Haughty Attitude

Isaiah 2:6-4:6

This section in Isaiah talks about Judah and Jerusalem’s prideful and haughty attitudes. Sometimes we have this same attitude. You see a small group of elementary aged children sitting in front of you at church. They are snickering and clearly not listening to the worship service. You think, “Where are their parents?” or “I’m glad my kids don’t act like that.”

You are passing judgment on someone else, when in reality your kids at some point have acted like that. I know mine have!

I struggle with this attitude more often than I really care to admit. I have been a Christian for almost 15 years. The church I’m a member of has several new (with in the last 12 months) Christians and some who have been Christians longer than I have been alive. Most of them at times seem immature in their walk. But then I think who am I to judge them, that’s between them and God.

The Lord will humble the proud and haughty attitudes in us (2:11-12). Usually He does this by showing us what our attitudes look like, by turning the tables on us. I don’t like being on the receiving end of judgment. Do you?

Run to the ROCK! The more you cling to Him the less likely you are to suffer from this attitude.

Thin Places by Mary DeMuth review

Book review Monday is here. The book is Thin Places by Mary DeMuth.

This is a very open and honest look into the life of Mary DeMuth. The chapter titled “Marked” touched me the most. Instead of running from the mark, as Mary did, I embraced it. That was how I felt loved. That is until I met my now husband and Jesus. They have become my safe havens.

It is still hard for me to trust people, but I AM healing. This book lets you know that it’s okay to have issues. You don’t have to have it all together, for God to love you. He will love you and heal you no matter the issue.

What the heck does Showing Vs Telling mean? And how can I tell when I’m telling when I should be showing?

It's Writer's Friday. So Write right, today!

I struggle with this. Honestly I think most writers do, to some degree. What I understand is that universal emotions shouldn’t be told. We should show how the character reacts to their feelings. We all feel nervous, sad, happy, or angry. These are universal emotions, everyone has them. But we all react differently to those emotions.

If a writer just tells you a character is angry, that’s boring and uninteresting. We’re reading the story. We see what caused him to be angry. Someone ran into his brand new sports car. I’d be angry too! More interesting is how he reacts to seeing his dream car smashed. Does he jump out of the car yelling and cursing? Does he calmly and methodically take out a gun and shoot the offender? Or does he just sit there and cry?

Even in a first person narrative the character knows he’s angry. It’s more interesting for him to show what he is feeling or what he’s thinking, instead of saying “I was angry!”

Showing applies to descriptions and relationships too. It’s boring to hear that someone was ugly. What makes them ugly? Show it! It’s boring to hear that two people are close. How are they close? What do they do together? Show it!

Going Through the Motions

Isaiah 1:2, 10-20

Judah had rebelled against God (1:2). What did they do? They were just going through the motions…and God was tired of it (1:14-15). He wouldn’t even listen to their prayers (1:15).

They were still meeting, sacrificing, and giving, but their hearts weren’t in it. Apparently, they weren’t taking care of their poor and needy (1:17). God’s chastisement was to make the nation suffer (1:5-7).
God is very clear on how to end the suffering. You have to be willing and obedient (1:19).

If we as Christians forget our needy we are no different from Judah of the Old Testament. God will chastise us.

Read James 1:27

Read Zechariah 7 to see what God did to those who didn’t care for the needy.

Need some suggestions:
1) Visit or call a widow.
2) Secretly pay a bill for a widow or single parent.
3) Take a single parent’s children to the park for the afternoon.
4) Write an encouraging note.
5) Sponsor an orphan over seas.
6) Become a foster parent.
7) Adopt .
8) Help an organization that helps orphans/widows.
The list of possibilities is endless! Be creative!

Symmetry by Joyce Sterling Scarbrough

Today is book review Monday! I first met Joyce Sterling Scarbrough in a writer's group we both belong to. Now She is one of my Diva sisters! This review is for her lastest book Symmetry. Look for more info on Joyce at the end of this post! Enjoy!


Symmetry is about Jess and her realization that she has trichotillomania, her pending divorce, and her relationship with family. This book touched a nerve in me. I know second hand how it feels to be “different”. My oldest son has been diagnosed with A.D.H.D, with possible Asperger’s Syndrome, and there are days when I think he has O.C.D. I love the characters and the drama of this book. It is an excellent read! I love how this book brings awareness to those who are “different” or might be labeled “freaks”.

You can learn more about Joyce and purchase her books at: http://www.lldreamspell.com/JoyceScarbrough.htm
http://www.joycescarbrough.blogspot.com
http://www.amazon.com

The Problem in Galatia

Galatians 1:6-7~I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel-not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.

The basic gospel found in Scripture can be understood by even the most uneducated person. There are portions of Scripture that are hard to understand because they were written in a different time and in a different culture. Sometimes it is easier to understand these portions if we understand why they were written in the first place.

Galatians 1:6-7 clearly explains why Paul wrote the letter to the Galatians. The churches of Galatia were “turning to a different gospel”, a false gospel, while Paul was gone. So they needed correcting, thus the letter. Paul knew that if the churches in Galatia didn’t get the gospel right, it would be a spiritual death sentence for them. So Paul wrote this letter to reaffirm the simple truth of the gospel that he had taught them previously and to call out the false teachers.
Back in verse 4, Paul states the gospel as plainly as can be. That’s it, there’s nothing more to it! I can see why he was “astonished.” What he taught them all boils down to what he said in this verse.

The Galatians were not only “turning to a different gospel” but they were “deserting him who called them”. God called them to believe and they were turning their backs to Him.

Let us as Christians be careful to not allow false teachers to confuse us. The only way to do that is to be grounded in Scripture. Read 1 Timothy 4:1-10. Check out Jeremiah 28 to find out what God did to a false teacher. Church leaders please read Acts 20:28-35.

Tangled

Today I am going to share with you my review of Tangled by Lacresha Hayes. This is the latest book about by Larcesha. The book is available on Amazon and through Lacresha's many websites, blogs, and Facebook pages. If you are interested in finding out more about her and her ministries I will have contact info at the end of the post.


Tangled by Lacresha Hayes.

WOW! I loved this book! I hope Lacresha will write a sequel! Without giving too much away, Shannon is still in love with Derek, her husband, but Brian is back in her life. Who will she choose? You will have to read the book to find out. Watch Shannon struggle with God, herself and just life in general. You really should read this book.

You can check out Lacresha at Lacreshahayes.com, Learntofeelpretty.blogspot.com, Therapeofinnocence.blogspot.com or friend her on Facebook at Facebook.com/lacreshahayes