Category: Christian

Book Review: Loved Back To Life by Shiela Walsh

Posted on by Mary

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Loved Back to Life: How I Found the Corage To Live Free, is Shiela Walsh’s answer to the many questions of how she’s doing now, and what’s happened in her life since she left her job as co-host of the 700 Club.   Shiela spent time hospitalized for sever depression and stills struggles with it to this day.  Shiela talks openly and bravely about the darkest of times and the really hard questions of life.   She has opened eyes and paved pathways for those who are hiding in those dark places afraid for various reasons and encourages all to step out into the light!

I’m not going to lie….THIS BOOK DEALS WITH HARD STUFF.

It took me a long time to get through it.   This isn’t an easy read.   It really forces you to look inward, and dot lookl not just at the surface but deeply.   Now I choose this book back in January, and I read the description, but nothing could prepare me for it!  It’s been a rough six months for our family and to be completely honest I needed every inch of this bbok.  Every chapter, every sentence, every word!

The book is littered with my notes, highlights and underlines.

One of my most favorite quotes comes from the last chapter,

Flying home that day I realized that we are all “disabled”; it’s just more noticeable with some of us than others. Some of us are blind or in wheelchairs, while others of us are angry and bitter.  What matters is what we are going to do with our disabilities.

WOW!

That’s how I live my life with my “physical” disability (remember I’m legally blind) but there are other things…..things that we are condoned to keep quiet about…..

Today our world is littered with broken, bitter people who need love and instead receive judgement. By loveI do not mean a soft, quiet thing, but a powerful source for good.  Love breaks down and builds up.  It is transforming. Judgement however, brings condemnation and fear.  It is cowardly because it distances itself from the pain of life. Rather than healing what is bent. It cripples and abandons…….

True love, love that speaks truth and yet refuses to abandon others, gives people oppertunity to change.  It even motivates them to change.  (CHAPTER 8)

If you have struggles ( and just like the first quote I mentioned states) we all do, then this book is for you!   If your heart needs some remodeling read this! It has made me aware of areas that need work and as long as you approach this book with willingness God will use it greatly!

I give it 5 stars!

(I received this complimentary copy for review from BookLook bloggers and in no way was compensated for a positive review)

Introducing Faith Forward

Posted on by Mary

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Hello dear friends!

So as promised a little over a month ago…I plan to write a weekly post called FaithForward. The whole idea of these blog posts is to make us think deep within ourselves and to challenge us to move forward in our faith!  Does that mean these posts will be easy to read…I hope not, because they won’t be easy to write!

I’m very excited about this series.

I already have next week’s post written and ready for my blog to go live!

Out of all the posts schedules to happen each week this one has been the most difficult to think about as our family has quite literally fought through being crippled by a horrible circumstance…a circumstance rooted in sin, and we are slowly working our way out of the dark murky swamp we have found ourselves in.  All while holding Jesus’ hand and sometimes even being carried my Him we have deepened our faith far more than I ever expected!

I can’t wait to share some of this journey with you over the coming months!

Blessings,
Mary

Blogging Within My Mission

Posted on by Mary

Hi all,

So it’s been no secret that I have not been around much. Life has been busy and I wear so very many hats!  And sometimes I have to throw off all my other hats in order to take care of a hat that grows exceptionally heavy…..usually it’s the one with a husband, four kids and a house crammed inside of it.

And over the last year or so I have become increasingly uncomfortable with all the…”this is how you should blog”. And the “you aren’t doing things right”. Critics out there.   I also have a lot of personal critics in my life wondering “why do you waste your time doing that” and “How can you possibly have time for all that you do?”   And to be completely honest I think that Satan has used those critics to spread seeds of doubt, and frankly I have come to the realization that I was letting him!    

Did I whine and complain….maybe on the inside a little convincing myself that I had nothing anybody wanted to hear.   And everywhere you turn, people are oh so concerned about numbers……numbers!  Ugh, I’ve always hated Math! It’s a necessary evil in my mind!   Anyway, over the last 8 months I have spent A LOT of time reading and praying.   And while we were on vacation in July , I stole away a few times and focused on me.  Ways to better me.  And one of those things that I did was write my own personal mission statement.

Each year I write out goals but rarely if ever meet them.  I pick books based on areas of my life in which I desire to grow…..along with knowing I will review some as well. I choose them according to the areas that are focus points in my life.  I then also choose fiction that maybe I either missed out on in school or something that strikes my fancy! (No none of them are Romance novels….ICK)

So I wrote this Mission statement….

It is my mission to live my life with the sole purpose to give God the glory in everything I say and do-to abide in Christ, to grow in my daily walk with Him.

 It’s nothing fancy and I know it’s not short and sweet like five words or less BUT IT WORKS FOR ME.

I then added action statements for each of my main focus area in my life.  These areas include

  • My Daily walk with God…it’s a relationship and like any good fruitful relationship it takes nurturing.
  • My hubby….I love him dearly
  • The munchkins…yep four smiling, funny, keep me on my toes munchkins!
  • My home…..I want it to be a safe haven for all who cross it’s threshold .
  • My ministry….which is 2 fold, the people of our church, and my readers here on my blog!
Here is what my action statement under Ministry says
To intentionally challenge fellow women who love Jesus to grow deeper in their walk with God.  To speak truth in love and encourage women to be bold in their faith.

Reflecting Jesus

Posted on by Mary

Today, as I sit on my couch, just after sending my three older children off to school and the youngest watches Jake and the Neverland Pirates, I scroll through my Facebook newsfeed, I see lots of neat things, but in the midst my heart really breaks for a group of moms. In understand that the Nigerian culture may not celebrate Mother’s Day they may not even know it exists here in our comfy country, but I like them have something in common…..we ARE moms. We labored many hours bringing this children into the world. We have sacrificed greatly to provide our children the basic needs, and we entrust our children to a school to be educated.

Let me say this, it’s not the schools fault.
It’s not God’s fault.
It’s not the parents fault.

My heart breaks for these 200 moms who don’t know where their daughters are. BUT GOD DOES.

My prayer is that these moms will have their stolen daughters returned. My prayer is that God will be glorified through this unthinkable act. My prayer is that these girls will trust God, that they will not waiver from their faith and that lives will be changed. My prayer is that these wicked men will see Jesus through these girls and MOST of all my prayer is that these girls will be rescued quickly!

As I brushed my 7 year old daughters hair this morning……I felt blessed to not need to fear for the faith of my child. I have no idea what the future holds for her…or for any of them for that matter! I have been reminded constantly lately that being in constant prayer for my children is so necessary!

Be present
Be kind
Be loving be a good listener
Be ready
Be available
Be focused on them

I need constant reminders, God knows this. I’m easily distracted by all the noise of this world, by everyone’s opinions of me, but they are people too! What are their perceptions of me?

If I care for everyone else’s needs but forget theirs, the rest is in vain. I’ve failed them and God for they are great treasures given for me to take care of and to polish! So they reflect, not my image but that of Jesus.

So won’t you join me in not only praying for our own children but also for those 200 girls stolen. That they too may shine with the reflection of Jesus!?!

Defining My Life By a Song

Posted on by Mary

This was an easy task!
I have no qualms in admitting I am a HUGE TobyMac fan.
I may *cough* or may not have taught my children the moves to his song Me Without You.

And even though I am no one famous…..
I do not perform in any way (usually)
As a pastor’s wife I sometimes find myself speaking in public, teaching Sunday school, an impromptu skit……or any number of other ransoms things…..and for me personally this particular song, is such an amazing, humbling prayer.

Are we willing step step aside from our plans….what we have prepared and let God change the direction….this does not mean not preparing and fly by the seat of your pants! Just let God do what He is going to do and be very aware of what is happening before your eyes!

The song is ….
STEAL MY SHOW by TobyMac
Another cold night
Another late flight
It’s almost show time, and Diverse City’s waitin’ on me
We got a packed house, the crowd is callin’ out
They want the beat to drop, but what we really need is You

[Chorus:]
If You wanna steal my show, I’ll sit back and watch You go
If You got somethin’ to say, go on and take it away
Need You to steal my show, can’t wait to watch You go
So take it away

So now the crowd is hype, that you showed up tonight
Anticipatin’, cravin’ somethin’ more than smoke and lights
So I’ll step out the way, I’ll give You center stage
Alight
Spotlight
Give ’em what they came for …

[Chorus]

When You arrive, we come to life
Our hearts collide, they’re beating in the same time
You’re comin’ through, all eyes on You
Our hearts collide, they’re beating in the same time, beating in the same time

No matter who we are, no matter what we do
Every day we can choose to say …

[Chorus]

My life
My friends
My heart
It’s all Yours, God
Take it away
My dreams
My fears
My family
My career
Take it away
Take it away
It’s all Yours, God
Take it away
Take it away
It’s You I wanna live for

And of course….the video

http://youtu.be/30Q20BQkGfc