What Life Would be Like

I was just listening to my iPod and heard the song "You Found Me" by Big Daddy Weave.  LOVE that song because it reminds me that there was nothing I did, or could do, to "earn" God's love.  It was there all along.  It just seemed to take some "stuff" in my life to bring me to the point where I recognized my desperate need for Him.  The day that He found me....well, it was the best (or maybe I should say, most important) day of my life.  The joy and the freedom, the thankfulness and the complete and utter AWE that I felt in the weeks that followed....well, there really aren't many words to describe it.  So, I was going to post this song but as I looked for the video and lyrics, another song kept popping up first!  This song is on my iPod too....but it wasn't in my play list today.  Anyhow, I've been listening to it and it's reminded me that every single day is a day that I have to let Him live through me.   Take a listen.....

I wish I was more of a man
Have you ever felt that way
And if I had to tell you the truth
I’m afraid I’d have to say
That after all I’ve done and failed to do
I feel like less than I was meant to be

What if I could fix myself
Maybe then I could get free
I could try to be somebody else
Who’s much better off than me
But I need to remember this
That it’s when I’m at my weakest
I can clearly see

He made the lame walk and the dumb talk
He opened blinded eyes to see
That the sun rises on His time
Yet He knows our deepest desperate need
And the world waits while His heart aches
To realize the dream
I wonder what life would be like if we let Jesus life thru you and me

What if you could see yourself thru another pair of eyes
What if you could hear the truth
Instead of old familiar lies
What if you could feel inside
The power of the hand that made the universe You’d realize

All our hearts they burn within us
All our lives we’ve longed for more
So let us lay our lives before the one who gave His life for us

He is With You

There's a time to live
And a time to die
There's a time to laugh
And a time to cry

There's a time for war
And a time for peace
There's a hand to hold
In the worst of things
In the worst of things

He is with you when your faith is dead
And you can't even get out of bed
Or your husband doesn't kiss you anymore
He is with you when your baby's gone
And your house is still
And your hearts are stone
Crying "God what'd you do that for?"
He is with you

There's a time for yes
And a time for no
There's a time to be angry
And a time to let it go
There's a time to run
And a time to face it
There's love to seek
In all of this
Through all of this

He is with you in the conference room
When the world is coming down on you
And your wife and kids don't know you anymore
And He is with you in the ICU when the doctors don't know what to do
And it scares you to the core
He is with you

We may weep for a time but joy will come in the morning
The morning light

He is with you when your kids are grown
When there's too much space and you feel alone
And your worried if you got it right or wrong
Yes He is with you when you've given up on ever finding your true love
Someone who feels like home
He is with you

When nothing else is left and you take your final breath
He is with you

He is with you

Max on Life by Max Lucado

I was sent an advanced copy of this book to review from Booksneeze.  The book is split up into chapters entitled Hope, Hurt, Help, Him/Her, Home, Have/Have-Nots, and Hereafter.  In each chapter, there is a handwritten letter to welcome in the topic and then several pages of questions that go along with the topic.  Max Lucado talks about everything from depression to loss to marriage and home life to what happens when we die.  These are questions he’s been asked through emails, in person, through letters, and as a Pastor.  Some of the questions come from his books and others not.  He ends the book with a note about becoming an author and getting published and there is a topical index to the book as well.

I am not always a fan of the Q and A books, but this book is a good resource to those who have lots of questions about faith, loss, God, and the gray areas of life.  Lucado does a great job explaining what he feels the Bible says about these topics.  I liked how the book was laid out, so if you didn’t want to read the entire book, you could skip to whatever section you were wrestling with.  I also appreciated his words on how to write, where to write, and how to get published.  As a blogger, I like getting tips on writing even if I never plan on getting published.  This might sound stupid, but the thing that bothered me the most about this book is the cover. It has a big picture of Max right on the front.  I never liked when authors did that (like Joel Olsteen and his infamous mug on every cover of his book) and to me, it seems sort of vain.  I guess since the book is called “Max on Life”, they felt it appropriate to put him on the cover.  I’m just not a fan of using a persons name or face on the cover or title, but I guess Max makes a lot more money than I do so he can do what he wants.  Overall though, what the book has to says–its message–was a good one.  I have always appreciated Max Lucado’s words and books and this hasn’t changed with this book either.  I think anyone who has questions about spiritual issues will appreciate the words in this book.

Disclosure: To comply with regulations introduced by the Federal Trade Commission, Thomas Nelson has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes only through theBooksneeze program.  All opinions are my own.

A Conversation with God: If You Could Ask God Anything What Would It Be?

Alton Gansky in his new book, “A Conversation With God” published by Thomas Nelson gives us an intimate setting where we can ask questions and receive answers from God and other Bible individuals.

Ever go to a party where a famous person was in attendance or a weekend seminar and stay up for the late night visit with the speakers?  If so then you know that everyone gathers around the speaker and listens to what that person has to say and then others get to ask their own questions.  It is always a fairly intimate time of close gathering, warm conversation and deeper understanding.  This is what Alton Gansky has done with his new book.  He has put us in a room with God and twenty-seven individuals from the Bible to hear our questions and give us an in-depth answer.

Each section of the book deals with a specific question:  God, The Bible, The Future, Pain And Suffering, Jesus, Kingdom Of God, Heaven And Hell, Humanity, Christian Living and Today’s World.  Ever stood outside at night looked up at the sky and wondered?  Of course, all of us have.  We were put here for one purpose and that is to know God.  God built us with a curiosity so that we would ask questions and then those answers would draw us closer to Him.  “A Conversation With God” provides us a lot of the answers that we seek and those answers do indeed draw us closer to the side of God.

“A Conversation With God” is a book that you will need to read slowly.  There is no need to rush.  We have our questions and the answers are there.  Now is the time to sit back and experience truth and let it draw us into the presence of God.  You will be glad you did.  I recommend it highly.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

ANGELS: A Party in Your Honor

This may come as a surprise to you, but someone would love to have a party in your honor - the angels in heaven. It would be hard to say "No" to a party!



Jesus said in Luke 15:4-7 of God's Word, "Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.' I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent."


Rejoicing in heaven when one person comes home spiritually is a great picture! It seems that the angels break into a celebration - a welcome home party—when someone turns from their sin to Jesus. Some of us stumble over that word "sinner"; we don't like to think that applies to us. That's somebody else, right? The Bible clearly says, "All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23 ). Every one of us has missed the way that we were created to live.


We were supposed to live centered around the One who gave us our life. Instead, we've lived with ourselves in the center. Sin is deadly and the Bible says it literally carries an eternal death penalty.


Jesus is our only hope! He is that loving Shepherd who came after us lost sheep. "Lost" may be a good word to describe how you feel - confused about why you're here, wondering why there's a deep loneliness that never really goes away, wondering where peace and fulfillment are really found. All that is because you're away from the One who made you, who is the One who loves you most. Jesus came after you and went all the way to a cross where He died to pay the sin-penalty that you could only pay with an eternity in hell.

The day that you finally put your trust in Jesus to be your own Savior, the angels begin the party in your honor. They know how much it cost to rescue you. They saw the Son of God return to heaven with something He didn't have when He left for earth - nail prints in His hands and feet and a spear wound in His side. They also know what's at stake in your decision about Jesus. They know this is life-or-death; this is heaven or hell.


Maybe with all you know about Jesus and with all your religion, you've never actually been born into God's family. Maybe you've never told Jesus that you're turning from running your own life and totally trusting Him to forgive your sin and get you to heaven. Don't risk another day without Jesus.


This could be the day the angels have been waiting for in heaven for a long time—the day they have a party in your honor because you have finally come home!

ABUSE: Hurt and Hiding

Do you feel alone and have been too hurt to trust anyone? Somewhere along the way you've been hurt, abandoned, betrayed, or mistreated.


You're afraid to let anyone get close. In fact, you may have built up some pretty elaborate defenses to make sure no one does. You're really just afraid that they'll hurt you like someone else did.


Do you feel like no one else knows or understands what you're going through? There is someone today who does understand. He is waiting for you with His arms wide open, and He's the healing that your heart has always wanted. His name is Jesus.


Jesus is seeking you and wants to win your trust. He only wants to love and help you. His love will break through all of your fear and hurt. You've probably been looking and longing for this real love for a long time. It can be yours.


Jesus is waiting for you. He wants to comfort you and be your healer. Read these words from the Word of God that describe Him in Isaiah 61:1-2 , "The Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom to the captives, and release from darkness for the prisoners." You see, Jesus is the healer of broken hearts and broken lives, the liberator from the darkness.


You might wonder if He can be trusted. The answer is found in Romans 8:32 , "He who did not spare His own son but gave him up for us all - how will He not also graciously give us all things." Later in that chapter it says, "Nothing can ever separate us from His love."


So, can Jesus be trusted? If you walk up that hill and stand in the pouring rain at the foot of His cross, you will see the agony Jesus suffered there. The nails in His hands and feet, the thorns pressed on His brow, the spear wound in His side, but most of all the total separation from God. You will then realize that He died to pay the death penalty for your sin.


Yes, you can trust this one who loved you enough to die for you. He's been waiting for you to turn your life over to Him so He can start the healing process that only He can bring. First you have to tell Him that you're putting your total trust in Him to be your Savior. That word "trust" is a hard one after what you've been through, but you can't just go on hurting, hiding, and feeling alone.


This one who loves you so much that He gave everything He had for you; He's the one person you can finally trust!

ABUSE: Hope for Banged-Up Lives

Have you been treated poorly, made to feel that you will never measure up, treated like a loser, or undervalued? Maybe you've ended up pretty hard and angry inside, but there is hope.


While you may not be excited about horse racing, the story set against the backdrop of the Great Depression, illustrates some pretty inspiring things. It was #1 on the New York Times bestseller list and then a major motion picture - the story of one of the most famous race horses of all time, Seabiscuit. Seabiscuit was the son of a champion but was definitely not like his father. He had been forced to run with better horses so they would gain confidence by beating him. When he raced, he did what he was trained to do - lose. Because of the poor treatment Seabiscuit received, he became an angry, almost uncontrollable horse until he was given a chance by a trainer who many considered to be too old and a young man most thought was too big to be a jockey.


Seabiscuit thrived in the care of people who believed in him and became one of the greatest horses of all time. The trainer saw in him something that others had missed. When Seabiscuit's eventual owner was deciding whether to buy this apparent loser, he said, You don't throw a life away just because it's been banged up a little.


There is someone who has never thrown away a banged up life, who sees beyond what's on the outside to the wounds on the inside and the potential He built into you when He made you. Jesus is your hope of a new beginning where the future doesn't have to be just an extension of a broken past.

In Isaiah 61:1 , the Bible says of Jesus, He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives. Jesus has done that for millions of banged up people for over two thousand years. He can do it for you because He died on the cross for every sin ever done by you or against you. Isaiah 53:4-5 says of His death on the cross: Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.


With someone who loves you so unconditionally and so completely, you don't have to ever again trash yourself, trash other people, or trash your future. When you surrender the steering wheel of your life and put the rest of your life in the hands of the Man who died for you, you can tear up that name tag that identifies you as victim and replace it with the new identity Jesus gives you, Child of the King.


If you've never done that and you want to begin your own personal relationship with Jesus, tell Him that right now with all your heart. Jesus, who's God's one and only Son, sacrificed Himself to become the ultimate banged-up life for you. Even though you have been betrayed, you've been hurt and rejected, you can trust Him and count on Him to never alone. Your new beginning can start this very moment. 

ABUSE: Stepped On but Still Precious

There are many people today who have been treated poorly. They feel beaten up, mishandled, treated badly, crushed, and trampled on. When someone's been treated like that, they begin to believe that they aren't worth much. If they were, why would anyone treat them like that?



Most people, if they were offered a $20 bill, would take it. What if that nice $20 bill was crumpled up, crushed into a little wad, beaten up, and then stomped on? Would you still want the $20 bill if it was offered to you? Well, of course you would. That's the point. No matter how abused and beaten up that $20 is, it's still worth just as much, and so are you.


When you think you're worthless, you start making choices based on that—throwing yourself away, settling for junk, doing anything for a little love. The truth is, you're just like that mistreated $20 bill. No matter how you've been treated, you're still just as valuable. You're still precious because God gave you your worth, and no one on earth can take it away.


We can go to God's Book to get the real truth about your value and find three worth-givers that cannot be taken from you.

• First, your worth is based on your being made in God's image. In Genesis 1:27 , the Bible says, "God created man in His own image." God made you as a reflection of Himself, so don't think you're not worth much!

Secondly, your worth is based on your being God's one-of-a-kind masterpiece. In Psalm 139:13 , David says to God, "You created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful." When you believe you're not worth much, you're insulting the One who designed you. From the moment the egg and the sperm came together to start your life, you have been God's unique creation. If you don't believe it, look at your fingerprints. There's no one else like you.

• Most importantly, you are infinitely valuable because God paid for your sin with the life of His Son! Galatians 2:20 says, "I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Imagine the blood-stained cross at the top of Skull Hill near Jerusalem. That's where God's one and only Son thought you were so precious that He poured out His life for every wrong thing you have ever done or will ever do. He did that for you because that's the only way you could ever be forgiven of your sins, the only way you could ever have the love relationship with Him you were made for, and the only way you could be with Him in heaven forever.

The children are so right when they sing the song "Jesus loves me, this I know." He really does love you, and you can never experience how much you're worth until you experience the One who gave you your worth. That's what Jesus has come to give you today. He stands ready to enter your life upon your invitation and begin that love relationship He gave His life to give you. The life you were made for and the love you were made for, begins when you let Jesus into your life. No one loves you like he does!

ABUSE: Where Trust is Born

Maybe you've been betrayed, abused, abandoned, or deeply hurt by people you should have been able to trust and it's hard for you to trust anyone. You've been hurt too often. That's Gal's story, too.


Most dogs are pretty aggressive in meeting strangers by coming right up to you, maybe even on you, but not Gal. She retreats when she sees people. She cowers and she trembles because she had been severely abused by several previous owners before she came to a safe home. She has a hard time even trusting people who want to treat her right, but she's missing a lot of loving that way. Wounded, afraid to trust, and missing a lot of love - that's not just the life story of abused dogs, it's the life story of millions of people.



It might be hard for you to trust someone who wants to treat you right, maybe even the Person who wants to give you the deepest love a human being can ever experience — God. You're not even sure how you feel about Him. There have been tragedies you don't understand and questions unanswered.


Even though the children sing, "Jesus loves me, this I know," you can't join their song because you haven't really trusted Him with everything you have. You've never really experienced this one "never leave you" love. That is, in fact, the promise Jesus makes to those who belong to Him. "Never will I leave you; Never will I forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5).


If you struggle to trust even the God who has the love and healing you need, consider Romans 8:31-32 , "If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all—how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?"

God says if you want to know that you can trust Him, go to His Son's cross. The only way for you to belong to God is to have the death penalty for your sin paid, and God gave up His Son to pay it. God doesn't want to lose you, because He really does love you. Just look at His Son, hanging on that bloody cross, pouring out His life in exchange for yours. Stand at the foot of that cross. You have finally found the one person you can totally trust. This Savior who loves you enough to die for you will never betray your trust. He will never do you wrong!


Trust is born at the cross of Jesus when you let the walls around your wounded heart finally come down and you say, "Jesus, I need a Savior. I need to be forgiven. I need Your love. Jesus, I'm Yours." If you've never done that, let today be the day the healing begins.


There's more love waiting for you than you ever imagined you could have. The arms of Jesus are wide open, extending to you hands with nail scars in them—proof of how much He loves you. Now, it's your move.

LIFE ISSUES

Are you looking for answers to life's deepest questions or real life issues? Do you feel that no one cares? Does your life feel out of control? Are you facing something big right now in your life? Sometimes life and its troubles seem overwhelming. You are not alone. There is hope in the issues that come your way.

Abuse Angels Anger Broken-hearted Cleansing Commitment Death Depression Emptiness End Times Eternity Faith Fear Forgiveness God Hell Hope Integrity Jesus Life After Death Life's Storms Loneliness Manliness Money Out-of-Control Parenting Peace Pride Priorities Relationships Religion Restlessness Searching Security Self-Worth Sex Sin Spiritual Direction Starting Over Trust Uncertainty Weariness