Stories to Tell by Heather Trent Beers

"No one lights a lamp and then covers it with a washtub or shoves it under the bed. No, you set it up on a lamp stand so those who enter the room can see their way. We're not keeping secrets; we're telling them. We're not hiding things; we're bringing everything out into the open. So be careful that you don't become misers of what you hear. Generosity begets generosity. Stinginess impoverishes." (Luke 8:16-18, The Message)

I studied my Weekend To-Do List. Laundry – check. Groceries – check. Phone calls, yard work, pay bills – check, check, check. Sighing, I poured a cup of coffee. Frustration nibbled around the edges of my satisfaction.
I felt it coming; The War of the Words, my ongoing fight with myself

You accomplished a lot. You should be proud of yourself.
I do. I feel really good.
Then what’s wrong?
Wednesday is coming.
Yeah? Wednesday always comes. What’s your point?
My point is Wednesday is critique group, and I don’t have anything to read. Again.
So write something. What’s the big deal?
I don’t know. I have ideas, but I’m not sure what to do with some of them. I seem
to lack direction, and I wonder sometimes why I even bother.
You bother because you love it, remember?
Oh, you don’t understand.
What’s to understand? You love to write, so write! Just do it!
Oh, shut up! Since when did you become a spokesperson for Nike?

Even a good night’s sleep didn’t help. I turned my attention to the Lord as I drove to work the next morning, but I couldn’t pray. I could only hold my heart up to Him for His inspection; my feelings about my writing swirled like a dust devil on a summer baseball field.

Arriving at 801 Main Street, I parked in the lot. Monday: time for a full week of work. But first, a jolt of caffeine!

I get my morning fix at The Hard Bean, a hip and friendly place. Great music permeates the air and big leather chairs beckon you to sit and sample the books stacked on the fireplace mantle. The wood floor is happy, painted red with big, black, whimsical swirls.

“Morning, Heather. What’ll it be today?” Cheryl is already holding a cup. She knows without asking I’ll choose a grande.

“How about a Chai Latte?” Cheryl nods and starts whipping up my frothy treat.

It’ll be a minute, so I walk to the mantle and check out the titles: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe; The Bourne Identity; Pride and Prejudice; The Message. I pick up The Message, Eugene Petersen’s brilliant “contemporary rendering of the Bible…in everyday language.” I flip it open and sigh. My heart beats a wordless prayer, enunciating for me my confusion and disquiet.

Oh! Good ol’ Luke. Let’s see what you have to say in chapter eight.

It’s the story of the seed that fell along different types of ground. I’m mesmerized by Eugene’s telling of this old, familiar story. After explaining how the seed falls on different types of ground and either grows or doesn’t, Jesus says,

“Are you listening to this? Really listening to this?” (I can almost see Him as He’s talking. It’s almost as if I’m there, and He’s looking through me.)

“Why did you tell this story?” the disciples asked. (Good question! I think.)

He said, "You've been given insight into God's kingdom—you know how it works. There are others who need stories.”

Suddenly, Cheryl calls. “Heather, here’s your Chai!”
And Jesus has caught hold of my hand through The Message. His gaze is boring straight through the confusion in my heart, and He’s saying, “There are others who need stories. Go tell them.”

I’d like to say that since then the words flow effortlessly through my fingers into my laptop for hours on end and it’s joy unspeakable. That I’ve written diligently every day and know exactly what to do with the ideas I have.

The truth? My time has been filled with laundry, grocery shopping, work, family, and yes – even wonderings about my writing. What will I write? Who will read it? Will I ever finish that story I started?

Now, though, I refuse to engage in a War of the Words with myself.

One morning, I invited the late Oswald Chambers to speak to me through his book, “My Utmost for His Highest.” In the March 10th selection, he says, “Let God have perfect liberty when you speak. Before God’s message can liberate other souls, the liberation must be real in you. Gather your material, and set it alight when you speak.”

“Yes,” Jesus tells me. “Gather your materials. There are stories to tell.”

***
Heather is a member of Metro and a writer. You can read articles she's written for Focus on the Family on her blog: http://www.heathertrentbeers.blogspot.com/.

In the hands of God-by Cathy Carnes

I have this bracelet that I had made when my two oldest grandchildren were born. It is their birthstones on it. I wore it a lot when I first got it and then when I moved to my own place in May of this year, I put it up so I would not lose it. After the boys were diagnosed with Neiman Pick Disease, Type C, I was rummaging through what little jewelry I have and found this little bracelet that was hiding in the back. I started wearing it again to remind me to pray constantly for their healing. In specifically, their physical healing! You know, God wants specifics, so that is what I am doing. I put it on the alter at church on November 2, as a surrender to God to work a miracle. I took it off the alter after church that Sunday and put it back on my arm and went on with life that week. I wore it all week and never took it off as a commitment to pray, pray, pray. I woke up the next Sunday and it was not on my arm. I became frantic, like this little piece of jewelry was everything, my whole life. In my head for just a minute, I had thought, if I lost this little piece of jewelry, I had lost my grandchildren.

I went on to church with a Niemen pick bracelet that was orange that I put on the alter instead. I went on with life, trying to figure out what I had done with that other bracelet. I had torn my house up looking for it as I was crying out for God to deliver it back to me, I was told that if you ask in the name of Jesus, make this appear it would…. So that is what I did……
IN THE NAME OF JESUS, MAKE THIS BRACELET APPEAR…. Three days went by and no bracelet.

I was getting dressed one morning ……. Wanting to wear this sweatshirt that someone gave me that says….. ETERNALLY FREE. with the verse John 3:16 on it. I went to put in on Tuesday morning and as I unwrapped it, the bracelet that I so desperately cried out for dropped out. It had been covered up in this sweatshirt that says “Eternally Free.” John 3:16---For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him, shall not perish but have eternal life.

What a blessing to know that God has my grandbabies in his hands, and to know that if all of us, as people will just allow God to take control of our lives, life would be so much more peaceful, because only God can give me peace.

Someone so dear to me wanted me to think of why that bracelet was taken from me those couple of days…… Was it because I needed to surrender once again to God and allow Jesus, the Redeemer of all, to actually take control of the situation with my grandchildren? With my life? Was I to surrender my faith and control once again? Was it time to let The Holy Spirit do his work here with the boys?

It is when we surrender our lives over to God that peace comes and abundant love overflows. Will you allow God to take control of your life today?

Blessings,
Cathy

Compass-Scott Jones

"How Compasses Work"~by Marshall Brain

No matter where you stand on Earth, you can hold a compass in your hand and it will point toward the North Pole. What an unbelievably neat and amazing thing! Imagine that you are in the middle of the ocean, and you are looking all around you in every direction and all you can see is water, and it is overcast so you cannot see the sun...How in the world would you know which way to go unless you had a compass to tell you which way is 'up'? Long before GPS satellites and other high-tech navigational aids, the compass gave humans an easy and inexpensive way to orient themselves."

God is endlessly amazing, wonderful & good! He gives us a beautiful & sure reference point through His only Begotten Son, to show us the path into eternal life. He orders our steps & gives us direction, focus, & provision no matter where we are in life's adventurous journey.

In Christ's Perfect Love,
Scott, Christine & Connor Jones

Tammy McDonald’s Top Ten Worship Songs

I Will Not Be Moved-Natalie Grant
Mighty To Save-Laura Story
Empty Me-Chris Sligh
Sound of Your Name-Above the Golden State
Hungry-Karyn Scott
Walk By Faith-Jeremy Camp
Mountain of God-Third Day
By His Wounds-Glory Revealed
Don't Give Up-Sanctus Real
Made To Worship-Chris Tomlin

Top 10 Current Favorite Worship Songs-Ruby Smith

“Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)”-Chris Tomlin
“Whatever You’re Doing”-Sanctus Real
“Be Thou My Vision”-Traditional Hymn
“In Christ Alone”-Traditional Hymn
“Be Near”-Shane and Shane
“Show Me Your Glory”-Third Day
“His Eye is on the Sparrow”-Selah
“I Will Not Be Moved”-Natalie Grant
“Miracle of the Moment”-Stephen Curtis Chapman
“Bika Mono Ve (Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior)”-Selah

Top 10 Current Favorite Worship Songs-Bobby Taylor

From the Inside Out - United
Came to the Rescue – United
Hosanna – Paul Baloche
Lead me to the Cross – Brooke Fraser
Love Came Down – Ben Cantelon
Jesus Paid it All – Kristian Stanfill
Take it All – United
You Never Let Go – Matt Redman
Jesus Blood - Delirious
Take My Life – Chris Tomlin

Top 10 Current Favorite Worship Songs-Jim Bailey

“Love Is Here”.................Tenth Avenue North
“When I See You”............Big Daddy Weave
“This Is Home”.................Switchfoot
“Rejoicing”.........................Ian McIntosh
“Restoration”....................David Brymer
“Holy Spirit Come”...........Isa Covertier
“Restless Spirit”................Kara Tupy
“Gravity”...........................Shawn McDonald
“Beautiful Mystery”.........Telecast
“Say”..................................One Republic