Are you satisfied with your life?
Maybe, you’ve tried many different avenues to fulfill your deepest desires. From theses efforts, you probably have filled your life with wonderful people, wonderful things.
Yet, when everyone is in bed and the lights are out, you find yourself thinking of the old Peggy Lee song, ‘is that all there is?’
Instead of having a party, turn to Jesus.
Jesus spoke of himself in John 10:10b
“I have come so they might have life and have it in abundance.”
Out of the Overflow, Stories of God’s Love from His Heart to Yours, is a collection of over 100 contributed stories from the attendees at the 2010 CLASS Seminar Christian Writer’s Conference showing how God’s love has overflowed from their into the hearts of others. This book is categorized as Religion/Inspirational. The ISBN-13 is 978-1-60615-104-4 and is listed at $15.99 onChristian books.com or $18.99 at Winepress.
Disclosure: My first published poem, When I Sing to Jesus, page 127, is included in this collection.
This book was compiled at the annual CLASSeminars Christian Writers Conference At the Ghost Ranch in Northern New Mexico. Attendees met daily in small critique groups to edit and polish their submissions.
The stories are as unique in style, format and circumstances as their authors. Yet, through out them is a consistent message of how God’s love meets needs causing living water to flow out of their lives into the lives of others.
These heart level written words touched and often inspired me. I found delight in how often the stories resonated with me even when the life circumstances were so different from mine.
This book would be a welcomed encourager for anyone looking for hope. A portion of the proceeds for this book will be contributed to the Dan Penwell Scholarship Fund of CLASSeminars.
The link to the book at Winepress.
March was a whirlwind of activity for me. A variety of weekend writing and church ministry conferences. I was spiritually challenged and inspired. This Sunday’s lesson was in Philippians 3. Paul describes what he is willing to give up to share in the resurrection power of Jesus and his Father. Nor can Paul understand why anyone wouldn’t want that same power for their lives. What about you? Why wouldn’t you want A God on your side who has the power to raise the dead?
From The Message
Phil. 3:10 ¶ I gave up all that inferior stuff so I could know Christ personally, experience his resurrection power, be a partner in his suffering, and go all the way with him to death itself.
Phil. 3:11 If there was any way to get in on the resurrection from the dead, I wanted to do it.
I spent a great “Pathways” afternoon being a part of P3 training. For me, I see my training every day I really live. I catch myself running my numbers or worse the specter of my special name comes over me. I hate that more than anything.
Even a couple of hours of being back ‘in the room’, hearing strangers share their hearts revives means reminds me of the work that happens every month.
To my class, 226, what we did 6 years ago was significant. It was significant for each of us as individuals and for us as group. Hearing the old songs took me back to those moments we shared. I could close my eyes and see the moments we spent together.
This afternoon also reminded me that every person is significant to me. Maybe you are reading this at a coffee shop or at home. Look around you, every person you see is important to you and no doubt needs you in their life.
Some of my favorite phrases from the afternoon an some I heard at a new heart level, ‘chip away at what doesn’t belong’, ‘I want to be real’, and ‘faith of the heart’.
The real question I have to ask myself from today is, “while I’ve always known I have wings, why am I still not ready to fly?”
When did snow flakes lose their magic?
There was a time when
a forecast of snow brought me thoughts
of joy and hope
of freedom and fun
of warm coats and mittens
floating around me like the flurries of snow.
Most of all was the question,
would there be enough snow
to make ice cream?
We’d gather one big bowl of snow
(usually all we could find)
and with a dash of vanilla and a cup of milk,
we ate the best treat in the world.
But that was before I knew responsibility,
how deep it runs,
people’s lives,
anxious nerves,
unfinished projects,
availability of power,
world wide business needs.
And somehow I now see
the snow is lying on top of the ground.
There isn’t enough vanilla or sugar to sweeten the cream.
I’m disappointed; I didn’t met my writing goals this month. It was partly because of my Mom being in the hospital/rehab, partly because I have not set up a clear writing schedule. I learned a few things. I did some great research on the book of Ezra. One of the things I learned this month is nothing that belongs to God is ever lost. This is encouraging, I will be able to use this research one day. And I was blessed by what I learned.
