Higher Hope by Robert Whitlow

I recently became a book reviewer for Thomas Nelson Publishers.  My first book to review is Higher Hope by Robert Whitlow.

I read the first book in this series called, Deeper Water, with my church book club.  Higher Hope continues with Tami Taylor, a fledgling Christian lawyer, learning how to incorporate her faith, rooted in strong biblical character, into her life in the “real world.”  This series has progressively shown how Tami is struggling to be “in” the world, but not “of” the world.  She continues in Higher Hope to struggle with how to not be hypocritical to her beliefs while doing her job to the best of her ability.   Tami is challenged by her co-workers beliefs and the cases that her employer provide for her.  She faces prejudices and unbelief along the way.  All the while she clings to her faith and seeks the Lord to provide wisdom and direction.  Tami also struggles with the new ideas of “courting” and the dynamics of a potential boyfriend that is Christian but not as “strict” in the faith as she and her family.  It is a good and quick read with Christian truths and “real world” drama.

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Thankful Thursday

Thankful Thursday is upon me again!  The funny thing is that when I come to write these posts I have a hard time finding things to be thankful for!  Isn’t that awful?  I guess I need to refocus on life in general and look for things in a positive manner.  In that regard I am reminded on Corrie Ten Boom in her book “The Hiding Place”  and her sister Betsie.  They found so many things to be thankful for in the prisons that they were put into during WWII.  It was amazing the gratitude that they had for the little that they actually had with them.  All their worldly possessions were taken away, their dignity, their family, their lives were essentially blotted out for a time…and yet they were thankful to the LORD.  Especially Betsie…what an amazing pair!  So certainly, I, in my privileged life can find more gratitude for the LORD of all!

SO I am thankful for the home that I have, the children in my life, the people I have that I call friends, my parents, the freedom to speak my mind, the freedom to write a blog and not be censored, the freedom to worship my LORD as I choose and when I choose, new friends and old friends, prayer, and a faith that does not fail me in good times or in bad.

I am especially thankful for a moment this morning.  I went to video DD#1 at school today so I took the kids into school at the start of the day instead of dropping them off in carpool.  Well, this little change in my DS’s routine must have upset his OCD mind.  When I was leaving DD#1’s classroom, DS’ teacher was bringing him out in the hall to speak with him.  Apparently he was having a difficult morning.  This allowed me to briefly speak with him and the teacher and to PRAY with him and for him in the hallway.  You see, he’s been having a good week…we have been praying every morning together for his day ahead.  This morning we were so rushed we forgot…so the LORD gave us the opportunity to pray at the school.  I pray his day is continuing well.  I am thankful for that opportunity!

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Wordless Wednesday

Today is the day for my wordless wednesday post…sooo…let me stop talking!!  🙂

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Reflections of Easter

Easter this year started out wonderfully.  I ring in the handbell choir at church (as well as a handbell quartet) and the choir rang at the sunrise service…I had to be “ready to ring” at 6am!  Yee Haw!  It was dark and cold and early.  I was pretty tired to say the least!  Being afraid I wouldn’t have time for a shower I needed to shower before sunrise service…so I was up and at ’em at 5:20am.  But I wasn’t the first one up in the house!  DS beat me to it!  He was up around 5am watching TV!  Yikes!

I made it to church with a little time to spare so I had the opportunity to fellowship with friends.   It was nice to ring to His Glory that early in the morning actually.  I really enjoyed the sound of the choir in the crisp morning air.  We sang a few hymns and prayed.  An elder from the church delivered a nice “sermon” on why we have a solid faith in Christ.  That without the truth of the Resurrection we have a faith based on nothing and we are wasting our time if the Resurrection never happened.  How wonderful it is to say that the Resurrection is real and our faith is not based on myths.  Jesus conquered the grave!  He is risen!  He is risen indeed!  Hallelujah!

During the sermon we could hear a church in the distance having their service…a brass choir was playing Easter hymns that resonated throughout the neighborhoods.  Then the birds came alive as the sun arose!  It was wonderous to hear all the birds singing their songs, a brass choir playing praise, and a sermon delivering the Truth all at the same time.  I imagine that is what Heaven will be like one day!  All creation praising His glory for ever and ever!  Amen!

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Last Day of Women’s Study

Today we celebrated our last day of our women’s bible study at church with a wonderful luncheon.  It was a nice time to spend with the ladies from the church.  We had a wonderful lunch of salad and spinach souffles (fancy food, huh?).

It has been a great study this year.  We studied the Names of God from scripture.  Each week we learned a new name and dived into what that name meant and how that described a different characteristic of the LORD.  At the luncheon we all spoke about which name of God meant the most to us during the study.  It was quite nice to listen to all the ladies speak about the names that meant the most to them.  All the names spoke to us in one way or another so it was a great review of the study.

The names that were the most meaningful to me were Jehovah -M’Kaddash, Jehovah-Shalom, and El Elyon.  These three names spoke to me and ministered to me throughout the year.  Jehovah-M’Kaddash means the LORD sanctifies.  He uses everything and all things to sanctify us to become more like Christ.  There is a work that He wants to do in us and he will set us apart from the world to accomplish these works.  We can’t do this on our own…He must do the work in us.  This name was powerful to me in the Fall.  My DS is struggling so and was lashing out so much and I was not looking at him the right way.  The LORD used Jacob to redirect me.  I was shown how my son’s “issues” are being used by the LORD to sanctify me and my husband.  It was a hard pill to swallow!  And I didn’t like it!!  The following week we studied Jehovah-Shalom.

Jehovah-Shalom means the LORD provides peace.  And He did!  In the week that followed my struggle with my sanctification the LORD blessed me with rest and peace at our annual women’s retreat at the beach.  I was allowed to spend 3 1/2 days away from “my life” at home and rest in the LORD.  It was wonderful.  He pushed me to a place the week before of pain and brought me to a place of rest and restoration.  He realized how hard it was for me to face up to my sin that needed to be sanctified and provided a place for me to “come to grips with it” and “rest in Him.”  It was wonderful and I am so thankful!

In the new year (2009) we studied El Elyon.  I have a full post dedicated to this name on the blog.  Just look under Bible Study.  El Elyon is the God Most High – the Sovereign LORD.  He is sovereign over all things in this world and all things not of this world.  HE is the MOST HIGH GOD!!  In control at all times.  All things happen according to His purposes.  It is a comforting thought in times of struggle and in times of uncertainty that the LORD that I love is in control.  Especially when I feel like things are out of MY control!!

I am looking forward to the study to begin in the Fall of this year.  The Summer off will be nice, but it is always nice to be in fellowship and study with other women of faith.  Until then…God Bless the women of our bible study.

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