Faith Imagined

Media Meditation: Yoked

sanctifiedtogether@gmail.com (Faith Imagined) — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 00:59:00 +0000

Download your free Media Meditation handouts for the Get Revived Online Conference! I will be presenting Wednesday March 17 at 10:00am Central Time. The study will be available on my blog on Friday March 26 as a video and down-loadable PDF! Be on the lookout for the second part of the series, Master Meditation, in a couple months!

There are two voices in the world today: The Voice of God and the Voice of the Enemy. The Voice of God can be compared to a soft whisper (1 Kings 19:12). The Voice of the Enemy can be compared to a roaring lion (1 Peter 5:8). Humans are merely receivers of these two voices, and we act in accordance to the one we fill ourselves up with most. We were created to be vessels of God's glory; however, we have free choice and we can choose to be vessels of the Enemy's deceit (2 Corinthians 4:7).

Jesus tells us to take His yoke upon us (Matthew 11:29-30). A yoke is a tool used to team two oxen together so that they may work in the same effort. In the book of Job, when Job's wealth is assessed, the animals are individually counted except for his oxen. The oxen are always counted in pairs (Job 42:12).

A yoke signifies room for two -- a pair. If we are not completely yoked to Jesus, then the Enemy is gaining access as well. If we are not 100% sold out to Christ, we will find ourselves at any moment yoked to the kingdom of the Enemy. Sadly, we become lukewarm Christians tossed back and forth by the waves of our culture (Revelations 3:15-16) & (Ephesians 4:14).

How can we have the abundant (overflowing) life that God promises when we our allowing ourselves to be yoked to the Enemy? If we are yoked to the Enemy, we won't be able to fully sow a bountiful harvest because he will assuredly force us to either stop, get distracted or completely mess up the plowing. Our necks will become tired and covered with soars. Our backs will begin hurting, and we'll fall over in exhaustion. Only Jesus' yoke is light and easy to bear.

I think many of us deceive ourselves into thinking that we are just neutral. We are not fully committed to God, yet we think that we are not committed to the Enemy either. Sadly, this is not true. We are either yoked to the Kingdom of God or we are yoked to the Kingdom of the Enemy. There is no middle ground.

God knows that we will make mistakes, and we are given unmerited favor (grace) because of His love for us. But it is my earnest cry to the Lord that I be yoked to Him! I don't want to be a puppet for the Enemy. I don't want to look back to moments in my past and realize that I was used by the kingdom of the Enemy to do his awful bidding. I hate the enemy, and I want to claim victory over his schemes.

How can I do that? I can I make an effort to yoke myself to the Holy Spirit so that the times I'm used by the Enemy become less frequent?

I have to listen for the soft voice of God. Psalm 19 says that the voice of God is everywhere. It is in the heavens and the earth, and all of creation shouts His glory. But we can't hear God's soft whispers when we are consumed by the roars of the Enemy.

The Enemy is loud and his roar echoes through our mainstream culture, especially the different channels of media. I hear his lies shouting through the TV and screaming through the radio. His roar is pulsating through mainstream magazines and yelling through books. The Enemy deafens our ears with the Internet, and we forget what the glory of God looks like.

My desire is that Christians shut the Enemy up! We need to stop listening to him in our homes, in our cars, at our work and with our friends. Our ears are becoming accustomed to his lies and our children are finding comfort in his voice. Ask yourselves these questions:

1) What am I allowing to enter my house through the television? Is it yoked to the Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of the Enemy?

2) What music am I listening to? Is it yoked to the Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of the Enemy?

3) What magazines am I flipping through? Are they yoked to the Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of the Enemy?

4) What books am I reading? Are they yoked to the Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of the Enemy?

5) What am I consuming on the Internet? Is it yoked to the Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of the Enemy?

Whose voice are we allowing to enter into our hearts, minds, souls? Is it a voice declaring God's the glory or the Enemy's?

Let us cultivate our Media Meditation together. Join me at Get Revived Conference!

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Media Meditation: Truth or Lies?

sanctifiedtogether@gmail.com (Faith Imagined) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 02:42:00 +0000

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When I was about 12 years old, my family and I went to Denali Park in Alaska. There was a beautiful glacier in the park that was roped off. However, many people were crossing under the ropes and climbing up the icy face of the frozen mountain.

I was excited! I wanted to climb a glacier. I ducked under the rope and began my trek up the slippery ice. As I started climbing, I realized that my t-shirt, jeans and Keds tennis shoes were not helping me. In fact, I kept slipping down the ice, and I almost fell into the deep blue ravines that cut through the glacier like giant bear claws.

I noticed other people were climbing the glacier with ease because they were prepared with climbing gear. They were focused and ready for the trials that they would face in order to experience the blessing of reaching the top.

I gave up trying to climb the glacier because I knew that I would never make it in my current state of helplessness. I missed out because I wasn't ready.

This memory reminds me of the abundant Christian life that God has planned for each of us. So many Christians want the blessings of God, but they are not ready to receive them. Living an abundant Christian life is riddled with trials and tests, and we must allow the Holy Spirit to equip us. Otherwise, we will slip down the ice and possibly fall into a ravine. We will be controlled with fear and frozen by our weaknesses.

God is able to prepare our hearts for an amazing adventure with Him through meditation. Joshua 1.8 (NIV) reads, "Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." We must mediate on God's truth, so that we can stand firm on His promises. Otherwise, we are doomed to failure.

Meditation is the filling of our hearts with either truth or lies. One of the biggest sources of meditation today is found through media. Christians need to be diligent about weeding out the many lies that pour out of media. Those lies make us vulnerable to the Enemy and keep us fearful, distracted and disinterested in crossing over to the abundant Christian life.

We only have one life. We need to make the best of it. Let us focus our hearts on God's truth and make our way up the glacier to His amazing blessings. It will be difficult, but it will be the thrill of a lifetime. . . guaranteed!

Download my conference worksheets for Media Meditation here.

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Internet Cafe: Talking with God

sanctifiedtogether@gmail.com (Faith Imagined) — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 12:45:00 +0000

I allow each of my boys to pray at night as they are lying in bed. My youngest boy is three and my oldest is five. The youngest one usually prays and his older brother then follows. At first my youngest boy didn’t want to pray because he was embarrassed. He didn’t pray like his older brother, and I think that made him self-conscious. However, I encouraged him without any pressured expectations, and he started to pray now and then.

One night, my youngest son jumped into praying. He prayed for juice, toys, cookies, popcorn, etc. I could hear my oldest son snickering under his breath. When my youngest son said, “Amen,” I kissed him and went over to my oldest son’s bed.

I whispered in his ear, “You used to pray like that. He will get better and better as he practices. Let’s not make fun of him, okay?”

Read the rest at Internet Cafe!

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Fast to Feast- Day 7

alisahopewagner@yahoo.com (Faith Imagined) — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 15:26:00 +0000

In ten hours, my seven day fast will be complete. I will wake up tomorrow and enjoy a small steaming mug of soy chai tea, cantaloupe and raisins. This has been one of the most difficult and most rewarding weeks of my life. All I can say is that God is good!

During the first two days of fasting, I knew I was doing something wrong. I think I was in grin-and-bear-it mode. By the the third day I was so hungry, and the only thing that I could do was pray. I started talking to God, and His overwhelming love and power filled my spirit. Jesus says, " You're blessed when you're ravenously hungry. Then you're ready for the Messianic meal" (Luke 6.18 The Message). I definitely was ready to feast from the Lord!

After God spoke to me powerfully, I remembered Jesus saying to the disciples after He had shown mercy to the woman at the well, "I have food to eat that you know nothing about" (John 4.32b NIV). I had to ask myself, "What do I crave more? My food or my God?"

I read in my one year Bible, The Message/Remix Pause Bible, a few days into my fast the following verses from Amos Chapter 4:

6"You know, don't you, that I'm the One
who emptied your pantries and cleaned out your cupboards,
Who left you hungry and standing in bread lines?
But you never got hungry for me. You continued to ignore me."
God's Decree.

7-8"Yes, and I'm the One who stopped the rains
three months short of harvest.
I'd make it rain on one village
but not on another.
I'd make it rain on one field
but not on another—and that one would dry up.
People would stagger from village to village
crazed for water and never quenching their thirst.
But you never got thirsty for me.
You ignored me."
God's Decree.

I want to hunger and thirst for God more than anything else. Only then will I live the abundant life that He has planned for me. During my fast, God showed me many things. I allowed Him to expose those sins that were hidden away and forgotten about. They were deep within my heart, awaiting a time to destroy my God-given purpose. They needed to be weeded out, so that I could draw closer to Him.

The biggest sin was my disbelief. I realized that I believed in God only about 90%. I still clung to my 10% of disbelief just in case God was unable to prove Himself to me. God has given me many promises, and I was holding out my total commitment until those promises came true. I wanted my wedding feast before I took the effort to walk by faith to the wedding hall. I didn't want to be a fool, but I know now that I was the fool for not comprehending the power and might of our God.

My fast also enlarged my capacity to handle the burden that comes with blessings. You can't have one without the other. Jesus says, "From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked" (Luke 12.48b). Therefore, if I want an abundant life with Jesus and have blessings poured into my life, I need the capacity to handle the responsibilities that go hand in hand.

A Christian who is being blessed is a Christian who is sacrificing for the kingdom of God. Salvation comes by faith, but blessings come by obedience. And God wants us to be 100% obedient to His will, so that He can pour out His blessings. What I've discovered is that our little acts of obedience are nothing compared to the blessings waiting for us, but we must make sure that our motive is right. We are obedient because we love God, and He blesses us because He loves us. This is a beautiful picture of serving, not bartering.

I felt like the woman in 2 Kings 4.1-7. This woman poured out from her emptiness, and God's supernatural power continued to flow. By day four I felt physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually depleted, but God filled me with His strength, joy, love, mercy and everything else I needed. God always provided when I lookd to Him for help. I was completely dependent on God to help me finish my fast, and He showed Himself as my Great Sustainer.

"Father, thank You for helping me through this fast. Bless my life and make me strong so I can handle the weight of those blessings. In Jesus's name, amen."

Fast to Feast- Day 1
Fast to Feast- Day 2
Fast to Feast- Day 3
Fast to Feast- Day 4
Fast to Feast- Day 5
Fast to Feast- Day 6

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Fast to Feast- Day 6

alisahopewagner@yahoo.com (Faith Imagined) — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 03:00:00 +0000

Below is an excellent article titled Fasting Tips by Lou Engle of The Call. His ministry is focused on helping Christians embrace a lifestyle of prayer and fasting. This article can be also found here.

With this call to enter into extended fasts, we must prepare ourselves adequately so that the fast can honor God and fulfill its purpose. Here are some items to help and encourage you.

1. Seek advice and permission before the fast. Seek medical advice before the fast, especially if you have any existing medical concerns or conditions. If you are under 18 years of age, discuss your desire to fast with your parents. Spiritual covering, submission and unity are important factors when fasting. Discuss your plans with your youth leader and/or church leaders. Remember, fasting is an attitude of the heart! Ask them if they would consider fasting with you!

2. Fast and pray in order to humble yourself and purify your worship. In fasting we are not trying to get something from God, but rather seeking to realign our hearts' affections with His. In fasting we can more readily say, "We love you Lord, more than anything in the world." Lust of any kind is perverted worship, but fasting enables us to cleanse the sanctuary of our hearts from every other rival.

3. Don't boast about your fast. Let people know you won't be eating, if you need to. (Matthew 6:16-18).

4. Do the fast with someone else. Two are better than one! We encourage parents and kids to consider fasting together. Several generations fasting together has a powerful impact!

5. Have a clear target for prayer focus. Without a vision (a clear, prophetic prayer goal) the people perish. During a fast, I have four or five prayer goals that are clearly articulated. When I'm not deeply motivated by a clear goal, I usually fast until break-fast! Write down your vision, so you can run with it. (Habukkuk 2:2)

6. Make your commitment and determine the length. You can fast in many different ways...a media fast from TV, movies, and video games. You may want to fast from one meal a day, one whole day, three days or more. Fast Forward is modeled on the 40 day fast. Pray and ask God what He will give you faith for as far as the length of time. He is the author and finisher of your faith and faith is what makes it possible to please him.

* A Daniel fast, with vegetables and water, is good for those carrying a heavy workload (like moms and students). Fasting "meats and sweets" can be done by athletes who can get protein from other food sources.

* A fruit or vegetable juice fast allows you to enter into fasting but still gives enough energy to function. Many people have done a 40-day juice fast. Out of consideration for their health and metabolism, I would encourage teenagers to use juice and protein drinks to sustain them. If you have sugar sensitivities or problems, consult your physician before attempting this fast.

* A water-only fast has been done by many people. We would not encourage this without strong medical supervision, particularly for youth. This is a very difficult fast, but very effective. Depending on your weight and metabolism, you can go forty days on water alone.

* A total fast is without water. Do Not go beyond three days without water. Discuss your plans with your doctor, youth leader and/or church leaders and parents. We do not encourage this type of fast without specific confirmation from the Lord through your parents and church leadership.

7. Prepare physically. Two days before you fast, limit your intake of food to fruit and vegetables. Fruit is a natural cleanser and easy to digest. Stop drinking coffee before the fast. Drink lots of water to help your body detoxify. Prepare yourself for mental discomforts such as impatience, crankiness and anxiety. Expect physical discomforts. You may experience dizziness, headaches and different kinds of pains. The headaches are not a sign to stop fasting. Your body is working to cleanse itself of impurities.

8. Take time to pray and read the Word. This may seem obvious, but busyness and distractions can keep you from devotions. Reading books with testimonies of victories gained through fasting will encourage you. Changing History through Prayer and Fasting by Derek Prince, Fast Forward by Lou Engle and God's Chosen Fast by Arthur Wallis.

9. Expect to hear God's voice in the Word, dreams, visions and revelations. Daniel prepared himself to receive revelation through fasting (Daniel10:1,2). There is a fasting reward (Matt. 6:18) Some time ago, a Malaysian brother shared how during a forty day fast he was "caught up into the heavens." After the fast, he took a team into the interior of Borneo and saw a dead woman raised and revival broke out in the village.

10. Prepare for opposition. On the day of your fast you can bet donuts will be at the office or in class. Your spouse (or your mom) will suddenly be inspired to cook your favorite meals. Press through. Many times you may feel more tension build at home. My fasts are just as difficult for my wife as for me. Satan tempted Jesus on the fast, and we must expect the same. Discouragement may come in like a flood, but recognize the source and take your stand on the victory of Christ.

11. If you fail, don't give in to condemnation. The "to fast or not to fast" dilemma can be a major tool of the enemy. Even though you may fail several times, God always extends grace. Once, I gave up on a fast and snuck some yogurt and chips. The next day an intercessor came to me and said, "I saw you in a dream and you were supposed to be fasting, but you were eating yogurt and chips." It was pretty good motivation to start again!

12. Feel free to rest a lot and to continue to exercise with supervision.

13. Breakthroughs often come after a fast, not during it. Do not listen to the lie that nothing is happening. It is my conviction that every fast done in faith will be rewarded.

14. Break the fast slowly, over several days with fruit juice or light soups. On a light juice fast or a water fast your digestive system shuts down. This can be dangerous if you eat too much too soon. Break the fast with several days of diluted, non-acidic juice, then regular juice, followed by fruit and vegetables. On one of my early water fasts, I broke it too quickly and almost needed hospitalization.

Be careful! May thousands of young men and women fast as God leads them. May they find a greater intimacy with God the Father. May they be used in the greatest revival we have ever seen. Let two generations arise and fulfill this divine mandate! We have taught our children how to feast and play. Now it is time to teach them how to fast and pray!

Fast to Feast- Day 1
Fast to Feast- Day 2
Fast to Feast- Day 3
Fast to Feast- Day 4
Fast to Feast- Day 5
Fast to Feast- Day 7

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Fast to Feast- Day 5

alisahopewagner@yahoo.com (Faith Imagined) — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 02:24:00 +0000

Matthew 22.10-14 NIV - "So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 'Friend,' he asked, 'how did you get in here without wedding clothes?' The man was speechless. Then the king told the attendants, 'Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' For many are invited, but few are chosen."

Please notice that the King's servants invited both "good" and "bad" people to partake in the wedding feast. The "good" people are Christians who have had their sins forgiven because they've accepted Jesus as their savor. The "bad" people have not had their sins forgiven, so they are accountable to all the bad they have done. Otherwise, we would all be bad "For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard" (Romans 3.23 NIV). We all are bad compared to the holiness and perfection of God.

Therefore, both Christians and non-Christians are feasting at the earthly banquet. I believe it is the earthly banquet because the King hasn't entered yet -- Jesus has not yet come to claim His rightful throne on earth. God loves all people, but I know from reading His Word that He can only forge a relationship with those who have been forgiven from their sins. Humans can not reach a Holy God within their own unrighteousness. After the fall from Eden, humans had to have a sacrifice that would take the debt of their sins. The first sacrifice was the animal skins used to clothe Adam and Eve. Our 100% perfect God cannot can even look at anything that has sin, unless He looks through the lens of a sacrifice that wipes away the debt.

Since Jesus is our present day sacrifice, God looks through His blood in order to fellowship with us. So if God can fellowship with us, and He is glad we set our minds to make it to His beautiful wedding banquet, wouldn't it make sense that He would prefer to bless us more than the people who do not fellowship with Him because their sins are not erased? I believe that if Christians were willing to give even a fraction of obedience and sacrifice to God, He would take our fraction and bless it abundantly. God is the creator of the Universe. He sets the stars in the sky and puts the planets in motion. He is able to do wondrous works on our behalf. He holds all of the world's resources in His hands.

Christians don't need to be the smartest, most elegant, most attractive, most skilled, most charismatic to achieve an abundant life. All we have to do is stay faithful to our God, and He will direct all the blessings our way. It doesn't matter how much everyone else knows, how pretty they are, how well they are liked. If God had a choice to bless a Christian or non-Christian, He would totally jump at the chance to bless the Christian! Why? Because we love Him and we strive to live out His purpose for our life! We made it to the wedding feast, and God wants to give us His very best because we are His children and brothers and sisters to His son, Jesus! If we could just give God our love, He would willingly Give us all that we ask according to His will.

What happens when the King arrives to the wedding banquet? He starts to sort out the Christians from the non-Christians. The earthly banquet is over, and the eternal banquet is about to begin. The King looks through the guest and sees some not wearing the wedding clothes. I believe the wedding clothes are symbolic of the clothing of righteousness given to us by our savior, Jesus Christ. He clothes us in His righteousness. Obviously, non-Christians were allowed to take from the wedding feast! But, they can not stay for the eternal wedding feast because they are not wearing their wedding clothes.

God brings the non-Christians to judgment. They are His children, but they never took time to know Him and their sins are still visible because they have no wedding clothes to cover them. The King asks them why they are not wearing the wedding clothes (righteousness of Jesus), and they have no excuse -- they are silent. I'm sure regret and shame is running through their minds. And because they have not taken on the righteousness of Jesus, they are unable to dwell with God. They must live for eternity without God, and any place that does not have God is hell.

The last sentence of the parable reads, "For many are invited, but few are chosen." We are living out the earthly wedding banquet at this very moment. And there are many non-believers relishing in God's feast, yet they do not praise Him, they do not credit Him and they do not love Him. However, there are only a few believers enjoying the feast. Why is that? Why aren't more Christians living the abundant life that God wants them to live? Why aren't we the headliners? Why aren't we the most successful at whatever we do? Why aren't we the ones setting the trends, instead of the trends setting us? It seems that many of us our going with a cultural flow that leads away from the Holy Life and towards the Common Life.

Fast and pray to God, and earnestly seek the Holy Life. Wrestle with God until He blesses you, and He most certainly will.

Fast to Feast- Day 1
Fast to Feast- Day 2
Fast to Feast- Day 3
Fast to Feast- Day 4
Fast to Feast- Day 6
Fast to Feast- Day 7

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Fast to Feast - Day 4

sanctifiedtogether@gmail.com (Faith Imagined) — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 01:57:00 +0000

Matthew 22.6-9 "The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them.The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find. Now go out to the street corners and invite everyone you see.’ "

God says that He offers us blessings and curses (Deuteronomy 30:19). We choose blessings when we accepts Jesus' sacrifice for our sins and stay obedient to God's commands and the Holy Spirit's leading. If we don't follow God's commands and the Holy Spirit's leading, our lives become tangled with the sins of this world, and we experience a life of curses. Praise God, though, that Christians who have at least received salvation will not suffer eternal punishment for their sins. Jesus' grace covers all who have reached out to Him.

So what happens when people who have accepted Jesus into their hearts reject the commands of God and the leading of the Holy Spirit? Who gets to eat their portion of the feast? Who gets their seat at the earthly banquet that reflects the heavenly one?

Once the wedding planner finds out that His invited guest will not come to His banquet, He tells his servants, "The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.Now go out to the street corners and invite everyone you see."

The banquet is ready to go. God has created all life to be a beautiful picture of Him. He is not going to diminish His majesty simply because the invited did not show up. So what does God do, He opens the banquet to everyone willing to come.

God's willingness to allow non-Christians to partake in His feast is also illustrated in another parable Jesus told about the Kingdom of God. Somehow weeds started growing in the wheat that God planted, and the servants wanted to know if they should pull them out. But God said, “No," he replied, "you’ll uproot the wheat if you do. Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles, and burn them, and to put the wheat in the barn.”

God has a specific plan for our earthly kingdom (wedding banquet), and every detail must be executed. If Christians are unwilling to fulfill their God-given purposes, He will have to use others to do His will. God can either use people as His tool or as His servant. The tool receives only earthly blessings, but the servant receives earthly and heavenly blessings.

This fact is seen several times in the Bible:

In 2 Chronicles 36.22 God swayed the heart of King Cyrus to allow the Israelites to return home, in order to fulfill the plan He foretold through Jeremiah.

In Nehemiah 2.6 God used King Artaxerxes to help Nehemiah rebuild Jerusalem, in order to redeem His chosen people.

In Daniel 1:46 God illustrated His glory to King Nebuchadnezzar, and the selfish king claimed God's glory.

None of these kings were godly men. They probably had worldly feast of every sin imaginable, yet God used them in order to achieve His master plan. Though these men partook in God's amazing banquet on this earth, they will not be allowed to enter into the eternal banquet. They were used as tools, not as servants.

If we as Christians are not saying yes to God's invitation to come, He must use others to fulfill His "Kingdom Come" for this earth. Our disobedience will not diminish His design.

It is crucial that we earnestly seek God about our intended and abundant role in this thing we call life. Fasting starts the journey. Jesus did not start His divine purpose (ministry) until after He had fasted.

"In the closing of chapter of the Book of Hebrews, the writer tell us, "Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith" (Heb. 13:7, NIV). As I asked before, if our Lord fasted, why would we think that we should not fast? There is no record of Jesus ever healing anyone until He returned from the forty days of fasting that launched His earthly ministry. Jesus said we would do even greater works than He had done, because He was returning to the Father. If Jesus did not begin to minister before fasting, how can we?" -- Jentezen Franklin in his book, Fasting

Fast to Feast- Day 1
Fast to Feast- Day 2
Fast to Feast- Day 3
Fast to Feast- Day 5
Fast to Feast- Day 6
Fast to Feast- Day 7

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First Friday Fiction

Fast to Feast - Day 3

sanctifiedtogether@gmail.com (Faith Imagined) — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 02:21:00 +0000

Matthew 22.3-5 NIV -- "He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come. Then he sent some more servants and said, 'Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.' But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business."

I went to the most beautiful 10 year anniversary celebration of my close friends, Matthew and Justine*. This day is forever in my heart as one of my most treasured memories. I meditate on it whenever I feel there is no beauty in the world, and God reminds me that He specializes in creating beauty.

Matthew planned every amazing detail months in advance for this surprise anniversary party. He wanted to bless his wife and show everyone how much he adores and loves her. It is well known that Justine has made Matthew her primary ministry, and Matthew wanted to return the devotion she has shown him through the years.

Matthew invited everyone who has shared life with Justine. He even invited friends that she hasn't seen for years. He flew some of her friends in from other countries, so that they could take part in this special celebration. He rented out the most amazing party room at the top of a regal hotel. There was well over 100 family and friends there anxiously awaiting the couple's arrival.

When Matthew escorted his wife into the party room, Justine looked absolutely radiant. She was wearing her wedding dress, and it sparkled like it was newly bought. Her hair was done in a french twist, and her make-up was professionally done. She was stunning.

When Justine's eyes scanned the crowd of people waiting in her honor, she looked shocked and confused. When the reality of the surprise sunk in, tears of joy and awe streamed down her face. She gracefully pinpointed friends from the crowd with her eyes, waved and mouthed her thank yous. With every new face she noticed, she shed more tears. Many of the lives that she has touched were in attendance, and we all just gleamed her praise.

Justine had no idea that Matthew had prepared more special blessings for her. Matthew asked Justine's father (a pastor) to help them renew their vows. Matthew played the guitar and sung a song he wrote for her years ago, which she had forgotten. He hired an artist to paint her wedding photo on a large canvas that was ornately framed. He arranged for a delicious feast with many courses. And while she was eating, he gave her a toast and allowed for several of her closest friends to share how much she has impacted their lives.

After dessert, the band played and people danced and chatted. Justine wove through the crowd, visiting with friends and family. Matthew presented his wife with a beautiful new wedding ring, and he gave all of us parting gifts.

I felt so spoiled that night, and I thanked God for allowing me to be a part of such an unforgettable reception. I felt in my heart that this is how God wants to shine on Christians, His children. He wants to set us a part and show His glory in our lives. Jesus is our bridegroom, and He has all the resources at His disposal. He wants to adorn His bride with all the beauty that is in Him.

In the story of the wedding feast (Matthew 2.1-14 NIV), God sends out His servants to tell those people who have been invited to the banquet to come. But they wouldn't come. Christians ARE the invited. We are God's children. God has our nameplate already on the table. Two times (Old Testament & New Testament) God sends out His servants to tell the invited to come, but they refused.

Christians are the New Testament invited! He is calling us to dine with Him and feast from the blessings that He has prepared. God says, "'Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet."

He has already prepared the feast. It is a done deal! But where are the Christians? The Bible says that many of them were too busy with the farms and businesses to come. If they would have only known about the amazing banquet made in their honor as the bride of Christ! They would have dropped everything and ran to the party.

But God doesn't want us to come to the feast because of the blessings; He wants us to come to the feast out of love for him.

My friend, Justine, went to dinner with her husband unaware of what he had planned for her. She went simply because she loved her husband. Because of her love for Him, she was abundantly blessed (and all of her friends too).

My greatest fear is that there are many people doing church work who are missing out on God's banquet. I know that I was one of them. God will bless our work -- He will bless our farms with a harvest, but it pales in comparison to the grand feast He has waiting for us.

The feast is all around us. It is in our jobs, our relationships, our activities, our ministries. There is a banquet in our every day life, but we must gear our ears toward God and listen for His call. We need to diligently seek an intimate, deep relationship with the wedding planner. The world does its best to temp us with measly scraps. Drop the crumbs and run to your Bridegroom! He' holding the door open for you!

*Justine and Matthew are pseudo names.

Fast to Feast- Day 7

Fast to Feast- Day 6

Fast to Feast- Day 5

Fast to Feast- Day 4

Fast to Feast - Day 2

Fast to Feast - Day 1

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Fast to Feast - Day 2

sanctifiedtogether@gmail.com (Faith Imagined) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 02:39:00 +0000

Matthew 22.1-2 -- "Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: 'The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son.'"

Jesus is mentioned several times as our Bridegroom in the Bible. We have already discussed the verse found in Mark 2.19-20 NIV: "Jesus answered, 'How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them. But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast.'"

Where is our Bridegroom going? To prepare our wedding feast! What is a feast? A feast is a time of celebration. We are going to be surrounded by good friends, good food and fun times. Sounds awesome, right?

However, I believe that there are two wedding feasts that Christians can partake in. There is a wedding feast in heaven, but there is also dress-rehearsal wedding feast on earth. Our life on this earth prepares us for our life on the New Earth. God has a wedding feast planned for your life this very moment that reflects the one in heaven. The question is, "Are you feasting?"

Jesus says the following in the Lord's Prayer:

"This, then, is how you should pray:
" 'Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven" Matthew 6.9-10.

Please note the following promise: "Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."

God has a "kingdom come" or "wedding feast" in mind for this earth, which will emulate heaven's. I believe that God has a great feast that He has prepared for this world. And this feast will come whether the Christians partake from it or not.

What God is showing me -- which I will delve deeper into the days to come -- that Christians are not fully enjoying this "rehearsal wedding feast" on earth. There is a wedding feast planned for our honor (as God's children) filled to overflowing with blessings, and the fact that Christians are not taking their part of it will not shrink magnitude of the feast. God's kingdom will come whether we enjoy it or not!

So who receives all of the overflowing blessings if not God's children? Just look around you to a world that does not love God, but seems to be swimming in blessings (especially in America). God's blessings are being bestowed on people who are thankless and ignorant to their Maker.

I don't know about you, but I am determined to gain the blessings of God. God wants to bless us. He is the God of love, peace, joy & abundance. The universe was created by His hand. He wants to bestow good things onto His children. We just need to make it our sole purpose to know the wedding planner!

We cannot be like the foolish virgins who went out to meet the bridegroom at the wedding feast. They got lazy and fell asleep. They were shut out of the celebration (Matthew 25.1-13 NIV). They missed out on all the blessings! As Christians we are guaranteed access to the heavenly wedding feast because of faith. However, there is a feast to be had on this earth, but we must get up and attend it.

Christians are sanctified. We should be different from the world. What makes us different is the fact we have a relationship with a God that wants to spoil His children. Christians are God's children in the New Covenant! If we are sons and daughters of the King, shouldn't we live like holy royalty?

I will go deeper into the parable of the wedding feast tomorrow. Please join me!

Fast to Feast- Day 1
Fast to Feast- Day 3
Day to Feast- Day 4
Fast to Feast- Day 5
Fast to Feast- Day 6
Fast to Feast- Day 7

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Fast to Feast - Day 1

sanctifiedtogether@gmail.com (Faith Imagined) — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 19:18:00 +0000

As I read the Bible and look at my life, I have come to a conclusion: I am missing something. Yes, I try to be a good Christian who wants desperately to do the will of God. I work hard at being a mother and wife. I do my best to spread the Gospel through my ministry; yet, when I compare my life to the "abundant" life that Jesus promises me in His Word, I'm left with one absolute truth: I'm a hypocrite. My life does not adequately reflect the fullness that Jesus describes during His ministry.

I think that I've gotten so good at following rules and performing my Christian duties that I'm missing all the good stuff, and according to the Bible, there is A LOT of good to be had as God's child and co-heir with Christ. Every time I read through the Bible, I am amazed at the promises God gives us through His Word. The most extraordinary promise is that Jesus Himself says that if we just ask in His name, it will be given to us: John 14.13-14 NIV, John 15.16 NIV, John 16.23-24 NIV, Matthew 7.7 NIV and Luke 11.9 NIV.

The key to this promise is found in the following verse: "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples" John 15.7 NIV.

If we can remain in God so that His will becomes our will, there is no telling what blessings God can pour on us. If I am not experiencing the fullness that God promises me and my life is not chalked full of blessings that He desires for my life, I am not fully remaining in Him. If I'm not securely rooted in God, how could I expect to produce His abundant blessings in my life?

What I'm realizing is that I'm spiritually stuck, and I'm desperate for God to help me. I'm no longer satisfied with a "good enough" life. I want the best that God desires for me. I know that God loves me more than I love myself. He wants to bless me more than I could even think to ask. And He has a plan for my life that I couldn't even begin to imagine.

What can we do as Christians when we are stuck spiritually? What can we do when we see the fullness of God on the horizon, but we are unable to reach it?

We fast.

In Mattew 9:15-17 NIV, Jesus says that in order to receive the new wine (the fullness of God or blessings) we need to become new wineskins (increased capacity or new anointing). That is when Jesus says that we need to fast! We fast in order to ready ourselves for our new anointing that will hold all of God's new blessings. We fast so that we can be ready for the feast (the feast will be discussed tomorrow)!

"Jesus answered, 'How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast. No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.'"

I am fasting for seven days. During my fast, I am expecting great things from God. There are many health benefits to fasting, and the mainstream world-view is already capitalizing on its effects (Reference). However, I'm fasting because I'm ready for new blessings to be poured into a new anointing on my life. My hope is that fasting will unclutter my spirit and help me to hear from God. I know that my wineskin (anointing) has reached its capacity, and I need God to supernaturally make my wineskin new, so that the new wine (blessings) doesn't run off onto the ground because I'm too weak to hold them all.

Today was my first day of the fast, and God has already given me one of the scriptures that I will be meditating on during the shedding of my old skin and the growing of my new. I will be examining Matthew 22.1-14 NIV - The Parable of the Wedding Feast. God has already showed me amazing insights into this verse, which affirm my desire to want the abundant life. I have lots to share, so I will be posting each night of my fast until the 7th day.

God has a banquet prepared for me, and I don't want to miss it! I'm ready to fast so that I can be ready to feast.

If you would like to join me, please do so. If you have never fasted, I would start out with a 1 or 3 day fast. Or you can simply join me each night for my posts and see what God does!

If you would like more biblical information about fasting, I would suggest Jentezen Franklin's book, Fasting. He and His church do a corporate fast every year, and God shows His glory each time.

Fast to Feast- Day 2

Fast to Feast - Day 3

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Are You a Fixer-Upper?: Review & Giveaway

sanctifiedtogether@gmail.com (Faith Imagined) — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 13:40:00 +0000

My amazing friend, Alene Snodgrass, is launching her on line Bible study March 2nd! This woman has a heart for God like nobody's business! She is an awesome Bible teacher and loves disciplining women.

I'm so excited about on line Bible studies. The Holy Spirit will deposit valuable insights prepared just for you found in the material that Alene will be presenting. If you want to do a Bible study but time/kids/work are keeping you home bound, I would highly recommend taking Alene's study!

~~~~~~~

Ask yourself these questions. Do you feel like a fixer-upper? Are you looking for a renewed sense of self or a total spiritual makeover? If so, author and teacher Alene Snodgrass's soul-searching study, I’m a Fixer-Upper -- A Day-by-Day Remodeling Guide, is just what you need. This seven-week study will help renovate your days, transform your heart, and light-up your life as you journey with Jesus through the rooms of your home.

This class will begin March 2nd at 8pm CST, so sign up now. Invite your friends and let’s have some fun encouraging one another. To register email alene@alenesnodgrass.com and put Online Registration as the subject. You will receive verification and your online webinar link that will allow you into our secure site.

There is NO cost for the study; however, for you to receive the most out of this study, you will need to purchase a copy of I'm a Fixer-Upper~a Day-by-Day Remodeling Guide. Go HERE to purchase.

The book and seven week class includes:

~ An autographed Bible study I’m a Fixer-Upper-A Day-by-Day Remodeling Guide

~ Membership on a secure online group just for those participating in this study

~ Live chat with question and answer sessions

~ 7 weekly live on-line sessions that will be available on mp3 afterwards

~ Additional handouts for each lesson

~ Weekly blog posts with video to encourage and help keep us accountable

~ Unlimited access between myself and you - I am here to serve you

For more information about the book, visit Alene’s web site. This study has created drastic changes in women and been endorsed by Jen Hatmaker, author of Modern Girl Bible Studies and Interrupted; as well as by Jessica Cornelius, speaker and wife of Senior Pastor Bil Cornelius of Bay Area Fellowship in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Come join us as we use God’s blueprint in this heart-enlightening study to change ourselves from the inside out. While we wait for March 2nd, come visit us Alene's blog.

Girl, it is time to get fixed-up as we fix our eyes on Jesus.

Leave a comment and win a signed copy! The winner will be chosen Thursday Feb 25!

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Query Critique

alisahopewagner@yahoo.com (Faith Imagined) — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 04:44:00 +0000

Query Critique contest over at Elena Johnson's Blog if anyone is interested! I just found out about it and it ends Sunday night! Get writing!!!

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Pink Slippers

alisahopewagner@yahoo.com (Faith Imagined) — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 14:35:00 +0000

I am doing a guest post for Karen over at her place! Karen is a beautiful person with an enormous heart! I hope you enjoy my latest piece. Take some time to read some of Karen's writings too!

When I was a little girl, I almost never wore shoes. I didn’t see the need for them. But when I rode my bike, I had to scrounge up a pair. The pedals of my bike had jagged prongs on them, and they would hurt my bare feet.

I remember one sunny morning I really wanted to ride my bike. I was eight years old, and I had places to explore! I looked for a pair of shoes and found little pink slippers. I didn’t know whose they were, but they might have been hand-me-downs. I slipped them on, and I felt feminine and beautiful. I tiptoed out the front door like a ballerina.

I hopped on my bike, and leisurely rode around my block. I took in the soft summer breeze and the early morning glow of the sun. I coasted to an intersection, got off my bike and waited for the light to turn green. There was another little girl on the sidewalk waiting to cross the street with me. She was a few years older than I was. She stared at me for a good while then looked at my slippers and said, “Nice shoes.”

I looked down at my slippers and analyzed what she saw. Until this day, I still have the image of them in my mind. Although it was obvious they were once pink, they had turned a brownish color with dirty smudges across the plastic sides. There was a hole where my right big toe was and you could see my toe sticking out. The seams where the plastic tops were sewn to the soles were unraveling. The strap across the top of the left slipper was broken. I think about them now and realize that they should have been thrown away years ago.

Because I had no clue what sarcasm was, I thought the little girl was being genuine with her compliment. I stared back up at her face and beamed a smile, “Thank you,” I said. “These are my new slippers.”

The girl looked at me for a moment longer, chuckled and walked off.

I had found a treasure, and I was so pleased someone else had noticed. In my childish mind, I only knew that slippers were beautiful. It didn’t matter to me the condition of them.

And you are beautiful to the Creator. He has made you into His treasure and it doesn’t matter what the world has put you through or what kind of condition you find yourself. You are valued simply because You are His.

God doesn’t see the smudges, the holes or the unraveling seams; He only sees you – His beautiful slippers. Why? Because God came into this world in a form of a man, taught us how to love, and took the ugliness of our lives. Jesus Christ shields God’s view of our sin, so God only sees beauty. If you don’t feel beautiful, worthy or valued; then you might be viewing yourself through the world’s eyes. See yourself through God’s eyes, and you’ll wake up every morning feeling like the treasure you were created to be.

~ Also, a guest post at Karen's Threads of Hope.

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A Woman Inspired Conference & Giveaway

sanctifiedtogether@gmail.com (Faith Imagined) — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 03:00:00 +0000

“But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day,” says the LORD. “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their relatives, saying, ‘You should know the LORD.’ For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will know me already,” says the LORD. “And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins” (Jeremiah 31.33-34 NLT).

Have you ever wished for an instruction manual? You look back at the first year of your marriage and say, “Man! An instruction manual would have been mighty helpful during that time.” Or you remember the first months after you brought your baby home and think, “Wow! I wished my baby had come with instructions.”

No matter how many books you read, classes you took, or experts you talked to; you still were ill-equipped for the changes and challenges of this new season in life! Nothing could have prepared you for the specific details of your marriage or the uniqueness of your baby.

Here is the thing. We only have one life, and that life goes by fast. Today you already have one foot fastened to this earth and the other is planted in heaven. In a blink of an eye, you will be leaving this world and stepping before the throne and making account for how you lived your life.

Now, before you get overwhelmed by all the obligations and duties you are required to do, I will make your purpose very simple for you:

Old Testament:

“Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” (Deuteronomy 6.5 NIV).

New Testament:

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” (Mark 12.30 NIV).

Loving God is your life’s purpose and it is all you need to do! You might ask, “But what about good works? What about my family? Isn’t what I contribute to this world important?”

I would have to say “yes” and “no.” Like everything, it all comes down to the motives of your heart. Are we pulling all of our spiritual belongings (idols) toward the throne or are we sitting at the throne and allowing God to serve us His spiritual blessings?

If you want to let go of your spiritual belongings and allow God to shower you with spiritual blessings, you need to do two things: 1) Love God above everything. 2) Allow Him to write His Word in your heart.

Yes! I want that! But how? How can I allow God to write His instructions in me so I can put Him first above everything?

The answer . . . Meditate.

Join me for A Woman Inspired: Get Revived Conference 2010.

I will be teaching you how meditation is the key that God can use to open the door into your life, so that He can achieve the beautiful purpose He predestined for you before time existed.

We will be examining scripture and will be doing fun activities that will empower you to incorporate meditation into your everyday, normal life. Meditation is not some weird, spiritual hoopla diversion into an abyss of crazy emptiness. Meditation is a beautiful tool that enables you to cultivate an intimate relationship with God.

God is your instructional manual to your life. Give Him your full attention, and He will guide your every step!

Please check out the 2 videos below. The first video is a trailer for the Get Revived Conference. The second video is my introduction to my presentation on Christian Meditation.

We are giving away 5 free tickets to the A Woman Inspired: Get Revived Conference 2010. This is an amazing conference that you can attend from the comfort of your home. All you need is a computer and internet access. Leave a comment and we will announce the 5 winners on Valentine's Day!

Download your FREE copy of Sitting with God: A 40 Day Meditation

Internet Cafe: A Mess in His Hands

sanctifiedtogether@gmail.com (Faith Imagined) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:54:00 +0000

Have you ever seen the mess under your table after a full day of kid occupation and demolition? Gathering under your table are portions of pancake and bits of bacon from breakfast; glints of goldfish and hunks of ham from lunch; scattered salmon and messy mashed potatoes from dinner, and don’t even get me started on the ever accumulating pesky pieces of play dough, fragments of forgotten toys and determined debris from the yard.

You look at the mess under your table and become overwhelmed. “I just cleaned all this mess yesterday!” you think. Then, your mind begins its spiral into a dismal recount all of the housekeeping you do every second of the day – cooking, organizing, cleaning messes, picking up toys, changing diapers, doing laundry and that’s just the stuff you do at home!

I remember on one particular evening I finally cracked! I was so upset about the mess in the kitchen. It felt as though I looked away for one second and a tornado pointed its tricky finger down from ceiling, stirring the contents of my kitchen and brought it back up before I could see it. My mind started fuming, and I took a nose dive into my own pity party.

I angrily got the broom and started sweeping under the table. I filled my mind with all the little and seemingly insignificant things I do all day long. I questioned my purpose and the meaning of life, which at the time felt like was all about cleaning. I had no peace or joy, and I forgot all of the blessings God pours on me each day.

About one minute later my floor was clean (all that complaining for something that was so easy to do)! I walked over to the trashcan to dump out that day’s destruction, and I noticed how little the mess looked in the dustpan. I stared at the gathered garbage and laughed. I could hold all of it on the palm of my hand.

How could such a little mess cause me so much grief?

That’s when God gave me an important image. I know it sounds cliché, but I imagined all of my life’s problems in the palm of His hand, and they seemed small.

Everything is small compared to the power and love of God. If we give our lives over to Him, we are protected for eternity. Nothing can snatch us out of His hands. Though the messes of life – busyness, illness, divorce and death – surround us; we know that our Heavenly Father is holding them all in His mighty hand. He doesn’t promise that our lives will be easy; He simple promises that we will be able to persevere (James 1.12).

What messes are you dealing with today?

Do you trust that God holds them in His hand?

Will you determine your mind not to worry about situations that are out of your control? Let us praise God that we will be spending eternity in heaven with Him!

“Father, please help us to have faith that You truly have the whole world (including our messes) in Your mighty hands. Amen!”

“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them
out of my hand” (John 10.28 NIV).

Also posted at Internet Cafe!

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First Friday Fiction

Sitting with God: A 40 Day Meditation

alisahopewagner@yahoo.com (Faith Imagined) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 21:49:00 +0000

Follow this link for your free copy of -
Sitting with God: A 40 Day Meditation
This ebook is my best Faith Imagined articles of 2009.

Proverbs 2.1-8 (NLT)

My Child, listen to what I say,
and treasure my commands.
Tune your ears to wisdom,
and concentrate on understanding.
Cry out for insight,
and ask for understanding.
Search for them as you would for silver;
seek them like hidden treasures.
Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord,
and you will gain knowledge of God.
For the Lord grants wisdom!
From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest.
He is a shield to those who walk with integrity.
He guards the paths of the just
and protects those who are faithful to him.

If you have accepted Jesus as your Savior and have asked Him into your heart, God has put His Holy Spirit within you (Acts 5.32). The Holy Spirit desires to give each of you godly insight, understanding and wisdom. God wants to teach you and guide you into a path of righteousness (Psalm 23.3).

But you might ask, “How can I gain this wisdom? How can I become a student of the Holy Spirit?” According to Proverbs 2.3-4 (NLT), all you have to do is ask and seek for it, and the Lord will grant your request!

Gaining wisdom and understanding can become a daily part of your everyday life. If you are open to the Holy Spirit’s teaching, He will provide “Holy Lessons” for you throughout your normal day. God is not tight-fisted with His insights; rather, He is generous to those who are faithful to Him: “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (James 1.5 NASB).

Sitting with God: A 40 Day Meditation is a compilation of Christian devotionals that seek to know God more intimately through a lifestyle of meditation on God’s Word. In this book, you will see the Holy Spirit using average experiences and circumstances to teach godly insights that are biblically rooted.

My prayer for this book is that it provides you with an example of how to “tune your ears to wisdom.” I am merely an imperfect Christian woman who yearns to “cry out for insight” about a perfect God. Please join me on my quest to find “hidden treasures” of God’s truth!

Feel free to share this ebook.

Granola Bar Devotional - Zipper

sanctifiedtogether@gmail.com (Faith Imagined) — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 02:14:00 +0000

Here is my latest Granola Bar Devotional. If you are interested in writing a devotional, please come check out our Info Page. You do not have to be a writer to submit; you just have to be willing to share what God is doing in your life!

As I watched my five year old son try to zip up his jacket, I grew impatient. I had all the kids ready to get into the car, but he was holding up our exit. We were in our third minute of waiting when I asked, “Can I please zip it for you?”

He kept his focus on his jacket and replied, “No. I want to do it by myself.” He was having trouble connecting the jacket zipper on the bottom, and I was tempted to just do that for him and let him zip it the rest of the way. But before I could reach down to help him, I had a flashback of my childhood.

I distinctly remembered one morning when I was determined to zip up my own jacket. I saw myself standing in the hallway of my childhood home concentrating solely on that zipper. I don’t remember how long it took me, but I know I was there for a while. I wouldn’t budge until I figured it out!

Many times as Christians, we forget about the struggles we went through to gain the wisdom and skills that God desired for us. We see others who are smack-dab in the middle of a God-ordained teaching season, and we become impatient with them. We see them struggling in an area that we have found victory, and we ridicule them or make them feel guilty. We become impatient and try to take over their valuable learning lesson.

Even worse, we experience a “holier-than-thou” attitude and think that somehow we have “arrived” spiritually. The truth of the matter is, however, we are all designed uniquely and have different backgrounds/upbringings that God is shaping and molding according to His timeline.

Each of us will be held-up in a learning season during anointed moments on our path toward heaven. If we would simply decide to extend each other the grace that Christ extends us, we would become holy cheerleaders instead of jeering opponents. Let us remember that we are all fools that God has made wise.

Memory Verse:
“Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.”
- Proverbs 26:12 (NIV)

Prayer Prompt:
“Father, help me to be patient with those around me. Don’t ever let me forget that I am a fool without You. Show me how to offer grace to others and to myself when we are struggling with an area of our lives. Bring any one to mind that I have condemned unjustly because of my lack of mercy and grace, including . . .”

Contributing Writer:
Alisa Hope Wagner

* This Friday is First Friday Fiction! Make sure to post your fiction piece on baptism and send us the link before or on this Friday! We can't wait to see your imagination muscles at work! Also, please don't feel intimidated, insecure or apprehensive about submitting your work. There is joy in taking a step of faith for God, and He will bless your efforts. We want this writing group to be your fun monthly push out of your comfort zone!

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Starting a Writers' Group

sanctifiedtogether@gmail.com (Faith Imagined) — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 15:46:00 +0000

I started leading a writing group at my church about four years ago, and I am amazed by what God has done. Admittedly, my first inclination was to start a reading group, but our women’s ministry already had one. My women’s minister suggested that I start a devotional writing group. I shrugged my shoulders and said, “Sure.”

Before this time, I had never written a devotional or led a writing group. I look back now and wonder, “What was I thinking? What made me think that I could create and lead a writing group?”

Luckily, I didn’t allow doubt and fear to kill God’s plan. God Knew what He was doing even if I didn’t, and I know that my act of faith has changed my life and has helped shine the light of Jesus to a lost world.

The Granola Bar Devotional Writing Ministry started as a small group of five women in my house. Now, this ministry has readers and writers from across the globe. In the beginning, the ministry was very fragile. I wanted to give up several times, and I'd hate to think about what would have happened if I called it quits.

For this reason, I want to encourage others who feel led by the Holy Spirit to start a writing group. The path of starting a writing group is different for each person, but I believe there are a few core principles that apply to everyone. I’ve gone on to use these principles in starting and leading many other writing ventures.

1) Be obedient to God’s will and way. Create a blueprint and purpose for your writing group, but be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading. Don’t be surprised if your writing group takes several turns and morphs into many new creations.

2) Start locally and start small. One of the best ways to start a writing group is with a handful of people around you. Invest time and energy into the lives of your writers, and your group’s roots will become strong. Once you have a solid group, God will slowly expand and grow it.

3) Don’t be a grammar know it all. Yes, it is important for the writing to look polished; however, much of grammar is subjective. Do your best to proof everything, but don’t get consumed by it – it will steal your joy. Allow your writers to have their own style, and don’t make changes unless the writing hinders the content and confuses the reader. Remember, God works His perfect will even through our imperfections. You will not catch every mistake, and that fact will keep you humble.

4) You will do the bulk of the work. Starting a writing group is not easy. Most of your work will be done behind the scenes, and your writers may not fully be aware of all you do. You can delegate a few things, but your writers will focus mainly on meeting deadlines and soliciting other writers. Though your responsibility is heavy, your reward will be great. God will make changes in you that you never thought possible, so be prepared!

5) Keep the emphasis on the audience. Your writers will most assuredly develop their craft while working in your group, but they need a higher purpose to keep them motivated. Always remind them that they are changing lives for Christ with their words. Whether they touch the life of one or the lives of millions, they are growing the kingdom of God.

6) Stay humble, but confident. If you feel unqualified to lead a group, find confidence in your anointing. If God has called you to start a group, you will become qualified over time. However, you must stay humble or else you will not gain knowledge. You do not have to act like you know everything because you don’t. Your writers will appreciate your honesty, and you will establish a learning atmosphere for your group.

7) Don’t give up! The beginning of every new creation is the most precarious. Stay in God’s Word and make time to consult with the Holy Spirit. There should be a “Holy Ease” in the process of starting your group. If you are frustrated and overwhelmed, you might be taking the wheel and putting God in the backseat. Let God lead and save yourself wasted time, energy and resources.

*If you do not feel led to start or lead a writing group, join mine! I am doing First Friday Fiction. We want to flex our imagination muscles and demonstrate the creative savvy that Jesus Himself showed during His ministry! Check out First Friday Fiction for more information.

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Cinderella has Two Worlds

sanctifiedtogether@gmail.com (Faith Imagined) — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 14:54:00 +0000

I’ve been struggling with the dichotomy of being a Christian. In my quiet time I read about how much God loves me, how much He values me and how much He wants to bless me. He is my Prince Charming who wants to sweep me off my feet and lavish me with all that He has. Ezekiel 16.8-14 gives an amazing image of God as our bridegroom vowing to enter into a most precious covenant of love with us:

"Later I passed by, and when I looked at you and saw that you were old enough for love, I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your nakedness. I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Sovereign LORD, and you became mine. I bathed you with water and washed the blood from you and put ointments on you. I clothed you with an embroidered dress and put leather sandals on you. I dressed you in fine linen and covered you with costly garments. I adorned you with jewelry: I put bracelets on your arms and a necklace around your neck, and I put a ring on your nose, earrings on your ears and a beautiful crown on your head. So you were adorned with gold and silver; your clothes were of fine linen and costly fabric and embroidered cloth. Your food was fine flour, honey and olive oil. You became very beautiful and rose to be a queen. And your fame spread among the nations on account of your beauty, because the splendor I had given you made your beauty perfect, declares the Sovereign LORD" (The Message).

I have to be honest. When I read this, I feel very spoiled and loved. I know that God wants to establish each of His children as royalty and co-heirs with Christ. Whenever I feel ugly, unworthy or inconsequential, I like to meditate on these verses. They make me feel like a princess. It blows my mind that the Creator of all wants to enter into such an intimate relationship with me.

However, I leave my sweet quiet time with God and resume my life on this earth, and I don’t feel like a princess any more. . . . I feel like a servant in my tattered, threadbare rags.

I remember one particular day when I had such an amazing time with God. He filled me with so much joy, love and peace. He told me how much He wanted to shine through me and that He had a wonderful journey for me. I felt adored and valued! But then the clock struck twelve, and I had to leave my gown behind and finish mopping the floors and making dinner.

I was more than a little angry, and I asked God, “Why do You make me feel so special, and then send me off to serve this broken world and humble myself to everyone around me?”

God gave me the image of Cinderella and her two worlds. She is a servant by day and a beautiful princess by night. When her coach turns back to the pumpkin, she continues serving her family as usual, yet . . . she has a glow about her. The love that she received from her prince consumes her, and no matter the menial tasks (cleaning, cooking, working ), she has a smile on her lips and a song in her heart. She knows that one day she'll be living in her castle with her prince forever!

As God's children and followers of Jesus, we are "royal servants." Jesus sits at the right hand of God at the ball (Acts 2.32-33), but He kneels down at the feet of His followers and washes their feet (John 13.12)! Jesus is the ultimate example of this Christian dichotomy.

Jesus explained the importance of serving to His disciples: “Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” ( Matthew 20.26-28 NIV).

But what is so important about serving?

Serving is the same thing as providing for needs. If you have plenty, you can provide for many needs. If you have lack, you can provide for very few needs. God is the only one who has everything. He is all sufficient. His needs are all met. Therefore, it stands to reason that to serve (provide for needs) is God-like and to take is child-like.

God made us in His image, and He allows us to serve the needs of others. Serving is our highest calling. When we serve, we are emulating our Father, the King of the Universe. But serving is exhausting, and we are only human. We will deplete our resources eventually, and that is why Cinderella's two worlds are so important. We serve and provide for those around us, and God serves and provides for us.

He takes us to the ball and spoils us. He replenishes us with His grace and fills us with His glory, so when the time comes, we can go back to the world and serve the needs of others. But there is a catch. You won’t be able to effectively and joyful serve others if you are not spending time with the King.

So slip on your pretty glass slippers and run to the King. He has a red carpet laid out for you, and He has asked the orchestra to play your favorite song. He’s ready to adorn you in jewels and embroidered gowns. And He has your favorite foods spread out for your enjoyment!

Go! Run to the King! He wants to spoil you!

1 Corinthians 9:19 (The Message)

"Even though I am free of the demands and expectations of everyone, I have voluntarily become a servant to any and all in order to reach a wide range of people: religious, nonreligious, meticulous moralists, loose-living immoralists, the defeated, the demoralized—whoever. I didn't take on their way of life. I kept my bearings in Christ—but I entered their world and tried to experience things from their point of view. I've become just about every sort of servant there is in my attempts to lead those I meet into a God-saved life. I did all this because of the Message. I didn't just want to talk about it; I wanted to be in on it!"

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First Friday Fiction

What is a Book Blog Tour?

sanctifiedtogether@gmail.com (Faith Imagined) — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 12:00:00 +0000

Novelists are finding a new way to market their books. They are doing book blog tours. A book blog tour is one of the easiest ways to get your book more public exposure. You can reach hundreds of readers a day without leaving the comforts of your own home. They are especially perfect for the release date of a book, but they can be done at anytime.

All that needs to be done is a little homework. There are thousands of readers and writers who blog and read blogs. There are also several writing forums that boast a large follower base. Each blog and forum has its own circle of influence. If an author found a perfect path of key blogs to do a book tour, a crop of new readers would arise.

The following is an example of a key blog. This particular blogger writes Bible studies for her church of 6000 members. You can see her locally published Bible studies on the right side of her blog. She also provides a link to the church she attends. You find that she is on the leadership team of her women’s ministry. Moreover, she writes for several on line Christian writing forums. Each of the forums is listed under her associations. Lastly, she has a large follower list, and she has a lengthy blog roll that includes several other influential writers.

If this blogger would be willing to host your blog book tour on her blog, you could reach an unforeseen amount of new readers. One blog is an open door into new readers! Most bloggers would be happy to host a book tour. A book tour would add creativity to their blog, be of interest to the readers and make the publishing world seem that much closer to home. A book blog tour benefits everyone!

How do you do a book blog tour? Once you find the key blogs that you would like to tour, you can make the simple arrangements. Although the specifics may change with each particular blogger, a basic format can be followed.

1) Find your key blogs (go to writing forums, explore comments on high-traffic blogs, research on line book reviewers, etc.)

2) Arrange the blog tour date

3) Create 10-15 interview questions including the answers

4) Give a small synopsis of the author and book

5) Give clip art of the book and photo of author

6) Add a link to the author’s blog/web site

7) Have a signed book giveaway!

The signed book giveaway is very important. Every time bloggers comment on your book blog tour post, they get an entry into the giveaway. You can advertise the book giveaway on sites such as Tip Junkie. Allow the book blog tour post to stay on the blog for a week and then draw the winning entry for the book giveaway on the seventh day (you can find free random number generators online, like Random.org). The blogger sends the mailing address to the writer, and the writer mails the signed book to the winner. Never underestimate the power of a giveaway. Bloggers love them.

This is an easy way an author can promote a book, and the bloggers will have a ball hosting them!

*The winner of the signed copy of Wayback by Sam Batterman is Alicia over at Life's a Journey! Congratulations!

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First Friday Fiction

Strength in Weakness

sanctifiedtogether@gmail.com (Faith Imagined) — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 19:27:00 +0000

I have nodules (calluses) on my vocal cords. Singers get these due to the stress of singing. These nodules cause your voice to sound breathy and hoarse. I grew up going to speech therapy, and my distinct voice sparked my immense fear of public speaking.

To my chagrin, God called me to public speaking. The week before my first speaking assignment, I was so consumed by anxiety and worry that I literally could not sleep. It got so bad that I imaged taking shots of tequila (I don’t drink) or slamming my head against the kitchen counter (I’m not a masochist).

Little did I know that my perceived weakness would force me to be innovative. I grabbed at anything that would divert my audience’s attention away from me. I learned and implemented computer software, utilized original visual aids, created exciting group work and interweaved the Internet into my talks. If I could just keep the minds of my audience continuously busy, then I wouldn’t have to worry about them analyzing me and my voice!

Flash forward ten years later. I completed a speaking assignment last night; and as I watched my audience members smile and laugh; discuss problems and answers; encourage one another and talk like old friends, I was amazed. This was our first meeting, yet my audience interacted like we had been meeting for years. Needless to say, none of them got bored or fell asleep! I spoke with confidence, and it felt good to know that I might be making a difference in their lives.

I realize now that I'm a pretty good speaker, and I'm also a very versatile speaker. My mind is constantly looking for ways to engage the audience and get them involved. My testimony about my speaking journey always blows people away. But really it is all to the glory of God because everything is from Him. The only thing that I added to the mix was my obedience. My obedience in my weakness caused me to be innovative and propelled God's strength in my life!

Working with a weakness is hard, but I’m reminded of 2 Corinthians 12.9: “But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.” God gives us weaknesses for a reason. They push us out of our comfort zones and force us to look beyond what’s already been done.

If you feel God calling you to work inside of a weakness, be excited! He is about to do something amazing in your life. Though the path will not be easy, trust that God knows what He is doing. He will not ask you to do anything unless He has declared your victory. Repeat the following list out loud and take that step of obedience. Your weakness can become one of your greatest assets!

1. My weakness will cause me to be innovative
2. My weakness will give me a unique perspective
3. God will use my weakness to show His glory
4. God will do something new in my weakness
5. God gives me victory in my weakness
6. God gives me grace (supernatural favor) in my weakness
7. “I can do everything through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4.13 NIV).

Now go and change the world!

*On this note, I will be speaking at A Woman Inspired Online Conference which is being held March 14th - 18th. I would love for you to join us!

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First Friday Fiction

Wayback by Batterman

sanctifiedtogether@gmail.com (Faith Imagined) — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 20:44:00 +0000

Win a free copy of Wayback. See details below.

Christian novelist, Sam Batterman's, first novel, Wayback, is an enthralling speculative adventure about a time machine that brings several scientist back in time to the year 2300 BC. This expedition sounds far fetched on the onset, but Batterman does a great job of laying a firm foundation that makes the time machine and expedition seem logical.

Why the year 2300 BC? you might ask. This date is before the Great Flood. The scientists tried to go back further, so they could see their furry ancestors hanging from the vines; but the trips failed because there was nothing for them to go back to. Maybe the earth is not as old as we think. Maybe we didn't evolve from a lonely single cell. Maybe life is not just an accident.

Wayback is Case for Creation weaved into an exciting storyline. The readers get all the scientific evidence disproving evolution tightly wrapped in a can't-put-the-book-down exploit. What I like most about the book is that Noah's Ark isn't just a story for kids that makes cute decor for a baby's room. It is a real boat that was made by a real family in a world that had real problems.

I applaud Batterman for tackling one of the biggest lies in our culture today and replacing it with God's truth, a dash of wit and a heap of adventure.

A few of my favorite quotes From Wayback:

~ Neil looked up and examined the silver, luminous orb. Indeed, the moon lacked the familiar distinct craters and graying -- it was like a giant, flawless mirror reflecting the sunlight back to earth.

I like this quote because it illustrates that instead of evolving, we are actually de-evolving. Psalm says that the earth will "wear out like a garment" (Psalm 102.25-26 NIV).

~ Earth was created by God as a special, beautiful place where His creation could choose to serve Him and fellowship with Him in a freewill manner, not as robots or slaves but as friends by choice and loyalty, and as family by position.

This is a wonderful description of God's love.

~ We don't want to stand out like Captain Kirk and Doctor McCoy beaming into the Wild West."

This is just funny!

~ Troy followed the track down the length of the Ark, reaching out and running his hands across the inner support beams as he walked. He had dreamed of being inside Noah's Ark since he was a small boy in Sunday school, and now here he was, walking on one of the decks of the vessel that would save mankind."

I like this quote because it paints a picture in the readers' minds of the Ark. This helps the readers to have a go-to point in their brain (lexicon) that will help them to feel secure in believing in Noah's Ark and the other historical stories in the Bible.

Interview with Batterman

1) What made you write a book?
Well, God works in mysterious ways. In my job I do a lot of traveling. Back when I started Wayback, I was driving to Pittsburgh a lot (a 5 hour trip from Philadelphia). Ever since high-school, I had always wanted to write a book, but career and family and everything else pushed it out of the way.

On one particular day when I was doing that 5 hour drive, I decided to turn off the radio and the CDs and just think through a very strange, but fascinating idea that I had: “What would it be like to go back to the Pre-Flood era?”

As I drove, more and more ideas and characters came to my mind, by the time I was four hours into the trip I had to pull off at a service plaza and start writing down the ideas or I was afraid I would lose them. The vision of the book was brilliant and I tried to execute what I saw in my mind on paper to the best of my ability. It took two years from first sentence to publication.

2) How much life experience and research went into your writing?
A lot of the technology in the book is real and I work in the high-tech field, so much of that was easy for me. The research was very taxing and virtually every chapter required hours and hours of research. What was the landscape like? How many people would be alive? Where was the Garden of Eden? What was man capable of building and organizing? How did the Flood happen? There’s a lot of great work done on all these ideas and I wanted to coalesce it into an adventure story. There’s a real trick to taking science and research and making it digestible in a novel.

3) What is your hope for Wayback and its influence on our culture?
First, I hope the story is enjoyable and interesting. No one likes a book that’s boring. I don’t expect everyone to agree with me, but if they finish the book and the story makes them think, then I have accomplished something of substance.

Second, my hope for anyone that does finish the book is that they realize that we don’t know it all, but God does. Our children are taught that we came from billions of years of evolution and that we are an accident that eventually became optimized by the process of natural selection and mutation. So, we are basically mistakes, with no overall design. We live, we die, that’s it. There are no repercussions of our actions here and there is no truth, except for how we perceive it. Science can save us—it must, because there is no other way.

Then there’s the other side. What God describes in His word. We were designed to walk with God (literally). We didn’t start out simple, we started out more complex, more healthy—more optimized—if I can use that term. God loves us so much that He made us in His image and created this entire planet and universe for us to use and explore and to show his glory and power. We broke a rule and destroyed our physical and spiritual relationship with Him (our ability to walk with Him and for Him to be near us) and He devised a plan to restore fellowship by sending His son, Jesus, to die for us on the cross. Over-arching love and design (design even in the plan to restore us) is the story.

On the flip side, we teach our children in Sunday School that the ark was a crowded vessel with giraffes and elephants all crammed into a barely sea-worthy boat and a rainstorm came up. Is it any wonder that our children grow up and think of this as a myth? We can do better. We must do better.

4) How has God changed you through the path of publication?
Personally, I have a new appreciation for the book of Genesis and its importance to our faith. It tells us everything that science cannot: Who made us. Why we are here. What our purpose is. Where we are going. Why the world is the way it is (in every way).

Also, I have learned that we have a responsibility to use the media of this world to explore these ideas and share our faith. We have done this with printing presses, television and movie and music. We are doing this with books and still we see more media to leverage. We have the best opportunity of any generation to share our faith clearly and honestly with the world.

Buy your copy of Wayback at Amazon and check out Sam Batterman's website or his blog.

*If you comment on this post, you will be entered into a drawing to win a free copy of Wayback. We will choose the winner next Friday, January 22.

First Friday Fiction

Santified Together Publication - Issue 1: Belt of Truth

sanctifiedtogether@gmail.com (Faith Imagined) — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 17:28:00 +0000

The first quarterly issue of Sanctified Together Publication is out! Awesome writers from all over submitted articles for the publication! Our prayer is that you are encouraged, inspired and blessed by the words of the women who imparted their God-given wisdom! Please share it with all the women in your life!!!

To see the Sanctified Together Publication online and read all the inspiring articles, click here. To receive future publications by email, click here. To learn how to submit an article for the next publication, Life is a Vapor, click here.

A Word from the Editor

"Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist . . ." (Ephesians 6:14a NIV).

In Ephesians, Paul tells us to stand firm in our battle with the spiritual forces of evil. He then empowers us with a list of spiritual battle gear that enable us to stand firm. The Belt of Truth is the first Armor of God that Paul describes. Why is this belt or girdle so important? It doesn't seem as spectacular as the other battle gear -- breastplate, shield or helmet.

The belt is essential to the fit of the entire Armor of God. The belt strengthens and holds together all of the wearers personal clothing, so that each piece of the armor fits the body perfectly.

In this life, we have two outfits: We have our personal clothing (our sinful flesh) and we have God's armor (God's redemptive covering through Jesus Christ). Our personal clothing has a lot of threadbare parts due to our weaknesses and a lot of flaps and folds due to our extravagant sinfulness. We need the Belt of Truth to be wrapped around us to protect our weakness and contain our sinfulness; otherwise, the Armor of God can not be as effective and powerful as it was designed to be.

How do we put on the Belt of Truth? We must let go of trying to look perfect and trying to act like we have no weakness or sin. We must let go of our pretenses and (like the photo above) let it all hang out! We will never be perfect, and there is no need to act like we have it all together.

The articles in this issue are about being transparent to God and honest with ourselves and others. They are about setting aside masks and being truthful about who we are in Christ. Our God has a great plan for us, and He loves us just as we are -- failures and all! So let the world know that you are not perfect, and put on the Belt of Truth! You'll need it. There is a battle raging, and God has armor for you that is just your size!

Blessings to ya!

Alisa Hope Wagner
Chief Editor

Christina Lea Ketchum

Design & Marketing

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First Friday Fiction

On a Someday by Roxanne Henke

sanctifiedtogether@gmail.com (Faith Imagined) — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 17:06:00 +0000

What was your path to publication?
My path to publication started with reading. Ever since I learned to read I've had a passion for "story." I learned what I liked in a story...and what I didn't. Over the years I wrote in a variety of ways...a diary, letters, a humor column for several newspapers, Christmas dramas for church. In some way or another all of it was "practice."

All that writing taught me what I was going to need to tell a story and get it published. I also studied the "business" of writing. I learned how to write a query, and what publishers were looking for. It took me a year to write my first novel. Another two years to find a publisher. The best investment I made was to attend a writers conference. It was there that I pitched my novel and interested an editor. Within a couple months I was signing a contract and the rest, as they say, is history.

How do you motivate yourself to write?
Sorry to say, there is no 'magic-motivation-potion.' I always tell people that writing is a "job" just like any other. Some days you wake up raring to go to work. Other days you'd rather turn over and go back to sleep. But, you get out of bed and get to work because that's what you do.

What do you love the most about writing?
Knowing that I'm using the gifts God gave me. Hearing from readers that my stories and characters have impacted their lives, and have made them more aware of God in their every day lives.

What gave you the idea for your current book?
"On a Someday" deals with the subjects of retirement as well as career-building. I'm in that aging-baby-boomer stage of life and many of my friends are starting to talk about retirement. I started to think about what's next??? I've had this sense that, as we get older, at some point each of us needs to step aside and let someone else (someone younger) take their turn at our work. I wanted to explore those ideas...

How do you develop characters?
I get to know my characters as I write. I have a sense of "who" they are at the beginning of a story, but they come to life as I live with them over a period of many months. Sometimes they surprise me!

How do you connect with your readers?
E-mail is wonderful!! Hearing from a reader is my 'reward' for spending long hours at my computer. I have a website: www.roxannehenke.com where I blog weekly. I send out every-now-and-then e-newsletters to my readers. And I do a fair amount of speaking and book signings. Living with fictional characters is fun but meeting real LIVE people is better!

How do you weave God's Word into your writing?
I start each book with a theme in mind. Before I do any writing I look up Bible verses that pertain to that central theme. I study the verses and find one or two that sum up what I'm hoping to write about. My characters are 'real' to me. They make mistakes. They certainly are not perfect. I do my best to let them live their lives in ways that show my readers how God is present even when life isn't going so great. One of the best compliments I can get is when a reader writes to tell me they find themselves praying throughout the day and they learned to do that from my characters.

What is your hope for your writing?
To tell a great story. To entertain my readers and make them think. To help my readers see God at work in their daily lives.

Thanks, Alisa, for this chance to chat with you and your readers!

Here is the description of "On a Someday."

On a Someday: Jim Westin is tired. Over most-of-a-lifetime he's built his grocery business, hoping someday to hand it over to one of his kids. The only trouble is none of his kids want the business. Jim's wife, Claire, thought she was ready to retire along with her husband, but an unexpected career development has exciting new opportunities coming her way. Their son, Drew, is climbing-the-ladder in New York. No way would he consider moving back to North Dakota to help his dad. . .or would he? What happens when plans conflict? When "someday" is different than you planned? What happens when someday is now?

Take care...and risk!

Roxy Henke

Roxy is the author of the popular Coming Home to Brewster series...After Anne, Finding Ruth, Becoming Olivia, Always Jan, and, With Love, Libby. Also available...The Secret of Us, Learning to Fly, and her newest release: On a Someday!

Check out Roxy and watch a preview of her book, On a Someday, at her website: http://roxannehenke.com/.

First Friday Fiction

No-Thank-You Bite

sanctifiedtogether@gmail.com (Faith Imagined) — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 06:28:00 +0000

Have you ever eaten a “No-thank-you-bite”?

You are eating with a friend. She offers you food, but you really don’t want to taste it. However, she looks at you with an enthusiastic smile, nudging the spoon toward your mouth.

You are eating at her favorite sushi restaurant (raw fish makes your stomach churn, and you’re there just for the teriyaki chicken) or she just made her award-winning quiche (you really don’t like eggs because the texture is slimy, but the bacon sure smells good). She is over-the-top eager for you taste the food even though you confess that you dislike it.

I do not eat green eggs and ham.
I do not like them, Sam-I-am.

You finally take the bite because you figure that her feelings are more important than your taste buds. You smile and tell her that it’s wonderfully made and admit that you can see why people would love it. . . .yet, (unlike the green eggs and ham) it is still not something you would eat again.

I’ve realized that God also gives us “No-thank-you bites."

I remember when I had just finished grocery shopping, and I drove past a local ministry. All of a sudden, I felt a passion to help this ministry. I knew the Holy Spirit was prompting me, but I had absolutely no idea how I would fit another thing onto my already bulging plate of to-dos.

I kept thinking to myself, “I’ve never been passionate about this type of ministry before.”

I shrugged my shoulders and said, “Okay, God. Just tell me what I need to do.”

I decided to make my spirit available for God to lead, and I went on about my day. That night I told my church home group that God prompted me to help out this ministry. After I finished telling my story, my friend’s eyes bulged out of their sockets. She told us a long narrative about how that ministry has been on her heart for years, but she has never taken the first step of faith to get involved.

The next morning, I picked up my friend, and we drove to the ministry to see if we could help out. My friend chatted away, got phone numbers and took charge of a particular need they had.

I just sat there realizing that God had just given me a “No-thank-you-bite.”

My friend went on to organize a beautiful giving campaign, and I tagged along offering encouragement. God used me to “taste” a ministry, so my friend could have an all-out dinner buffet. Isn’t God so cool!

Can you look back to a time that God gave you a “No-thank-you-bite”? What did it taste like?

“They were all encouraged and ate some food themselves” (Acts 27:36 NIV).

Also posted at Internet Cafe!