Heartprints of H.O.P.E.

Saturday, February 19, 2011

The Me Project - sorry technical difficulties - Check back later

The ME PROJECT

Book Summary

(San Jose, CA) Has that rush to make (and break) New Year’s resolutions already waned? According to Daniel Pink, author of Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, taking small steps every day will not only help you stay committed to your goal, but will also help you ultimately achieve that goal when obstacles come up. Author Kathi Lipp wants you and your friends to live out those dreams—and have some fun along the way.

As women, we forget the goals and dreams of our younger years. The busyness of everyday life gets in the way. To-do lists replace goals. The Me Project provides women with fun and creative ways to bring back the sense of purpose and vitality that comes with living out the plans and dreams God has planted in our hearts. Kathi Lipp’s warm tone and laugh-out-loud humor motivates women to take daily steps toward intentional goals. The end result? We get back our lives and enjoy living in the confidence of a purposeful life in spite of our chaotic schedules.

This handy guide coaches women to do one simple thing toward achieving our goals each day for three weeks. A woman experiencing the exhilaration of a rediscovered life offers more as a wife, mother, friend, volunteer, career woman.

Finding the balance between living day-to-day with purpose while pursuing the passions God has placed in our hearts is a delicate pursuit. In this refreshing, insightful book, Kathi lays out a doable plan that makes sense and helps make our God-given dreams a reality. Never stop dreaming, because women who dare to dream do make the world a better place.

—Jean Blackmer
author of MomSense: A Common Sense Guide to Confident Mothering
Publishing Manager, MOPS International www.MOPS.org

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Spiritual Checkup, 3 Steps to Aging Gracefully, Giveaway!

The Spiritual Fitness Checkup

for the 50-Something Woman

by Sharon King, PhD
Retail: $8.95

Every 7 seconds,
another “Baby Boomer” turns 50...

That’s a lot of “MIDLIFERS!”

Along with many physical and emotional changes,

midlife can bring a deluge of spiritual questions:

Where am I at this major milestone of my life?
Where am I headed?
How do I prepare for “later life?”

Organizing the book like a visit to the doctor’s office for a routine physical, Sharon presents 10 spiritual fitness “checkups” and exercises to help you take your own midlife “Spiritual Pulse Check.” You will learn how to:

Jettison unwanted spiritual baggage
View your midlife crisis from God’s perspective
Focus on forgiveness instead of anger
Conduct a spiritual lab test
Improve your spiritual stamina
Enhance your meditation time
Spiritualize your midlife self-image

These Spiritual Pulse Checks can be used by individuals or for group discussion points. It is Sharon’s hope that The Spiritual Fitness Checkup for the 50-Something Woman will help readers adopt the same attitude toward their spiritual health as they do their physical health, and strive to maintain a vibrant relationship with God.

Sharon V. King, PhD

Realizing that thousands of other “50-something” women may have the same feelings about their official entry into midlife, Sharon set out to apply her knowledge of aging to her spiritual questions and help other women find their way through the midlife maze and, revive (or discover) the joys that come from a closer walk with God at this unique crossroads of life.

Author Bio

Raised in an education-loving family, Dr. Sharon King came of age during the civil rights and women’s rights era of the 60s and 70s. She followed her family’s belief that education plus a deep commitment to God and service to others equals success. She earned a doctoral degree in sociology with a focus on religion and aging.

When Sharon crossed her own midlife threshold, she had an experience that prompted her to re-think what really mattered in life. To celebrate her 50^th, she travelled to Washington, DC to research her grandfather’s genealogy at the Library of Congress and found herself in the middle of the September 11,2001 attack on the Pentagon. Rushing to leave the city and unable to take a flight back home to Atlanta, she drove her rental car 600 miles to get home. “I had plenty of time to think about life and just how quickly it can end,” she says. “That was when I took up journaling to do my own midlife review to see just where I stood with God.”

Dr. King has written three books, of which The Spiritual Fitness Checkup for the 50-Something Woman is the first to be published. Her two other books are currently under review by publishers. One is more autobiographical, titled Midlife Reflections from the 23^rd Psalm. The second book is Meditations from the Spirituals for Today’s Working Woman.

An Atlanta resident, she works at a university coordinating international programs and sponsors a “Goats for Grandparents” charity that funds the purchase of goats for older women and their grandchildren in Kenya.

Sharon's love of writing is shared with other authors through her editorial service, King’s Ransom Writing and Editing Service and her blog " Women of Color Writing for Christ ."

3 Steps to Aging Gracefully:

1. Enjoy the journey. Unfortunately, our youth-loving society has taught women to fear aging. Slowly but surely, the word is getting out that the second 50 years of life can be as fulfilling and possibly more exciting than the first.
2. Remain flexible. Even though our second 50 years may be exciting, that doesn’t mean they won’t be full of change. We can choose to manage changes creatively and positively or be victim to them. We hear the word “reinvent” a lot for women facing midlife years. It’s more than media hype; it’s a spiritual doctrine. Who knows more about “making all things new” than God?
3. Don’t go it alone. We all should seek social support as we move into later life, no matter our life status. That support may or may not come from our families. It may be in the form of a group or a single individual—face to face or across the internet. We gain perspective as we hear that others are traveling and have traveled this same journey. It’s essential we can avoid isolating ourselves, which can lead to depression. We can reach out to women in other cultures or with lifestyles very different from ours and learn just how universal this aging business really is.

GIVEAWAY! Leave a comment below to be entered in the drawing....

You could win.....

a free copy of the The Spiritual Fitness Checkup for the 50-Something Woman: Ten Steps Toward Midlife Spiritual Health. As a bonus, you also will receive services from the author's editing business, King's Ransom Writing and Editing Service, for up to fifty pages of double-spaced manuscript (book, articles, etc.). With this giveaway, you will receive more than proofreading. Sharon also offers writing assistance, tips, points out bad writing habits, etc. It's a writing analysis as well as editing. This has a value of up to $350. But wait, there's more! You also will receive a special discount editing rate of fifty cents per page (Some editors charge $5 to $10 per page!) if you sign a full manuscript-editing contract with King’s Ransom. Quite the giveaway!

Friday, December 3, 2010

Sunday, October 31, 2010

SEE

" I've told my kids for years that God doesn't make mistakes," writes Mary Beth Chapman, wife of Grammy award winning recording artist Steven Curtis Chapman. In a 2008 accident at their family home, the Chapmans lost a precious child and Mary Beth wrestled with God in a big way.

   I didn't realize how much she struggled with hopelessness and depression until she spoke out on a recent tour - Night with the Chapmans. I guess somehow it's easy to think such a successful and strong-faithed family wouldn't bleed like normal people do. But they are human too. No amount of money eases a hurting heart. She said their prayer from the beginning was asking God that they SEE what He wanted to do in these unthinkable circumstances.
   As I listened, I remembered a time when my son was taken away by an arresting officer. My unthinkable circumstance.
    Almost instantly I choose HOPE rather than fear. Hope is expecting something good in the bad. Fear is just expecting something bad. Fear would have blinded me to what God wanted to do.
HOPE allowed me to SEE the heart of God and KNOW He had purpose in the pain.
    Choose HOPE. Choose to SEE. Choose to Know.

Click here to view an interview with Mary Beth Chapman as she talks about her new book - Choosing to SEE : A Journey of Struggle and Hope

Friday, June 11, 2010

Power Failure

Running the washer, dryer and hair dryer at the same time blows a fuse at our house. I run to the basement, in the dark because basement lights are on that circuit too, and flip the breaker switch. When power fails, everything comes to a halt!

What is your power source....job, family, church? When that power fails, does your world stop? Do you feel like you are left in the dark and are afraid of the next step?

I was recently reminded from a man named Nehemiah where to find the real power source - one that won't fail.

Nehemiah (2:2) went to the king. Right away the king noticed Nehemiah was depressed. The king called it 'sadness of heart.' Nehemiah became afraid because to be sad in front of the king was not allowed!

With respect, Nehemiah decided to be honest with his pain and talk to the king. The king asked "What do you want?" In a heartbeat, Nehemiah did three things:

He trusted God
He obeyed God
He asked for wisdom from God

Then Nehemiah asked the king to go and rebuild the city. He also asked for everything he needed to do the job. Everything he needed to fulfill the dream. Verse 8:

"And because the gracious hand of my God was upon me, the king granted my request."

Do you have an unfulfilled dream? Have you acknowledged God as your Power Source and Giver of Gifts? Replace your fear and 'sadness of heart' through trusting God, obedience and wisdom.

May his gracious hand be upon you and grant your request!

Monday, April 19, 2010

Quad City Christian Writers' Conference

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

A compassionate message to anyone affected by grief...

Don't miss anything...

About the Book
About the Author
Personal Letters
Bonus Article
Table of Contents
Enter Grand Prize Giveaway!

Special Price at www.heartprintsofhope.com
Discount $9.34 Item #636810

ABOUT THE BOOK

Among comforting paintings by artist Michal Sparks, brief stories, personal experiences, and prayers offer a meaningful path toward healing for readers when they:

feel alone and lost in their grief and want to reconnect with others and to life
seek to make sense of their loss alongside their sense of faith, purpose, and God
want to honor their loved one without clinging to the past in unhealthy ways

Readers are given gentle permission to grapple with doubt, seek peace, and reflect on loss in their own way without judgment and with understanding and hope. A perfect gift for a loved one dealing with loss and grief.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Liz Allison was married to NASCAR driver Davey Allison until his tragic death in 1993. Widowed at 28 with two young children to raise, Liz faced the long journey of pain, loss, and grief with great faith. Committed to encouraging others, she returned to her work in TV reporting, has published eight books, and hosts a weekly radio show. Please visit www.lizallison.com

Cecil Murphey is an international speaker and bestselling author who has written more than 100 books, including New York Times bestseller 90 Minutes in Heaven (with Don Piper). No stranger himself to loss and grief, Cecil has served as a pastor and hospital chaplain for many years, and through his ministry and books he has brought hope and encouragement to countless people around the world.

Please visit www.cecilmurphey.com

PERSONAL LETTERS - Why We Write About Loss
On the morning of July 12, 1992, my husband, Davey, left home like any other morning—he kissed my forehead and hugged our kids.That afternoon I answered a knock at the door, sensing something wasn’t quite right. When I glimpsed the faces of Davey’s two best friends—they didn't have to speak—the looks on their faces said it all.

That day, after lunch with his race team, Davey had hopped into his helicopter and taken an unplanned trip to the nearby Talladega Superspeedway to watch a buddy practice. Attempting to land in the infield, he had lost control of his helicopter and crashed. Although paramedics airlifted Davey to a Birmingham hospital, sixteen hours later he was pronounced dead.

Immediately following Davey’s death, I had to work through my grief enough to plan his funeral and make hundreds of small-but-significant decisions, all while maintaining the time and energy to care for our two young children, ages one and three. Well-wishing friends hovered around me and frequently asked, “What can I do for you?

Most of the time, I could only respond with a blank stare. Looking back, my friends could have done many things for me, but they didn’t know what to do, and I didn’t know what to tell them.

I hope the insights I have gained during the aftermath of Davey’s death will help you as you struggle with your own grief.
Liz

--------------------------------------

Two weeks after my father suffered a ministroke, a massive stroke took his life. On the day of his funeral, my older brother, Ray, died of cancer. Over the next eighteen months, I lost two brothers-in-law and my mother.

On the Sunday after Dad’s and Ray’s funerals, a parishioner rushed up to me, hugged me, and said, “Pastor, I heard about the deaths. Were they saved?”

I honestly don’t remember what I answered, but I wanted to shout, “Does it matter right now? I hurt. I’m so filled with pain that I’m not sure I can handle the worship service today!”

In 2007, our house burned down. Our son-in-law, Alan, died in the fire. The next day, a neighbor pulled up in front of our burned house, got out of his car, and started to look around. “Where did he die?” he asked.

Through the years, I’ve met many like those two people. Maybe they didn’t know what to say. Perhaps they were so focused on what they cared about that they were unaware of my pain. Instead of helping me, those comments made me feel even worse. What I needed was compassion. I didn’t get that from either of them, but I can offer it to you.

That’s why we’ve written this book.
—Cec

PRACTICAL TIPS TO COMFORT THOSE IN GRIEF (click)

Words of Comfort for Times of Loss

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Little Joys
You're Not Alone
One Simple Thing
Accepting Help
Make It Go Away
Why Did You Leave Me?
If Only I Had
What's Wrong With Self-pity?
Perfect Grieving
Am I Crazy?
Material Possessions
Facing Those Special Days

LEAVE A COMMENT AND YOU MAY WIN THIS:

Words of Comfort for Times of Loss

Heaven Is Real

Gift Edition, 90 Minutes in Heaven

Journal Pens Potato soup Oyster crackers Dove silky smooth milk chocolate

ultra-plush spa socks large gel eye mask

This special grandprize giveaway is designed especially for someone going through a difficult time. The winner can keep or pass along to someone who could use the pick-me-up.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Depression is contagious

TMZ posted this headline 2/28/10: Marie Osmond Son: Suicide note shows sadness. Michael Blosil jumped to his death to end his 'torment' from depression.

It is a familiar story to Patricia Gallagher, author of No More Secrets- A Family Speaks About Depression, Anxiety and Attempted Suicide. Her husband, John, faced uncertainty at work and anxiety landed him in the hospital where he jumped from an open window. John survived. That landing from 40 feet brought pain to the entire family in ways they never imagined. Quickly a web of lies began to maintain appearances as that happy family featured on Oprah a few years earlier when life was good.

Patricia Gallagher and her family appeared in a segment about her book Raising Happy Kids on a Reasonable Budget. A dream come true for any author and her family!

Today, the family tells a different story about depression and it's ripple effect on family members. They have found healing and peace as they help other families facing depression, addictions and difficult situations.

I asked Patricia to share her thoughts in a recent interview:

How can you relate to Marie Osmond's son suffering from depression and chosing to end his life?

I honestly, am finding that I feel too deeply when I hear about tragedies such as the Osmond family. When it's someone's child, it is almost too much for me. I think because of writing the book, and doing all of the research....I have found this type of tragedy is more common that I could ever have imagined. It is so heartbreaking.

What gets you through those unthinkable circumstances?

For me, I kept running, running, running, being busy...then I discovered a true faith in God to help me. I went to church and was a 'good person' but during all that was happening with John and the residual effect on our family, financially and emotionally, I had to really hold on to God as my anchor. I started writing prayers/poems. As I look back, I realize they were 'desperate housewife's ' plea for heavenly assistance. That is how the Team of Angels Project began.

How does a loved one with depression effect those around them?

Depression seems to be contagious. We were all affected because of John's negativity and pervasive sadness. It wasn't his fault because depression is a disease, but in our case, it was not being treated, because we didn't have a name for what was happening. We just didn't know why he was acting the way he was. I was frustrated.

What are some ways family members can stay emotionally healthy while

living with someone suffering from depression.

Find a support group; tell other people; reach out for help at church, friends, relatives; seek counsel; join on-line communities to vent.

Patricia suggests organizations like NAMI, Depression Bi-Polar Support Alliance and Mental Health America for help. Other resources are listed on their website http://www.speakingaboutdepression.com/. From there visit their on-line community blog and find book ordering information.

Thursday, February 4, 2010

The Awesome Bond of Sisters PLUS Eight tips to maintain relationships with sis!

The Awesome Bond of Sisters

by Virginia Smith

Having a sister is like having a best friend

you can't get rid of. You know whatever you do,

they'll still be there. --Amy Li

My middle sister and I fought like wildcats when we were growing up. One of my most vivid childhood memories is of being forcibly separated during an argument and banished to sit together on the living room couch with orders not to get up until we could get along. I huddled against one arm and resigned myself to living on that two-foot square cushion for the next eleven years, when I would turn eighteen and could get my own apartment. After an eternity, Mom entered the room to mediate. “Girls,” she said, “you are sisters. There will never be another person in the world more closely related to you than your sister. So you’d better learn to get along, because someday one of you might need a kidney.” Not, perhaps, the most convincing argument for reconciliation ever presented, but it worked. For the moment, anyway.

A woman has many relationships in her life, but the bond between sisters is unique. There is the biological link, but the connection goes beyond that. Sisters enjoy a shared past. They experienced many of the same events that molded their personalities, and therefore they understand one another in a way no one else can. They speak the same shorthand. If one of my sisters says, “I know! Let’s put on a show!” we all laugh, because we remember the first time one of us said that, and the resulting spectacle that has become family legend.

Sisters “get” each other without having to go into all the background. When I’ve had an argument with my husband, I can call my sisters and say, “He doesn’t want a puppy. I think I may divorce him.” My sisters understand my reaction immediately, because they remember witnessing our parents’ argument over the same subject. They can talk me down from the ledge, and away from the divorce attorneys. And they will do this even if I call them at three o’clock in the morning, with only a minimum amount of grumbling about the loss of sleep.

Psychologist Marcia Millman, author of The Perfect Sister, said during an interview, “I think sisters can help repair the injuries of childhood.” That’s certainly been true in my family. Whenever we get together, our husbands cover yawns and eventually slip away to the other room to watch a ballgame while we rehash events of our childhood, and discuss how they have impacted us as adults. Often I come away with a new perspective and a better attitude, so gatherings with my sisters are sort of like group therapy sessions. Only less expensive.

While it’s true that we share a common past, even sisters experience different events while growing up in the same household. I like to remind both of my sisters that, being the oldest, I blazed the trail for them. They both got their ears pierced sooner than I did, and wore lipstick, and shaved their legs. They were both allowed to date at an earlier age than I was, and stay out later. There are ten years between my youngest sister and me, so by the time she became a teenager, I had successfully driven our parents into a state of exhausted stupor, and she got to do pretty much whatever she wanted. (Which I still think is totally unfair, but that’s the way it is in most families, I’ve learned.) I think she owes me big-time.

My sisters and I do still have the occasional conflict. Author Linda Sunshine said, “If you don’t understand how a woman could both love her sister dearly and want to wring her neck at the same time, then you were probably an only child.” Our arguments don’t become physical anymore (we all understand the importance of good hair now, so we are no longer tempted to grab a handful), but these days, being at odds with one of my sisters is far more painful than our childhood brawls.

Several years ago, my middle sister and I had a disagreement and didn’t speak to each other for a few days. I was miserable without her, but we both stubbornly refused to back down. While cooking dinner one evening, I dropped a glass measuring cup she had given me, and it shattered. When it did, my stubbornness broke into a million pieces. My husband brought the phone to me where I sat sobbing on the floor, surrounded by shards of glass, and said sternly, “Call your sister.” Never has a reunion been so sweet.

Someone once said that relationships between siblings are the most long-lasting and influential of all. My sisters have been a part of my life longer than my husband or my children, and they will be part of my life even after our parents are gone. They know me, and understand me, and they like me anyway. They’re one of the best blessings God has given me. And as Mom said, if I ever do need a kidney, I know who to call.

______________________________

NEW BOOK!!

Virginia Smith is the author of a dozen Christian novels including the Sister-to-Sister Series, which is based in large part on her relationship with her own sisters. Stuck in the Middle was a finalist for the 2009 ACFW Book of the Year award. Her newest book, Third Time’s a Charm, the third and final book in the series, is now available wherever books are sold. Learn more about Ginny and her books, and enter a Prize Bonanza Giveaway, at http://www.virginiasmith.org/

Paperback: 336 pages Publisher: Revell Release: January 1, 2010
ISBN-10: 0800732340 ISBN-13: 978-0800732349
Retail: $14.99

8 Tips for Maintaining a Relationship with your Sister

In today’s busy world, it’s easy to let a relationship slide. That’s true regardless of whether you live nearby or far apart. Here are some tips for maintaining a strong relationship with your sister.

Scheduled Phone Calls – Communication is the key to any relationship, so don’t leave it to chance. Select a specific day each week for an uninterrupted phone call. Put your sister on your cell phone “Favorites” so you can talk free.

Text Messages – Texting is the preferred method of communication for one of my sisters. Be sure you have unlimited texts on your cell phone plan.

Utilize the Internet – Email and social networking sites like Facebook are wonderful ways to stay connected. On Goodreads and LibraryThing you can keep track of what your sister is reading, too.

Skype – If you both have a computer with a camera, this software allows you see each other while you talk – and it’s free.

Letters – Email is wonderful, but there’s nothing like reading your sister’s words in her own handwriting.

Cards – Next time you browse the card shelves, pick up several funny ones and tuck them away in a drawer. Send one every so often to surprise your sister with a laugh.

Sister Sleepovers – Even if you live near one another, there’s nothing like getting away from it all with your sister. Schedule an annual sleepover at a lodge, or hotel, or even at someone’s house. Leave the kids at home, and focus on having fun with each other.

Start a Tradition – Create a tradition you share only with your sister. For instance, my sister and I exchange ugly ornaments at Christmas every year. We spend months shopping for the ugliest ornament we can find, and love the competition of seeing who “wins” that year.

Hi ginny

Thursday, December 31, 2009

A Hero and the Holocaust

I recently met an amazing man named Aaron Elster. His childhood ended before he was ten. War was not a game for Aaron to play like my grandson plays today.War was reality. Fear and death surrounded him. The horrors of the Holocaust held him prisoner and stole everything he loved.

His face, however, softened as he shared a pre-war childhood memory. He remembers mother tucking him into bed with a warmed, down comforter for a safe night's sleep. I believe there was a time when Sweet Dreams took him on nightly adventures and returned him just in time for daybreak.

However, with just a blink of his eye, Aaron went back to a place a little boy could not imagine in his wildest dreams. The nightmares of the Holocaust were real and he was wide awake. He remembers many cold winter nights wearing only shorts, shirt and shoes. Hiding alone in the forest laying on a bed of leaves with a loaf of bread for his pillow. Confused to say the least, little Aaron was afraid to sleep. What if Death surprised him and took him away? He saw so much death but it never became his friend.

Later, he hid in an attic - never leaving his small, lice and mice infested world for two years. The tin plate roof on a hot summer day was like living in an oven.No air, just heat day after day. But oh, how refreshing was the heavenly choir of raindrops on that tin roof. He could join in song or.... just scream. No one could hear. It felt good to do something. To help keep his sanity, he often imagined being The Hero of his dreadful story called Survival.

If Aaron were a hero, maybe he could save his younger sister, Sara, from the gas chamber. Maybe his mother would open her arms for a hero's welcome home. Maybe he could single-handedly get the bad guys so the killings would stop. Well, his dream came true but not as he expected. His sister and father perished, his mother rejected him and the bad guys murdered six million Jews before the war's end. But Aaron is a hero to me.

I'm sure he doesn't feel like a hero when he lost everything. He may not even be a hero by today's standards of being talented, famous or rich. But he is a hero from a biblical definition of one who is couragous and breaks through barriers so that others can rise to their best, to their destiny.

Heroes are not the ones that never fail, but the ones who never give up. - Author unknown

Aaron never gave up.
Today, Aaron has the courage to tell his story. He breaks through the barrier of hate and leaves a path of hope.

Aaron is a vice-president of the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center in Skokie, Illinois. Our young author through True Stories By Me: Holocaust Series was there to meet Mr. Elster for an interview and write his true story. He greeted us with a smile but it quickly faded as we entered the "dark" side of the building representing the decent into darkness - The Holocaust. History came alive as we reverently walked the hallways. History also broke my heart and made me cry.

I tried to see reflections of the past in Aaron's eyes but they were so dark, so full of pain. But we kept walking, listening and remembering. We eventually moved into the "light" wing of the museum where stories of survival, liberation and the birth of Israel could shine. Hope was always around the corner, we just didn't know which corner but Aaron knew because he already lived it.

Heroes like Aaron make the world a better place.Heroes like Aaron encourage and enable us today to take a stand; to ask questions; to always remember there is hope.

>>>"Only guard yourself and guard your soul carefully, lest you forget the things your eyes saw, and lest these things depart your heart all the days of your life, and you shall make them known to your children, and your children's children." Dueteronomy 4:9

To learn more about this hero visit www.aaronelster.comClick to learn more about The Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center

Monday, October 19, 2009

My Vacation to No Where - 3rd Day

My FaceBook friends have been posting pics of their trips to Disney, Europe, Las Vegas. I decided a wanted a vacation too. This week I am on vacation.
The third one in 30 years! This is a picture outside my house. What a beautiful time of year for a vacation.

I am on a vacation to no where to do nothing.
Sounds good to me! Some people may even be jealous- SORRY!

This is my third day of spending as much time as I want in God's Word...I'm lovin' that!

He reminded me "Be still and know that I am God..."Psalm 46:10

Then, I put on a bright yellow sweatshirt that says Sannibel Island. A great buy at Salvation Army. It makes me feel warm all over - literally!

Those who vacation know housecleaning comes in while you are lounging by the pool. I don't know where Rick found this housekeeper but she is wonderful.
I'm sure she thinks our family lives like they depend on the maid to clean things up. But in less than an hour, the house was transformed like we are expecting company. I do hope someone stops by. I'm going to pay her $30 for all she did!

With my $30 I'm planning a shopping trip this week! I'm so excited.

Then I did something out of the ordinary. Well..no one was watching, so what?

I did the chicken dance.

What do you do when know one is watching on your vacations to no where?

Now, the rest of the day is blogging, answering emails and writing. I'm not writing my book like I had planned...it's something bigger and better. Actually, quite unbelievable. It won't even work unless God is in it.

...I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world -Psalm 46:10

Talk tomorrow!

Friday, August 28, 2009

Dancing with the Stars

What dance style best describes you?

Slow Waltz * Cha-Cha-Cha * Jitterbug * Ballet * Disco * Square Dancing * Rumba * Swing * Texas Two Step

Whatever beat moves you, motivates you, describes you - it's purposed!

For you created my inmost being, you knit me together in my mother's womb. - Psalm 139:13

God planted passions and dreams in you that only YOU can fill. Only you hear the beat. Only you sense His stirring to dance to your dream. Are you moving to the music or sitting your dream out?

Life's disappointments can drown out the beat. Over time music fades. Dreams die. Maybe you find yourself doing the Hustle to Stayin' Alive by The Bee Gee's
If you are not dancing or just surviving, ask yourself two questions: What did I expect to happen? What longing did I need filled from that expectation?
We long to feel: Significant, Secure, Spiritual, Successful, and Intimate.

In the dance called LIFE we often look to a spouse, friend, child or even career to fulfill those longings that lead and expectations that follow. By doing that, we can be disapointed and lose hope.

Unrelenting disappointment leaves your heartsick; but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life. - Proverbs 13:12 The Message/NIV

Life is more purposed when you are DANCING WITH THE STARS - God * Jesus * Holy Spirit
God-given longings are placed in us to connect with God. Let His longings lead.
Expectations will never disappoint us when they are in Jesus. Follow His steps.
Passions move us to the beat of the Holy Spirit. Dance to the music of your God-given dreams.
Remember the day God asked you to dance? You said YES! Don't stop now.

May you always be Dancing with the STARS & your dreams come true!

Sunday, August 16, 2009

"PRAYER POWER" Blog Tour with Peter Lundell

Are you hungry for God? Do you have intimacy with God? You can determine your strengths and weaknesses at the end of each chapter in Prayer Power:30 Days to a Stronger Connection with God by Peter Lundell.
ONLY $11.04 - SAVE AT HEARTPRINTS OF H.O.P.E. DISCOUNT STORE. click here

ABOUT THE BOOK:

In the crazy world around us, our prayers may too often seem ineffective. Do you want to connect with God when you pray and receive more direct answers? PRAYER POWER is the tool you need to build a more powerful and dynamic life of prayer.

Intensely practical and straightforward, PRAYER POWER helps you improve on thirty essential facets of prayer such as passion, routine, fasting, praying with others, listening to God, handling distractions, and spiritual warfare. In each brief chapter you'll be inspired by stories of people whose lives of prayer give us powerful examples.

PRAYER POWER can be used as a month-long devotional, a prayer guide, or a reference for help in specific areas. Whether you're a new believer or think you've heard it all, this book's refreshing and honest insight will guide you to a deeper connection with God.

ASK THE AUTHOR - Peter Lundell
What are some of the things God has taught you about prayer over the years - especially from the perspective of your leadership roles?

It’s good to listen before I talk. If I always dive into prayer and never spend time listening, I only dump my own “give-me list” on God. But his word says in 1 John 5:14–15 that when I seek and pray according to his will, my prayer will be answered. So the key is to first get in sync with God.

We’ve got to have a hunger, or thirst, for God. Without hunger, no program or technique or anything we learn will go anywhere. But with hunger for God, we could know almost nothing and still have a great prayer life. Hunger is singularly important—which is why it’s the first chapter.

When I pray with faith and don’t get what I ask for, God will soon show me why. There is always something to learn in unanswered prayer.

What advice would you give to people who struggle with God when they pray?

True men and women of prayer will sometimes struggle in prayer, as did many figures in the Bible, like Jacob’s symbolic wrestling with the angel and Jesus’ wrestling over his fate in Gethsemane.

Like anyone else, I struggle with unanswered prayer or major decisions to do something by faith, when tragedy strikes, problems of injustice, and healings that take a lot longer than I’d like. The key is to keep struggling—don’t give up and too quickly assume something is God’s will before you know for sure. The angel commended Jacob for not giving up until he got a blessing. God the Father actually sent an angel to help Jesus wrestle in Gethsemane. Sometimes wrestling in prayer is God’s will for us.

Wrestling in prayer is actually a good thing. It draws us closer to God. And it changes us in the process. And that’s what most of us hope for!

9 WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR PRAYER LIFE

1. Establish a designated place to pray.
2. Set a designated time of day to pray.
3. Use written prayers or music to help get started.
4. Repent of the things that hinder your prayer.
5. Pray out loud--this clarifies thoughts.
6. Personalize Bible verses when you pray.
7. Let yourself get in a situation where you have to trust God.
8. Seek the Holy Spirit's leading--and listen.
9. Be bold and persistent.

YOU COULD WIN THIS PRAYER BASKET! Leave a comment for an opportunity to win this GRAND PRIZE.
Prayer Power by Peter Lundell
When God Turned off the Lights by Cecil Murphey (Cec is one of Peter's mentors)
Committed but Flawed by Cecil Murphey
Also includes: Prayer Journal, Pen, and Candle

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

When Someone You Love Has Cancer

A Treatment of Encouragement and Prognosis of Hope

Cancer. One of the deadliest words spoken in modern times. The disease and side effects of treatment break the hearts of onlookers, leaving caregivers and family members feeling helpless.

Bestselling author, Cecil Murphy cared for his wife, Shirley, as she fought cancer.

About the Book:

The World Health Organization reported that by the year 2010 cancer will be the number one killer worldwide. More than 12.4 million people in the world suffer from cancer. 7.6 million people are expected to die from some form of cancer. That's a lot of people, but the number of loved ones of cancer sufferers is far greater. What do they do when a special person in their life is diagnosed with this devastating disease?

Murphey brings his experiences as a loved one and many years of wisdom gained from being a pastor and hospital chaplain to his newest book When Someone You Love Has Cancer: Comfort and Encouragement for Caregivers and Loved Ones (Harvest House Publishers). His honest I've-been-there admissions and practical helps are combined with artist Michal Sparks' soothing watercolor paintings.

Readers of When Someone You Love Has Cancer will receive:

Inspiration to seek peace and understanding in their loved one's situation;
Help in learning the importance of active listening;
Guidance in exploring their own feelings of confusion and unrest;
Suggestions on how to handle anxiety and apprehension;
Honest answers to questions dealing with emotions, exhaustion, and helplessness;
Spirit-lifting thoughts for celebrating the gift of life in the midst of troubles.

Murphey explains why this is a much-needed book: "Most books about cancer address survivors. I want to speak to the mates, families, and friends who love those with cancer. I offer a number of simple, practical things people can do for those with cancer."

From the cover of this beautifully illustrated book to the closing remarks, he guides caregivers through a gentle question and answer session. Prayers for difficult situations are scattered throughout the book and personal illustrations from cancer caregivers help validate and encourage readers.

An Interview with Cecil Murphy, author of 90 Minutes in Heaven, by Kathy Carlton Willis
1. The first sentence of your book reads, "I felt helpless." Tell us about that feeling.

Because her doctor put Shirley into the high-risk category, I felt helpless. To me, helpless means hating the situation, wanting to make it better, but admitting there was nothing I could do for her.

2. On that same page you also write, "One thing we learned: God was with us and strengthened us through the many weeks of uncertainty and pain." How did you get from feeling helpless to that assurance?

Shirley and I sat down one day and I put my arm around her. "The only way I know how I can handle this," I said, "is to talk about it." Shirley knows that's my way of working through puzzling issues. "Let's consider every possibility." If her surgeon decided she did not have breast cancer, how would we react? We talked of our reaction if he said, "There is a tumor and it's obviously benign. Finally, I was able to say, with tears in my eyes, "How do we react if he says the cancer is advanced and you have only a short time to live?" By the time we talked answered that question, I was crying. Shirley had tears in her eyes, but remained quite calm. "I'm ready to go whenever God wants to take me," she said. She is too honest not to have meant those words. As I searched her face, I saw calmness and peace. I held her tightly and we prayed together. After that I felt calm. Since then, one of the first things I do when I awaken is to thank God that Shirley and I have at least one more day together.

3. When most people hear the word cancer applied to someone they love, they have strong emotional reactions. What are some of them? What was your reaction when your wife was diagnosed with breast cancer?

As a pastor, a volunteer chaplain, and a friend I've encountered virtually every emotional reaction. Some refuse to accept what they hear. Some go inward and are unable to talk. Others start making telephone calls to talk to friends.

Me? I went numb, absolutely numb. That was my old way of dealing with overwhelming emotions. I heard everything but I couldn't feel anything. It took me almost two weeks before I was able to feel--and to face the possibility that the person I loved most in the world might die.

4. "What can I do for my loved one with cancer?" That's a good question for us to ask ourselves. How can we be supportive and helpful?

Many think they need to do big things; they don't. Express your concern and your love.

Be available to talk when the other person needs it--and be even more willing to be silent if your loved one doesn't want to talk. Don't ask what you can do; do what you see needs doing. To express loving support in your own way (and we all express love differently) is the best gift you can offer.

5. Why do you urge people not to say, "I know exactly how you feel"?

No one knows how you feel. They may remember how they felt at a certain time. Even if they did know, what help is that to the person with cancer? It's like saying, "Stop feeling sorry for yourself. I know what it's like and I'm fine now."
Instead, focus on how the loved one feels. Let him or her tell you.

6. Those with cancer suffer physically and spiritually. You mention God's silence as a form of spiritual suffering. They pray and don't seem to sense God. What can you do to help them?

God is sometimes silent but that doesn't mean God is absent. In my upcoming book, When God Turns off the Lights, I tell what it was like for me when God stopped communicating for about 18 months.

I didn't like it and I was angry. I didn't doubt God's existence, but I didn't understand the silence. I read Psalms and Lamentations in various translations. I prayed and I did everything I could, but nothing changed.

After a couple of months, I realized that I needed to accept the situation and wait for God to turn on the lights again. Each day I quoted Psalm 13:1: "O Lord, how long will you forget me? Forever? How long will you look the other way?" (NLT)

I learned many invaluable lessons about myself--and I could have learned them only in the darkness. When God turns off the lights (and the sounds) I finally realized that instead of God being angry, it was God's loving way to draw me closer.

7. Guilt troubles many friends and loved ones of caregivers because they feel they failed or didn't do enough. What can you say to help them?

We probably fail our loved ones in some ways. No one is perfect. If you feel that kind of guilt, I suggest 3 things:

(1) Tell the loved one and ask forgiveness.

(2) Talk to God and ask God to forgive you and give you strength not to repeat your failures.

(3) Forgive yourself. And one way to do that is to say, "At the time, I thought I did the right thing. I was wrong and I forgive myself."

8. Do you have some final words of wisdom for those giving care to a loved one with cancer?

Be available. You can't take away the cancer but you can alleviate the sense of aloneness. Don't ever try to explain the reason the person has cancer. We don't know the reason and even if we did, would it really help the other person?

Be careful about what you say. Too often visitors and friends speak from their own discomfort and forget about the pain of the one with cancer. Don't tell them about your cancer or other disease; don't tell them horror stories about others. Above all, don't give them false words of comfort. Be natural. Be yourself. Behave as loving as you can.

Visit www.heartprintsofhope.com for a special discount price of $9.34, retail 10.99

I WOULD LOVE TO SEE ONE OF MY READERS WIN A $300 GIFT BASKET thanks to Cec. It could be you! The winner will be chosen from the blog site on tour with the most comments. Do you know someone with cancer? Leave a comment of encouragement!

Monday, June 22, 2009

Don't Give Up

The door didn't open. One step at a time, I sensed God's leading toward an amazing ministry opportunity. Okay, it seemed impossible but with God all things are possible, right? “My qualifications and experience didn't fit” they said through the closed door. Well, if Moses applied for the job to lead Israelites out of Egypt, his qualifications and experience didn't fit either. But God lead and equipped Moses along the way. I believed God's leading took me to the door so my expectation was to walk through the door. The door didn't open.

Immediately, I felt the sting of fiery doubt, disappointment, defeat and discontentment darts.
I wanted to give up. Just quit. This faith-race is too hard.
Have you been there, done that?

If it wasn't for parakletos, I would have thrown in the towel. Para-what? A couple energy drinks? No, parakletos is a person. The One who comes along side during the last miles of the marathon and sets pace. He cheers his friend and warns him about dangers in the road. He reminds the runner of the finish line. Parakletos means “one called alongside to help.” Jesus sends the “Comforter” (parakletos) to guide us (John 16:12-13 NIV) during our faith-race. The Comforter eased my grief and gave me hope.

Faith makes things possible....not easy

My Comforter reminded me of all the blessings on the journey and those yet unseen. I did not let that closed door rob me of victory that is mine or steal joy along the journey.

Karen Whiting offers added refreshment in her latest article, Multiple Streams of Contentment. Read and rest. Don't give up.

Article link: Multiple Streams of Contentment by Karen Whiting

hughesnet

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

What language do you speak...check out the video!

How many languages do you speak? I speak two fluently and one kinda-sorta.
My English is the goodest :)
The other language I speak fluently is Christianeze.

When I realized I was a sinner, I confessed my sins and was born again, Jesus Christ became my Savior. I have a burden for other sinners and pray they repent and receive salvation to live eternally with Jesus.

TRANSLATION: I needed rescued and Jesus Christ was my Rescuer. Anyone who has ever done anything wrong, like me, needs rescued too. Just talk to God, tell him you are sorry and He will forgive you and give you life forever with Him.

While I am so grateful for a changed life, it wasn't those who talked Christianeze that helped me see the truth...it was all God!

This brief video below is funny but true! Check it out...

SundaySchoolThoughts: A Salute to Mr. Christianeze Speaking Person

Asta la vista!