Paulette Harper, author of "That Was Then, This Is Now"

Devotional Reflections from the Bible

with Paulette Harper

Women of Purpose: Naomi & Ruth

“In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem of Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, his wife, and his two sons. But Elimelech, who Naomi’s husband, died, and she was left with her two sons. And Mahlon and Chilion died also, both of them, so the woman was bereft of her two sons and her husband.” Ruth 1: 1, 3, 5

“And she said to them, Call me not Naomi [pleasant]; call me Mara [bitter], for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, but the Lord has brought me home again empty. Why call me Naomi, since the Lord has testified against me, and the Almighty has afflicted me”? Ruth 1:20-21 AMP

Have you ever been bitter with God because He didn’t answer your prayers like you had hoped? Did things turn out in a way you didn’t expect? Did things end up better? Well, if you are like me some things I had hoped and prayed for didn’t materialize like I had planned. But in life experiences, we often learn many lessons that are used to mature and develop us as people. The translation of Naomi name is pleasant. But because of her experiences in life she decided to call her self Mara meaning bitter. If you have never read this beautiful story it is one of hope, encouragement and redemption. Naomi didn’t realize that God was working on her and Ruth’s behalf even when it didn’t appear like He was doing anything at all.

We are all facing some type of dilemma in life either in our homes, families, job, children, finances, business and or ministry. Regardless of the situation you may not believe that God is going to bring you to a better place but He is. You may think that God has forgotten about you and your problems, but He has not. He is mindful of exactly where you are and how you are feeling.

The bigger picture in this story is the fact that God wanted to unite Ruth and Boaz. You might be saying to yourself but did God have to allow Naomi husband and sons to die? The answer is yes. There are things in our lives, relationships, marriages and even in our hearts that must die in order for us to live and reach the place of prosperity. Some people are not ready to go with you to the promise land and therefore you must be willing to let them go. Releasing friends, love ones and acquaintances is not always easy but when God wants to take you to a place that He has designed only for you, you must accept the way He wants to get you there. I didn’t quite understand the journey He was taking me on but I know that His plan, purpose and will for my life is better. When doors close, He will always open up other doors and opportunities that you will be able to go though. Those opportunities are looking for you.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Paulette Harper is an emerging Christian Author making her debut with her first inspirational book That Was Then, This Is Now, This Broken Vessel Restored, a compelling story of deception, heart-ache and ultimate victory. In 10 chapters she masterfully uncovers the hidden obstacles she faced as the “first lady” and how she eventually broke through those barriers.

A native of Pittsburg, CA, Paulette travels as an Inspirational speaker and licensed minister teaching people how to overcome life’s unexpected experiences by delivering a strong message of hope.

Beyond her writing ability she has a passion to lead people to a clear and precise understanding of how life challenges can become one’s ultimate source of victory by sharing solid, biblical principles that will enable people to find a way out of every trial so they can reach their God given potential.

For more information about Paulette and her new release “That Was Then, This Is Now” visit: www.bvministry.org.

SHARE WITH US!

Devote this day to trusting, relying and believing that where God is taking you is bigger and better than anything you could possibly imagine. Do you have a favorite scripture that helps you stay focused on God, even when you don’t understand what’s going on in your life?

You don’t want to miss it!

Blessings!

Carla

Wanda B. Campbell

DEVOTIONAL WRITING BY WANDA B. CAMPBELL

An illusion is defined as an erroneous mental representation. In other words, the images Satan plants into our minds are false indications of reality. The enemy skillfully plays with our mind by planting scenes of us in our everyday struggles that end in our ultimate demise. He is a master at transforming the tangible into the intangible. He is described as an angel of light; therefore he has the ability to illuminate our hardships into visions of destruction and devastation.

Although the realities of universal hard times are fed to us daily through media and first hand testimonies, our mind deceptively feed us the ideology that our hardships are unique and isolated. We buy into the illusion that our personal situations are so severe and devastating that God himself can’t deliver us.

When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”  John 11:4

A close friend of mine, one who I consider a strong Christian, was recently faced with an illness that would require her to take several weeks off work. On state disability her monthly income would be cut in half. That was her reality. What surprised me was her deposition. Before the ink dried on the disability forms, my spiritual sister had accepted the illusion the enemy had planted in her mind. He took the temporary loss of income and painted a long-term picture of her losing her home and living on the streets.

It’s nothing more than an illusion that causes us to so easily believe our suffering and struggles are only about us and that we are alone. Much like the Prophet Elijah before the show down on Mount Caramel with the prophets of Baal. The purpose of that contest wasn’t to present Elijah as a superhero, but an opportunity for God’s sovereign power to shine. Likewise, the trials we encounter are not designed to destroy us, but are an opportunity for God to be glorified and magnified. 

Why is easier to believe the illusion and not the words God has spoken to us concerning his love and provisions for us?  Perhaps we, followers of Christ, have manufactured our own illusion.

Most of the brothers and sisters with who I associate believe their sufferings are only about them and that they suffer alone. That in itself is an illusion when Christ clearly promised never to leave nor forsake us. Even in the Old Testament, God promised to be with us through the water and through the fire; we would not drown or get burned. Habitually, congregations recite scriptures declaring God’s goodness; however, when under an erroneous mental representation, the notion is sometimes lost.

Just think how many souls would be won, if we didn’t buy into the illusion the enemy paints. What would happen if we really understood that our trials and sufferings are not for us, but a chance for God’s glory to shine?  What if we embraced our pain as the vehicle to strengthen our witness and confession of Christ?

If my friend, who is a single mother, had not accepted the mind games and distorted pictures the enemy sowed, she would have realized her sickness was not the vehicle that would drive her to the nearest homeless shelter, but at a way for others to witness how God loves and cares for His children.

In my Christian Fiction novel, Illusions, First Lady Denise Hightower learns almost too late that although the daggers thrown at her from the enemy, at the hands of her husband, penetrated her heart, she was not the sole target. As with Lazarus, her husband’s sickness was not unto death, but for the glory of God to be revealed. The illusion planted her mind reflected a devastating conclusion, when in reality God orchestrated the circumstance to revive the broken souls fallen among the dead.      

Wanda B. Campbell is the author of the Christian Fiction, Illusions.  I am honored to feature this gifted author here on my blog this week.  You can read more about Wanda here.  You may contact her by email at wbcampbell@prodigy.net.

Illusions is available today, click here.

Illusions by Wanda B. Campbell

 

 

You will learn more about Wanda and her work as the week goes on, but here is a little information about her:

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Wanda B. Campbell is an extraordinary and talented writer who brings creativity, a new sense of hope, and restoration through the healing power of God to the Kingdom, by way of Christian Fiction.

Contact Wanda at wbcampbell@prodigy.net

THIS WEEK:  Celebrate Wanda’s birthday & Valentine’s Day

This week’s winner will receive A Box of Sees Candies and a coupon for a FREE print design (choose a bookmark, postcard or business card) courtesy of Tywebbin Creations. Winner are responsible for printing.

Check Wanda B. Campbell’s blog for the winners.

Too often we believe that God is some distant and inapproachable object who remains out of our reach.  I hear people say that they are searching, or looking for God, as though He is lost.  Yet, it is you and I who are aloof, distant, and hard to reach.

We find ourselves at times in places that we should not be.  Physically as well as spiritually.  We find ourselves in situations that are not always very good or desirable.  We do things that we know we shouldn’t do, and we hide and tip around because of it.

God is nothing like that!

He is omnipotent (all powerful), omnisicent (all knowing), and omnipresent (present everywhere).  He sees all, He knows all, He is everywhere, and He can do everything.  But, we think that we can’t find Him.  The good thing is that He has all of these characteristics, and as such, He knows where we are, what we are, who we are, and He knows what we need.  We do not have to reach a certain level or place to encounter Him, for God meets us where we are.

Genesis 28 tells of Jacob’s first real encounter with God.  Jacob was in a difficult place.  A terrible place in life.  He had done some horrible things (read Genesis 27 for more on this) which resulted in him being in this place (physically and spiritually).  The physical place did not even have a name at that time until Jacob’s encounter with God.  God presented Himself in a dream to Jacob, meeting him where he was.  Jacob’s ladder.  God, and His angels, came to Jacob.  God could have condemned Jacob for all he’d done, but instead, God made a promise that He would indeed bless him (read Genesis 28:10-22).  Jacob then named this physical place “Bethel”, which means “House of God”, because “Surely the LORD is in this place…” (Genesis 28:16a)

God is still building ladders in lives today where He comes down to our level to meet us.  The same God that blessed Jacob, in spite of all of his deceptions and lies, is still blessing us today – in spite of ourselves.  God knows everything there is to know about you.  You can’t hide from Him.  You can’t cover up.  You can’t deceive Him.  You can’t even lie to Him because there isn’t anything that He doesn’t know.  He loves you nonetheless.  And He is there for you, He will always be.  He is ever present, He will never leave you alone. 

Regardless of past mistakes, or even current wrong doings, God is still a present help and He is there for you.  Just as the father ran to hug the prodigal son, so does God stand there with open arms for you and I.  Whether we are in a far country, or even residing in the same location, the place doesn’t matter.  God is there.  God loves you and remains faithful. 

Will you allow Him into your heart today?  He’s standing right there – right where you are.  Let Him in!

Blessings!

Carla

A MOTHER CRIES

By Carla Y. Nix

A shot echoes through the city
Lodging in the heart of a child
Destroying dreams of innocence
Shattering hopes of a bright future
A future filled with laughter,
Joy,
Love.
A shot rings fiercely,
Aimlessly,
Senselessly
Striking an unmarked target
Ending tomorrow’s generations
Snatching endless smiles,
Warm, gentle hugs.
A shot explodes
Crushing a silly notion
That a child should be a child!
Teaching them to survive in a jungle
That was once home.
Stealing games of Tag,
Hopscotch and Double Dutch.
A shot ignites
And we all shudder
As
Another baby dies
As
Another mother cries.

© May 1994

Written after an innocent child was shot dead by a stray bullet in New Orleans as he, his mother, and other family members walked home from a park following a Mother’s Day outing. A bullet from some violent youth avenging another death. One more death in a city plagued by crime. One more mother left to cry. 

This was also right after the loss of my own child.  I lost a baby and writing this was most difficult, but I had to do it for all of the mothers who lost a child.  It doesn’t matter how that child was lost, the tears and pain of a mother cannot be compared to anything else.  I understood that as yet another mother had to cry!

Producers of the Montel Williams Show somehow got wind of my poem and wanted to use it (and possibly me) on one of their shows (they called me).  Well, it never panned out but it was nice to be noticed and thought of.

Blessings!

Carla

Today, I am rejoicing at a divine realization and ephiphany that God has made clear to me regarding Romans 8:28 in my life. 

Here are a few examples of things working for good in my life -

• Last month a string of storms blew through our area.  Tornadoes slammed into some areas.  We believe that one hit us too, but it was not registered as one officially.  We simply saw the evidence that a tornado blew through my neighborhood.  One being a large tree being UPROOTED in my backyard.  There are many trees in the yard, but only one was uprooted.  There was no other damage to anything else, thank God.  Well, this week, we are being blasted with an artic blast of cold air.  In fact, our area is under a hard freeze status until Saturday.  It has been so cold, and the temperatures are expected to drop terribly tonight and tomorrow (Friday).  We have been skimping on running heat in the house because we are not able to purchase the gas to warm the house.  It is so expensive and we simply do not have the money to buy the minimum of 75 gallons for our gas tank.  To run the heating system would burn the fuel that we do have and need for hot water for showers, laundry, etc.  Well, that uprooted tree is lying in the back yard, and we have a beautiful fireplace.  Through that storm, God provided the resource we needed to warm our house.  It’s a large tree, and it’s toppled.  We would not have otherwise been able to chop the tree down, so God uprooted it through the storm!  We have been able to saw logs off to place in the fireplace.  And guess what?  The warmth from this fireplace is more and better than that of the heating system in the house.  Romans 8:28!

• The electric bill was pretty high last month.  It was a struggle, but God allowed us to pay it.  Actually, we left a balance of $27.00 on it, as we just didn’t have it (entire bill was $327.00).  Well, this month we get the new bill.  I don’t know why, I don’t know how, but there was about a $100 CREDIT on the bill!  This month’s bill is only $45.00.  Romans 8:28

• I wrote about the bill collector who enraged me so much just the other day that I ended up with chest pains and an escalated blood pressure.  I am still not proud that I got so angry.  I’m here to tell you today that God has worked it out where the bill has been lifted bringing some relief for now.   I can’t or won’t go into details, but know that God is faithful and true to His Word.  Romans 8:28

His scripture is not simply words printed in a book.  God’s Word is life and truth.  And I am open and transparent, sharing what you would say is my business simply because I know that my experience will offer encouragement and hope to others.  I also know that many people can relate, although they may never say it.

My point with this post today is to encourage you to look at the things that happen in your life.  They may not be pleasant.  There may be struggle.  There may be even embarassment (Lord knows I am embarassed – but I share the truth).  Look at those things and realize that God will work those things out, for your good.  You may wonder what good will come out of your circumstance.  I don’t know, but God knows.  As long as He knows, that’s all that matters.  Just trust Him and allow Him to move and work in your life and on your behalf.

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God,

to them who are the called according to his purpose.”  ~Romans 8:28

Blessings!

Carla Y. Nix

I had a pretty heated conversation with a bill collector.  On a Sunday.  Late in the evening. 

Now, I am not/was not angry that this most obnoxious man was doing his job.  It was just the WAY he decided to conduct business that outraged me.  But, I fault myself because he could not have gotten under my skin if I didn’t allow him to.  My problem is that I allowed him to speak his bit, give his spill, say what he thought he needed to say.  That was the problem.  After I told him where I stand and what was what, once he began his badgering, insults, and ignorant banter, I should have hung up!  But no, just because I couldn’t believe what I was hearing, I just had to let him know how I felt and that I wasn’t going to tolerate what he was saying.  I was well within my rights, but I allowed my temper to boil and I told him off!  Telling him off wore me out!    That’s just how angry I’d become.

I can say that I know better – and I do.  I can say that I looked like a fool – and I did.  I can say that I know that no one can make you angry unless you let them – and I do.  I can say that I am better than that – and I am.  I can say that this was not desirable or becoming behavior for a Christian – and it’s not.

But push the wrong buttons on the best among us and you can pull the worse out of them!

I let that man push the wrong buttons.

It’s not worth it.  I really could’ve ended up back in the hospital because I let him push those buttons. 

Carla

I recently shared some of my latest goings on with one of my groups.  I’d like to share it here as well.  Mostly because I desire your prayer for God to use me mightily in all that He’s called me to do and to give me the strength to do everything well.

Current Projects -

1. Coordinator of my church’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. program.  Working with the actors, both youth & adult.  Program scheduled for Sunday, January 18, 2008.
2. I am the Marriage Ministry Director at my church.  Will have a meeting on Sunday (I teach).  I am also organizing an event for Valentine’s weekend for the ministry.  Finalizing events for that now.
3. I will be a teacher/trainer at a 3-day workshop February 26-28, 2009.  This is the District session of our church’s association.  I will be teaching “Women in Leadership and Ministry”.  There is a teacher’s meeting on this Saturday, January 10th.
4. I am a presenter/speaker for the “It’s All About Me” Women’s Empowerment Conference January 30, 2009 in Baton Rouge. 
5. I am a contributing writer and Senior Editor of Victorious Magazine.  Just finished my own submission as well as editing other articles from other contributors.  This is an ongoing process, as we’re now getting ready for March edition release.
6. I do my daily inspirational podcasts – www.snapvine.com/carlanix
7. I broadcast my weekly radio show, Passion4Life – www.blogtalkradio.com/passion4life
8. I am working w/several authors and will be hosting them (in addition to my radio show) on a virtual blog tour at the Passion4Life blog – www.passion4lifeministry.blogspot.com
9. I will be a guest on the WHOLE Ministries radio broadcast on February 13, 2009 at 4:00 pm CST – www.blogtalkradio.com/wholeministry
10. I am the founder and owner of community sites (ministries) Sisters4Jesus – www.sisters4jesus.ning.com and Speak Life – www.speaklife.ning.com.
11. I have been added as a Sunday School teacher of the Women’s class at my church. 
12. Hopefully I will be attending a Women’s Conference/Retreat February 6 – 7, 2008 in Greenville, MS.
13. Striving towards resuming the online Bible Studies I love to conduct.
14. Returning to seminary in a couple of weeks.  I will be graduating in May with an Associate’s in Christian Counseling.  Will definitely continue for Bachelor’s and Master’s (at least).
15. Working on development of “Passion Cards” – a line of greeting cards as a part of Passion4Life Ministry.  Also calendars for Sisters4Jesus.

That’s about all I can think of right now. 

Blessings!

Carla