Guest post by Kristy Cambron, bestselling author of the NIV Verse Mapping Bible.

2020 has changed us. There’s no doubt about that.

It’s shifted the fundamental constants of how we live, work, worship, and connect.

In a blink our families are no longer fragmented between environments and schedules. It became clear the moment I was knee-deep in the throngs of a quarantine, navigating e-learning for three kids in three different schools, in a kitchen that had become home office, restaurant, classroom, Zoom studio, and family worship center all in one. The spaces for each area of life had merged together, showing us that in order to navigate this season there may be as many things we had to unlearn as the things we actually needed to learn.

The last time I’d been in a similar season—of grief, loss, and the need to cling to the promises of God—was after losing my Dad to cancer and circumstances that sent our family in a series of life plot twists to follow. I turned to the Bible. Broken. Hopeful. Expectant. And hungry. But I needed to unlearn habits that had left me feeling alone, unsure where or how to study, and stunted in spiritual growth. What’s more, I wasn’t confident I could truly understand Scripture enough to apply its truths to this—and every season—of my life.

It’s when Verse Mapping sparked a new fire in my heart.

Out of years in a corporate training career, I wanted to apply what I’d learned there to unlock the learning that was possible in Scripture. And it’s why introducing families to the concept of Verse Mapping—5 simple steps that call us to deep, meaningful study verse by verse—could make this the right time for families to unlearn a few things, to learn a few more, and to step out on a new story road of faith… together.

Verse Mapping: Study Space

With a shift to home-learning, we’ve likely turned kitchens into laboratories and storage closets into academic arsenals. And that’s what I loved about Verse Mapping to begin with—it works in a coffee shop, church classroom, online study group or outdoor gathering the same way it does at the kitchen table. In a season where families are tackling all manner of subjects together, what better place to learn and experience the living story of God’s Word than right in our own homes?

Verse Mapping: Study Tools

Verse Mapping takes what we already have—a Bible and God as our guide—and ushers us on a journey of personal discovery. It’s as simple as gathering pens, turning on a smart device, and turning pages of an NIV Verse Mapping Bible to embark on the next step in our story. Between Bible apps, online concordance sites for Hebrew and Greek word studies, and YouTube videos of nearly any subject we could hope to research, the possibilities for deep discovery are endless. We can take what we already have on hand and begin to build the lifelong habit of studying the Bible, one verse at a time.

Verse Mapping: Study. . . Together

Establishing study habits for family units is at the heart of this Bible series. It’s why we included the same 350 maps for both adults and for girls ages 8-12 knowing that we may already have a study space and tools at the ready, but it’s that fear of tackling Bible study alone that we may need to unlearn. Building a support system with others—whether in a faith community or inside the walls of our own home—means we’ll stick with it, and we’ll learn from each other along the way.

Whatever we’re learning—our unlearning—in this season, may the strongest takeaway we receive be to turn back to the Bible. And perhaps for the first time, to find that what we truly need to build a lifetime of faith has been here all along.

About Kristy Cambron

Kristy Cambron is a vintage-inspired storyteller, writing both award-winning historical fiction and Bible Studies. She’s served as a Women’s Ministry Leader and speaks at events across the country, encouraging women to experience a deeper life in the Word through verse mapping. Her work has been named to the Publishers Weekly Religion & Spirituality TOP 10, Library Journal Reviews’ Best Books, RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards, has received multiple INSPY Award nominations, and is a 2020 Christy Award Finalist.

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A guest post by Larry McCall author of ‘Grandparenting with Grace’

“I miss you, too.” How many of us grandparents have found ourselves saying that way too often during this coronavirus pandemic? The hugs and kisses and snuggles are beginning to feel like distant memories. Will things ever return to the way they used to be? How can we grandparents be intentionally involved in the lives of our grandkids during this season of social distancing and sheltering in place? Let’s ask God to help us to…

Be intentional!

How might you use available technology for video chats? What a blessing it is to live in this era when most of us have the possibility to connect with our family members through live video calls for free! With an internet connection on both ends, we can call family members one mile or 1,000 miles away or even 10,000 miles away having immediate voice and visual conversations. If social distancing is keeping you from being with your grandchildren physically, you can be intentional in using this means of being in virtual proximity.

Talk to your kids, getting their permission and input on the best times to make video calls to your grandchildren. Maybe you would want to schedule a regular time each week—or even more frequently—to connect with your grandchildren this way. Especially if your grandchildren are younger, keep in mind the importance of discussing with their parents when the best time to call might be to avoid nap and meal times.

Be intentional with your calls. What questions do you want to ask your grandkids? Is there a special project they’ve been working on that you could ask to see? What Scriptural truths do you want to share with them? Would you like to read them a story during your video chat? Work on a Bible memory verse together? Pray for them? There are so many possibilities to strengthen your ties to your grandchildren through technology even if you can’t be together physically at this time.

Be prayerful!

How might you connect with your grandchildren spiritually during this pandemic with all its restrictions? Even if you are separated from your grandkids for months on end, you can still engage with them spiritually. For example, if your grandchild is old enough to read, why not work out a plan in which you and your grandchild are on the same daily Bible reading plan? You might even consider getting two copies of a devotional Bible so you can give one as a gift and keep one for yourself. You can discuss with your grandchild what your plan will be for reading the same daily passages, then interact through emails, texts, or video calls about what you’ve been learning together from God’s Word.

Maybe you could have a regular time each week in which you ask your grandchild for specific prayer requests and share yours with them. Then, having prayed together for those concerns, check later with your grandchild on how the Lord is answering them. It takes intentionality, but these shared spiritual endeavors can have a deep bonding effect on the grandparent-grandchild relationship, even if you are physically separated for a time.

Be generous!

Why not send mail and packages? Remember letters? I mean real, handwritten letters that come in the mail? Children love getting mail with their own names on the envelopes. When you write, make it thoughtfully personal, maybe pointing out how you see God’s grace in your grandchild’s life or writing out a blessing.

Then, there’s packages! What child doesn’t love getting a package in the mail from Grandpa and Grandma? If you do send a package, how about asking your kids to let you know when the package has arrived and is about to be opened? Maybe you can connect via a video call to be there virtually when your grandchild opens up your package. Wouldn’t that be fun?

Be respectful!

Are you able to plan some outdoor visits? Though the restrictions that have come because of the Coronavirus pandemic may vary from country to country or state to state and change with the passing of time, outdoor visits are still possible in most locales. Do you have some grandchildren who live close enough to arrange an outdoor visit? Maybe you can invite your kids and grandkids to come to your backyard or you can travel to theirs. Could it be possible to meet somewhere for a hike or bike ride with your family?

If getting together during this era a social distancing sounds like it might work out, talk ahead of time with your kids about their comfort level. If your kids request no physical contact with the grandchildren when you are together, respectfully honor that. You can always smile and say to your grandkids, “Virtual hugs!” while you do an air embrace and blow kisses. As challenging as this may be for some of us, let us remember that this, too, shall pass in the Lord’s time.

Be fruitful!

When we do have contact with our grandchildren during this less-than-desirable season of social distancing, what attitudes should we be modeling for the coming generations? How does the gospel shape our words and demeanors? Galatians 5:22–23 reminds us, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” Let’s consider a few of those to prompt our hearts:

• Love: Love moves us to seek the welfare of another person, even if it means sacrificing our own preferences. It’s sad to see how polarizing responses to the imposed restrictions have been. Even sadder are grandparents who insist on their own way—either being on the overly strict side or on the overly open side of the spectrum even if that stubbornness jeopardizes opportunities to impact the grandchildren for the glory of God and their good.
• Joy: It’s true. This world we live in is broken due to sin and its affects. But, our Lord loves us. We need no further proof of his love than the cross and the empty tomb. Life around us changes, but the eternal truth of his love does not. Doesn’t that bring a sweet joy in our lives?
• Peace: Isn’t one of the most important lessons we can learn, “He is God and I am not”? When we’re interacting with our grandkids, whether in the backyard or via a video call or a text message, let’s demonstrate our confidence in our Royal Father. He loves us. He is sovereign. We can rest in him.

And, in the Lord’s wise timing, one day we’ll be able to add to “I miss you, too” the hope-filled phrase, “See you soon!” Let’s pray for that day!

A guest post by Larry McCall author of ‘Grandparenting with Grace’

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As our days of physical distancing continue, for who knows how long, I’ve experienced a restlessness in my spirit. While talking to Jesus, I’ve been asking the question: ‘what is this pandemic exposing in me that I need to address?’ I started a list and it’s growing.

Yesterday, author Alicia Chole, shared these thoughts on her social media accounts and her words resonated so deeply in my heart. I’m sharing them with you because, well, maybe they’ll cause you to pause and reflect like they have me.

_____________________________________________________________

Today, a dear friend asked me what I was sensing in this crisis. God did not cause this but He will not waste it. My heart is filled with anticipation of a healthier Church emerging from these troubled days. Though I cannot speak of the global Church, here is what I hope for in the Western Church.

I HOPE THAT THIS CRISIS WILL…

awaken our hearts to the sacred.

loosen our attachment to the shiny.

jolt us into new respect for freedom.

transition our faith in faith to faith in God.

inspire gratitude in us for the simple and small.

remind us that Jesus is our Source, not our servant.

expose any wealthy worries as the thorny fruit of privilege.

unmask entertainment that has been masquerading as discipleship.

redefine “contentment” with more sustainable (and attainable) ingredients.

burn off unhealthy fat that has collected around (and weighed down) our faith.

empower us to never again mistake abundance for obedience or emotion for devotion.

shock us with our spiritual shallowness and drive us anew to the depth of God’s Word.

reveal anything that–though it may “sell” well in Western Christianity–isn’t strong enough to stand on.

wean us from the noise inherent to prosperity and give us ears to hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.”

Take heart, friends. While our daily lives feel limited during this pandemic, there’s nothing that can limit the deep, purifying and strengthening work of God in our hearts. Lean into Him.

– An award-winning writer, Dr. Alicia Britt Chole’s messages address both head and heart and are often described as grace-filled surgeries. Alicia is a speaker, author, and leadership mentor who enjoys thunderstorms, jalapenos, and honest questions.

You can find her books, Anonymous, The Sacred Slow, and 40 Days of Decrease here.

The post What Are You Sensing in This Crisis? by Alicia Britt Chole appeared first on Christianbook.com Blog.

Many of us are struggling with the worries and frustrations of COVID-19 and the uncertainty it carries with it. But, sometimes all you can do is pray.

Below is an excerpt from Mindscape: What to Think About Instead of Worrying. Author Tim Witmer draws from thirty years of experience in helping worried people apply Scripture to their lives to present a clear, biblical, and deeply pastoral guide to replacing worry with a new way of thinking.

Excerpt from
Mindscape: What to Think About Instead of Worrying by Timothy Witmer

On a recent trip Barb and I visited a beautiful property. One of the features on the grounds was a huge hedge maze consisting of lots of misleading turns and dead ends. It would really be easy to get lost in there. At the maze we visited, as at most similar mazes elsewhere, there was a tall platform overlooking the hedges. From this platform, an overseer could see the whereabouts of anyone in the maze. I’m sure it is there to give direction to someone who might panic as they are trying to find their way out.

“Sometimes we too feel like we’re in a maze and don’t know which way to turn. We fear that if we take a wrong turn, it will lead to a dead end from which we might not be able to escape. When we’re feeling lost and frustrated, the Lord knows our circumstances and is eager to direct us if we’ll just ask him. Prayer puts us in touch with the One who sees the beginning from the end. The One who can give us his perspective on our worries and fears. The One who promises to never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). The One on whom we can cast all of our cares because he cares for us (1 Peter 5:7).

Our verses from Philippians 4 also give us direction about the characteristics of prayer that smothers worry and how we can implement them:

Pray specifically.

Paul uses different words for “prayer” in verse 6. The first is a general word for prayer, but the second word, “supplication,” refers to an urgent specific plea. This is reinforced when he adds, “let your requests be made known to God.” I’ve heard some folks say that when they pray they don’t ask for anything for themselves. This might sound very selfless and holy, but it is wrong! The prayer Jesus taught his own disciples includes specific personal requests. It begins with praise to our Father in heaven and ends with his kingdom and power and glory; but in the middle supplications Jesus teaches us to ask God to meet our important personal needs. “Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:11–13). Requests for daily provision, forgiveness, and protection are quite personal, and we are urged to bring them before the Lord regularly. This includes things we are prone to worry about. Do not be reluctant to cry out to the Lord about anything and everything.

Pray remembering God’s goodness.

You’ll also notice that Paul tells us to pray “with thanksgiving.” Praying with thanksgiving requires us to remember all of the good things the Lord has done for us and is doing for us now. After all, there are more things in your mindscape than just worry weeds. Worries might be in the foreground at the moment, but there are many other things to which you should draw your attention and for which you should be thankful. This isn’t easy because our natural tendency is to focus on our worries rather than to give thanks. When you are worried, bring your cares to the Lord, but also remember his kindness and goodness to you right now and in the past.

Pray expecting an answer.

Another reason we can pray with thanksgiving is that we can expect an answer. Sometimes the answer might not be what we expect, but the Lord has promised to answer. As many have observed, the answers the Lord gives can be “yes,” “no,” or “not yet.” We might always like a “yes” but the Lord our heavenly Father knows what is best and he will not give us something that isn’t good for us. When I was in college I thought the Lord’s plan for me was to become a famous tuba performer. Yes, that’s right—I said, a tuba performer! He had given me lots of success up to that point and I was a performance major in my college. I decided that I would audition for the United States Marine Band (The President’s Own) in Washington, DC, and the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia. I didn’t make either one. It was “no” and “no” from the Lord. I was disappointed, but in closing those two doors the Lord was directing me elsewhere—toward the ministry.

Pray expecting that God will want your response, too.

As we pray, the Lord might make it clear that there is something that we need to do. For example, if you’re worried about a relationship, God might lead you to have a conversation with the individual with whom you’ve had difficulties. He will certainly impress upon you the need to look for and apply for jobs if you have lost your job. New health challenges will require a change in diet, exercise, and lifestyle. Be ready to be directed toward things you might need to do regarding your situation. This leading will always be according to and consistent with his Word. If you feel that God is calling you to do something that is beyond you—pray about that as well. If he is calling you to do something, he will also give you his Spirit to do it. Pray for the Spirit to help you and direct you so that you can follow Jesus wherever he calls you to go. Fundamentally, Paul reminds us that the Lord will answer, and that we should be prepared for where that answer may lead or what that answer may call us to do.

Prayer leads to peace.

Paul tells us that the result of our prayer is that “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Notice that this doesn’t promise that the problems will go away, but that even in the midst of our problems, anxiety can be replaced by peace.

Click here to purchase your copy of Mindscape: What to Think About Instead of Worrying! 

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This is a guest post by Michael Anthony, popular speaker, blogger and founder of Godfactor®. His latest book, ‘A Call for Courage: Living with Power, Truth, and Love in an Age of Intolerance and Fear’ – is available to purchase by clicking here. 

“A Call for Courage is the book we have all been waiting for . . .”

– Joel Richardson, New York Times bestselling author

Hello, Christian Book family! I think it’s time for a second American revolution, don’t you? Not the kind fought with conventional, chemical or biological weapons, but the kind that comes courtesy of God’s power – through ordinary people just like you and me. God’s power is available to you, your family and your church. God is extending an invitation to you, to help him write history at this dark time in America.

America needs a revolution of courageous humility, because fear and arrogance are running rampant. Only God can overcome the shouting, hatred, division and violence that is now sewn into the American fabric. This is where you come in – and it’s why I wrote, A Call for Courage: Living With Power, Truth, and Love in an Age of Intolerance and Fear. I wrote the book with you in mind, to spark your personal spiritual awakening. I spent six days in a secluded Pennsylvania cabin writing the first draft because I felt compelled to pen it – for you, your family and for our nation.

A Call for Courage is a practical how-to-handbook. In it, I don’t just talk about the problems we face in our personal lives, families, churches and nation. I wove personal stories into it, and did my absolute best to provide practical, biblical solutions that you can immediately apply. That’s part of what makes A Call for Courage a different kind of book. We need a different approach to what we’ve been trying in America. I think this book offers you a fresh start with God that will truly renew your life.

Much of what ails America – and American Christianity – stems from our misguided belief that the Bible is primarily a book of exceptions rather than a book of examples. Many of us were children when we first heard the amazing stories of ordinary men and women who accomplished extraordinary exploits for God. There was a time when the lives of biblical heroes and underdogs mesmerized and inspired us. We even dreamt about having an impact like them someday in our lives. But then we matured just enough to diminish a key reason why God wanted their stories recorded in the first place: to inspire us to live lives just like them.

It’s time to stop dreaming about having a huge impact for God. We must no longer mistake the Bible primarily as a book of exceptions when it comes to being used mightily by Him. It’s time for you to stand and deliver, to live your life like the heroes and underdogs we read about and respect in the Bible, where you honor God and flow with His power like never before – now.

My prayer is that A Call for Courage will spark a revolution of courageous humility in you. When that happens, the spiritual awakening America needs – the one you need in your personal life, your family and your church – will be underway. It’s time to unleash God’s power in your life, family and church. Why wait for the outpouring God is offering everyone at this vital time? It’s time for courageous humility to arise in you.

A Call for Courage: Living with Power, Truth, and Love in an Age of Intolerance and Fear’ is now available. You can order your copy by clicking here. 

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Having spent three months on the New York Time’s Bestseller List, Lisa Wingate’s latest book, ‘Before We Were Yours’, seems to have really struck a chord with people. It’s easy to see why, this compelling read delves into one of America’s most notorious real-life scandals – an unthinkable act that led to heartbreaking consequences.

Lisa Wingate has penned a short article about the inspiration behind the book and how the story of the Foss siblings came to be… 

The Foss children and the Arcadia were formed from the dust of imagination and the muddy waters of the Mississippi River. Though Rill and her siblings exist only in these pages, their experiences mirror those reported by children who were taken from their families from the 1920s through 1950.

The true story of Georgia Tann and the Memphis branch of the Tennessee Children’s Home Society is a bizarre and sad paradox. There is little doubt the organization rescued many children from deplorable, dangerous circumstances, or simply accepted children who were unwanted and placed them in loving homes. There is also little doubt that countless children were taken from loving parents without cause or due process and never seen again by their desperately grieving biological families. Survivor accounts bear out that empty-armed birth mothers pined for their missing children for decades and that many of those children were placed in holding facilities where they were neglected, molested, abused, and treated as objects. Single mothers, indigent parents, women in mental wards, and those seeking help through welfare services and maternity clinics were particular targets. Birth mothers were duped into signing paperwork while under postpartum sedation, were told turning over temporary custody was necessary to secure medical treatment for their children, or were often simply informed that their babies had died. Children who live through stints in the home’s custody – those who were old enough to have memories of their prior lives – reported having been whisked from front porches, from roadside while walking to school, and, yes, from houseboats on the river. Essentially, if you were poor and lived, stayed, or stopped over in the proximity of Memphis, your children were at risk.

Blonds like the Foss siblings were particularly popular in Georgia Tann’s system and were often targeted by “spotters” who worked in medical facilities and public aid clinics. Average residents of the city, while unaware of her methods, were not unaware of her work. For years, citizens watched for newspaper advertisements bearing photos of adorable babies and children, underscored by captions like “Yours For The Asking”, “Want a Real, Live Christmas Present?” and “George Wants To Play Catch, But He Needs a Daddy.” Georgia Tann was heralded as the “Mother of Modern Adoption” and was even consulted by Eleanor Roosevelt on matters of child welfare.

To the general public, Tann was simply a matronly, well-meaning women who devoted her life to rescuing children in need. Her celebration of children adopted by wealthy, well-known families helped to popularize the idea of adoption in general and dispel the widespread belief that orphaned children were undesirable and inherently damaged. Georgia’s high-profile list included political figures such as New York governor Herbert Lehman and Hollywood celebrities such as Joan Crawford and June Allyson and her husband, Dick Powell. Former staff members of Tann’s orphanage in Memphis whispered of as many as seven babies at a time being spirited away under the cover of darkness for transportation to “foster homes” in California, New York, and other states. In reality, these children were often being shipped off to profitable out-of-state adoptions in which Tann pocketed the lion’s share of the exorbitant delivery feeds. When interviewed about her methods, Georgia unabashedly extolled the virtues of removing children from lowly parents who could not possibly raise them properly and placing them with people of “high type”.

From a modern perspective, it’s hard to imagine how Georgia Tann and her network managed to operate largely unchecked for decades or where she found workers willing to turn a blind eye to the inhumane treatment of children in the organization’s group homes in unlicensed boarding facilities, like the one where Rill and her siblings land, yet it happened. At one point, the U.S. Children’s Bureau sent an investigator to Memphis to probe the city’s soaring infant mortality rate. In a four-month period in 1945, a dysentery epidemic had caused the deaths of forty to fifty children under the care of Georgia’s facility, despite the efforts of a doctor who volunteered medical services there. Georgia, however, insisted that only two children had been lost. Under pressure, the state legislature passed a law mandating the licensing of every children’s boarding home in Tennessee. The newly passed legislation included a subsection providing an exemption for all boarding homes employed by Georgia Tann’s agency.

As you close these pages, perhaps you are wondering, How much of this story is true? That question is, in some ways, difficult to answer. If you’d like to dig more deeply into the real-life history of baby farms, orphanages, changes in adoption, Georgia Tann, and the scandal surrounding the Tennessee Children’s Home Society in Memphis, you’ll find excellent information in Pricing the Priceless Child: The Changing Social Value of Children by Viviana A. Zelizer (1985), Babies for Sale: The Tennessee Children’s Home Adoption Scandal by Linda Tollett Austin (1993), Alone in the World: Orphans and Orphanages in America by Catherine Reef (2005), and The Baby Thief: The Untold Story of Georgia Tann, the Baby Seller Who Corrupted Adoption by Barbara Bisantz Raymond (2007), which also contains interviews with several of Georgia Tann’s victims. For a view of the scandal as it broke, see the original Report to Governor Gordon Browning on Shelby County Branch, Tennessee Children’s Home Society (1951), which is available through the public library system. There are also many newspaper and magazine articles available about the scandal as it happened and about the reunions of birth families in later years, as well as coverage in episodes of 60 Minutes, Unsolved Mysteries, and Investigation Discovery’s Deadly Women. All of these sources were invaluable to me as research materials.

While Mrs. Murphy and her home in the story are fictional, Rill’s experiences there were inspired by those reported by survivors. There were also many who, due to abuse, neglect, illness, or inadequate medical attention, did not live to tell their stories. They are the silent victims of an unregulated system fueled by greed and financial opportunity.

Estimates as to the number of children who may have simply vanished under Georgia Tann’s management range as high as five hundred. Thousands more disappeared into adoptions for profit in which names, birth dates, and birth records were altered to prevent biological families from finding their children.

One would assume, given these awful statistics, that Georgia Tann’s reign would have eventually ended amid a firestorm of public revelations, police inquiries, and legal action. If Before We Were Yours were entirely fictional, that’s how I would have written its end, with scenes of swift and certain justice. Sadly, this was not the case. Georgia’s many years in the adoption business did not draw to a close until 1950. At a press conference that September, Governor Gordon Browning skirted the heartbreaking human tragedy of it all and instead discussed the money – Miss Tann, he reported, had benefited illegally to the tune of $1 million (equivalent to roughly $10 million today) while employed by the Tennessee Children’s Home Society. Despite the revelation of her crimes, Tann was, by then, beyond the reach of legal action. Within days of the press conference, she succumbed to uterine cancer and died at home in her own bed. A newspaper expose ran opposite her obituary on the front page of the local paper. Her children’s home was closed and an investigator appointed, but he soon found himself stymied by powerful people with secrets, reputations, and, in some cases, adoptions to preserve.

While the closing of the home gave grieving families reason to hope, that hope was quickly snatched away from them. Legislators and political power brokers passed laws legalizing even the most questionable of her adoptions and sealing the records. Of the twenty-two wards remaining in Tann’s care at the time of her death, only two – who had already been rejected by their adopted families -were returned to their birth parents. Thousands of birth families would never know what became of their children. The general public sentiment was that, having been given over from poverty to privilege, the children were better off where they were, no matter the circumstances of their adoptions.

While some adoptees, separated siblings, and birth families were able to find one another through pieced-together memories, documents spirited from courthouse files, and the assistance of private investigators, Georgia Tann’s records would not finally be opened to her victims until 1995. For many birth parents and adoptees, who grieved their losses throughout their lifetimes, that was simply too late. For others, it was the beginning of long-delayed family reunions and the opportunity to finally tell their own stories.

If there is one overarching lesson to be learned from the Foss Children and from the true-life story of the Tennessee Children’s Home Society, it is that babies and children, no matter what corner of the world they hail from, are not commodities, or objects, or black slates, as Georgia Tann so often represented her wards; they are human beings with histories, and needs, and hopes, and dreams of their own.

– Article by author of ‘Before We Were Yours’, Lisa Wingate

The post A Note on ‘Before We Were Yours’ by Lisa Wingate appeared first on Christianbook.com Blog.

This is a guest post from bestselling Christian Fiction author of the Mitford Series, Jan Karon. Her soon-to-be-released novel, ‘To Be Where You Are’ is the 14th book in the series and can be purchased by clicking here. 

WHEN I SURRENDERED MY LIFE at age 42, to the One Who loved us first, I had no idea what was supposed to happen. I honestly did not want to wind up on a street corner with a tambourine.

Right away, God began to work in a way I could only see with opened eyes. After two years of focused prayer about the way ahead, I was able to move to the mountains of North Carolina and begin the journey of writing a novel (my known destination since the age of 10). I had notes, I had a sort of outline about the mountain inn in which it would all take place. Surely I could make this happen.

 But it didn’t happen. No effort was enough.

 I realized I had never given my work to God. I realized my Inn story was a thin story. It would not, by any endeavor, become animated.

Now I was ready to surrender my work to him. I had to learn, as Joni Mitchell said, to peel the onion–all the way down to the heart’s core, from which I wished my work to flow. I knew then that I would not write only for entertainment and for the like-minded. But for those who had not yet stripped down before the throne of grace. To put it simply, I discovered a lot of love at the heart’s core and it was completely crucial that it be shared.

I am deeply grateful to have a devoted following of believers, and just as grateful for the many others who join this divinely-inspired circle of love when they open a Mitford book.

by Jan Karon

The post The Christian Books That Weren’t Written for Christians appeared first on Christianbook.com Blog.

This is a guest post from author of ‘Follow the Cloud’, John Stickl. ‘Follow the Cloud’ releases August 1 – you can pre-order your copy by clicking here.

What if I told you that God was more interested in setting you free than making you religious? That He wanted more for you than He wanted from you?

You probably wouldn’t believe me. I know I didn’t believe it. I was convinced that if I just did the right things and did them well, then I would thrive and experience the peace and significance that I longed for.

Because I was believing a lie that no one wanted me for me but that they wanted me for what I could do, I spent most of my life performing, achieving, and striving to become someone. Trying to keep up. Trying to measure up. Trying to live up to an impossible standard hoping my efforts would produce the love and acceptance that my heart craved.

But instead of living the abundant life, that line of thinking quickly led me to a place of loneliness, striving and exhaustion.  I had no idea who I was, where I was going, or what I was doing. I strived to do the right thing but was disillusioned with the end result—a frustrated and at best distant relationship with God.

And from personal experience I can tell you that is an exhausting way to live.

Maybe you can relate.

I mean do you ever find yourself busy, overwhelmed or lonely? Do you ever feel like you’re trying to perform for God or earn His love only to find yourself doing all the right things but living an unfulfilled life?

I knew something had to change. I didn’t want to just teach on the truths of God’s peace, acceptance and purpose described in the Bible, I wanted to experience them.

It was right about that time that God extended an invitation for me to follow the cloud—to follow him one next step at a time on an intimate journey toward freedom. He began to show me the difference between being set free and living free. I started to hear His voice and experience His presence in new, life-altering ways.

Follow the cloud? It was an image that represented the journey of more than a million people as they moved from slavery to freedom one next step at a time. You see when God set the Israelites free after hundreds of years of slavery he gave them a cloud to follow.  Of all the ways God could have led them from slavery to freedom he chose to do it through a personal and ever present cloud.  From within this mighty cloud he spoke with the gentleness of a whisper. Follow me one next step at a time.  When I move, you move.  When I stop, you stop.  Where I go, you go.  Keep your eyes on me and I will lead you to discover who you are, who I am and what you were created to do.

Whether it was crossing the red sea, walking through the wilderness, or fighting the giants each physical next step was designed to heal and free their hearts.  The entire journey of the Exodus wasn’t about getting to the Promised Land it was learning to live free as beloved sons and daughters by simply following the cloud.

Though I had read it many times before, the fresh truth revealed in this story captured my heart and changed the way I lived. It began to set me free from a life of performing, striving, and achieving.  It has completely changed how I live my life and how we lead our church.  It’s simply the invitation to follow the cloud one next step at a time.

No matter where you are, God wants to lead you on a journey of learning to live in the fullness of the freedom he offers.  Destiny is not about finding God tomorrow; it’s about walking with God today. With each step you take He is inviting you discover who you really are, who he really is and what you were really created to do. As you receive his grace, you will experience his presence, and start releasing his kingdom and that is a life of freedom.

We are drawn by grace not driven by expectations.  And each next step helps us see more of Jesus and become freer of the greatest bondage of all – ourselves.  Every step God invites you to take whether it’s facing an obstacle, being faithful in the little things, starring down the impossible, staying when you want to go, or going when you want to stay is designed to help you discover who you are, who he is, and what you were created to do.  In a world of exhaustion, performance, confusion and religious bondage God offers us a better way.  To simply follow the cloud.  To listen to his voice and respond with faith.

The truth is that wherever God is leading you is better than where you’ve been. You have nothing to achieve, prove, or earn. You have everything to receive, discover, and explore.  So maybe it’s time to stop performing.  Maybe it’s time to start receiving.  Maybe it’s time to follow the cloud and live free.

This is a guest post from author of ‘Follow the Cloud’, John Stickl. ‘Follow the Cloud’ releases August 1 – you can pre-order your copy by clicking here.

The post Follow the Cloud: Learning to Live Free appeared first on Christianbook.com Blog.

Guest post by Jeff Goins, the best-selling author of The Art of Work and Real Artists Don’t Starve, which are both for sale at Christianbook.com

The first job I ever had, at twelve years old, was delivering newspapers. I had long hair, was overweight, and wore lots of baggy clothes. Puberty was still a few years away, so most masculine features, including facial hair, were nonexistent.

After that first month on the job, I went around town, collecting dues, and one of the last houses was that of an older gentleman whom I had never met before. When he paid me, the man said, “Well, aren’t you an enterprising little lady! I’ll bet you’re going to be an entrepreneur some day.”

Well, he was right about one thing.

This wasn’t the first time I had been mistaken for a girl. In this case, however, I didn’t correct the man. I’m not sure if it was because I was too embarrassed or because he had just paid me, but I let the comment linger. And that was my first mistake. For the rest of the time I delivered that man’s paper, I lived with the lie that I was an “enterprising little lady.”

Has this ever happened to you? Someone mistakes your name at a party and calls you “John” instead of “Josh” or “Katherine” instead of “Kathleen,” and because you didn’t catch it, you have to live with it. Why do we do this? One reason is that it’s sometimes easier to live with a lie than embrace the truth about who we really are.

In sixth grade, I wasn’t brave. Unable to face the man, I quit the paper route six months after starting it. This kind of thing kept happening to me throughout my adolescence. It took a long time to realize I didn’t have to assume the identity other people gave me. I could be who I really was without fear of judgment. But it would take a long time before I’d fully grasp that concept.

Not too long ago, I quit my job working for a ministry and became a full-time author. I was able to do this because I believed this wasn’t just a career change, but a calling, and because I finally knew who I was, who God created me to be. Through the process of making this transition, I learned a few important lessons.

A calling takes faith, not just in God but in who God says you are

The world wasn’t just going to acknowledge who I was. I was going to have to believe it before anyone else would. The artist Michelangelo learned a similar lesson. He grew up believing he had been born into nobility, and this belief guided his understanding of himself. When the young man set out to be an artist, a profession that did not possess much prestige at the time, this put him at odds with his father who was determined to see his family name restored to prominence.

Because Michelangelo believed he was an aristocrat, he acted like an artist who deserved respect. “I was never the kind of painter who kept a shop,” he wrote, suggesting how different he was from his peers. And because he believed it, he became it. By the end of Michelangelo’s life, he was the wealthiest artist of his time, possessing a fortune of nearly $50 million. And the most incredible part is he wasn’t actually from noble lineage. But because he believed it was true, it became true.

Turns out, what we believe about ourselves matters. Another word for this is “faith.”

We need to become uncomfortable with our comfort.

Sometimes, it’s easier to assume the role we’ve been given in life than it is to ask the deep question, “Who am I really?” As Trappist monk Thomas Merton writes, “We are not very good at recognizing illusions, least of all the ones we cherish about ourselves.”

Many people never become their true selves, because it’s simply more convenient to play the roles we are expected to plan than to embrace our God-given identities. But at a certain point we have to embrace what makes us stand out. We must become comfortable with who we are and uncomfortable with who we are not, regardless of the acclaim it may bring.

Years ago, when I made the decision to become a full-time writer, it was because a friend told me, “If you don’t do this, you need to consider the possibility that it might be an act of disobedience to God.”

At the time, I was thinking about myself. How would this affect my comfort, my reputation? What would people think of me if I failed? I was more afraid of failure than of disobedience to the call, and that’s a dangerous place to be. But upon hearing my friend’s rebuke, I quickly became more afraid of not trying than of failing.

Fitting in is not what we were designed to do.

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world,” Paul writes in Romans 12:2. Anytime we find ourselves following the pack, fulfilling the expectations of the world, we need to step back and ask ourselves if this is what our life should be about.

The world does not always understand the gifts we have to offer. In different seasons of life, we may find ourselves pigeonholed, and in these instances, we must escape. The way we do this is through constant reinvention, never settling with what others expect of us and always striving to become who God made us to be.

Look at Gordon Mackenzie, a member of Hallmark’s Contemporary Design team, which he described as “an unruly, but prodigiously productive stepchild” of a department. Towards the end of his career when he could have simply phoned it in, he dreamed up a place where he and his creative peers could thumb their nose at the growing bureaucracy at Hallmark and still be creative. He called it the Humor Workshop, and to his dismay, his superiors approved the concept. The Humor Workshop became a creative paradise, a place where the team experienced a rebirth within a corporate culture that had grown antagonistic to innovative work.

What do we do when we feel that call to be one thing when the world seems to call us in another direction? We listen to it. We follow it where it takes us, because wherever that is, it is certainly better than standing still. And like Gordon, we reinvent ourselves, if necessary. We become the artists we were meant to be, even if that means doing the unexpected thing, the thing that others will surely disapprove of but in our hearts we know is the right thing. Risking rejection, we stand out, because we know it’s better to share our true selves with the world than it is to hide behind a false self.

A calling is a creative act, because it comes from the Creator. This means that in one for or another, we are all artists, creating the life we are meant to live. But sometimes, we must remember, artists are not born. They’re made.

So what kind of life are you going to make for yourself, and what will it cost you?

—

Jeff Goins is the best-selling author of The Art of Work and Real Artists Don’t Starve, which are both for sale at Christianbook.com. You can follow Jeff on Twitter @JeffGoins, subscribe to his blog at Goinswriter.com, and learn more about his latest book at dontstarve.com.

The post 3 Reasons Why Pursuing Your Calling Won’t Be Easy appeared first on Christianbook.com Blog.

Guest post by Adam Weber, author of Talking With God: What to Say When You Don’t Know How To Pray.

Ever felt like everyone else has this prayer thing figured out except you? When Paul said “pray without ceasing” did he really mean, like, never stop praying? Sounds pretty impossible to me. The truth is, prayer doesn’t have to be complicated, in fact it’s just talking. Like talking with a good friend. Here are five practical ways to a healthy prayer life:

#1 If you tell someone you’re going to pray for someone, do it!

For years, I struggled with the bad habit of telling people I would pray for them but never getting around to doing so. I would simply forget.

I didn’t want my words to be hollow, so I made a simple change. Now, if I tell someone I am going to pray for him or her, I either ask if I can pray right then and there or else I silently pray as we part ways. There are other ways to act on this. My wife will often set a daily reminder on her phone to pray for a certain person at a specific time so she doesn’t forget.

It might feel strange at first, to pray for someone audibly, but it’s amazing the impact our words have when talking with God on someone else’s behalf.

#2  Just let the words come up!

The truth is most people pray, Christians and non-Christians alike. People who go to church and those who don’t. Everybody prays, sometimes without knowing it.

When we’re on a plane, as it takes off. For some reason we pray. When we’re wheeled into an operating room, even if it’s a simple surgery, we pray. When our favorite sports team is in a close game, we bite our nails and we pray. It just happens. We might not even hear the words we’re saying, words whispered under our breath:

Lord, help my team to win!

God, help me pass this test.

Lord, help my mom be okay.

God, I hope this pilot knows how to fly.

Jesus, why am I doing this?

Whether we’re pursuing God or not, the words, our prayers, just come out.

#3 When something reminds you of God, pray!

In his letter to the Thessalonians, Paul writes about praying without ceasing.

Without ceasing? Like never stopping?

When I first began to take my relationship with God seriously in college, if something reminded me of God, I took the time to acknowledge him. To sit with him. To talk with him.

Write a short prayer on a notecard. Set an alarm on your phone. Find something that reminds you of God and talk with him.

#4 Write prayer notes!

One of my favorite things to do is to write notes to people. To thank people. To encourage people. To let them know I’m praying for them.

I want my notes to have a personal touch, but since my handwriting looks like a first grader’s, I type them. Not on a computer. I use a typewriter. I should say typewriters. Let’s just say I have a few. I may have an addiction to buying them. Anyway, it’s just a simple way to let people know that I’m thinking about them, cheering for them, and praying for them. It’s a simple way to let them know that they’re loved and noticed by me.

As I’m typing a note, I simply begin praying for the person.

“I just want you to know that I prayed for you today…”

And I begin to list the specific things that I pray.

“For you.”

“For your work.”

“For your family.”

“For your walk with the Lord.”

“For your health.”

“For your marriage.”

“For decisions you’re trying to make.”

It’s so simple, and yet I never cease to be blown away by the responses I get.

“The timing of your note was perfect. I was waiting for test results.”

“You prayed for my marriage, and we just started seeing a counselor.”

“I’ve been struggling with depression, and your words were comforting.”

“No one’s ever told me that he has prayed for me.”

“Lately I’ve been overwhelmed by life and your letter was so encouraging.”

It’s amazing how powerful our words to God can be. How powerful our prayers on behalf of others can be.

#5 Encourage others through prayer!

Practically speaking, encouraging others through prayer can look a million different ways.

It can be done while grabbing lunch with a friend. You can ask if there’s anything he’s going through right now, then pray for him, his needs, his marriage, his health (and maybe the meal) before chowing down. In so doing, you can almost see the person gain strength right before your eyes.

Some folks keep a list of names. Others pray as God reminds them of people throughout the day. I often write a person’s name down in my Bible. It reminds me to pray for that person, either for a specific need or just because. Sometimes I pray words of comfort for a relative who’s going through a difficult season. Other times, I pray words of encouragement for a person who I know has a job interview.

Guest post by Adam Weber, author of Talking With God: What to Say When You Don’t Know How To Pray. Now available to purchase!

The post 5 Simple Steps to a Better Prayer Life appeared first on Christianbook.com Blog.