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Helping Out and Having Fun

2012-05-26T09:00:00Z

One thing that’s been on our list to do before the move is to clean our porch chairs.

They are weathered and yucky dirty.

Ick!

This is a chore that our girls were more than happy to help out with.

Keith set the chairs up in the backyard on a tarp and let them loose with a bucket of water, rags, and the water hose.

Things started out fairly mildly and focused on getting those chairs clean.

We went inside and let them work.

It didn’t take long for my two little girls to take advantage of the water hose and get soaked with water.

They came inside declaring this to be the most exciting day EVER!

Unexpected joy

2012-05-26T09:00:36Z

This week Focus on the Family, the Cry of the Orphan, and Show Hope are calling for a prayer vigil for children in the foster care system and we have been focusing attention on this issue throughout the week. I pray you have been as blessed by reading the testimonies here this week as much as I have! Today I am thrilled to have the story of a remarkable family shared here on the blog – Gretchen and Randy have poured their lives into ministry for many years, and now God has been writing a whole new chapter to their story!

Growing up in a wonderful Christian family in Ohio I learned at a very young age to accept the things God had for me to do and do it with joy. There have been times in my life when those things have been very difficult and others that have been a sweet joy.

The thing I wanted the most in my life was to be a mother. I have always loved children and I could not imagine not having children in my life. When I felt a strong call to go into a specific ministry that would lessen my opportunity to marry, I found it to be very difficult to answer because of my desire to have children. God once again had everything in His hands and under His control. He knew the plans He had for me were plans I could never have found on my own.

After attending college and then entering The Salvation Army School for Officer Training where I would learn to work with underprivileged people and those who have needs I thought I could never understand completely. At the end of my two years of study in Suffern, New York I was returned to Ohio where I would begin my ministry. Within 5 months, my mother went to be with the Lord after an 11 years battle with cancer. I was 22 years old and struggled to understand how I would ever live without a family of my own. Again, God’s plan was just beginning to unfold for me and I had to learn to leave it completely in His hands.

The following year I was transferred to a small town where I met a young man who would be the most important person in my life. God gifted me with my wonderful husband, Randy. Together we would minister in The Salvation Army for 25 years together. After living in Pennsylvania for 21 years, raising 5 wonderful boys, and enjoying our ministry, God sent us back to Canton to work in the downtown area and primarily minister to the homeless population. When we first arrived in Canton I met a young woman who was pregnant. I asked her the normal question, “When is your baby due?” Her answer to me was rather odd when she answered, “In August, do you want him?” Rather taken aback, I assumed she was asking for help and I said to her, “Sure, anytime, I love babies”. As I look back now I see how God had used my own family to prepare me for what was ahead. Many times in my young life I would come home to find strangers in our home. People who my mother or dad had met who needed help and they would invite them to stay with us until they could get on their feet.

Never once did it enter my mind that this young woman would seriously ask us to take her child. I had never entertained a thought about adopting a child. God had though. It was a modern day story of a baby in a basket being left on the steps of a church. Here his is…please take care of him.

We had to go into the foster care system and become foster parents. Finger printing, paper work, paper work, and more paper work and 40 hours of classes on parenting foster children and learning the heartbreak and joy of foster parenting. The number of children in the foster system in this county alone is unbelievable.

Donovan’s mother soon became pregnant again and we were asked to take her new baby when she was born and we really didn’t feel we could. We were both working long hours and it was a little difficult with 2 high school boys and one baby, let alone two. But again, God’s plan for us was quite different than we had expected. 8 months later we arrived at the hospital to bring our precious Victoria home. A girl…where would I begin? As usual, at the beginning. We began again to make the necessary changes in our home and our lives to bring home another bundle of joy just 1 year to the day that we had brought Donnie home. The joy they have brought into our lives can never be explained.

I keep an open relationship with their birth mother. She calls on holidays and when she is having difficulties. She rarely asks how the children are except on their birthdays and since the adoptions have be finalized she has only seen them once. We pray for her and one day we pray she understands the love that Christ has for her. I would love to tell the children one day that their mother knows the Lord.

My heart trembles when I think of where these children would be had God not only chose us to take them and love them and care for them but had He not placed in our hearts the desire to do His will for our lives and ultimately for the lives of Donovan and Victoria…aka. Donnie and Torrie. They are definitely simply our youngest two children. Not just loved by Randy and I but by their 5 older brothers, three sisters-in-law, two nephews and two nieces.

Join us down on our knees for the 400,000 children in the foster care system? Download the official prayer guide here.

Get Shareaholic

Trib Updates

2012-05-26T07:53:00Z

This is a weekly series that will include a brief summary of the latest articles that have been published on The Tribulation Times Herald-Exhorter. Hopefully, this will encourage you to go check out some truly outstanding articles that have been published by a number of truly outstanding authors. Moreover, I hope this will also encourage you to want to become a contributing member/author, as well. The “Hear Ye! Hear Ye!” site explanation near the top of the side-bar should answer many of your questions. Yes, this series also included an “SOS! (Spam On Saturdays)” segment before, but it just wasn’t working for me. Therefore, that will be replaced by a republishing of one of the Trib articles.

[Varmint Signs 13] has a cat trying to get in better shape in order to survive the coming apocalypse.

[YouTube Links] has me wondering why not all links work as they should.

[R.I.P. GCB] contains some thoughts on an ABC show that has already been cancelled.

[Varmint Signs 14] has a rabbit attempting to make his escape.

[Another Idiotic Elitist] is about some comments made by Ian Drew of Us Weekly.

[Aints Again] is about the New Orleans Saints wanting to relive the past.

[Hacked Off]

If you are not familiar with it, hacked off is an old expression that denotes being rather upset over something. Kinda like ticked off—only different.

Truth be told, it is probably an expression that only someone at the end of a three-day drunk having some issues with an uncooperative bartender would likely use, but it goes fairly well with the topic at hand. For it greatly upsets me to hear newscasters contributing to the dumbing down of America.

What I am talking about in this particular case is hearing the software engineers at Facebook being referred to as hackers. For by [definition]: Computer hacking is broadly defined as intentionally accesses a computer without authorization or exceeds authorized access.

video platform video management video solutions video player

Link: [On ABC News]

In all fairness, the definition that I am referring to does not appear to be chiseled in stone. For according to the [Wikipedia article] on the subject: Hacking means finding out weaknesses in a computer or computer network and exploiting them, though the term can also refer to someone with an advanced understanding of computers and computer networks. Hackers may be motivated by a multitude of reasons, such as profit, protest, or challenge. The subculture that has evolved around hackers is often referred to as the computer underground but it is now an open community. While other uses of the word hacker exist that are not related to computer security, they are rarely used in mainstream context. They are subject to the long standing hacker definition controversy about the true meaning of the term hacker. In this controversy, the term hacker is reclaimed by computer programmers who argue that someone breaking into computers is better called a cracker, not making a difference between computer criminals (black hats) and computer security experts (white hats). Some white hat hackers claim that they also deserve the title hacker, and that only black hats should be called crackers.

On the other hand, what generally comes to mind when you hear the term, hacker, being used, and wouldn’t it be advantageous for the bad guys to have no distinction placed between their nefarious intentions and those of legitimate programmers? It does give you something to think about—doesn’t it?

Oh, and in regards to Facebook stock, look for the price to start heading south in a hurry not all that long from now. For as was addressed in that Nightline segment, if Facebook yields to the demands of serious investors/traders by adding more and more advertising, it will fade into oblivion like MySpace, and if Facebook doesn’t yield, those serious investors/traders will dump their holdings.

Please Also Visit:

[FishHawk Droppings]

and

[The Tribulation Times Herald-Exhorter]

A Calm and Quiet Soul

2012-05-26T07:00:04Z

Psalm 131:1-3

Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself,
like a weaned child who no longer cries for its mother’s milk.
Yes, like a weaned child is my soul within me.

Psalm 131:2

When I was a young child, I suffered from terrible nightmares. Every couple of months, I’d start crying out in my sleep. My parents would rush in to comfort me, but they’d have a difficult time waking me up. Finally, their efforts would be successful, and I’d begin to calm down. Usually, at this point, my dad would return to bed and my mother would rock me to sleep. I can vividly remember the feeling of being safe in her arms, protected from the terrors that had filled my sleep.

Psalm 131 uses such an image to convey what it’s like to have a calm and quiet soul. David, who wrote this psalm, learned not to concern himself with matters that were too great for him to grasp. Rather, he humbled himself as a child in a mother’s lap: “I have calmed and quieted myself, like a weaned child who no longer cries for its mother’s milk” (131:2). The original Hebrew of this passage reads, more literally, “I have calmed and quieted my soul like a weaned child upon his mother.” The image conveys, not a solitary child making himself feel better, but rather a young child who is comforted and reassured in the lap of his mother.

How tempting it is for us to concern ourselves with matters that are too great for us, with needs and problems that exceed our grasp. We can try to run the world, or at least our part of it, as if we had the authority and ability to do so. The result of such presumption is a sense of worry and frustration. How much better if we learned from David how to humble ourselves and find rest in the lap of our God who comforts us like a loving mother with her young child. From that place of security, we will find the strength and wisdom to do our part in the world, serving the only One who has the power and right to run the world.

QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER REFLECTION: When are you tempted to concern yourself with matters that are too great for you? What helps you to be humble and quiet in the “lap” of God?

PRAYER: O Lord, you know how easy it is for me to have a proud heart, to feel as if I need to take charge for that which is not my responsibility. I do have a tendency to take upon myself that which is rightly yours, as if it were my job. Forgive me for my arrogance and folly.

Help me, dear Lord, to humble myself as a young child, to know the safety of your embrace, even as I once experienced the safety of my mother’s lap. May I trust you, release myself to you, lean back into your loving strength.

Thank you, gracious God, for being so present to me, so faithful, so strong when I need you. Amen.

Author Name:

Mark D. Roberts

WATCH CONSTANTLY

2012-05-26T06:00:00Z

“The devil, I am sure, begins to tempt when saints cease to watch. So be consistent in your watchfulness; otherwise you stand to lose everything

What is our life in this world from beginning to end but a dark night of temptation? Christian, it is so very important to make sure your sentry lamp does not go out in this darkness, and your enemy catch you unawares. If you drift off into spiritual slumber, you are an easy mark for his wrath. And you may be sure if you do let sleep overtake you, the devil will hear of it. He knew the apostles' sleeping time and desired to sift them like wheat Luke 22:31. A thief is just getting up when honest men are going to bed. The devil, I am sure, begins to tempt when saints cease to watch. So be consistent in your watchfulness; otherwise you stand to lose everything.

Some Christians, having been injured by a serious fall into sin, will be very careful for a while as to where they walk and the kind of company they keep. But as the soreness of their consciences wears off, they forget to keep watch and become as careless as ever. A shopkeeper who has just been robbed is very careful to lock up his store thoroughly. He may even stay up late to watch it for several nights, but as time passes he relaxes his guard and at last gives it no further attention.

Josephus, in his Antiquities, tells us that the sons of Noah lived only on the tops of high mountains for some years after the flood, not daring to build houses on lower ground for fear of being drowned by another deluge. But as time passed and no flood came, they ventured down into the plain of Shinar where their former fear gave way to one of the boldest, most arrogant attempts against God that man ever pursued. They tried to build a tower high enough to reach heaven, Genesis 11:2-4. The very men who at first were so fearful of drowning that they would not venture down the hill, at last ventured on a plan to protect themselves against all future attempts from the God of heaven to judge them.”

Quoted material from, ”The Christian in Complete Armour Daily Readings in Spiritual Warfare” by Gurnall and James S Bell. http://www.moodypublishers.com/pub_productDetail.aspx?id=41823&pid=53617

Born into Diversity

2012-05-26T05:40:00Z

All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability… And at this sound the crowd was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. (Acts 2.4,6)

D&I

Not long ago I joined a group of HIV specialists for a diversity and inclusion (D&I) workshop. A group of actors played out a typical meeting scenario, where colleagues felt at ease with one another while discussing business. We were asked to listen closely for “unconscious” signals of inequities and assumptions based on gender, orientation, ethnicity, etc. Some were glaringly inappropriate. But most were extremely subtle and many seemed unintentional. “What we say matters,” the session facilitator told us. “And if we truly want to foster a diverse, inclusive environment, we need to use language that respects differences.” We all nodded in agreement—that’s the perennial moral in D&I training. Yet this session’s emphasis on unconscious breeches left us uneasy. Is never offending possible if one doesn’t always realize his/her language gives offense? As we wrestled with this idea, the gentleman next to me sighed, “Sometimes I think this stuff asks too much. As hard as you try, you can’t get it 100% right.”

Which brings us to Pentecost and why commemorating this major event—often called the “birth of the Church”—is so essential. While the gift of the Holy Spirit is, without question, the greatest miracle ever bestowed on the Body of Christ, it comes in such a way as to remove all doubt that God intends the Church to be a radically diverse and inclusive community. That is the second Pentecostal miracle, and it’s one we should celebrate to the full. When we revisit the extraordinary goings-on in Acts 2.1-21, we see more than fulfillment of Jesus’s promise to provide a Comforter to care for His followers. We witness a definitive declaration that forever throws open the doors of the Church to all people. In a gust of violent wind and fiery flashes, the Holy Spirit blows away every thought of exclusion and burns up any presumption that this great gift belongs to a select few. And how does the Spirit manifest this miracle? It uses language—unconscious language that speaks to everyone, believer and non-believer alike.

Above Their Limitations

Before we get to how this happens, suppose we glance around the Upper Room to see who’s there. We find a group of regular folks with no social or political agenda. We’d be hard-pressed to label them “progressives,” as they have no voice in their culture and what we’ve observed of them in the Gospels reveals decidedly shallow understanding of the world’s ways. What’s more, they’re surrounded by uncertainty. Their Leader has vanished into thin air. His recent execution puts them on the wrong side of history, leaving them vulnerable to persecution and potential death. Once again, they’re behind closed doors, just as they were after the crucifixion, waiting for something—who knows what, exactly—to offer them guidance. They’re afraid. And since fear is the root of bigotry and suspicion, we can safely say the 120 who faithfully anticipate the Holy Spirit’s descent are a diversity train wreck waiting to happen. The barriers discouraging acceptance of outsiders are seemingly insurmountable and if they’re to realize Jesus’s command to reach the entire world, they’ll have to rise above their limitations. So the first thing the Spirit changes is their language.

“All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability,” Acts 2.4 reports. This phenomenon—glossolalia, or “speaking in tongues”—becomes the Church’s calling card. Verses 6-8 tell us, “At this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, ‘Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language?’” Verse 11 lists 15 different nationalities that are present and hear the Upper Room believers “speaking about God’s deeds of power.” And we should be very clear here. This is not ecstatic gibberish or personal “prayer languages” that the crowd hears. It’s a linguistic miracle that simultaneously confesses and verifies the Holy Spirit’s presence in the disciples’ faith community. It employs transformed speech to tear down cultural walls and overcome every fear that prohibits inclusion. Now the apostolic commission is achievable just as Christ said it would be: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1.8) Not only does the Spirit equip Christ’s followers to walk the walk; it empowers them to talk the talk.

Welcoming Witness

In no uncertain terms, Pentecost confirms that the Church is born into diversity. The Holy Spirit’s manifest presence in the Body of Christ erases all borders and rejects any possible excuse for religious rejection. It enjoins us to abandon all conscious reasoning for exclusion so we may speak God’s power to “the ends of the earth.” It makes a welcoming witness available to every believer—a spiritual language that resonates with people of every creed and kind. It is our Mother Tongue and when we revert to insular, exclusionary dialects, we make a mockery of this amazing communication skill that God has entrusted to us.

Pentecost unites us in a language of love that transforms how we view others and what we say to them. It’s the antidote to “unconscious” signals that defeat diversity and inclusion, as it, too, should be unconscious. It should come so naturally to us that we embrace everyone we meet without reservation. “If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal,” Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13.1. And in Luke 6.45 Jesus says, “The good person out of the good treasure of the heart produces good, and the evil person out of evil treasure produces evil; for it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks.” The inexplicable clamor that ushers in the Holy Spirit isn’t what Pentecost is about. Pentecost is proof of what happens when we yield ourselves to the Holy Spirit’s enabling power to express God’s all-inclusive, unconditional love to everyone who will listen.

When the astounded foreigners ask, “What does this mean?” (v12) Peter explains that it’s the fulfillment of God’s promise to “pour out My Spirit upon all flesh.” (v17; emphasis added) And he wraps up his explanation by telling those who’ve gathered to find out what’s going on: “The promise if for you, your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls.” (v39) All flesh… you, your children… all who are far away… everyone. Sure sounds like radical D&I to me.

The second miracle of Pentecost is manifest when the Holy Spirit transforms the disciples’ speech so that diversity and inclusion barriers fall at the moment of the Church’s birth.

Podcast link: http://straightfriendly.podbean.com/2012/05/26/born-into-diversity/

to be wooed daily

2012-05-26T04:44:00Z

i spin as
wind blows hair around
face into
eyes and mouth and
this is His breath,
these are His whispers and
He woos and
i fall
in
love
again and
i sit and feel
crisp air kissing
neck and
tears well and fall
for how can i not
be overwhelmed by this,
His love?
and as darkness falls and
His jewels begin to
light up sky
i stand amazed and
this is everyday,
and His love is
proclaimed again
and
again
and it is unending and
why do we hate the repetitiveness
of life,
for it is His artwork,
His wooing,
His letter of love
and He sends it constant,
never failing
and what enamored soul would not
desire to be wooed,
to be shown such love
again
and
again?

{unto the glory} A Few of My Favorite Things

2012-05-26T04:00:28Z

Hello friend. Happy Memorial Day weekend to you.

Each Saturday, I compile a list of my “favorite things” found on the Web. I don’t like keeping good things to myself, so I’m sharing them with you. Here are just a few of those gems, discovered this week around the web:

AN ART PROJECT FOR THE ARTISTICALLY CHALLENGED (That’s me!): Beautiful, easy art. With an emphasis on easy! My daughters and I are trying this art project. We found it over on Pinterest.

PICNIC PIZAZZ: We are a picnicking family. You, too? Then you must check out Dawn Camp’s fun ideas for picnics … just in time for Memorial Day!

PERSPECTIVE: Did you see the last song on American Idol? You’ll want to read this, Emily Freeman’s amazing post about fame.

WORSHIP: “Heal the wound but leave the scar … a reminder of how merciful you are.” As we’ve considered our scars at Getting Down With Jesus this week, this one song by Point of Grace keeps running through my heart. Maybe you needed to hear this one, too.

FAITH RADIO: I write occasionally for FaithRadio. This week, I contributed a story about the faith questions that our children ask — and why we don’t always have to have the right answers. You’ll find the story at FaithRadioNet.com.

Spirit-Empowered Discipleship

2012-05-25T07:00:00Z

Pastor Matt Chandler interviews Pastor Jonathan Dodson about his recently released Re:Lit book, Gospel-Centered Discipleship, and what it looks like to be a Spirit-empowered disciple. Pick up your copy of Gospel-Centered Discipleship here

Day 146 – Free God from Stereotypes!

2012-05-26T04:00:08Z

The stereotype of God in the Old Testament is that He is a God of wrath. But there’s another side of God that I’ve become more familiar with the last few years. It’s the God who cares for the down and out, as Psalm 68 says: Sing to God, sing in praise of his name… … Continue reading »

Weekend Edition

2012-05-26T04:00:00Z

Welcome to our Memorial Day Salute!

Iwo Jima Memorial

"Formerly known as Decoration Day, Memorial Day originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War. By the 20th century Memorial Day had been extended to honor all Americans who have died in all wars. Memorial Day is a day of remembering the men and women who died while serving in

the United States Armed Forces"-Wikipedia

We Have Winners

Prize winners should contact us through our Seekerville email adress.

Claim your Speedbo prizes before the Speedbo police come to find you!

Thanks for sharing your tea thoughts with us last weekend . Winner of a surprise tea package is A.J.

Seekerville friend, Ann Lee Miller shared "What Everyone Needs To Know About Self-Publishing." Ann gifted every commenter who requested they'd like one, a free e-copy of her debut release, Kicking Eternity. Check out the post to find out how to get your copy.

Love Inspired author Tina Radcliffe took you on Publishing Road Trip today. We have winners: Rivet Your Readers With Deep POV (Kindle) goes to Jeanne T, a five page critique goes to Tina Pinson, a ten page critique goes to Julie Hilton Steele. Winner of a surprise box of books is Sally Bradley. And the amazing map of Kansas (with a surprise of course) goes to Melissa Jagears.

Thomas Nelson author Cara Lynn James blogged about ''Setting'' on Thursday. Winner of an Advanced Reader Copy of A Path toward Love, a Gilded Age romance that will be released in August is Lyndee.

Friday Seekerville welcomed back FaithWords author, Carla Stewart with "Launching Your Novel: Five keys to a fun and successful book release party." The winner of Stardust, her latest release, along with two authentic Southern pecan pralines from East Texas is Miriam.

Next Week in Seekerville

Monday: Seekerville is closed to honor the Memorial Day Holiday.

Tuesday: Rose Ross Zediker stops by to review her 2012 writing goals at mid-year. Rose will be giving away five copies, one for each month that’s passed in 2012, of Job's Tears, the second book in Rose's Heartsong Presents series.

Wednesday: Seekerville is delighted to welcome back Sarah Ladd who recently sold to Thomas Nelson. Her post is "Author Facebook Pages... What Every Author Needs to Know" Seekerville will be giving away a $10.00 Amazon gift card to celebrate her visit.

Thursday: Revell author Lorna Seilstad stops by today to teach us how to use "The Five Love Languages to Make Your Reader Fall in Love with Your Hero." Lorna is giving away a copy of her latest release, The Ride of Her Life.

Friday: Time for the June Contest Update. The prize vault will be open so don't miss it.

Seeker Sightings

As always we encourage our Friends of Seekerville to share YOUR sightings, milestones and links to YOUR events or news with us in the Weekend Edition.

Ruth Logan Herne will be signing her books on Saturday, May 26th at both Alpha and Omega Stores in the Rochester area.

For a $5 donation, you can pick ANY RUTHY BOOK (regular or large print) from the Ruthy-basket (she is NOT bringing the cat dish) and Ruthy will sign the book, feed you cookies and talk your ear off! Such a deal! She will have some out-of-print books in the basket at BOTH LOCATIONS.... Greece, New York in the Stoneridge Plaza from 10-12 morning... (Near Toys R Us, it's a very busy plaza and the store is tucked cozily into a corner) and from 2-4 at the Alpha and Omega in Panorama Plaza in Penfield New York! Proceeds to benefit the Open Door Mission a Christian Rescue Mission to benefit impoverished and homeless men, women and children in the Rochester, NY area.

This year Seekerville won't be at BEA so we're supporting Armchair BEA Central.

Stop by to find out how you can win a Kindle stocked with Seeker books. Want to know more about BEA? Check out the BEA page here for event info and live streaming updates.

Congratulations to Debby Giusti who placed in the Winter Rose Contest. The Officer's Secret placed second in the Inspirational category, and The Captain's Mission placed third!

More good news! The Captain's Mission is a Daphne finalist in the inspirational category!

This is the last few days of the Brenda Novak Online Auction to Benefit Diabetes Research .

Seekerville's gift array includes a Keurig single-cup beverage brewer, a variety of K-cups, Godiva chocolates, an expandable recipe album already stocked with the Seekers' favorite recipes, and a whole library full of romantic fiction penned by Seekers Mary Connealy, Janet Dean, Debby Giusti, Audra Harders, Ruth Logan Herne, Pam Hillman, Cara Lynn James, Myra Johnson, Glynna Kaye, Sandra Leesmith, Julie Lessman, Tina Radcliffe, and Missy Tippens.

Random News & Information

How Story Structure Saved My Sanity (and My Writing Career!) (Writing Secrets of 7 Scribes)

How To Promote on Pinterest (Julie's Journal)

Correcting last week's item about Harlequin's reorganization of its digital and physical marketing departments into a single unit, Natashya Wilson has been named executive editor of the company's non-fiction imprint, while Deb Brody moves up to director of Harlequin's non-fiction imprint.(Publishers Lunch)

On Self-Publishing and Having A Chip on One's Shoulder (Nathan Bransford)

Don't Let The Writing Life Kill You (GalleyCat)

What is a Minor Character: Understanding the Minor Characters’ Role by Orson Scott Card (Writer's Digest)

Book Marketing: Why I Gave Up Trying to Build a Big Social Media Following (The Creative Penn)

Author Q & A on Self-Publishing (Adventures in Agentland)

Why Indies Matter (Indie Bound)

How To Share Books and eBooks With Our Troops (GalleyCat)

Check out this shot of Seeker Glynna Kaye. Glynna was the featured speaker at her local RWA chapter, NARWA, providing handouts and ideas for jump starting your novel.

More good news!

Seekerville is delighted to congratulate,

Friend of Seekerville, Jessica Keller

on her first sale!

Jessica sold to Love Inspired.

Home for Good is a February 2013 release.

Sometimes Things Get Worse Before they Get better

2012-05-26T03:45:00Z

Have you ever noticed that?
How things usually get worse before they get better?
It should be oddly reassuring, but somehow when you're in the middle of some struggle or another, those words can sound like just one more cliche.

Sometimes when you uncover problems or issues that have been buried or ignored for years, it's like ripping off a bandage or a scabbed-over wound.
Youch! Ugh, look at all that stinky pus. What a mess. Oh that hurts. Am I dying? Is this curable? Give me some drugs... oh why did I have to go and rip this bandage off... I just know there''s gonna be a big ugly scar. Will I lose the leg?

The wound was always there festering away.
The buried issues. The hurts we've hidden deep inside. The disappointment we've been in denial about.
Facing these things hurts like hell.

That's what I mean by things get worse before they get better.
Denial is not a cure.
Numbness is not healing.

My counsellor told me this week that when I "find my voice" and are able to "be my true unique self" the Pendulum will stop swinging.
She talks about the "Defended Self". The Me that uses all these coping mechanisms to make myself feel better by serving/giving/helping... then I push too far and collapse in a heap and withdraw into escapism of some kind. The Pendulum.

It's good to know that one day I can be free of that tyranny.
It's also helpful to know that my lovely counsellor has walked this road before me. She's not a theorist, she's a living example of someone who has found freedom.
Gee, but it's a painful process.
Facing all this pain.
Lying awake at night, mind racing, stomach churning.

Makes me so thankful I'm not alone.
Amazing how when you reach out and open up you discover the gift of encouragement and strength from a community of others.
The women from my Parenting Class. The girls from my prayer group.
My amazing counsellor. Friends you can be completely honest with.

Last night I was feeling overwhelmed and in a world of emotional pain, after some of my "bandages" have been ripped off, and old wounds revealed.
This morning, after meeting with some mums to pray for our kids, I feel re-charged. Encouraged. Lifted up. Hopeful.

Problems, battles, struggles are the norm in life.
"What doesn't kill us only makes us stronger."

Here's some food for thought:

[Source]

Don't you love that? It gives meaning and purpose to the struggle doesn't it?

In the end when I am completely myself, the struggling will have knocked off my sharp edges, my wrestling and crying will have forged compassion and empathy, perseverance through pain will have developed patience and tolerance for others... it will be a beautiful thing.
Makes working through the pain worthwhile.

Still Saturday: The Unfurling

2012-05-26T03:02:02Z

A day filled with noise and voices can be a day of silence, if the noises become for us the echo of the presence of God, if the voices are, for us, messages and solicitations of God. When we speak of ourselves and are filled with ourselves, we leave silence behind. When we repeat the intimate words of God that he has left within us, our silence remains intact. ~Catherine de Hueck Doherty

May your heart unfurl in the echo and fragrance of His presence,

Welcome to Still Saturday where we pause after a busy week, move in quiet pilgrimage, maybe linger a while in some still place, and soak in the beauty of images and words. We’d love for you to join us. Get the details above, grab your favorite button, and link up below. We all like to hear if something especially speaks to your heart, but please don’t feel pressured to comment. Simply take some time to gaze long and drink deep.

Sweet As Honey

2012-05-26T01:35:05Z

These three girls of mine bring me such joy.

Their smiles light up my days.

They are all so different and, yet they’re all very much alike at the same time.

I am honored to be able to be called mommy by three of the most beautiful, sweetest girls ever.

Clickable Page credits:

On a Northwest Journey for Scar Stories - Are you in a location to share yours?

2012-05-26T01:16:06Z

I am taking a week in June to travel through Oregon and Washington on a little pilgrimage. I’d like to connect with people who have scars and are ready to share their stories. It doesn’t matter if your scar is physical, emotional or spiritual; what I am interested in is helping people peel back the shame they’ve been covered in and experience the freedom and healing that comes with what I call “the fine art of nakedness.”

Still don’t know if you fit? Have you lost something that has affected the way you think about yourself? – a job, a limb, a breast, a marriage, a child, a reputation, a loved one, your health, your faith, your sanity? Do you feel misunderstood or judged by others? Well, maybe we could talk together and discuss if sharing your story could be a healthy way for you to move forward on your journey.

I am hoping to pay for the trip by doing family portraits along the way. If you’ve wanted some family photos and live in one of the towns I’ll be going through I’d love to have your business! What would really work great is to have friends pass the word along so that I can schedule several families at a single location and do back-to-back shoots. I’d also be happy to do personal headshots, senior portraits or other types of photography – just no weddings!

Here is my tentative schedule:

Monday, June 18 – evening – Bend/Sisters, Oregon
Tuesday, June 19 – afternoon, evening – Eugene, Oregon
Tuesday, June 19 – late evening – Dallas, Oregon
Wednesday, June 20 – morning, afternoon – Hillsboro, Oregon
Wednesday, June 20 – evening – portraits at Portland Rose/Japanese Gardens
Thursday, June 21 – morning, afternoon – downtown Portland
Thursday, June 21 – evening – Vancouver, WA
Friday, June 22 – afternoon – Tacoma, WA
Friday, June 22 – evening – Seattle, WA
Saturday, June 23 – all day, Seattle, WA
Sunday, June 24 – afternoon – Yakima, WA

So if you’d like to connect with me on this trip, or if you know of someone else who might like too, please pass the word along to them and get back to me!

The Transforming God

2012-05-26T01:09:49Z

Image courtesy of CreationSwap via Paule Patterson

Christianity Today’s Her.meneutics blog for women posted recently on the moral universe of Glee and how creator Ryan Murphy has become an evangelist, touting the message of tolerance to viewers each week on prime-time television. The post discusses how Glee does a great job of bringing to light various social issues however it stands on the platform that we as people should accept ourselves and others just as we are. Her.meneutics then says:

But the Christian story tells us that we are born broken, and that we need to be transformed; that we must put off the old self, and be made new. I believe this to be true; but beyond that, I believe it to be a better story, every time, than a story about a person who learns to accept herself the way she is.

I certainly believe that Jesus fully loves and accepts each of us exactly as we are, no matter where we’ve been. But I love how this post has clearly pointed out that our Savior is a God of transforming grace and His gospel is not meant to be received as one great meal but as an eternal feast of mercy, kindness, love and yes…even gentle correction that will no doubt change us.

For those of us who come from a past where we have sinned in the most colorful ways or have been sinned against…whether we come from a life of crime, substance abuse, promiscuity or even prostitution, or if we’ve been sinned against by those we should trust most, our parents and caregivers… many of us can rightly blame our current condition on our past or maybe even our DNA. But the gospel of Jesus allows us to be set free from our past. That which we’ve done and that which has been done to us.

Jesus didn’t freely die upon the cross so things could remain the same. His blood was shed for a new covenant to bring change to the human race, one soul at a time.

Let us love one another exactly where we are but let’s also love one another enough and in ways that point to Christ who will never leave us unchanged.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” ~ 2 Corinthians 5:17

Filed under: Discipleship, Transformation Tagged: Gospel, Jesus, Transformation

A birthday

2012-05-26T00:42:16Z

Blowing out six candles.
Happy Birthday, L.! Today you went from L.(5) to L.(6).
I love you!

In You I Win

2012-05-26T00:30:33Z

“For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God” (1 John 5.4-5 NLT).

You asked me to declare English when I wanted athletics.
You asked me to read when I lacked discipline.
You asked me to teach when I feared responsibility.
You asked me to remain, so they could break me.

You told me to write a book when I wanted a Ph.D.
You told me to lead when I lacked conviction.
You told me to stay home when I feared insignificance.
You told me to linger, so time could break me.

You ordered me to offer grace when I wanted perfection.
You ordered me to blog when I lacked wisdom.
You ordered me to combat when I feared brutality.
You ordered me to wait, so You could break me.

In my breaking, I have found freedom.
In my pain, I have claimed certain joy.

My eyes see eternity;
My ears the final trumpet.

Purpose quickens my pace,
And love levels my path.

In You
I win.

Family Ministry Curriculum (4 of 4) – LifeChurch.tv OPEN

2012-05-26T00:00:08Z

Does free high quality children’s ministry curriculum sound great to you? How about choosing a series of your choice every 3-5 weeks on the topic of your choice? If so, series from LifeChurch.tv OPEN may be for you!

Logging on to the OPEN website, clicking on the newest series (or the one you choose to use) for your age group, downloading the resources, reading through the Series Notes, and getting excited about starting the series in your ministry is a picture of getting started with their resources. I don’t have personal experience using these but have studied many of them and just reading through them makes you want to use them!

Some of the highlights of kids series from OPEN is that they are -

Free
Fun
Easy to download
Video driven
Interactive
Includes small group, singing, games, stations, and Bible memorization
Has take home cards that include the scripture verse and other activities the kids can do to earn points
Is great for a small group or a large group of children
Isn’t cheesy
Great for getting volunteers involved with and includes an easy to follow experience guide so volunteers know what happens when (schedule)
Considers kids with a short attention span
Keeps kids moving and engaged (no sit down for 30 minute lessons)
Gives the opportunity for kids to choose salvation most weeks if not weekly
Is great for first timers as well as those who come each week
Perfect for any kid
Has series that dig into deeper topics
…..

The highlights of kids series from LifeChurch.tv OPEN are endless, they may not be perfect but they are awesome. If you’re looking for high quality curriculum for your children’s ministry I’d recommend their series.OPEN also has free series for your youth and adults, including small group series, messages for your services (Saturday evening/Sunday morning), as well as curriculum I’m just now diving into that is year long quality curriculum for your 2 to 5 year olds separated by age. Story books, playdough, snacks some weeks, coloring pages, crafts, and games that directly relate to a Bible story each week, I’d say it’s high quality, also perfect for daycare, a preschool program in your church, or teaching your children at home.

One of the best things I love about the kids series, related to family ministry, is the take home cards. Not only is this a way to earn points or remember the point from that week, but is also a good way for the kid and adult to connect and possibly discuss or learn more at home. This could be like a connecting piece for those wanting to do family ministry.

Are you convinced yet? Visit http://open.lifechurch.tv, create a free account (it’s easy) and download the Series Notes, Experience Guidelines, and Take Home Cards (aka Challenge Cards) for one of the series for 06 to 11 year olds and check it out. I think you’ll love it!

Have you used kids series from LifeChurch.tv OPEN, or are you interested? Would love to hear your experience below.

__________

LifeChurch.tv OPEN – Facebook, Twitter, Website

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The Withering ~

2012-05-26T00:20:00Z

her beauty spent

her gown

now soiled and worn

while once she stood in glory

strangers now became

her support

: : :

Faded the flower and all its budded charms, Faded the sight of beauty from my eyes.John Keats