Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.

I have been very blessed to know many Godly men and women who are living the above passage. Mark 16:15-16 says "He said to them, 'Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.'"  Matthew 28:19-20 reads "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  One of the women who obedient to these scriptures on a daily basis is Laura Ann Day. 


I am proud and happy to introduce Laura Ann Day.  She is daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, sister, friend, and now a published author:

Colleen: Laura, I’ve know you for years.  Other than youth group Bible study lessons, Keynotes for Daughters of the King, and Son Quest lessons, have you written a full-length book before now?

Laura: No, never.  I have, however, felt a strong calling to reach out further beyond myself for a while now, but that energy never moved in a specific direction until now.

Colleen:  So what prompted you write “Soul Reunion”? 

Laura: The short answer is God. (laughter) But in sincerity, it was a very long process. We were transferred from our long-time home and I was searching—struggling really—to find what my purpose is here. I was approached to work closely with the women of our congregation to help re-define their direction. There was so much untapped talent! So, I took about a month to put together a 40-Day Study. We used that time to fast and pray for God to show us HIS direction.  As God revealed Himself and re-kindled a collective deep desire to know Him more intimately over the following two and a half years, that study was expanded into two quarterly studies.  At the conclusion of the last quarter, an elder approached me to “strongly suggest” I put the work into book form. I was like, “…seriously? Because I’m pretty sure I just requested to take the summer off to re-charge, and heal from the loss of my Father…” This elder was so very gentle and kind… he basically said that this was the perfect time to write the book, because there was none of “me” left to fight the process, and that God would have wide-open space to accomplish His words through me. As spiritually and emotionally exhausted as I was, those words hit me like lightening. I knew God was telling me to sit myself in that chair and get busy!

Colleen: What was your writing process?  Did you have a plan or did you just pray and drink lots of coffee?

Laura: Well, coffee was definitely involved! (more laughter) You do know me well!

 Honestly, I was just completely outside myself with this thing. I had no clue as to how to, I don’t know, “harness?” this work and steer it where it was supposed to go. I was working on it and collecting the lessons and arranging them into an outline, all while traveling and attending a bunch of weddings. One wedding turned into a gigantic family reunion—we hadn’t all been together in probably ten years—and that’s when the structure of the book was revealed to me. As we all shared old family stories with the new generation at the dinner table, I had a vivid vision in my head of our spiritual ancestors sitting at God’s table, sharing the stories of their walk with God. The scene was so comforting to me; very much in the way my family brings me comfort. I know without a doubt that God was showing me the exact direction to go. I went home and got busy… and God did the rest.  His words flowed through me in a way that I just can’t explain.  It was one of the most intimate and precious times of my life.

Colleen: When deciding to write the book, did you have a specific person/audience in mind? Sometimes author’s write for themselves, others for someone in specific. You?

Laura: There was nothing specific at the beginning of the process other than knowing God was calling me to do the work. As I went through the process I began to pray over the words. I asked God to give me exactly what needed to be written, because He alone knew who would be reading.  It was at that point that I surrendered it wholly to Him. I found myself completely at peace with whatever the outcome would be. If the only purpose of the process was to deepen my own faith… if I was the only person who would ever lay eyes on it…I was OK with that.  I didn’t worry about anything beyond that. I knew—I mean I KNEW—He had a plan and a purpose, and that He would accomplish it in His time.

Colleen: How did you come up with the format of the book?

Laura: Well, I basically went by the same format as the classroom studies. The original manuscript was distributed to five different people for review of content and marketability. One of my mentors, who has a very keen sense of organization, gave me some invaluable feedback concerning the flow and continuity.  I made a few adjustments, like including the “Points to Ponder” at the end of every chapter.  The original format only included it in about 75% of the chapters.  But he saw that section as an instrument that draws each reader into his or her own intimate encounter with God. Once that addition was completed I knew it was the way it was intended to be.

Colleen:  What did you learn in regards to your spiritual walk while researching the scriptures for this book? 

Laura: The one thing that has changed me the most is coming to an understanding that we are all connected. Every follower of Christ is undeniably linked to the faithful people of the past, from creation all the way to right now.  No matter where or when someone is called to a walk of faith with our Creator, the constant is God. Each of us has to confront those facets of ourselves that don’t fully trust God. Each of us has to wrestle with the mistakes we make.  God is always with us, not only in spite of our frailties and imperfections, but also in a way in which those things can be used to His glory and honor. This understanding has had a profound effect on my walk. I love God more than I ever thought possible.

Colleen: I had the privilege off proofreading the book for you.  I could feel you sitting beside me and telling me the stories and teaching. Maybe its because I know you, but your voice was in my head as I read it.  Do you think the reader, who may not know you personally, will feel the same way? What would you like to say to them to give greater insight to you?

Laura: I am very hopeful that this will be the case. I think more than anything else, I would like them to know that I never want to lead with my own words, or with my own agenda. There was a time in my life that I couldn’t say that, because there were parts of me that I hadn’t surrendered to God yet.  Most people think God is, you know, out there, far away, on His throne, in the corner office type of thing. While He is definitely His Majesty, He is also Abba—our Dad. He wants us to know Him so well that we feel His familial presence. That was the one thing I was hoping to accomplish for the reader…that “sit down next to you and chat a while” feeling.

Colleen:  Do you plan on writing another book?

Laura: Yes. I am currently working on another book, but it is still so completely in its infancy that there really isn’t a title yet. There are several others spinning around in my head, but until God directs that energy where it should go, they’ll stay there!

Colleen: Let’s say someone reads this blog and does not know God, has never read the Bible, but is curious... what would you say to them?

Laura: Nothing happens by mistake or coincidence. God led you to this blog, at this moment, to call you to follow Him. Contact the author of this blog, and she will know where to send you to get the information you need.  The life you’ve always dreamed of is waiting for you! Do it!


Colleen:
Soul Reunion is available now through Westbow Press and also Amazon.  Read it and be blessed by it as I was. 

Good Friday Quiz - Answers

Answer Sheet

As promised, here are the answers as well as the Bible references to the Quiz I posted on Sunday.  If you have not taken the Quiz, stop here and go to the archives to the April 17th post.

1. a                                  2. c                         3. d                       4. e                              5. b

6. b                                  7. a                         8. d                       9. b                              10. d

11.  a, b, c, d                  12. b, d                   13. b

Verses to back up the answers and a link to the Bible:      Bible

John 18: 4-6

Luke 22: 61 , John 18:15-18

Luke 23:26, Mark 15:21, Romans 16:13

John 19:18

Luke 22: 69-70, John 18:15-18

Luke 23:13, Matthew 27:29, Luke 23:13-15

John 19:25-26

John13:29

Psalm 22:8, Isaiah 53:5

Matthew 27:51-53

Luke 23:47-48

I WILL RISE!

 

I will rise

Prayer time.

Today, as I sit here at my desk waiting for my "job" to begin, I contemplate my prayer life. I contemplate my life, my goals, my desires.  Most of the time when I pray, first and foremost I thank God for who He is and what He has done for me. I try to remember to glorify Him first. Not because he demands it but because he deserves it, not because He needs to be uplifted, but because I need to uplift Him and remind myself of who it is I'm talking to.  I then begin to pour out my heart to God of all the things that weigh heavily on my heart. Lately, it has been my children. I love my children so much that it pains me to see them hurting, struggling through life, having to learn the lessons they need to in order to become the strong Christians that I know God wants them to be.  When my kids hurt, I hurt. I know God feels the same way about us. I pray for my husband and my friends and family.  Eventually I get to the knitty gritty.  I pray about me. Who am I?  Who do You want me to be? I have all these heartfelt desires and wants and most of the time I feel God is leading me in a certain direction. However, I am a strong-willed, impatient person and I want to see things happen now, today, right this very instant. When things do not go my way, Satan creeps his ugly head in and creates doubt.  Oh, God doesn't really want you to do this. He's just messing with you. He is just making you think he wants you to do the things that are on your heart, but really, he has no intention of saying yes.  Satan then throws roadblocks in my face and unfortunately, it brings me down.  I want to quit.  I, for a moment, tell myself - okay, God doesn't want me to do this, or be successful, or my own desires are getting in my way and I'm not listening to God, so I quit.


However, after a brief pause I resume my prayer and pray to remove Satan!  Please God rid me and my family of all negativity, namely Satan from my life. Let me, all of us hear You. 


I breathe and listen. Breathe and listen. I feel at peace because I am in communication with my Father.  Where He leads, I will follow. No, not everything will be as I want it or in the time frame that I want it, however, I am at peace because I know for a fact that God will lead me where He wants me to go and that is all that matters!  Amen!!

Oh Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

 My heart cries out for you.

Your Glory Fills the Earth!

Good Friday Quiz

Quiz courtesy of a teacher at West Orange. 


1. When the soldiers came to arrest Jesus in the garden, which of the following happened?
  a. When Jesus told the soldiers who He was, they instantly fell to the ground before him.
  b. Andrew, the apostle, cut off someone's ear.
  c. Jesus asked for a little more time to pray. 
  d. None of the above.


2. When Peter denied Jesus for the third time:
  a. Peter was outside, and Jesus was inside closed doors undergoing trial. 
  b. We aren't told where Jesus was or what he was doing at that time. 
  c. Jesus was within sight of Peter at the time, and looked at Peter when he heard the denial. 
  d. Several other disciples were with Peter.


3. While being led to the cross, how many times did Jesus fall?
  a. Only once
  b. Three times, the Simon of Cyrene was forced to carry his cross. 
  c. None - Simon of Cyrene was forced to carry the cross from the beginning. 
  d. The Bibles does not tell us whether Jesus fell or not. 


4. Which is true of Simon or Cyrene?
  a. He carried the cross beside Jesus.
  b. He carried the cross in front of Jesus.
  c. The Bible gives us reason to suspect that members of his family became Christians. 
  d. We are told in scripture that he was later martyred for Jesus himself. 
  e. None of the above are correct. 


5. When Jesus was crucified:
  a. He was nailed to his cross, while the two criminals were tied to their crosses
  b. We are told in the Bible that his cross was the middle of the three.
  c. He was the last of the three men to be crucified. 
  d. None of the above.


6. When Jesus was before the Jewish Sanhedrin standing trial:
  a. He never answered them when asked if He was the Son of God. 
  b. One of the disciples got inside because he knew the high priest. He spoke to the door-keeper and got Peter in also.
  c. The trial was conducted according to the Jewish law
  d. none of the above.


7. Which is true of Jesus' trials prior to his crucifixion? 
  a. Jesus was seen before the Sanhedrin, Pilate, Herod, and then Pilot again, in that order.
  b. Herod and Pilate were angry with each other after this episode because neither wanted to take responsibility for Jesus. 
  c. Herod's men put a crown of thorns on Jesus' head.
  d. Pilate wanted to put Jesus to death.


8. Which of the following people is not specifically mentioned as being near Jesus while he was crucified?
  a. Mary, His mother.
  b. Mary Magdalene
  c. The 'disciple whom Jesus loved', presumably John.
  d Luke


9. Which of the following did the soldiers do to Jesus while he was on the cross?
  a. They broke his legs so He would die faster.
  b. They pierced his side with a spear. 
  c. They put the crown of thorns on his head.
  d. None of the above.


10. Which of the following is true of Judas Iscariot?
  a. he received 50 pieces of silver for betraying Jesus.
  b. He felt no remorse whatsoever.
  c. He gave the money to the poor before his death.
  d. He had been the treasurer for Jesus and the other apostles.


11. Which aspects of Jesus' death were specifically foretold in the Old Testament?
  a. Pierced handsand feet.
  b. Taunt from the crowd: "He trusts in God, let God deliver Him if he finds favor with Him".
  c. Onlookers dividing his garments.
  d. Scourging. 


12. What does the Bible say happened right when Jesus died? 
  a. The Ark of the Covenant was opened up.
  b. Dead bodies of many righteous people came to life.
  c. A lightning storm broke out.
  d. There was an earthquake.


13. Immediately following Jesus' death, what was the reaction of the multitudes who watched Jesus die?
  a. We aren't told in scripture.
  b. We have scriptural reason to believe that the crowd felt remorse for what they had done. 
  c. They were unmoved,and went home feeling satisfied. 






Good luck.  I will post the answers as well as the scriptural references on Friday. 

I don't like ice.

I'm tired and grumpy today. I'm grumpy because I'm not sleeping well.  I have shoulder and neck problems so I went to see a physical therapist yesterday.  I left hurting worse than when I had arrived from all his poking and prodding and twisting and testing. 


Last night as I lay in bed with my arms propped up on pillows I began to pray, well whine actually, about how much I don't like to be in pain. The therapist said to not do any exercise that requires moving my arms - and that includes running. Bummer. That made me even grumpier. 


As I laid there praying about my pain my mind wandered to the cross. Jesus cried blood because he knew of the pain he was about to endure. For me. Willingly.  I began thinking about how much pain He must have been in. He was tortured, beaten, forced to carry a heavy wooden cross on open wounds, nails driven into his arms and legs. Not once did the Bible say that he complained.  I'm pretty sure I would not allow someone to poke me with a needle in order to save someone much less what Jesus endured. Oh, sure I've given lots of blood, when I was pregnant with both my children. I endured the pain of needles for them, however, that's a mere mosquito bite compared to the pain suffered on the cross for me and you and the entire world present, and future. That's love.


My pain is nothing now that I remember Jesus and how much he loves me. My pain is temporary but his love endures forever. Yet, as I sit here in my recliner typing this with ice packs on my shoulders I still want to yell, "I don't like ice!!!" 

MUSINGS

Last night was an awesome night of worship!  First, my husband taught class.  This was the first class that I had been in with him teaching.  Obviously it was not his first time to teach.  It was a great class on the subject of 'why do we read the Bible' and 'what do we read'.  He made me very proud to be his wife.  Which is nothing new.  I always am. 


After class one of the young women spoke in the auditorium.  She is a young mother of two children under the age of 2 years of age.  She told us that she wanted to rededicate her life to Jesus Christ because she had been living a life of 'me, me, me' and it was exhausting.  She told us she had been baptized at the age of 11 because she was a people pleaser and she thought it was the right thing to do because everyone told her so.  


That confession made me think a lot about my life.  I was baptized at the age of 13 because my mother set it up with the preacher because 'it was time'.  I then rededicated my life with baptism in a swimming pool when I was about 8.5 months pregnant.  This time because I knew it was something I needed to do. 


Still, something she said stuck with me.  She felt her life had been all about her and not about Jesus.  She had not been sharing with others her faith. Don't we all do that?  We are so afraid to share the good news of Jesus Christ because it isn't "politically correct". We are afraid of what other people will say about us.  Well, if you think about it, Jesus was never politically correct.  He told it like it is.  For goodness sake, he died because he was not politically correct so, excuse my language, but who the hell cares if we are politically correct when it comes to saving the lost???!! We are commanded in the scriptures to go into the world.  "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (matthew 28). 


One last thing.  There is only ONE way to God. In John 14 Jesus says: "Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ⁷ If you really know me, you will know^[b] my Father as well."


So when I hear people say there are many paths to heaven, they are wrong. Wrong, sadly, but true.  I think people get offended when they are told that there is only one way to God because they are being convicted to their very core and it makes them uncomfortable.  They are faced with the possibility that they may be wrong and they do not like to admit it because it means they will have to make difficult changes in their life. Stating this fact in John 14 is not being exclusionary or being self-righteous or intolerant.  It is a fact.  Just because people do not like it or agree with it does not make it any more a fact. 


Sermon over.  Have a blessed day.  

Springtime

 LORD, our Lord,  how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory in the heavens. 
Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies,
to silence the foe and the avenger.
When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, 

which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, 
human beings that you care for them?
You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet: all flocks and herds, and the animals of the wild,  the birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas.

 LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! (Psalm 8)

“But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this? In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind. Does not the ear test words as the tongue tastes food? (Job 12: 7-11)

"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"  Mark 8: 29

Snails

The rains brought out the snails on my window today.  

I love seeing God's creations up close!  These little guys made their way up to my 2nd story window to say hello.

Mobile blog.  I just learned how to mobile blog - i.e. blog from my phone.

Ever Wonder...

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to hug God? I do.  I'm a hugger. I love my husband and I love to give and receive hugs from him. I love my kids and love to give them hugs.  Same with friends and family. It's an expression of love. 
I think the closest thing to receiving a hug from God is when I've stood in His presence. It's that feeling when I stood on a mountaintop and admired his work. Or when I'm in the presence of godly children singing his praises. Or when I've held a newborn baby in my arms. It's that feeling that my heart is so full and I'm speechless and all I can do is stand there, mouth hanging open and say 'wow'.
But to feel God reach out his arms and give me a gentle embrace, what a feeling that would be. 
Several people have been privileged to hug God in Jesus.  Mary, the woman who bore him I'm sure hugged him numerous times. Joseph, too, I imagine hugged Jesus. He knew he was embracing God.  And then there are his siblings and the apostles. Did they hug Jesus and think, "holy cow, I just was hugged by God!" 
I look forward to the day when I can stand in His presence an like a little child reach my arms up towards my heavenly father and say "Hug Daddy".

My son, approximately 7 days old.