Café Chocolat” retreat kit by Group Publishing seems to have everything you need to do just that. The “Read Me First” insert gives a good overview of the contents of the kit and how the retreat is supposed to work. This card also showcased a couple of the product bundles available for purchase for each retreat guest. The kit contained the “Café Chocolat Extra Value Pack” consisting of the Café Chocolat Tote Bag, Journal, Music CD and God’s Grace Bracelet. The Tote Bag is a bit on the flimsy side. It holds the other items in the kit with room to spare, but I don’t think you could put much more in there because of the thinness of the material the bag is made of. The Journal is absolutely a MUST-HAVE for each guest! This charming book is a terrific take-away from the retreat containing all Scripture verses, song lyrics, a devotional, a Bible study sample and much more. I will personally refer to t...

The Final Week of Christ’s life begins on a Friday in Bethany, continues with the triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Saturday, the Last Supper on Tuesday and the Crucifixion on Wednesday.   There are many fascinating evidences for a Wednesday crucifixion.   Thank you, Dr. Missler, for reminding me that I must search the Scriptures daily and not take what I hear from others to be the absolute truth. Dr. Missler discloses the many illegalities of the Jewish and Roman trials of Christ.   There is some very remarkable teaching about Pontius Pilate and Barabbas as well.   You must tune in to this video teaching to learn how the resurrection is tied to the resting of Noah’s ark!   It’s incredible. My favorite part of this week’s message is Chuck Missler’s thoughts on why the people who knew Christ best didn’t recognize Him after He was resurrected.   According to Scripture, the Lord’s beard was ripped out.   Do you know anyone who’s had a beard for ...

Successful career gal Kendall Haynes is tired of wishing on stars for a home and a family. Can God's dreams for her be even better than her own? What does a girl do when life doesn't go according to her plan? At thirty-six, Kendall Haynes has seen some of her dreams come true. She's a family physician helping kids with severe allergies and asthma achieve more fulfilling lives-a childhood struggle she knows all too well. But are Kendall's dreams of having it all-a career, a husband, children-nothing more than a childhood fantasy? God says He knows the plans He has for her-why can't Kendall figure them out and be content with her life? Griffin Walker prefers flying solo-both as an Air Force pilot and in his personal life. But a wrong choice and health problems pulled him out of the cockpit. His attempts to get out of "flying a desk" are complicated by his parents' death-making Griffin the reluctant guardian of his sixteen-year-old brother, Ian. How ...

When Meg Cole's father dies unexpectedly, she's forced to return home to Texas and to Whispering Creek Ranch to take up the reins of his empire. The last thing she has the patience or the sanity to deal with? Her father's Thoroughbred racehorse farm. She gives its manager, Bo Porter, six months to close the place down. Bo knows he ought to resent the woman who's determined to take from him the only job he ever wanted. But instead of anger, Meg evokes within him a profound desire to protect. The more time he spends with her, the more he longs to overcome every obstacle that separates them and earn her love. Just when Meg realizes she can no longer deny the depth of her feelings for Bo, their fragile bond is broken by a force from Meg's past. Can their relationship--and their belief that God can work through every circumstance--survive? About the Author Becky Wade is a graduate of Baylor University. As a newlywed, she lived for three years in a h...

Once Upon a Prince , the first novel in the Royal Wedding series by bestselling author Rachel Hauck, treats you to a modern-day fairy tale. Susanna Truitt never dreamed of a great romance or being treated like a princess---just to marry the man she has loved for twelve years. But life isn't going according to plan. When her high-school-sweetheart-turned-Marine-officer breaks up instead of proposing, Susanna scrambles to rebuild her life. The last thing Prince Nathaniel expects to find on his American holiday to St. Simon's Island is the queen of his heart. A prince has duties, and his family's tense political situation has chosen his bride for him. When Prince Nathaniel comes to Susanna's aid under the fabled Lover's Oak, he is blindsided by love. Their lives are worlds apart. He's a royal prince. She's a ordinary girl. But everything changes when Susanna receives an invitation to Nathaniel's coronation. It's the ultimate choice. His kin...

Please forgive this rough draft format, as these are my raw study notes on the Gospel of John, although they are a bit better formatted than former efforts. 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. But at the time of its writing, fall 2009 through late spring 2010, things are looking increasingly bleak with the economy, health care and unemployment, there is a renewal and increase of racism, and godly principles of living being disregarded, there are floods in India, earthquake and tsunami in Samoa. Are these the first stages of birth pains? The last? God only knows. And He is very busy these days. Seek His wisdom. Encourage each other. Pray. Jesus is coming to deliver His people and judge the wicked… Stacey Take a few minutes to pray and savor chapter 6 of the boo...

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 Insight Notes author is: Lysa TerKeurst and the book: NIV Real Life Devotional Bible for Women, Insights for Everyday Life Notes Zondervan; Special edition (March 19, 2013) ***Special thanks to Rick Roberson for sending me a review copy.*** ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Lysa TerKeurst is a New York Times bestselling author and national speaker who helps everyday women live an adventure of faith. She is the president of Pro...

The Gospels are a fascinating topic of study that I would love to spend several hours on.   This hour fanned a flame in me to study what Christ may have said on the road to Emmaus, a study I have been working on and off for a couple of years. This week we examined the Old Testament prophecies that were quoted in the Gospels.   We looked at the genealogy of Christ and the blood curse of Jeconiah.   We talked again about the daughters of Zelophehad and I understand the concept better now.   Every detail of the Old Testament is in place by deliberate design and those details always point to Christ!   We looked at the design of the Gospels and the rhetorical devices used in the Scriptures.   They we took a brief look at each of the four Gospel accounts. While discussing Matthew, I learned quite a bit about the Magi.   I also learned when and why Jesus taught in parables.   Another fascinating aspect of this study was how the seven kingdom pa...

When Love Calls By Lorna Seilstad With historic details that bring to life the exciting first decade of the twentieth century, Lorna Seilstad weaves a charming tale of camaraderie and companionship that blossoms into love. Readers will get lost in this sweet romance and will eagerly look forward to championing the Gregory sisters’ dreams. Hannah Gregory is good at many things, but that list doesn't include following rules. So when she is forced to apply for a job as a telephone switchboard operator to support her two sisters, she knows it won't be easy. "Hello Girls" must conduct themselves according to strict, and often bewildering, rules. No talking to the other girls. No chatting with callers. No blowing your nose without first raising your hand. And absolutely no consorting with gentlemen while in training. Meanwhile, young lawyer Lincoln Cole finds himself in the unfortunate position of having to enforce the bank's eviction of the three Gregory ...

Where do you get your inspiration? Great question! I get inspiration everywhere – the news, facebook posts, sermons, radio talk shows, conversations. It’s always about a question, something that makes me think…what if? I got the story about Izzy, (My Foolish Heart) the talk show host to the lovelorn from a Brad Paisely song, Online, about a guy who lives in his parent’s basement, but online he’s awesome (because he’s created that persona). I added to that the idea of falling in love over the airwaves, and whalla! Izzy’s story was germinated. I got the idea for You Don’t Know Me while sitting on a plane to Seattle. The woman next to me was openly agitated, and when I talked to her (during the food and beverage service!), she told me was flying to Seattle to put her daughter into the witness protection program. Forever. The daughter was 21. The questions surrounding that situation birthed the story. I got the idea for Take a Chance on Me from an e...