A Pretty Big Announcement...

I have some exciting news to share, and I also have a huge request for many prayers. Earlier this year, the Lord prompted me to begin writing devotionals for a book. Actually, He began working in me through the prompting of others a couple of years ago. My exact response to them was, "You've lost your mind!"

At the beginning of this year, though, it became obvious that He was calling me to write. He even gave me a book of the Bible to get me started. As I began studying Joshua, I realized that much of the journey the Israelites made into the Promised Land had significance in my own journey during the past 5 years. The title I believe the Lord gave me for this little book of devotions is "MOVE!" Each day, as I sat down to read and to write, I came away with one imperative command for the journey towards healing and deliverance. That led me to my subtitle, "When God's Deliverance Requires Man's Obedience."

You see, life is hard, and we all have plenty of opportunity to live in captivity due to the circumstances we live in. I've been convicted that I sometimes pray for deliverance from life's obstacles without being willing to DO my part in obeying His commands for freedom.

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

Galatians 5:1

Christ has set us free, but we have to stand firm. Do you see the imperative command? Although Christ has done it, we have to live lives that follow His necessary imperatives for holding the ground He's won!

So, I've done it. I've completed 31 devotions through the book of Joshua. I've gone through more edits than I want to think about. I've worked with the illustrator on the cover. And, the book has gone to print. 

Five years ago, I learned that God's grace is sufficient for life's trials. Over the past year, I've learned His grace is also sufficient for the difficult calling. I wrote the introduction, and the book sat for a while. I wrote days 1 through 5, and then tried to scrap the whole thing. We moved to Florida, and I completed some more of the writing. Then, life got hard in new and different ways, so I wrote nothing. The process goes on and on like this. And, my gracious God kept calling me back to His work. Finally, it was completed ONLY because He wouldn't let me quit. 

Please pray for this project with me. My story is written throughout the pages of this book, but it's HIS STORY that I so desperately want readers to know and understand. God is the Hero that brought Joshua and the Israelites out of the desert and into the Promised Land. Through Jesus Christ, God is also the Hero of my story. And, I'm convinced that He is the Hero of any life operating in Promised Land freedom. That's abundant life, and He's the only One that gives it. 

Also, please pray for my sister and her husband, Alyson and Jeremy. They are in the adoption process. Their call to adopt came around the same time as my call to write. So, I'm praying for a way to financially support their adoption through book sales.

I am proud of this book, but not because of anything I've done. The story I get to tell is not one that anyone would wish for. Yet, I'm honored. First, I'm honored to have been chosen to live it. Then, I'm honored to have been asked to write it. I believe with all of my heart that this is God's story. TO HIM BE ALL GLORY AND HONOR AND PRAISE. But, He allowed me to participate. I don't know why He did it. I'm just so grateful He did!

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

John 10:10