Tag: heavenly Father

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Signs of Hope: Ways to Survive in an Unfriendly World is in Print

There is a new and exciting page added to the author page. You can now order the book, “Signs of Hope: Ways to Survive in an Unfriendly World,” right on this site. Just go to the “Bookstore,” and get one.

It won’t be available for another few days, so keep checking for the announcement that it is available.

It has been a long struggle to get to this point. I have been working on the book since 2001. It will be ten years next March.

It is worth every second. If the book can help one person then my times was not wasted.

Sorry this is such a short post. I have to post yet tonight on my blog, www.dailysignsofhope.com. I will have it ready in about an hour. Please check it out. The blog has been getting great reviews in that it has added 355 followers in just one year of existence. It also has been reaching out to those who suffer from anxiety, fear, self-doubt, depression, and the many other usual suspects.

God has blessed me a great deal since my days of having pity parties. I was pulled out of the muck and mire by our heavenly Father, and He has been holding my hand ever since.

Again, please keep checking back here for the latest on the book, “Signs of Hope: Ways to Survive in an Unfriendly World.”

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When There is a Test in School There is Prayer

As Long as There Are Tests, There Will Be Prayer in Schools

 

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

Jeremiah 29:13

 

I loved my job as a teacher. It was thrilling to see the fear on kids’ faces when I gave a surprise quiz. They looked like they had just been hit by lightning. They began to sweat and tremble. I had my red pen in hand as I handed out the tests. I wanted them to see the pen that was going to be marking all over their papers. I knew I had power, and I was enjoying it.

Of course, this is not true. I never surprised kids with tests. As a matter of fact, I told them way ahead of time when a test was coming. I even told them where to find the answers. Life is tough enough without trying to hide the answers to tests.

That is the way it for Christians. They know where to find the answers. God does not try to hide them. God has told us way ahead of time what the answers are. He has told us what is going to happen. All we need to do is have faith. We need to look forward to it happening.

You should be studying for the final test now. You can’t just cram for it at the last minute. You don’t know when the last minute is. It may be before you finish this page. The Bible has all the answers to any questions you may have about God.

We need to spend each day studying and preparing for that day. There is only one test you have to pass, but it is pass/fail. There are no average scores or not so good scores—you either pass or you fail.

Fear not, my friend, the only question on the test is: “Do you believe in Me?” Yes and no are the only choices. There are not hundreds of questions that take hours to answer. You just kneel down and pray, “Father forgive me and I believe in You.”

Then you are ready to go home to be with God, and you never have to take another test for eternity.

Is this a hard task for you? Do you have too many “toys”—or other things to distract you—on this earth? Would you rather not think about eternity just yet? Do you have plans for yourself that do not include God? Have tests always had you running in fear? Do you shiver and quake when the word “test” is mentioned? Do you not have time for prayer?

Read John 3:16, and know that God loves you more than words can describe. He loved you so much that He gave His only Son to die just for you.

Think of the test questions that Jesus had to go through. The Pharisees kept trying to trick Him with questions to show that He wasn’t really the Son of God. They wanted Him to fail the test.

“Should we pay taxes?” “Is it OK to heal on the Sabbath?” “Why do you protect a prostitute?” Even on the cross He was asked, “If you are God, why don’t you save me and yourself?”

Jesus was not afraid of questions. He knew that His heavenly Father was there for Him. He knew that all the questions led to the cross. They all had a purpose: to fulfill His prophecy.

Even though I am retired from teaching, I still try to learn. I read many books on Christian living. I read the Bible to keep growing. I am 68 years old and will never be too old to study for the final test. I am ready for it because I’ve done my homework. I found the right answers.

 

If … you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you look for him with

all your heart and with all your soul.

Deuteronomy 4:29

 

Further adventures

How about you? Are you ready for the final test? Are you sure you’ll get the diploma of eternal life? Will you graduate into the heavenly kingdom? If not, crack open the Bible and get at that study. Confess your sins, and accept God’s gift of salvation. You are only a prayer away from God. He is waiting for you to pass the test and rely on Him for knowledge. Then you will be at the head of the class. The angels will be waiting for you to hand you your diploma, congratulating you with: “You passed the test!” You will be an honor student with eternity to enjoy your Savior.

 

Something to ponder

Isn’t it funny when you find something you thought you had lost only to realize it was there all the time?

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Don’t Get Rid of Your Spouse. They are not the Enemy!

 Wait a minute!

Before today’s post I want to announce that the drawing for the book,  Moments This Good: The Softer Side of Alzheimer’s, by Bonnie Nester, has been completed. The winner will be notified.

Now I have exciting news:

I was sent an autographed book written by THE Brandilyn Collins, called, Eyes of  Elisha. It is one of her previous books she has written, but it is brand new.

I am very pumped about being able to give one of you this book by the arguably # 1  Christian fiction mystery writing author on the planet.

All you have to do to have a chance to win in the drawing is go to the right side bar and find the icon that talks about signing up for my free newsletter. While you are there you will notice you will alos get a free eBook for signing up as well.

So…… a free newsletter-free eBook, and a chance to win a free book written by one of the top selling authors in Christian fiction.

Can’t go wrong. You have nothing to lose and a great deal to gain.

_____________________________________________________

 

Not so Fast! Your Support is Right in Your House!

 

The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife,

and likewise, the wife to her husband.

1 Corinthians 7:3

 

In our daily lives we go about trying to just make it through the day. And we spend much of our time worrying about tomorrow. We do not know where to turn for comfort.

I learned through my own troubled times that I have one place I can always turn besides prayer and meditating on God. It is someplace (someone) right in my home. My wife. I’ve learned that a spouse should be your special place of refuge.

And I’ve learned that my wife Charlotte is not the enemy. There were times when I wondered about this, and struck back. Through counseling, I realized that she is my strength—and my friend. In the past I always tried to blame her for many of my problems. If I was depressed, it was her fault. If I failed at something, it was her fault.

Our personal counselor made us think and really look at each other. Each of us had to decide if the other really was on our side. Or was my spouse the enemy? This, of course, was an easy choice. Charlotte was not the enemy. She wants the best for me, and I want the best for her. So why do we spend so much time blaming our spouses for our problems?

They are the ones we should be going to for help with our problems. If there is an unresolved issue that has come between the two of you, sitting in silence only fuels the problem.

We need to consider the feelings of our spouses, and stop putting ourselves ahead of them. We need to clean up our inner feelings before we can attempt to help others. If we do this and really try to stick with that formula, the regret we feel should be because we haven’t done what we feel we should have done to uplift our spouses.

Think of your spouse as your sounding board, your place of refuge. You need to consider your spouse a place for you to share hurt, and a place where you can feel free to “unload,” without judgment or punishment.

Talk to your spouse and let him or her know that you do not think of them as your enemy, and also let them know that you are on their side and want to help them in any way as they go through their daily lives.

Your heavenly Father is, of course, not your enemy. Neither is your spouse, who is your earthly companion that you should always feel free to share your hurts with—just like you would with God.

 

Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives,

and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you

of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.

1 Peter 3:7

 

However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself,

and the wife must respect her husband.

Ephesians 5:33

 

Further adventures

Sit down and list the good things you know about your spouse. Now write the things that you consider bad things. Look at each of them, and then throw the bad things in the garbage. Keep the good things and concentrate on them. There is a saying, “Write your hurts in the sand and your happiness in cement.” This way your hurts will wash away, and you can always see your happiness. This is the step toward a happier marriage. Don’t keep score of the bad feelings. Only count the good.

 

Something to ponder

Wouldn’t it be funny if Adam said to Eve, “Watch it; I have plenty of ribs where you came from”?

(Excerpt from: Signs of Hope: Ways to Survive in an Unfriendly World. Chapter 11)

 

Doug