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Guest 2 Advice I Would Give My Younger Self!
3 AugGuest 2~Advice I Would Give My Younger Self!
I have asked a few of my author friends to be my guest over the next few weeks as they are exceptional friends and Inspirational writers! The authors I have chosen have published books or are in process of publishing their own books.
Please enjoy my Guest Authors as they candidly and openly share a glimpse into their lives. It is my hope that you will be inspired to visit their sites and check out their work!
The theme of the guest blogs:
Advice I Would Give My Younger Self!
May I Introduce to you Author and Friend
Terry Palmer
What would I advise my younger self? The answers are brutal. In that day and age, before political correctness prevented us from actually saying and doing a corrective action, my answers would be right in my face. No soft fuzzy ‘feel good’ approach where we all hold hands and smile and nod as if the world is good and we bask in the glow of humanity. What a pile of… Sorry, my farm background hits me now and then.
Start with the Word of God and you can’t go wrong. It is given to us for reproof and correction and it speaks the Truth! Truth is exactly what my younger self needed to hear, so… I would take my younger self for a long walk, maybe carry a sharp hard stick for emphasis. But I’d use scripture for the attack. The lilies along the side of the house would be a starting point to use scripture.
I think Matthew 6, about 28 – 34 ought to start the ball rolling. You see… My younger self didn’t have a good concept of the character of God. My younger self needed to be in charge, get ’er done, and who needs God anyway… But Truth tells us otherwise. Consider those lilies, how they toil not nor do they spin and yet here they are, more beautiful than a summer day. So as I turn to get right in the face of my younger self. Here is the question. Are you a fragrance without compare as one of these – or do you stink?
The early lilies offer a radiance of colors which is very welcome after the cold winter. They array of orange and red are a treat along the edge of the flower beds, but… In midsummer, the lilies hit their stride. They burst from my flower beds in stunning cascades of color, but still I wait. Sure, some might relax and know that the game is over but not me. .
For the next layer of lilies to open, do so in both beauty and fragrance. It’s the sort of fragrance that You stop as you walk past.
The scent that comes into our bedrooms windows as a soothing tonic is wonderful. I’ve not seen a golden color as this, have you?
So let’s ask that question again. Consider these lilies, how they grow, how they toil not nor spin. Do you get it? Do you know, young man, that God is in control, that God is indeed relevant and wants to know you up close and personal. You need not ‘have to do it all’?
Do you want to or are you willing to ‘put on the clothes of righteousness’ as a good servant of Jesus in order to reflect the ‘fragrance’ of the spirit of God? Or – do you want to offend as a stench to humanity by not reflecting Christ, but something else that is far less? Which will it be young man? Will you shine forth as a fragrant lily – or a skunk flower?
You see that third picture? That could be you. They are cast off Easter lilies saved from the garbage bin and brought out for new life. This cluster represents four years of saving and growing, ready to burst out the Easter story in midsummer. Will you be like them? Will you finally understand the full character of God and trust in him? It only takes a first step of faith. Come on… I have a place to plant your good seed, to grow in the Lord – to become the fragrance that God designed you to be.
Author Terry Palmer lives in northwestern Wisconsin’s vacationland. Plenty of woods, lakes, and streams follow each bend of the countryside. Terry uses long walks in that scenic beauty to understand the nature of God and bring those moments into his writing.
Chronicles of Orm, a fantasy novel series with deep Christian roots, will be ready as an eBook soon. If you like action/adventure with a romantic twist, then Chronicles of Orm is for you. Contact Terry at Fictionbypalmer@gmail.com.
Here is what our editor has to say about Chronicles of Orm :
“Terry Palmer’s The Chronicles of Orm is a perfect blend of excellent and imaginative writing, employing imagery, a cast of well-established and relatable characters, and a page-turning plotline. Deep biblical truths are intricately woven into the words of this story, and while it examines the age-old struggle of mankind caught in the pull of darkness vs. light, it is a fresh take, a new and wonderful perspective that will entertain, enlighten, and encourage all who read it.” ~Autumn J. Conley, Book Editor (autiej@gmail.com)
God’s Not Through With Me Yet!
12 MarGod Is Not Through With Us Yet!
Isaiah 64:8 But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.
Can you guess what kind of bird this is? Below are several hints:
- It is the official bird of at least 7 states.
- These birds do not migrate, but have adapted to northern and southern climates.
- They frequent birdfeeders
- Unlike some birds both female and male birds sing.
- The male bird has a brilliant red color and the female is an attractive brown
- A baseball team has been named after them!
- They usually have three eggs at a time.
- The male often feeds the female especially when she is on the nest.
Have you had enough hints to guess the type of bird? If you guessed the Cardinal you are correct. I wanted to put this little homely looking bird up as a visual lesson, because all too many times we look on the outside of a thing and judge it before we even know what is on the inside. While looking at this little gray mass of feathers with its little pump knot, it is hard to believe how something so unattractive could become something so beautiful! This bird in my opinion is one of the most brilliant and beautiful birds. When it comes to my birdfeeder or sets in a blooming dogwood tree, my breath catches in my throat for a second because it is so exquisitely gorgeous! When it sings its song, I have to stop and think about the many songs that the Lord gave his creatures to sing his praise!
I know that when people look at me, they may not see beauty, but please don’t judge me yet! God is not finished with me. Like this little bird, I may not be the most attractive thing, but what the Lord is making me into is breathtakingly beautiful! You may say, “well that is a very conceited thing to say!” But I say unto you, I am on the Potter’s wheel, I am being made into his image and his image is indeed perfect and beautiful! You too are on His wheel!
7.Jeremiah (KJV) 18:2 Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.
8.Jeremiah 18:3 Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.
9.Jeremiah 18:4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.
6.Isaiah 64:8 (KJV) But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.
We all have our flaws and according to the scripture we are made to be marred in the Potter’s hand! Why? I think we all have flaws so that we will not be judged by others! This truth puts us all in the same boat if you will! We all have need of the Perfect One Jesus! If we find out whom we are in Him and that we are made in His image and began walking in that calling or purpose, we are just like these gorgeous Cardinals. Our life becomes a song of praise to the Master! So don’t judge me yet! God’s not through with me! I am spinning on the wheel being made into another vessel that will hold His glory!
I hope that the next time you see a beautiful Cardinal or hear its song of praise to the Master that you will realize that you are a precious vessel of clay in the Potter’s hand and that regardless of what you are going through, that you are valuable. You’re his greatest creation created in His image! You are being changed from faith to faith and from glory to glory!
The Father’s Good Pleasure!
5 MarThe Father’s Good Pleasure!
Luke 12:32 (KJV) Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
As I write this, I was thinking about the past few weeks and how the Lord has just blessed my family beyond anything that we really asked him to. I also thought about people who are still waiting for their promise to come. Sometimes when it seems the Lord is passing out to everyone but to them, something just sort of rises up in them and mumbles, “Wait a minute, why am I not getting blessed? They are asking the Lord, “When is my season going to come?” I know about those questions because I’ve been there, and I have asked them myself. The one thing I’ve really learned, however, is that it is all available to me and has always been available. I don’t want to get upset because others are getting theirs and totally miss mine because I’m off pouting somewhere. My Pastor calls a pouting mentality an orphan spirit. If I am a child of God then all that He has is mine! I’ve learned to rejoice with others, because I know that the same blessings are available to me!
When the prodigal son left the Father’s house to go and “live it up and waste what his Daddy gave him” He had to come to a place of realization. He had to realize that regardless of what he did or didn’t do the Father’s love was enough and that he could go home to the blessing. His older brother, however, was upset that the Father would just welcome the prodigal son back home and throw him a party, kill the fatted calf, put a ring on his finger, give him His best robe…Why? The older brother didn’t realize that all of it had been available to him all along. The eldest brother could have lived in a perpetual party, but he let envy and bitterness rob him from receiving the blessing of the Father. How sad it will be that many Christians will get to heaven and only then find out what was made available to them while they lived upon the earth, but they never received it because of envy and jealously.
When Jesus bled and died, He said “It is finished!” So everything is available to us, but not all things are entrusted to us right away. Like the prodigal son had to go through some character building lessons, so do we. My son would love to have a mustang car, he is only 13. Do you think I will give him a mustang car now? NO WAY….Why? Because he is a child and he is not mature enough to handle a mustang…Many Christians are still childish and they are not mature enough to handle all that they want from the Lord. As the above scripture states, Luke 12:32 (KJV) Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. The Father is not withholding from you, but maybe he is protecting you long enough for you to build up a strong character, that whatever you want from him will not destroy you, but will benefit you!
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A little Spring to Lift the Spirit!
27 FebThe First Signs of Spring to Lift the Spirit!
Matthew 6:26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
The past few days in Georgia the weather has been simply beautiful, the earth is waking up! It is amazing to see how green the grasses have become. It blew me away to see how fast my beautiful jonquils shot forth out of the ground and began to bloom! Less than two weeks ago, we had an ice storm and snow! Also my wisteria is starting to have little green shoots. They will probably bloom this week as well. I don’t know about you, but with the change of season, comes a change in mood!
The mornings are still really cool, but I throw on a flannel shirt and get out on my front porch and just listen to the sounds of the birds singing their songs! The other day I had the privilege of getting to see a huge flock of Robins land in my yard. There must have been several hundred of them! I love to hear them communicate to each other. I am sure they were saying “Look at what treasures our Father has provided for us beneath all of these dead leaves!” This usually always means Spring has sprung. Through the signs of Spring, the Lord lifts my spirit!
With everything coming alive and the birds singing their praise to the Lord, it seems as though the following scripture is coming alive! Matthew 6:26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
Why worry, when the Lord has already told us in his Word and showed us that He intends on taking good care of us! I hope as you hear and see the signs of Spring outside your window or if you are like me, you get right outside in the thick of it, that you will know that you are valued and that the Father is taking good care of you!
Life’s little Rewards!
20 Feb
Life’s little Rewards!
Everything that I have ever accomplished in my life was always with the help of others. Whether they physically helped me or just encouraged me to do it, when I achieved it, we all enjoyed the reward of having accomplished something. I believe that as human beings, brothers and sisters, that we have been put on earth for purpose and reason. I also believe that we all have our own journey or path to walk, but that the God of the universe who has made us and put us on planet earth intended for us to interact with one another to complete that journey. No man is an island unto himself, but we need each other along the way! This is why I am writing this story or blog! I want to encourage you! I want to encourage and pep you up, and be your cheerleader and shout, “Come on you can do it!”
I grew up in a little rural community in Kentucky. We owned a pretty good size farm and raised tobacco on our farm at well as on others. We learned firsthand as we drug our bodies out of our warms beds at 4:00 in the morning the meaning and value of hard work and sweat.
I remember looking on my Daddy’s face when Spring would come. His whole persona would change as he couldn’t wait to begin tilling the fields for our huge garden, and of course the tobacco which was our money crop. He would go outside and began walking a huge field that was seated at the end of our side yard. My Mom would have us girls, six of us altogether; open up the windows to let the fresh air and Sunshine take the winter’s stale odor out of our two-story farm-house. When we opened the windows wide, we could hear faint whistling sounds coming from that field. It would be my little Daddy whistling a tune of gladness!
As we all worked to raise the crops our reward of our labor would come at different times as the crops were harvested. I could remember picking green beans and tomatoes for my mother to can. She lined the shelves of a root cellar in an old smokehouse that sat behind the house. We dug a wagon full of potatoes and God only knows how much cabbage Mom put up for soups and Sour Kraut . When she would finish canning and the shelves were full, she had this satisfying proud look upon her face. This was one of her rewards. She knew that she was providing food for her family for the winter.
I remember my Daddy would have that same look of satisfaction on his face as my Mom’s when he sold the tobacco at the end of the year. It was usually always around Christmas time! His reward was providing for his family by selling his crops. Although it was backbreaking work, my Daddy simply loved being out there in those fields and doing what he had to do for his family.
My Dad and Mom however, wasn’t the only one who enjoyed the rewards of their labor! My parents would call all of the girls into the kitchen and dining room area that was just one big old room. We would gather around the dining table in great anticipation as my parents wore a smile upon their faces. Our faces beamed as well, as my Dad would start with the older girls who had done the most work. He handed them a crisp new 50 or 100 dollar bill, which was a lot of money back then. The amount would usually depend on how much tobacco we had raised that year and what it sold for. Then, of course, he gave the younger girls their share! We were all excited and felt like we were the richest people in the world. We had received our reward for the year’s long work!
In my own journey, there were many pathways that I could have taken. I feel that the way my journey began made a huge difference in how I chose pathways and viewed the roads I have taken. We learn by experience whether those experiences are good or bad. I have found there were milestones in my journey! Some of those milestones were good and some bad that propelled me to the next pathway. The important thing is to learn from your journey. There are many goals that I’ve set in my life that I just have not been able to accomplish. I cannot use the unrealized goals as an excuse to stop! Those goals are still a possibility for me! I’ve realized that even the mistakes that I’ve made have lessons to be learned. If I will let them teach me, they may have something in them that will help me on my next path.
Nothing is wasted! Even the bad experiences have their reward if you will glean from them. The important thing is to keep pressing toward the goal! Also to simply notice that Life’s rewards come disguised sometimes, but that they are always there. I cheer you on my friend! I hope that your Life is full of great blessings and rewards!
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Christine Gilliam Hornback
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