Are You Confused about God's Jealousy?

I was never an Oprah Winfrey fan.  I did not watch her show, but would catch occasional glimpses of her through other media.  Just the other day a video was being shared around Facebook of Oprah denouncing Jesus.

I felt it was a sad day.  Unfortunately, I had believed all along that Jesus was not her Savior, but this really was the final confirmation. Often times she would mention things in passing that were vague and left all of us wondering. Well now we know.

But what I found most disturbing about this video was the fact that she said when she was a young adult she heard a sermon that stated that God was a jealous God, and she decided right then that she couldn't believe in Him if he were jealous of her.

jealous of her


I grieve the fact that she totally misunderstood how God is jealous.  If this is something that you don't understand, I encourage you to look deeper.

God has never stated that he is jealous of us.  God is jealous for us.  There is a big difference.

"Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God."

Exodus 34:14

Because of His great love for us, He hates when we put other things before Him.  When something else becomes an idol, or as in the Old Testament, when the people were worshipping other gods, He became very jealous because our affection is misplaced. As Creator of the Universe, He deserves our undying devotion and attention.

He is also saddened when His power has made something happen, and human beings take the credit.  His glory has been stolen right out from under Him.  All praise and honor belongs to the Lord, not to us.

The Bible is certainly a complex, and sometimes frustrating book!  But God has provided many scholarly individuals who can help us understand those things that don't quite make sense to us.  Please, if there is something you don't understand, talk to someone about it.  Don't let it shape your faith, or worse, turn you away from faith.

In the meantime, praise God that he loves YOU so much that he wants ALL of you!

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Don't forget our online book study of "James: Mercy Triumphs" by Beth Moore begins next Wednesday, February 1st right here!  Check out this post for more info!

Life as an Uphill Battle

Do you ever feel like the life you are living is a daily uphill battle?  Nothing comes easy and every decision is hard?

I think sometimes we slowly wander away from God's direction in our life.  When we are no longer walking in the Spirit, life becomes hard.  It happens before we know it, and suddenly we are struggling to squeeze any joy out of life.

If you are a bible believer, and I sure hope that you are, we know that the bible is a complete story from beginning to end.  We've lived much of it and are waiting for the remainder to happen.  Do you realize that your life is within that story?  Your life is happening right now between the books of the bible preceeding Revelation.  We know that part of history has not happened yet.

And so I wonder......

If we looked at this story, your story a little differently, would it reshape our thinking?  Because before you were born, God knew you.  He also knew where you fit into HIS story.  Before you were born He had plans all laid out for you.  Is life a battle because we have abandoned those plans that God has already prescribed?  We, you and I, have been chosen to do something important that God is doing within the story.

God is saving, rescuing and blessing.
He is providing, judging and healing.

A war is in progress;

evil vs good
unhappiness vs joy
pain vs healing
ignorance vs wisdom
life vs death
hope vs despair
heaven vs hell

Which side of the story will you choose?  We either choose God's side or we defect from it. 

Life is a battlefield, and unless we choose to play on the winning side, it will be an uphill battle of frustration, pain, and heartache.

God chose you for HIS side.  Come back and join Him on the winning team!  The Battle is the Lord's!

A Hole in the Gospel - Just One CAN Make a Difference

The book laid in my "to do" pile for months on end.  I was sure it was good, it had gotten all kinds of attention and book reviews.  I just knew I wasn't ready to be convicted or shamed for not doing my part.  And so it sat.  On my bookshelf, unread...where it couldn't reach me.

Then I ran into a friend at church just before my trip to Haiti.  He asked if I'd ever read The Hole in the Gospel - if not, I really needed to read it before I go.   I smiled-nope, hadn't read it.  Still sitting on my bookshelf at home...where it couldn't reach me.

My heart was sufficiently nudged.  After all, I did want to be as prepared as I could be for my trip to Haiti.  If this book was going to help, then I better read it.  So I reached for the book, sat down, began reading, and couldn't stop!

Yes, it reached right into my heart.

Richard Stearns, the current President of World Vision (which I love) tells the wonderful story of how he became President.  It certainly is not what you would expect, and it was entertaining, funny and poignant.

Even more so are the stories he tells of his many encounters with the recipients of World Vision's services.  I was moved beyond words at what he has witnessed first hand in some of the poorest nations on earth.  I was able to move beyond the common misconception that one person cannot make a difference.

"What if there are children who will suffer somehow because I failed to obey God?  What if my cowardice costs even one child somewhere in the world his or her life?"

I began seeing God's command to care for the sick, the lame, the orphans, the homeless, the poor, and the widows in a completely differently light.  What if we took the Bible literally?  Wouldn't this be it's message?

"For I was hungry, while you had all you needed and more.  I was thirsty, but you drank bottled water.  I was a stranger, and you wanted me deported.  I needed clothes, but you needed more clothes.  I was sick, and you pointed out the behaviors that led to my sickness.  I was in prison, and you said I was getting what I deserved."

God does not have different levels of compassion on his children based on their geographic location, their nationality, or their language.  God loves EVERY one of his children, and we are to do the same.  This is where Stearns proclaims that our gospel has a hole in it.  We as Christians have accepted salvation, but stopped there.  We have forgotten that faith requires work.

My eyes were opened when I read that if we were to poll the world's populations and gather them into 100 people, this is what the group would look like:

60 would be Asian

14 would be African

12 would be European

8 would be Latin American

5 would be American or Canadian

We are the MINORITY!  The disparity is astounding!  The gap between the wealthy and the poor continues to grow.  What is the answer?

If the American church (not even the whole world) would tithe at the biblical 10% we could bring an end to world hunger AND the clean water crisis.  Seriously-$168 billion.  (Americans spend $31 billion each year on pets alone!)

So I read the book, and as you can see, it has had quite an impact on me.  Fast forward two weeks when I landed in Haiti on a mission trip. Our host for the week was Pastor Manno, who heads up Haitian Christian Ministries.  When he was a teenager an American missionary decided to pay for his college education and sent him to the United States.  He earned his Seminary degree and returned to Haiti.  He is now running a ministry that feeds 1000 kids every day!  Children are receiving an education and a hot meal every day because ONE PERSON decided to do something.  ONE PERSON made an investment.  Stearns was right. 

YOU may be that ONE person that makes a huge impact and begins a domino effect that could change thousands of lives every day.

I bet God has just the place He wants you to make a difference.  Listen, just listen, and He will whisper it in your ear.

Then....go stand in the gap.  Plug that hole in the gospel and watch our world change right before your very eyes!! 

But before you go.....read this book!  You'll be glad you did!

Sisters in Bloom - A New Collaboration

Sisterhood - congenial relationship or companionship among women;  

mutual female esteem, concern, support. 

 An organization of women with a common interest.

Every now and then an opportunity presents itself, an opportunity to focus on something near and dear to your heart, and you just can't help but jump up and down with excitement. 

As women we long to belong.  We long to have friendships that are deep and real.  We have insatiable appetites for community.  We need to be encouraged, but we also love to come alongside others to encourage them as well.

I have the privilege of introducing you to a brand new site that will help us all do just that.  Today is the official launch day of Sisters in Bloom.

Thirty three women have come together with the vision and desire to create a Godly community of women who desire to walk alongside one another, in grace and truth, as we all do life together.






I sure hope you will join us! Grab a cup of coffee, curl up on the sofa, and stop on by Sisters in Bloom to get to know us.  We can't wait to meet you!

Online Book Study - James with Beth Moore

I've been waiting several weeks to be able to share this announce with all of you!  Mark your calendars for February 1st for week one of the online bible study, "James:  Mercy Triumphs" by Beth Moore!  I am very excited to be co-leading this study with my great friend Natalie from Mommy on Fire.  She's has a huge heart for the Lord and I guarantee you will just love her!

We'll do an 8 week study, with week one being an introduction.  Each Wednesday, Natalie or myself will post thoughts and reflections as well as welcome discussion among participants in the comment section.  For those of you on Facebook, we will also start a group where we can keep up with one another with thoughts that come to mind or questions that you want to raise for discussion.  Depending on how many participants also have a blog, we might even host a link-up for your own posts.

All you have to do is head over to Lifeway to grab your copy of the workbook.  You'll have several levels of participation to choose from.  You can choose which level fits your season of life right now! 

1. Watch Videos: Participating in the video sessions only
2. Complete Homework: Participating in the video sessions + doing the weekly homework assignments
3. Hand write James: Participating in the video sessions + doing the weekly homework assignments + handwriting the Book of James
4. Read Articles: Participating in the video sessions + doing the weekly homework assignments + handwriting the Book of James + reading “The Next Level with Melissa”
5. Memorize James: Participating in the video sessions + doing the weekly homework assignments + handwriting the Book of James + reading “The Next Level with Melissa” + memorizing the Book of James

So you have lots of options!   I can't wait to dig into this book with Beth Moore, along with her daughter Melissa, who gives some fantastic church history information at the end of each week of study.

So there you have it!  Are you ready?


If you are in, would you please let us know via the comment section?  We would love to know who's studying with us!

Bibles of Old - Hidden Treasures

If these bibles could talk

what would they say of the one

who read it's pages?

Each one over 140 years old

discarded at a library sale-

but found a new home here,

in wonderment.

Were the lives that owned

them richer for this possession?

Were they counseled,

comforted,

challenged,

guided?

Treasures, I think.

My Talented Lego Artist

I know this totally gives away my age, but I just had to boast about the creativity and ingenuity of my 11 year old.  She created this birthday card for me from legos! 

Now that is amazing!

Birthday Bash Winners

Congratulations to our winners for the week:

Karen from Faith, Family & Fibro has won the Prayer Journal.

Sharon from Thoughts for the Day has won the Note Cards.

Ladies, send me your shipping info!!

Birthday Bash Wrapup

Well it's been a fun week here, giving away some goodies.  I hope you've had fun.  Be sure to check out all the entries you can still make.  I'll be drawing winners tonight and posting tomorrow.

Don't forget to stop over at Monday's post to enter to win a Prayer Journal!

My favorite Digital Scrapbook Designer, Jennifer Labre, is also giving a 25% off discount code to her store.  Use code CherieBday.

Leave a comment on yesterday's post to enter to win some of my photography note cards. 


Thanks everyone!  Have a great weekend.

Birthday Bash and a Giveaway of Note Cards

The celebration continues today with another giveaway of two sets of my photography note cards.  One pack is of roses and the other is butterflies.  The photos were all taken by me in my backyard garden.

Simple entry:  just leave me a comment!  Drawing will be held Friday and the winner announced on Saturday.

Don't forget to stop over at Monday's post to enter to win a Prayer Journal!


My favorite Digital Scrapbook Designer, Jennifer Labre, is also giving a 25% off discount code to her store.  Use code CherieBday.


TODAY is the last day to use this coupon code for something beautiful!

Thanks for joining me for all the fun!