Category Archives: christianity

Bible Scripture Writing

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Scripture provides believers with the tools that equips us for daily guidance (read 2 Timothy 3:16-17), spiritual growth, strength (read Philippians 2:13), and wisdom to live out the life that God has called us to live for His glory, what is pleasing to Him and His will through Jesus Christ our Lord (read Ephesians 4:11-16, Hebrew 13:20-21).

The earliest time I can remember writing down Bible verses was in the early 90’s. I know it was much earlier than that because of growing up in church and memorizing Scripture even in the 80’s. I remember the 90’s most clearly because my aunt (my dad’s sister) gifted me a spiral journal notebook with a Bible verse on the front of the cover and I still have it. I would write verses that really spoke to me and wanted to memorize to always have with me in my mind and heart.

Through the decades I wasn’t always consistent with this practice until recently, and now I write out verses every day. Spending daily quiet time in His word has strengthened my faith, has given me a deeper understanding of His calling, and it brings me great joy, peace, calmness, perseverance, purpose and healing.

For the month of April, I wrote out verses in my daily calendar about self-control and I thought it would be a great idea to post about which verses really stood out to me. Out of the thirty days in April, I chose three verses to highlight.

11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. – Titus 2:11-14 (NIV)

1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. – Romans 12:1-2 (NIV)

4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. – 2 Peter 1:4-7 (NIV)

I would like to encourage you to start this faith journey with God. When you do, each and every time you open your Bible, first pray and ask Him to open your heart to His word for wisdom and understanding in the name of Jesus.

May’s Scripture writing is about “Contentment.”

Today is the day for salvation, my friends. Jesus paid your sin debt by shedding His blood on the cross, so that you will have eternal life. If you haven’t accepted Jesus as your savior, I pray that you’ll ask Him to forgive your sins and come into your life, believe in His finish work on the cross, and His resurrection. For there is no greater love than what he did for us.

John 3:16 says: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life,”

1 John 1:9 says: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness”

Acts 3:19 says:“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,”

Romans 10:9 says: “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved”

Stephanie

Book Review: In This Moment by Gabrielle Meyer

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Timeless #2

Published May 2, 2023 by Bethany House Publishers

Maggie inherited a gift from her time-crossing parents that allows her to live three separate lives in 1861, 1941, and 2001. Each night she goes to sleep-in one-time period and wakes up in another. Until, that is, she turns twenty-one, when she will have to forfeit two of those lives–and everyone she knows in them–forever.

In 1861, Maggie is the daughter of an influential senator at the outbreak of the Civil War, navigating a capital full of Southern spies and wounded soldiers. In 1941, she is a Navy nurse, grappling with her knowledge of the future when she’s asked to join a hospital ship being sent to Pearl Harbor. And in 2001, she’s a brilliant young medical student, fulfilling her dream of becoming a surgeon, yet unable to use her modern skills in her other paths.

While Maggie has sworn off romance until she makes her final choice, an intriguing man tugs at her heart in each era. The mysterious British gentleman. The prickly, demanding doctor. The charming young congressman. She’s drawn to each man in different ways, only complicating the impossible decision she must make, which looms ever closer.

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I can’t quite find the right words to describe how deeply moving, thought provoking and a wonderfully written this story is told. One must read the book for themselves to experience its offerings. Meyer has a God given gift to reach readers’ hearts and she deftly pulls you into the story as if you were the time crosser, experiencing firsthand the realities of the deeply layered events that was unfolding and the potential risks of losing everything you hold dear in life with a single life altering decision.

Often times with multiple timelines, world building often feels like a massive pile on, and the narrative is weighed down with too many complex moving parts. In this story, Meyer effortlessly weaves not one or two, but three different frameworks of world building in highly charged historic events in America history.

Meyer’s knowledge of historic events is shown throughout the story and how the theme of multiple wars converged in this story with life altering effects, was well conceived and thought provoking.

Meyer examines human traits, that too often, people are uncomfortable with talking about in an open and honest way. Especially for Christians in fear of judgment from others. For example, Maggie has an internal emotional conflict with being angry at God and the raw human side one may feel with that experience was honest, refreshing, and I highly appreciate Meyer for including this in the story.

I appreciated the family connections and historic implications from the first book to this book. I wonder, will the family connections be part of the whole series? I can’t wait to find out!

As the story built, the decision Maggie would have to make about which life she would choose was intense! I kept weighing the path she would choose and wondered how she would say her goodbyes in the others, left pondering what I would have done if I were in her shoes.

I felt such emotional intensity throughout this story and I have to admit, at first, I was a bit taken back by that fact. I didn’t expect the story to impact me that way on a personal level. That certainly shows how engaged I was with Maggie’s’ time crossing, the events unfolding, and the other characters’ lives.

When I finished reading the story, I couldn’t help think how will this series would get better because this book is outstanding. My hope for this series is that Meyer keeps adding to it!

Stephanie  

He is Risen!

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Photo from The History Underground

But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.”

-Matthew 28:5-7

“O Death, where is your sting?

O Hades, where is your victory?”

“The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” – 1 Corinthians 15:55-57

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”– John 11:25-26

Happy Easter!

Today is the day for salvation, my friends. Jesus paid your sin debt by shedding His blood on the cross, so that you will have eternal life. If you haven’t accepted Jesus as your savior, I pray that you’ll ask Him to forgive your sins and come into your life, believe in His finish work on the cross, and His resurrection. For there is no greater love than what he did for us. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”