The Shack Movie: God and your Tragedy

When this book was first published, I heard it was great, but wasn’t in a good place to read it because I had a five-year-old little girl at the time. As soon as I realized what could happen, I put down the book and finally picked it back up when she was ten.

Paul Young has written and incredible story and though it was initially self-published it for his family. Mainstream media caught wind of it and, well, you know the rest.

There has been much controversy over the movie on theology, though not clearly evident. It wasn’t until I looked back and thought about some of the scenes that I questioned whether or not Mr. Young was keeping biblical truths in tact.

One big question asked was “why wouldn’t God save Mack’s little girl?” or in general, (why do bad things happen to good people?”) Here’s my opinion on that one if you’d like to check it out: “Why Bad Things Happen to Good People”

The following is an article written by a co-writer who has published quite a few books and is a good Christian man. I’ve heard him speak and taken several classes from him. He offered this article to be shared with the release of this movie to answer some of those shaky theological questions.

Hope the article sheds some light on the good and the bad in this fictional story. Any conversation starter about God is a good thing in my book.

The Shack movie: God and your tragedy

By Rusty Wright

 

When your personal tragedy strikes – and it will – is God good?

Millions wrestle with that question. The Shack, a bestselling novel and now a movie, uses fanciful fiction to help people process age-old intellectual and emotional struggles about evil, suffering, and divine character.

Did a loved one just die? Maybe your marriage is failing, your boss showed you the door, your lump is malignant, or an earthquake leveled your home.

Perhaps an important business deal collapsed or false gossip torpedoed a treasured friendship.

“God, how could you allow this?” comes the cry. How could God be all loving, all powerful, and all just?

From Office Depot to a theater near you …

Author William Paul Young first self-published fifteen copies of The Shack at Office Depot as Christmas gifts. It’s now sold 19 million copies and been translated into 50 languages. Clearly, the story has hit a nerve. Film stars include Oscar-winner Octavia Spencer (The Help), Sam Worthington (Avatar), and Grammy winner Tim McGraw.

(Spoilers ahead.)

Mack, the protagonist, has submerged much of his childhood pain from his abusive, alcoholic father. He now enjoys life with his wife and family, until a serial killer abducts and murders his young daughter Missy, sending him into deep depression. Through some curious happenings, he revisits the murder scene, a decrepit shack deep in the woods.

There he spends a fascinating weekend with … God. Actually with all three members of the Trinity: God – a large, loving African-American woman named “Papa” (the story explains this); Jesus – an actual Jewish carpenter; and the Holy Spirit – an Asian woman with a Sanskrit name, Sarayu, meaning “wind.”

Processing pain

The four enjoy sumptuous food, starlit nights, and lots of conversation. The three guide Mack through processing the painful “if only” questions related to Missy’s death, and in forgiving his adversaries.

They also help with the intellectual questions: God gave humans free will, hence human evil. Jesus came in love. By his death and resurrection, humans can be reconciled to God and enjoy the relationships – divine and human – for which they were created.

Multiple resonances

Many may find The Shack emotionally/spiritually therapeutic and intellectually satisfying. The story resonated with me on multiple levels.

I agree that God, though sovereign, gave us freedom to follow or disobey him. This does not answer all concerns (because he sometimes does intervene to thwart evil) but suggests that the problem of evil is not as great an intellectual obstacle as some imagine.

Pain’s emotional barrier to belief can be formidable. Jesus understands suffering. He was scorned, beaten, and cruelly executed, carrying the guilt of human rebellion.

When I see God, items on my long list of questions will include a painful and unwanted divorce, betrayal by trusted co-workers, my second wife’s tragic death last year from cancer, and all sorts of disappointing human behavior and natural disasters. Yet in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection I’ve seen enough to trust him when he says he “causes all things to work together for good to those who love God.”

Serious conflicts

That said, The Shack book has some serious conflicts with a biblical view of God, and some with simple logic. (The movie avoids some – but not all – of these.) Others have detailed such issues, so I’ll mention just a few.

The book seems to indicate that Jesus’ death and resurrection will bring all humanity back into a relationship with God, regardless of individual decisions. The biblical documents maintain that individuals must personally accept divine pardon for it to be effective in their lives. The film only hints at this issue.

The book’s Sarayu and Papa say rules like the Ten Commandments were given not to make humans good but to reveal their flaws and their need for God. Fair enough. It took me nineteen years to understand that important distinction. But the two also believe rules and expectations harm relationships, which should be our focus. (The movie touches this matter tangentially.)

I would stress the proper emphasis. Biblical expectations (about love, service, forgiving, spousal faithfulness, etc.) can be tracks for healthy living once we’re plugged into divine power for living.

In the book, Sarayu perplexingly claims the word “responsibility” is not found in the Bible. A simple search disputes that. The film omits this mistake.

The book’s Jesus maintains that all mental turmoil and anxiety are related to religious, political or economic institutions. Including concern for tsunami deaths, for instance? “Allness” claims invite rebuttal. Better “much,” or something similar. The movie omits this overstatement.

The Shack film will get people thinking about important issues. If you view it – or read the book – I encourage you to do so with discernment, discuss it with friends, and measure it by the Good Book.

Rated PG-13 (USA) “for thematic material including some violence.”

www.TheShack.movie Opens March 3 (USA) International release dates

Rusty Wright is an author and lecturer who has spoken on six continents. He holds Bachelor of Science (psychology) and Master of Theology degrees from Duke and Oxford universities, respectively. www.RustyWright.com

Copyright © 2017 Rusty Wright

The Shack movie: God and your tragedy. When your personal tragedy strikes – and it will – is God good? Millions wrestle with that question. The Shack, a bestselling novel and now a movie, uses fanciful fiction to help people process age-old intellectual and emotional struggles about evil, suffering, and divine character.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mack (Sam Worthington) and “Papa” (Octavia Spencer)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mack and his family

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jesus, Mack, Papa, Sarayu

Why This Teenage Girl Doesn’t Kiss Her Boyfriend

Follow my blog with Bloglovin
I couldn’t help but share this post a senior friend of Trevor’s posted on Facebook. We all know how our society has become so sexually promiscuous. When it’s time for my second and third child to get married, I want them to have someone to choose from who has saved themselves for marriage. I’m not belittling those who have already chosen to have sex, and there is a very real concept called “reclaimed virginity.” It’s not to late to change your lifestyle because God is a forgiving and merciful God. By dying on the cross he’s already overcome all of our sins. But if you can know God’s intentions for sex before you are in a serious relationship, it will make life much easier, and you’ll be honoring God above all else.

If you are a teenager, read this. If you have a teenager, have them read this or read it to them. What Ashley is writing here is from her heart…the heart of a 17-year-old girl. I know she has one proud mama! It takes an huge amount of courage to not just hold tight to your beliefs, but to profess them on the world wide webb for all to see. Incredibly brave.

 

“God has really been placing this on my heart to talk about and discuss
lately. As many of my friends know, I have been dating Brandon for over a
year now. Early on in our relationship, we decided that we wanted to set
“guardrails” and “boundaries” in our relationship as far as physical stuff
goes. Now, we had these set, but honestly, neither of us really understood why.

We thought “Well, we aren’t having sex, so what’s the big deal?” I’ve found that this is the mindset that many of my friends have towards their relationship. After Brandon and I had been dating for about 6 months or so we sat down and discussed our relationship. I had been doing a bible student called, “The 7 Lies of Teen Dating”, and through the whole study, the same question kept popping up in my head, “Why am I asking the question ‘how far is too far?’ When I should be asking ‘how far is not honoring God?”

A verse that Brandon and I really looked at and prayed about was 1 Corinthians 6:20 “God owns the whole works.So let people see God in and through your body.” We both decided that we wanted our bodies and physical aspects of our relationship to demonstrate our love for God.”

I’m jumping into the middle of her post here to share the entire passage of scripture from 1 Corinthians:

16-20 There’s more to sex than mere skin on skin. Sex is as much spiritual mystery as physical fact. As written in Scripture, “The two become one.” Since we want to become spiritually one with the Master, we must not pursue the kind of sex that avoids commitment and intimacy, leaving us more lonely than ever—the kind of sex that can never “become one.” There is a sense in which sexual sins are different from all others. In sexual sin we violate the sacredness of our own bodies, these bodies that were made for God-given and God-modeled love, for “becoming one” with another. Or didn’t you realize that your body is a sacred place, the place of the Holy Spirit? Don’t you see that you can’t live however you please, squandering what God paid such a high price for? The physical part of you is not some piece of property belonging to the spiritual part of you. God owns the whole works. So let people see God in and through your body.

Now back to Ashley:

“Originally, we decided that the only physical contact we would have is a peck, and only once on an hour. Now being a teenager in a world where that is the complete opposite of the social norm, we were definitely laughed at. Now a little over 95 days ago me and Brandon decided that we wanted to eliminate kissing all together. As far as physical aspects in our relationship, we wanted to limit ourselves to hugging and kissing on the cheek. We wanted to go 95 days with no distractions, and we spent those 95 days getting closer to God and building our relationship on a God foundation. Obviously, this was not something that was easy to just tell my friends or classmates about at school, and when people found out, it was usually just laughs and side comments.

I want to address some of the questions and statements people say to me in regards to what me and Brandon do. Keep in mind I’m only 17 years old, and Brandon is my first serious relationship, so I am definitely not a relationship expert by any means, and I’m still learning from my mentors how I can better and build my relationship on a God foundation. Hopefully, this will give people some light on the subject or give someone the courage to make changes in their current or future relationship.ashleyavila

1. “Do you really love Brandon if you don’t kiss him? And does he really love you?”
The answer to this question is really simple to me. Yes, I love him, and
yes he loves me. I didn’t wake up one day and say “kissing is gross, I
don’t want to do that anymore.” It took a lot of strength and courage from
God for us to make this decision. But I promise you girls, it’s one thing for a guy to say “I love you” and it’s another for him to say, “I love you, but I love God more so I’m putting him at the center of our relationship, and I will put him before you.”
2. “Are you even in a relationship if you don’t kiss?”
Yes. A relationship isn’t suppose to be about physicality. My dad has told me ever since I was a little girl that dating is just an interview before marriage. Somewhere down the line our society has gotten this social norm that relationships should be based on physical things and that’s just normal and “being a teeanger”, and those who chose other wise are viewed as weird. But honestly building a relationship on physicality is one of the most unsturdy foundations. The only sturdy foundation to build a relationship on is God, so you should honor God in your relationship.
3. “You’re only a teenager once, and you’re wasting it.”
Again, I have a simple response. I may only be a teenager once, but I only get to live my life for God once. Nuff said.

(What an awesome perspective for everyone!)

4. “If you’re gonna marry Brandon, then why does it matter how far you go?”

Well, as much as I love Brandon and hope that I will marry him one day, I don’t know who I will marry. Only God knows who I will end up marrying, and until I am at my wedding saying “I do,” I don’t know who my husband will be. But as a christian, it is my job to stay as pure as possible for my future husband.”

Incredible post Ashley. Thanks for letting me share. Ashley has started her own blog now on Christian Dating and I wanted to share that link with you: https://heleadsifollowweb.wordpress.com/

Please share this with anyone you know who has teenagers…let’s make her post go viral!

signature1

http://<a href=”https://www.bloglovin.com/blog/14366227/?claim=a9nf44t9m3d”>Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>

My Story~Prescription for Addiction (On video!)

I’ve been awol for awhile now. Miranda got married in May and I spent about 9 months planning the wedding. I’ll show you some pictures in an upcoming blog post 🙂 I’m so proud of Miranda and Jamie and all they’ve accomplished. But it definitely takes a village!

We also spent quite a bit of time traveling this summer and I’ll be sure and send some pics from our trip as well. But in this post I’m getting back to the root of the reason I started this blog initially. Hopefully I can get back to a regular schedule but no promises. Getting back into the blogging/writing groove isn’t easy for me, but I need to do it now before Grandkids come along!

Okay so I’m about to celebrate the 6th anniversary of the miracle God gave me on September 10, 2010. Today, I’m still amazed. And so very thankful.

When He first healed me I couldn’t keep my mouth shut about it! My family got a little tired of hearing the same story over and over, but God gave me the story and I had to share it. No, we’re not in Bible times and don’t experience the miracles God did in the Bible, but miracles happen every day all around us. We just have to keep our eyes and ears open.

Once I began writing, everyone said I’d need to be able to tell my story in front of groups in order to promote my book. So I proceeded to take a much dreaded communicators conference.

I promised God I’d share my story when asked, and I’ve been asked three times to share it in public. The last time was in front of a group of high school kids at church. I’m a small group leader and the church wanted us to share our stories with the kids to allow them to get to know us better. So I actually recorded it, and though it’s not the most professional recording, it’s my story. Hope you enjoy watching and I pray that you get the message from it God would desire for you!

Just click on the link below and know that miracles do happen!

Prescription for Addiction

Beyond the horizon

may9rx

Why God chooses to heal some people and not to heal others is always a heated question. Especially when it comes to children. No parent should ever have to watch a child die, yet it happens every day.

I always think of a quote by a friend of mine when considering the gifts of my children. “God doesn’t give us children to make us better parents, he gives us children to make us better children.”  He gives us our children on loan to raise until he’s ready to bring them home to Him. But death seems so final. As humans we think of everything as having a beginning and an end. God has no beginning or end, and our lives, regardless of how long they are lived on earth, have no ending. We are eternal beings. Since we can’t actually “see” eternity though, death feels final.

During the seven years I was sick with seizures, depression, and addiction, I was ready for The End. Obviously, God wasn’t finished with me yet. He chose to heal me. My healing…somehow…is part of his bigger plan. The death of a child is also…somehow…part of his bigger plan. Honestly, I don’t even feel equipped to write about a loss so horrific, and I pray it’s not part of any bigger plan in my life.

When God healed me, part of His healing was to give me an eternal perspective. Although I’d been taught that our life on earth is nothing but a drop in the bucket of time as compared to eternity, I never really got it until God reached His all knowing hand down to me and pulled me from my pit of despair. As a result, I’ve shared my story—every fun little detail—in order to further His kingdom. I’m thankful He chose to teach me through me and not through one of my children. In this case, though unbeknownst to them, my children work daily to  make me a better child of God! (You know how people tell you never to pray for patience because God might just give you something to strengthen yours?)

I’m currently reading thebook, “Fly a Little Higher” by Laura Sobiech. She lost her teenage son to osteosarcoma…a very difficult form of cancer to defeat. While being in a Christian writer’s group, I’ve met numerous women who’ve lost children. The word that comes to mind first is “brave.” To survive, to live, to move forward seems as if it would be impossible after the loss of a child. Yet God has given all of these women a supernatural strength to move forward, sharing their stories to give us a little glimpse of Heaven, as their children are all waiting there with open arms. In no pain. Happy. Wrapped in the warm, never-ending light of Jesus.

When I was approached to participate in this blog tour, I was hesitant, because I wasn’t sure I had time to get the book read. Then I learned I didn’t have to have it all read, Thomas Nelson just wanted blog posts on topics similar and then somehow linked to the book. But I got the book a few days ago and began reading.

It hits a little too close to home.

Zach, the 9th grader who learns he has osteosarcoma reminds me a bit too much of my own 9th grader, Trevor. They both just happen to love their friends, playing frisbee, and the guitar. Before Zach died, he was able to record a few songs he has written, one of which was an answer to his mom’s prayer—for Zach’s death to be for something big. One of the songs Zach recorded is called “Clouds” Though I haven’t had a chance to finish the book yet, I see where Laura is going, and God took me to a similar place during my illness. She says, “Hope is something much bigger than anything physical we may desire. It is about raising our eyes from a point on the horizon to the heavens and into eternity.” Oh, how I get that! I’ve written numerous blog posts about having an eternal perspective. Honestly, we will all die. It’s just a matter of when. So it’s eternity I look toward. I will live out this life on earth as best as possible, but eternity in Heaven is my final destination. I’m sure Zach waiting to see all the lives he has touched, guitar in hand.

Set your eyes beyond the horizon and aim to fly a little higher.

fly_a_little_higher_downloads

I dare you to get through THIS VIDEO without tears…and with a little more hope.

SIGNATUREFORBLOG1

This post is part of the Fly a Little Higher Blog Tour which I am delighted to be a part of along with hundreds of bloggers raising awareness and giving hope to those with cancer. To learn more and join us, CLICK HERE!

Fly a Little Higher is written by Laura Sobiech, the mother of Zach Sobiech. Laura spent the last three years walking the road of cancer with her teenage son, Zach, and blogging about their battle with the disease. Zach wrote the song “Clouds” which hit #1 on iTunes the same week he passed away in May 2013.

Grab your copy HERE.

A new video with Zach’s family and friends has just been released if you’d like to see how they are doing a year later. Just click HERE.

The Experience of Addiction~Broken for Others (Graffiti Summer)

walkinshoesWP

I didn’t realize it at the time, but God allowed me to be broken for others…for seven years. At least it wasn’t forty years like Moses!

For fourteen years I filled prescriptions for people and while I could tell them side effects, interactions, instructions, etc., I could not understand the desperation they felt for these medications. Prescriptions for insomnia, pain, depression, and anxiety. And then of course the prescriptions to get OFF of those meds. Addiction. Desperation. I really didn’t think it could happen to me. But God allowed me to see things from a different perspective. From their shoes.

As I’ve said before, we stay so busy in our own shoes, we don’t think about what it might look like in somebody else’s.

As I’m joining in with Alene Snodgrass for Graffiti Summer, we are talking about being broken for others through the story of Moses. Just click on the link for a free download of the study, and be sure to check out amazon for her book she cowrote with a homeless man.

studyanddo210

 

(I’ll have an interesting post coming up soon about homelessness that my daughter will have input in…be sure to watch for it!)

So this week for my post I’m cheating a little because I’m posting something I’ve already written, but I’m taking a little risk in that it’s an excerpt from my book that I haven’t really let anyone see yet or even talked about much. But just like Moses, it’s God’s story, not mine. So here ya go…part of my own story of being broken for others…

There are plenty of movies depicting addicts in withdrawal, but I’ve never seen what happened to me. Besides the sweating, shaking, headache, and ears ringing, I started throwing up constantly. Literally. When there was nothing in my stomach to come up, up came green bile. Between bringing me warm washcloths for my mouth and cold washcloths for my head, my mom and David were persistently trying to find the best way to get help.

It was not easy.

Research into medical intervention revealed rehab “resorts” hundreds of miles and tens-of-thousands of dollars away, but the local, affordable options were few. Even if I had $30,000 to spend, there was no way I could physically make the trip. After about three days, I could barely hold my head up to vomit, much less pack and get on an airplane. As I camped out on the bathroom floor with my pillow, blanket, and pile of washcloths, I could hear the hush-hush talk about what to do with me. The shame and utter despair I felt for putting my family through this was as unbearable as my state of health.

We finally found a local physician with an outpatient clinic for drug addiction that was not a methadone clinic. Methadone clinics sprung up in the ‘90s when heroin addiction was at its highest. Methadone is a cheap drug that helps with addiction to certain drugs, but the problem is, it’s just as addictive as anything else. The clinic we found dispensed Suboxone, a fairly new drug on the market I’d only dispensed a few times which is used solely for narcotic addiction. It is a short-term substitute for the narcotic—the Lortab in my case—and greatly reduces the effects of withdrawal, and allows the receptors in the brain to dwindle back down to normal.

We immediately called his office. Of course, it just happened to be Friday morning; they said I could not be seen until after the weekend. I honestly didn’t think I would live that long (although now I know just how much a body can endure). They could admit me to Carolina Behavioral Hospital where they’d give me fluids and medicine for nausea, and begin Suboxone treatment there. That news was music to my ringing ears.

Now you have to remember how I grew up—only child, Christian School, very sheltered. You know…in my ivory tower. I heard “hospital” and “fluids” and I imagined a nice sterile, private hospital room with a television and nurses coming to check on me every few hours and give me medicine. I think Mom and David expected the same.

As David pulled us up to the front door, I lay across the back seat of our suburban with my puke bucket in the floor, continually filling it. The nausea and vomiting was relentless, and there must have been a hammer constantly pounding my head. David went inside to see how to get checked in, and what seemed like days later, he returned with a nurse and a wheelchair.  As they took me down hall after hall and through password required doors to the detox ward, I wanted to disappear. The pain and nausea combined with my shame and desperation took me to a place so low I could have just melted and become one with the floor. Though I wouldn’t have wanted that floor to be my final resting place.

My “hospital” expectations were not even close. As I sat in a wheelchair with my trusty bucket in my lap, David and Mom checked me in, and we proceeded to follow a nurse back to that area. My worst nightmare began to come true as I scanned my new environment. There was a common area with a small television and a few old sofas that looked like they’d been rescued off the street. The “hospital” room reminded me of the worst dorm room on a college campus. The other patients—men and women—were dressed like homeless people coming to a shelter for a warm meal.

As the nurse explained procedure, I could see my mom and David looking around the room in shock and fear at the thought of leaving me. After hearing a bit of conversation from a few of the male residents, they made the decision to take me home.

I was so desperate; I told them to leave me. I had to have some help and there was no other option.

Never had I seen my mom look so helpless. The thought of leaving her baby girl in such a place was more than she could bear. I’ve never asked because my heart couldn’t take it, but I’m sure her eyes were pouring tears as she drove home.

David has since shared with me that leaving me at there was one of only three times in his life he has sobbed from being heartbroken. No one expects or prepares for this type of heartbreak. When he left, he picked up the kids from his mom and took them to the beach. He needed some distance from the situation and the kids needed something to keep their minds occupied. They didn’t know the whole situation at the time, but they knew enough to know something was wrong, that I was very sick.

As a wife and mom, the words “burden” and “failure” don’t begin to describe how I felt. I had done damage to myself physically, but I had hurt my family emotionally and created injuries that would be much more difficult to heal. Scars that would last a lifetime.

Once I was left in the hands of the nurses, the process started. They went through every single pocket, page, bottle and seam of every item that came with me and left me with the bare minimum. No cosmetics, no liquids, no hairbrush, no razor, no earrings … the bare minimum. My environment was surreal. As I lay on the cardboard bed with the questionable blanket, throwing up in my puke bucket, which sat on the nasty blue carpet, I could not believe I actually told David to leave me. The promise of fluids and nursing care was empty. For twenty-four hours, I was left to throw up, unattended.

Other patients left and returned at the sound of the school bell for meals, group therapy, and smoking breaks. I ate nothing. Finally, a nurse came to get me for my appointment with the psychiatrist to begin my Suboxone treatment. He laid out a three-day plan to fix me.

Three days. Now that would be something.

Dr. Psychiatrist wrote orders to start me on the Suboxone and an injection of Phenergan for the nausea. The male nurse on duty proceeded to lead me to the lovely—and oh-so-sterile—plaid sofa to give me my injection. As he was preparing it, the school bell rang and he just sat back and looked at me.

“Is everything okay?” I asked.

“Yes,” he replied. “Aren’t you going to go out and smoke? Isn’t that what you people do?”

You people. Are you kidding me? “I’ve never once put a cigarette to my mouth and I have no intention of starting now.”

I was the only patient who did not go outside to smoke. As a matter of fact, most of the staff went with them. Mr. Nurse proceeded to give me the injection and go on his merry way. I remained in disbelief at the stereotypic category in which I was just dumped. I began to see a pattern, though, with most everyone there. When everyone walked back inside, one of the male patients plopped down on the sofa next to me and said, “So, what’s your drug of choice?”

Drug of choice?

I might as well have been staring at an alien. I was definitely in another world.

 

I definitely walked in some scary shoes. Shoes that gave me an entirely new perspective, which is what Graffiti summer is all about. We don’t realize how quickly our own situation can change, and we find ourselves where we never thought we’d be. Feel free to tweet that 🙂

Have you walked in any unexpected shoes that shifted your paradigm?

SIGNATUREFORBLOG

 

 

 

To be whole…check out the GRAFFITI on the other side of the street

smallBARNWHOLEBROKEN copy

How can you understand what it’s like to be homeless if you’ve always had a roof over your head?

How do you know what it feels like to starve if you’ve always had food to eat?

How do you know what it’s like to be thirsty if you’ve always had clean water to drink?

We  take for granted the things we are used to having every day. (Tweet that Smile)

     Would you appreciate staring at your beautiful daughter more if you were once blind?

     Would you be more anxious to listen to the sound of wind blowing through the trees if you lost your hearing for a period of time?

     Would you hug your husband more if you knew he would never walk through the door again?

Goodness knows I’m as guilty as anyone. We get so wrapped up in our lives…it all becomes about us. I, I, I, me, me, me.

We stay so busy in our own shoes, we don’t think about what it may be like in theirs. (You can tweet that too Wink)

My new internet buddy over at Positively Alene has challenged us to step out of our comfort zone. Step “over the tracks” so to speak to meed people we wouldn’t otherwise encounter. She has a great new book out on the subject, GAFFITI~Scribbles from Different Sides of the Street,graffitibook which she cowrote with a homeless man. Talk about perspective! And now she is offering a free Bible Study the book, GRAFFITI Study and Do, that you can download by clicking HERE.

In all honesty, I stumbled into this study before I really knew what it was all about. I read a blog post from one of my favorite blogggers, Susan Stillwell about “sharing my summer story.” If you read lots of blogs, you know it’s common to skim titles and first paragraphs and then go back and read them later. Only I signed myself up for the GRAFFFITI challenge before I went back to read.

Well, this summer is going to be very busy, and it has already started. While I may not get headed to Guatemala or even to the soup kitchen anytime soon, I will be headed to different sides of the street…and the world.

Just this week, we moved out of our house for our floors to be redone because of a leak and we are staying just off of a very busy intersection. One of the ones where we see men with the “will work for food” signs on each corner almost daily. As a woman with my children normally in the car, I say a prayer for them and move on. I hate it…every time. But unfortunately, we don’t live in the most trusting society. Thursday afternoon however, in the midst of 5:00 traffic on Woodruff Rd., Marlee (my 9-year-old) and I passed a family on the side of the road with a sign that read, “Lost My Job, Please help, I have two children to take care of. God Bless You.” And his wife and one of his children were sitting on the side of the road with them. I wanted to help them, but had no cash. Traffic was ridiculous, so we had to pass them by. But neither of us could get them off our mind.

We then pulled into the IHOP (which was packed with graduation celebrations) and purchased a $50 gift certificate, which also came with two $5 coupons, and fought the traffic to get back to them. They were extremely appreciative. I thought I saw the wife tear up.

As I said, we are certainly not in a third world country, but we live in a society where people still need help. I wish we could trust everyone we saw, and know that we are not being scammed. But here’s the thing. Marlee and I gave in the spirit of love. In the spirit of Jesus. I have no idea what happens to most of the money that I give…whether it’s at church, sponsoring a child, or handing it t someone on the street. But I do know that God nudged me to take action. He will take it from there and that’s all I need to know.

So I suppose this is the beginning of my GRAFFITI summer. Please don’t hate me, but my other side of the street will be the other side of the world in Prague in July. But you know? People need to see the love of God just as much there as anywhere. They might just not always know it.

Have you found yourself out of your comfort zone lately? Intentionally? Or without even realizing it?

What did you do to make a difference?

SIGNATUREFORBLOG

Do you remember the American Idol runner up Chris Sligh? He passed one of those men with the “will work for food” sign right here on this same intersection. He passed the fellow with the sign and immediately wanted to turn around. Only if you know the traffic on Woodruff Rd, you’d understand that it took him thirty minutes to get back to the intersection and the man was gone. He pulled over on the side of the road and wrote this song: Knowing the story behind it makes it that much more powerful.

Seven Ways to Stay Passionate About Your Passion

Are you passionate about something? How did that passion arise in your heart? Is it a hobby? Is it a calling? A labor of love? 
 
Satan loves to discourage us. To make us think our passions—our dreams—are insignificant, or downright foolish. Don’t let him have the satisfaction. Here are seven quick tips to keep your passion alive: (Click here to tweet this Smile)

1. Stay connected to it every day, one way or another~No matter what your passion is, I can almost guarantee there are others who share you passion…and some of the probably blog about it! The internet is a great, easy way to nourish your passion a little every day.

 

2. Fellowship with others who share that passion~Since I began writing, my writing group has been a lifeline. If I hadn’t connected with them when I started writing, I’d have surely quit long ago. They encourage me and remind me that what I’m doing is important…it is my purpose.

 

3. Remember why you have the passion in the first place~What drew you in? Remind yourself what led up to your passion. I became passionate about photography when my friend Patty committed suicide and I had almost no pictures of her. I’ve been snapping pictures of everyone since. I became passionate about writing when God gave me a miracle. It compelled me to write…I was so excited I wanted to shout it from the rooftops!

 

4. Make sure your passion is in line with God’s purpose for your life, and always talk to Him about it~God has a purpose for your life. Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that point blank. Then Romans 8:28 says: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. We tend to forget about the second part of that verse. Christians love the first part…all things work for good…but there’s a catch: to those who love him and are called according to his purpose. If your passion is in line with God’s purpose for your life, it will be a blessing in your life. That doesn’t necessarily mean it will be easy, God doesn’t promise that. But it will be good.

 

5. Read about your passion~Seek out books from the experts. Continue learning new aspects of your passion.

 

6. Teach it to others~Share your passion with others. Teach what you love and you will keep it alive.

 

7. It’s okay to take a break~I realize in #1 I told you to stay connected to it every day, but you don’t have to go full force. It’s okay take a step back when you need to. You can get burnt out on anything, no matter how much you love it.

 

What is your passion? Is it in line with God’s purpose for you life?

SIGNATUREFORBLOG

 

 

Dream God-Sized Dreams…”Dear Chihuahua of Fear…”

 

 april9rx

 

I’m linking up today with Holly Gerth, author of “Dream God-Sized Dreams. Here’s the writing prompt to write this post:

“Fear hangs out right next to whatever it is you’re most called to do. That means the closer you get to your calling, the louder fear sounds. Keep going–fear is a chihuahua that sounds like a Doberman.” — You’re Made for a God-sized Dream, Chapter Five

It’s in letter format, and she wants us to begin with an odd phrase… (I’m really not fond of chihuahuas since they are the only breed of dog that’s ever bitten me, and I live with two great danes. But that’s too deep for me to even think about, so here goes)

God-Sized-Button

 

Dear Chihuahua of Fear,

I have some things I’d like to say to you. You are a pain in the rear. You are constantly “nipping” at me getting on my nerves, when I know that I’m doing exactly what I should be.

Sure, I became a pharmacist so I wouldn’t have to deal with little chihuahua’s nipping at my feet. I’d be protected behind that great big counter in the pharmacy. I’d have people to back me up. When all else failed, I’d have the big doberman boss to take care of me. But no. God had other plans. Apparently, little chihuahua, He wants me to face you…even if it required stooping down a little—a lot.

So  with the onset of grand-mal seizures, depression, and resulting prescription drug addiction, I found myself down on your level you little pest! For seven years, I felt about as low as you are. Maybe lower. No independence. No driving. Constant migraine headaches. Pills, pills, and more pills. Some necessary for my migraines and seizures, and some because I’d become addicted to the stupid stuff and would start never-ending vomiting if I stopped taking them. Uggghhh.

So finally, after I gave you a swift kick to the curb and prayed for God to show me his purpose in all of this (as opposed my prayer for healing or the rapture), He gave me an honest-to-goodness, overnight miracle. Yes-sir-ee. No more seizures, no more headaches, no more depression, no more pills, and best of all—no more desire or need for pills. So little chihuahua of fear, you were outa there.

Until…

God had to go and ask me to write and speak to share my story! So now I’m not only in front of the pharmacy counter, I’m in front of the world. The Internet world, the speaking world, the conference world, not to mention the world that would love to see me fall flat on my face back into addiction. Yes, believe it or not, they are out there.

I hate promoting myself, but what I must remember that I too often forget is I’m not promoting myself. I’m promoting God. I’m giving Him the glory. I’m writing for Him. I’m speaking (though very reluctantly) for Him.

So chihuahua, I’m much more afraid of you than I am dobermans, but it’s time I leave that fear completely behind and let God take over.

I recently heard Alex Kendrick speak. He is the actor/director in the movies Fireproof, Courageous, and Flywheel. He prayed for God to let his little church films be shown in like 40 churches. But look what God did. His films have been in theaters all over the country, on DVD, and have reached millions—even billions 0f people.

So I’m not putting any limits on my dream. It’s God-sized…God-initiated, God-constructed, and God-controlled. (You may tweet if you like…just click here)Wink

Get out of my way little chihuahua, God has me!

SIGNATUREFORBLOG

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s a short interview with Alex Kendrick and how his dream became God-sized. It’s worth the watch. Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

Seven Important “P” Words That Can Make or Break You

 april12013

1. Peace~Claim it; God has already given it to us.

I have said these things to you, than in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. (John 16:33 ESV)

2. Procrastination~Stop it; We always regret it when we procrastinate. Why do we do it even though we know better?

The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied. (Proverbs 13:4 ESV)

3. Perseverance~stand strong through the struggle, and you will be rewarded.

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. (James 1:12 ESV)

4. Priorities~God first. Always. If you seek Him first, everything else will fall into place.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 

5. Peculiar~God chose us. He wants us to be different, to stand out. So that our peculiar manner will reveal his light.

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. (1 Peter 2:9 KJV)

6. Phobia~When God is for us, who can be against us? If we believe in a holy and righteous God who is the creator of the world, then we should know he’s got it all under control. Nothing to fear.

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9 ESV)

7. Pupik~ It’s yiddish for “bellybutton.” If you didn’t have one you’d be an alien! Wink

SIGNATUREFORBLOG

Author Interview~The Greatest Book Ever Written

mar3rx

I don’t normally do author interviews on my blog, but this is one Author that had to be recognized.

This is an interview with the author of THE MOST IMPORTANT BOOK EVER WRITTEN. Click here to tweet 🙂

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I am the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. I do not faint or grow weary; My understanding is unsearchable. (Isiah 40:28)

I am the Alpha and the Omega, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.(Revelation 1:8)

I am the Lord. The true God. The living God and the everlasting King. At my wrath, the earth quakes and the nations cannot endure my indignation. (Jeremiah 10:10)

I made the earth by my power. I established the world by my wisdom and by my understanding stretched out the heavens. (Isiah 44:6)

I am the Father, from whom all things a all people exist. (1 Corinthians 8:6)

I am the Lord, who made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself. (Isaiah 44:24)

I am the Lord, and besides me there is no savior. (Isaiah 43:11)

I gave my one and only son so that no one who believes in him should ever perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3;16)

I am the cleanser of all sin, the forgiver of all unrighteousness to those who ask. (1 John 1:9)

I am the God who works wonders. (Psalm 77:14)

I am the Father of all mercies; the God of all comfort. (2 Corinthians 1:3)

I am the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)

I have plans for you. Plans to prosper you, not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)

I am  love. (1 John 4:8)

The Love of God

What do you do when you are not writing?

I am always at work with my children. I pursue a constant loving relationship with them that is real and personal. I invite them to become involved with me and my work through my writing. I communicate with my children constantly, though they do not always listen or hear. Besides my writings, I reveal myself to my children through works and prayer. I am everywhere, always. My favorite thing is to see what my children accomplish through me, in my name.

 

 

When did you first start writing and when did you finish your first book?

I began writing my words on the heart of Moses nearly 3500 years ago, and continued to impart my spirit on those who actually wrote down my words for 1800 years. I revealed the last book of the Bible to my Apostle, John, 70 years after my son’s crucifixion, which took him  approximately 25 years to complete.

Where do you get your ideas?

That’s simple. My ideas come from truth. All of my writing is for the purpose of teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness. (2 Timothy 3:16) All of the stories in my word are true— for the purpose of teaching my children in the ways that are right and just, and to prepare them for things to come.  (John 16:13)

Can you tell us about your challenges in getting your first book published?

There was no such thing as a printing press. All of my writing was hand written in scrolls. But in the 1450’s, Johann Gutenberg invented the printing press and the first book to ever be printed was the Bible, in Latin. Since then, it has been translated into the english language and has been printed in many versions. Somewhere between 2.5 and 6 billion copies have been sold.

How do you market your work? What avenues have you found to work best for your genre?

Word of mouth.

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”  (Matthew 28:18-20 ESV)

And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. (Mark 16:5 ESV)

Is anything in your book based on real life experiences or purely all imagination?

All of the events in my word are true. The historical and prophetical events have been proven over and over again.

How did you come up with the title?

The word Bible comes from the Greek work “Biblos,” which is translated “book.”

It came from the my heart, the author of your lives. I have inspired the writing of the definitive book on all mankind.

What project are you working on now?

I am constantly working in the lives of my children to expand the boundaries of my kingdom. Simply put, I’m knocking on the heart of each of my children so that everyone might spend eternity with me in Heaven.

What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?

People say that the Bible contains too many supernatural events to be true. But if you believe in Me, the creator of the universe, then why is it so difficult to believe in miracles? Celeste can tell you. She experienced one of my miracles first-hand.

The best compliment is for one of my children to let me into their heart to be their Savior, then let my light shine through them.

Do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers?

Of making many books there is no end and much study is wearisome to the flesh. (Ecclesiastes 12:12b NKJV)

You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. (Psalms 139:16 NLT)

My heart is overflowing with good news. I will direct my song to the king. My tongue is a pen for a skillful writer.
(Psalms 45:1 GW)

Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever.
(Isaiah 30:8 KJV)

Oh, that my words could be recorded. Oh, that they could be inscribed on a monument, carved with an iron chisel and filled with lead, engraved forever in the rock. “But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and he will stand upon the earth at last. And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God! I will see him for myself. Yes, I will see him with my own eyes. I am overwhelmed at the thought! (Job 19:23-27 NLT)

Is there anything that you would like to say to your readers and fans?

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5 ESV)

Is there a message in your book that you want readers to grasp?

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22: 36-40 ESV)

Can you share a little of your current work with us?

Though the Bible was completed years ago, it still lives today. It lives through my works every single day. Though the state of the world saddens me, I have already overcome it (John 16:33). I work every second to inspire, encourage, and empower my children to be bold, and be a light in the dark and final days.

Therefore you must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. (Matthew 24:44 ESV)

What was the hardest part of writing your book?

Knowing that not all would choose Me, and be doomed to a fate worse than they could ever imagine.

But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” (Revelation 21:8 ESV)

 

SIGNATUREFORBLOG

 

Thought #1: God has a purpose for you

purposequoteLife in this world is difficult. No doubt about it. Every step of life brings a new set of struggles. What is hard for us to see, though, is that everything we go through shapes us into the person God wants us to become.

How many times have you quoted Romans 8:28 when someone is going through a difficult time?

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28 ESV)

It is a very comforting verse, to know that God can take all things and make something good from them. He absolutely can work things for good. The part that we tend to ignore, though, is who will receive that good? Bad things happen to good people. We see it every day. But “good people” may not always be people who love God or are searching for his purpose for their lives.

When I was struggling for seven years with seizures, migraine headaches, addiction, and depression, I’m honestly not sure I could say I “loved” God. I respected him; I feared him; I knew about him and needed a relationship with him. But how can you truly love someone you don’t really know? To know God and learn to really love him, he must be in your life every day. And since he’s not standing in the kitchen with you cooking breakfast every morning, it takes a little creativity to include him in your life every day. I love the book The Shack and highly recommend it. It’s a fantastic story~Falling in love with God requires intentional actions every day. (Feel free to tweet that little tidbit of wisdom Wink)

Here are a few simple (and yes, probably corny) ways to intentionally bring God into your life every day:

  1. Put post-it notes in prominent places that simply say “God” and it will remind you to converse with him.
  2. Don’t shelter yourself from the sad world we live in. Choose some way to volunteer to help other less fortunate.
  3. Look up at the stars at night and realize that God created it all.
  4. Talk to God out loud as you go about your day (thought you might want to reserve this one for when you’re alone so you won’t look too crazy).
  5. Make a list that you must add to every day of five things you were thankful for that day.
  6. Look at your children and remember they came from a sperm and an egg. The amazement of conception & birth, and then growth and personality development will help you love God every time you look at them.
  7. Spend time in God’s word every day. The Bible is a love letter from God to his people. And when you read it, keep in mind it was written just for you. j2911bird

Spend 2013 intentionally falling in love with God. Seek him and his purpose for your life. It’s be so easy for a mountain to fall on our head and instantly be in love with God. And it may happen that way for some, but for most, it’s a process…a journey. He’d love nothing more than to walk beside  you on that journey and show you his plans for  you!

 

signature1

“Change your thoughts and you change your world”~Norman Vincent Peale

 

One of the first non-fiction books I ever read was The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale. I was in my first year of college at Clemson University, and I was hopelessly homesick. My mom put everything into my hands she could to help me through that first semester at Clemson, and that book was part of the package.

It’s a shame wisdom comes with age, but I’m sure it’s all part of God’s plan. That’s one of those questions I’ll ask Him someday.  From that first year at Clemson, through pharmacy school at USC, marriage, three children, too many funerals to count, seven years of grand-mal seizures and migraine headaches and addiction to narcotics, God has instilled much wisdom. My hubby has always said, “Hindsight is 20/20” and he is so right. Even after all of the struggles of life I’ve survived, I still need reminders to help remember what’s important in life.

I’ve always said I wish I could write on the inside of my eyelids, so I’d get a subliminal message every time I blink. So for the first ten days of the new year, I thought I’d share some of those “eyelid reminders” with you and remind myself in the process.

So join me for the next ten days for some “celestial” wisdom (celestial meaning “heavenly,” of course)…thoughts to renew your mind and so that you might be transformed to live a happy, God-centered life.

P.S. Sign up for your prescriptions to come right to your email so you don’t miss any 😉

As a bonus start to a blessed new year, here’s a free printable for your fridge, mirror, or wherever you might need a little reminder and join along with me as we go through these thought for the first ten days of 2013. SmileI’m thinking my bathroom mirror…enjoy!

Click here to download the free PDF printable: Click here to download your “Ten Thoughts” Printable 🙂

Ten LIfe-Changing Thoughts for a Happy 2013

 

Serving a Supernatural God in an Ordinary World—Is He Your Superhero?

 

For seven years I sought the help of medical doctors, psychologists, chiropractors, and other natural healers to cure me of grand-mal seizures, migraine headaches, depression, and opiate addiction. I hate the think about the thousands upon thousands of dollars I spent doing so.

All that time, I had a direct line to a Superhero. I kept relying on worldly resources when I really needed the Great Physician. The creator of the universe. The ultimate healer. The one who holds the answers to every question. The one who holds the master plan.

As is human nature, I looked for answers myself. I failed. As a Christian, I had direct access to the supernatural. Being born again give you access to the spiritual world. I mean think about it. “Born Again.” You certainly can’t be stuffed back into your mother’s uterus!

 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” (John 3:3 NLT)

Born again = Born from above.

I just had to get past myself to realize it. Which apparently took seven years, because apparently I’m fairly stubborn. Once I finally stopped looking inward, and began looking upward, asking God his plan, he healed me overnight. Exactly two years ago today.

On September 25, 2010, I woke up completely free.

Seizures? Gone.

Headaches? Gone.

Depression? Gone.

Addiction? Gone.

He reached his arm down into this ordinary world, and lifted me up to a supernatural place. Other than a few minor headaches, I can honestly say I’ve been completely free from seizures and all medication.

Happy Birthday to me!

Do you have a problem that is beyond your control? Release it to God. Seek out his plan. He can handle it. He’s THE SUPERHERO.

 

From my heart,

Celeste

Tips to a Happier You in 2012~Made to Crave



Here are a few things I know about taste and mood: 

  • It makes us happy to eat something sweet…a comfort food.
  • If we eat a healthy diet, we feel better and are therefore happier.
  • A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. 
  • We feel happier—more satisfied—when our stomachs are full. 
And last but not least…
  • Food is often about relationships. Relationships between us and God, us and friends, and us and our own soul.
There have been tons of studies done testing what we eat with how we feel. We all know that certain vitamins—like Omega-3 fatty acids for instance—feed our brains and increases our overall well-being. 

Food is obviously an important topic to God, as the Bible is full of references to food. Many major events in the Bible took place around food. 

But the food—and the choice of food— was used as a gateway to Christ. Whether it was sacrifice, celebration, or miracle, the food was all about Christ. His body is the bread.

I’ll be honest. This is a tough topic for me. In research, depending on the exact point you search for, there are arguments in every direction. For more information about the arguing voices in my head, check out my post Acceptance in Christ—which honestly is not the best title considering it deals mostly with food. But oh well. 

One of the books I’ve read this year is Made to Crave, which is honestly the most unusual—but also the most enlightening—book about diets. Mostly because it is and is not a diet book. I’m afraid you will just have to read to see what I mean. But there’s one thing I learned (well, confirmed my thought anyway):

We crave whatever is a part of our life—what we do, who we see, what we eat, what we drink, etc. 

    • If we watch pornography, we want to watch more.
    • If we drink alcohol—or Mountain Dew—we want to drink more.
    • If we use drugs, we want them more (And I’m a witness to that one!) 

The neat thing is, though, that the flip side of this is true as well.

    • If we read about God, we want to know more.
    • If we become a volunteer, we want to volunteer more.
    • If we begin tithing, we want to tithe more. 
I’ll share a secret here. I almost didn’t write a blog post today. Not because I didn’t want to, it’s just that time got away from me this week and I found myself beginning this post at midnight last night. Only to hear David say, “What the heck are you doing on your computer NOW?” He really gets tired of seeing me on my computer. 

Well, he hurt my feelings. And as all great women do, I pouted. Most of the day today. Didn’t get anything accomplished. You know the video that surface a few months ago about the father putting a bullet in his daughter’s laptop? I think that’s what David would like to do to mine sometimes. 

But I realized something really important about myself today. I was made to write. It is one of God’s purposes for me. You may get this post a day late, and it may mean only a little to a very few people. But God compels me to write, so it must be for something! I just have to find more time alone. Hmmm….

Okay, back to topic. 

Our taste buds can deceive us. What we think makes us happy, may be only temporary. Since I’ve cut back on sugar, I don’t crave it nearly like I used to. And since I’ve been blogging and writing for God, I crave it more and more. As Lysa Terkeurst says, “We were made to crave.” 



We just have to begin putting away the bad, and starting on the good. 

“Whether we’re on the path toward victory or defeat is determined by the very next choice we make. Not the choices from yesterday. Not the choices five minutes ago.” ~Lysa Terkeurst

We must retrain our taste buds—whether it’s the ones in our mouth or those on our heart—to crave good. 

Especially to crave God.
From my heart,
Celeste

P.S. If you want to know more about the foods and vitamins that can physically enhance your mood, click here for the link to my Delicious stack, Diet for Depression.