I need not fear, but instead, be encouraged because the Lord is with me. His power is perfect in weakness—and I am weak. I do not create life, heal brokenness, or redeem tragedy, but God can. My inability showcases His great ability. He calls me closer to Him. He refreshes me when I call on Him.
This suffering will produce perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And that hope does not put me to shame because God has poured his love into my heart through the power of the Holy Spirit. He is my light and salvation. He is the stronghold of life. My confidence is in Him. I cry out now, and I know that He hears me because He is close to the brokenhearted and He saves those crushed in spirit.
I may be hard pressed on every side, but I am not crushed. I may be perplexed, but I do not despair. I may feel persecuted, but I am not abandoned. I might get struck down, but I will not be destroyed because He is my God. He is with me. He strengthens me and upholds me in His righteous hand.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord – and for that, I praise you, God!
He is all powerful; I am weak. He is all-knowing; I am limited. He is ever present; I am perishing.
His holiness exposes the sin seeping into every chamber of my heart. Easily deceived, my tendency to wander leads me to worthless idols.
Again and again.
Yet, the Shepherd seeks the sheep and becomes the bridge that spans the gap between us. He relentlessly calls my name. He guides me to Living Water, inviting me to drink and never thirst again.
Because He loves me.
He was already there—in the beginning—and will be forever. His words breathe life and are life.
I love to write. These last few years have brought great joy as I’ve seen fruit grow after years of hard work. However lately, I’ve been evaluating the good things in my life and how all good things remain good things only when they stay in the right place in my life. A recent “time out” from fictional writing has proven to be a beneficial pause and reminder to me that occasional distance from the activities I love is healthy and good.
Consider 3 reasons why you should take a break from your passions:
Anything can become an idol
Anything, even good things, like writing to express my love for the Lord, can sneak into that space in my heart reserved for the Lord. Writing about God should never replace personal time spent with Him. Studying His Word should never become about finding material for a devotional or a growth arch for a character. I strive to know Him better and grow in love for Him because He is worthy of my praise and adoration. That is why I enter into His presence.
A well-rounded life is healthier, less stressful, and honestly – more fun
I’ve observed that closing the laptop, getting off the office chair, getting my nose out from under a pile of notes and papers improves my attitude, patience, and over all health. It is good to go for a walk / jog / bike ride. It is good to spend time with the real people living in my house and give them 100% of my attention. It is good to feel the warmth of the sun on my face, laugh with my children, stay up late or get up early just because. There is more to life than work and hobbies.
Real people are more important
That deserves a repeat because it is easy to say but also easy to forget. Real people are more important than the stuff you’re saving your money to buy, more important than the book you want to finish reading, more important than the training schedule you want to keep, more important than the blog post you are reading right now <grin>. For me, real people are more important than the make believe ones I create in my stories.
Maybe you’re not a writer. Maybe your passion is running, cooking, reading, playing an instrument, fitness, home decor, crafting, gaming, or anything else that might bring a person pleasure. It really doesn’t matter what “thing” fills your spare time, the truth still remains. Guard yourself against making it an idol. Keep God, and your time with Him, first. Balance your life by first meeting daily with Him, then exercising, easting healthy, and engaging with the people around you because real people—relationships—are more important than that hobby. And the most important relationship is the one you have with God.
If your passion has slowly overtaken your thoughts, time and attention, perhaps it is time to force it back into its rightful place. Sometimes, a break is good.
I am so excited to release the trailer for The Builder’s Reluctant Bride. As I move into the final month before the book release, I’m asking for your prayers.
It would be easy to get swept up in the promotion and fun of releasing my first novel, and some of that is great. In fact, much of that is great. But my heart, at its core, is so sinful and prideful that I know I need your prayers to navigate this stretch well, to pursue humility in these upcoming weeks, and to direct all praise and glory to the Lord.
I’m asking you, my readers, friends, and family, to commit to praying that my heart and mind remain centred on Christ, and that no matter how big or little a splash this book makes in the ocean of literature available to the public, that God would use my offering bring glory and fame to His name. This is my desire.
I hope you enjoy the contests in July and take part for the chance to win some special items made especially for this release, but above all that, know that more than following me on social networks, more than buying my book, more than anything else, I covet your prayers and would be encouraged to know you are interceding on my behalf. Thanks for reading, praying, and watching the super trailer made by my favourite brother-in-law.
July 08, 2016 celebrates the release of The Builder’s Reluctant Bride and one lucky reader will win this beautiful handmade bracelet! Follow Stacey on social media to be sure you receive the contest details, made available in July.
This bracelet required a few simple supplies from the craft store:
I designed the order of the trinkets in a meaningful way, and when you read my story in The Builder’s Reluctant Bride, you’ll understand why love, hope, and faith matter to me.
Stacey is busy writing her third novel, so she made me the new host of Makeover Monday. I reside in the fictional town of Bayview, Michigan, and Pelican Book Group is releasing my story, The Builder’s Reluctant Bride, on July 08, 2016.
Make sure you follow Stacey on all her social media sites. When my story is released in July, Stacey is hosting a MONTH of giveaways. You won’t want to miss out on these great prizes.
