Ideas are Flowing

Do you ever wake up in the middle of the night and just have to write something down?

That has been happening to me constantly week. Story ideas, marketing thoughts, blog posts. They've been coming in a waterfall breaking over the rocks of reality.

Seriously, I drove out to the mid-cities on Saturday and thankfully had my IPad in the seat next to me. One of my apps is a recorder with a big red button on it. I gave it a push and started spewing out the scene that had been rumbling through my head since I woke up. Does it count as writing if it isn't down on paper? Maybe half-credit? LOL!

The same thing happened a few nights ago with a picture I found at Pinterest. (Have I mentioned that I LOVE Pinterest?) Tons of ideas spewed out of that one. I'm even featuring it in tomorrow's blog so come back!

But much of the droplets have fallen on the stone cold reality of my busy schedule. I tell folks that I homeschool and I think images of eating chocolates on a lounger float across their minds. Ha! Shows what they know - it's chocolate cake on my couch. So there!

No really, I know everyone has their own flavor of craziness. I've always been told in ministry to give jobs to busy people because they know how to get them done. I'm probably a fair example of that, but I have learned to use the word no when necessary. Still, this week has started out with the arrow pointing near overload on my busy-ness gauge, so while ideas have been flowing, only short notes and scratched out hints have been written.

But the ideas are flowing - woohoo! And I do have notes and scratched-out hints when life slows down again - and it will. Prom is 5 weeks away. I've done it for six years now. Life comes to a screeching halt when it ends and I get some of my best writing done! Can't wait!

All-in-all, as this first round of ROW80 2012 nears finality, I'm not nearly as far down my writing road as I wished. I didn't complete a novel like I did last time, but that one is taking on a whole new path with my revisions. And I expected to be able to complete those revisions, however, that expectation came before inspiration. No argument there. Can't say that I'm really disappointed about anything except my lack of exercise. Will continue to work on that, though.

One more week to go!

I am ...

Source: Uploaded by user via Marji on Pinterest

• funny 
• a wife 
• a people-pleaser
• a mom
• nice
• a daughter
• sedentary
• a photographer
• a sister
• a singer
• silly
• an aunt
• a teacher
• a student
• a writer
• hard on myself
• a woman of prayer
• a daughter-in-law
• fearful
• strong
• a step-daughter
• patient
• kind
• a sis-in-law
• encouraging
• wordy

I love the picture here, but I must admit, I totally diagree with it. How I see myself is not what is most important. See I'd like to think of myself as a lion all the time, but reality sets in. There's a full length mirror right there that tells me the truth. And truth is truth whether I want to believe it or not. 


I have wide hips from my mom and a double chin from my father's side of the family. I have to wear reading glasses now, and I hate the tears that fall when I encounter a heart-touching ANYTHING. I don't like making mistakes, especially stupid ones or second-timers, and there's nothing worse than wasting the time and energy of others.


Don't worry. I'm not down or dissing myself! I'm just telling it like it is. And I'm okay with all the imperfections I display in my physical appearance and in my behavior. They are as much a part of who I am as the music I sing, the stories that bubble up, or the family that surrounds me, so why should I shy away from them?


Another reason this sentiment is so wrong happens when the imperfection begin to overwhelm. Last Friday night, while my Precious Redhead sat laughing with her friends, watching a Tim Hawkins video here at the house, the church at the end of our street went into lock-down. A family dispute somewhere else ended with a man driving away from his home with a gun. The police found him in the church parking lot, refusing to leave his car. This guy had been a prominent chef in downtown Dallas, talented and well-off from the patronage of his exclusive restaurant, and yet at about 12:15 AM I heard the shots ring out as he came out of his car brandishing his weapon. 


That's the type of thing that happens when what matters most is how we see ourselves. See my eyesight isn't so hot. One minute I see a crown atop my head and the next, I see horns. What appeared beautiful is actually slimy, disgusting, and putrid. Or worse, the image fades into blurs with no features, nothing that stands out or seems worthy. Or maybe I'll keep seeing that queen, yet knowing deep down that I'm lying to myself. 


What REALLY matters most is how God sees me. That vision isn't swayed by mistakes, messes, or anything else I can do or have done. He sees me with nothing less than the glory of Christ. When my Savior collected all of the ugliness from me, dying with it, in my place, God replaced my sin with Christ's perfection. Paul describes us collectively, as flawless, "without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless." (Eph 4:27) 


Oh do give a listen to this awesome song!


Like the song says - "When He sees me, He sees His righteousness. He sees His Holy Spirit filling up the emptiness. When He looks at me, He sees the blood He shed." 


I am SO glad He sees Himself each time He looks at me!

H is for ...

Hearing the message.

Wow! Have you ever noticed the descriptive words and phrases that Paul uses in Ephesians 4? They are the exact opposite of the things we usually see, even among Christians.

He starts out by urging us to “live a life worthy of the calling … received.” Our worthy

Interview with Author Zeke Lam

My regular Friday posts are so much fun. I get to meet Christian authors who write all types of books. While my blog is Faith-Driven Fiction, from time to time a non-fiction author will grace me with an interview. Such is the case today.

I'm so excited to host Zeke Lam here today. His book, Submission, is available at Amazon. Connecting with him and learning about his book has been such a blessing.

Marji - Tell me about yourself.

Zeke - I am 27 years old and have been married to my beautiful wife, Kathleen, for 6 years. We have three children (4, 2, and 2 months) that we love very much. I have ministered since the age of 18 as a youth minister and evangelist. In addition to this, I operate a small business which constructs ornamental concrete such as flower pots, bird baths, etc. I also help out with the family furniture when time permits. 

Marji - What do you see as a purpose in your life.

Zeke - We are passionate to see Christ glorified through our lives, and constantly seek to use our lives to share the Gospel. This has led our family all over the world. Our most recent “adventure” involved us literally driving to a town in Texas, renting an apartment, and seeking the Lord. Although we knew nobody or anything about the place, God gave us an entire church fellowship in 2 days! This turned into an incredible 7 month stay that is surely not finished yet.

Marji - What motivated you to write Submission?

Zeke - Compromise is way too commonplace today. I have seen it in the church, in families, and in my own life. If revival is to take place in our society, God’s people must be willing to operate with the level of obedience and submission God requires. Mixing our opinions with God’s commands or desires is the very recipe for disaster. If we will fully release ourselves to Jesus Christ, and be willing to follow Him the way He commands, a shift will take place in our society! Ultimately, shortcomings in my own life with regards to submissions sparked this fire.

Marji - Oh wow! Yes, I've seen elements of this as well. What do you hope this book accomplishes?

Zeke - My hope and prayer is that Christians nationwide will be challenged to step into a realm of Scriptural obedience that will spark revival!

Marji - Did God show you anything particular as you were writing?

Zeke - I certainly experienced moments where I was convicted about the level of submission I lived under. God revealed to me the importance of denying any and all voices that seek to lure us from His presence. Submission to Him will position us for spiritual greatness!

Marji - Do you believe people struggle with the idea of "submission"?

Zeke - Yes, we all struggle with the idea of full submission. It means releasing our control and desires to the Lord. When we do not feel in control, it creates an emotion of insecurity. This insecurity is what makes us resists submission on many levels. When it comes to submitting to our Lord Jesus, we must reject these emotions, and faithfully surrender our lives.

Marji - Your subtitle mentions obeying only God's voice. What are some ways people can hear God's voice?

Zeke - God desires to interact with us in ways we could never imagine. The Holy Spirit is very much alive and active, but the question is, will we allow ourselves to get in position to hear Him. He speaks through the Scriptures, His written word. He speaks to our hearts as we intimately seek Him daily through prayer and fasting. He can speak through people and situations around us. God is not limited to anything and can therefore speak any way He chooses. The only real issue is that which restricts and hinders us from hearing.

I'm so glad Zeke came to visit with us today. Here is what folks have to say about SUBMISSION:

Prepare to be stirred by this authentic calling to return to Scriptural obedience.
—Pastor Gabe Turner, The Point Church of Charlottesville, Virginia  

In my opinion Zeke has laid his finger on the defining message for our time. This message is essential for believers everywhere…
—Eric Stephens, Pastor of Life Changing Ministries and Fellowship in Sugarland, Texas 

______________________________________________________________________________

What is the greatest challenge that the Church is facing today? Zeke Lam suggests that one word is the greatest challenge: submission, or the lack thereof. It is not external forces that nullify the testimony of a Christ-centered believer, but rather the failure to humbly submit to the voice of the Lord. This book will help you to live a surrendered life abiding in Christ.

• Is the approval of God more important to you than the approval of man?
• Is the presence of God evident in your life?
• Do you fiercely protect your intimacy with Christ?
• Do you desire to live a life of truth, free from the lies of the devil?
• Is God’s divine character visible to those around you?

Learn how to submit your life wholeheartedly to the Lord so that you can dwell continually in the secret place—a place of intimacy, surrender and joy.
______________________________________________________________________________

Zeke with children from the Dominican Republic

ZEKE LAM is the founder of SUBMISSION Ministries—a ministry devoted to seeing lost souls encounter God and live lives fully surrendered to the risen Christ. A graduate of Liberty University, Zeke’s deep passion for following Christ’s will has led him through many years of youth ministry and itinerant evangelism. Both of these experiences have enriched and fueled his desire to hand others the keys to a Christ-centered life. Zeke resides in Virginia with his beautiful wife, Kathleen, and a growing family of future world-changers.

http://submissionministries.org/

Challenges

I know this isn't what you want to see on a cold January day!

I thought about making this word my C word for the A2Z blog hop article this week, but I went with this word instead. Challenge is a better topic for this ROW80 Update anyway. If you're anything like me, you feel challenges at every side. I would say that right now I'm in a busy season, but the truth is, I'm ALWAYS in a busy season. I like it that way. It keeps me moving and I find I'm much more effective and efficient when

B is for ...

If A is for Appetite, B is for Balance.

The Bible speaks about appetite. In Philippians, Paul writes that those who live as enemies of Christ are led by their
bellies. "Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their

Reflections on the Season

I tend to get caught up in the fun and merriment of this season. And why not? It is positively magical! Just looking at my girls faces as they admire decorations or see new things in stores makes my heart happy. Their uninhibited expressions are echoed in the faces of youngsters experiencing all of the splendor for the first time.

And that's how I'm gonna look in heaven.

Can you imagine it? The same delight that holds the

Karen Baney - Interview

I've gotten involved with a group of Christian authors at a Facebook site called Grace and Faith Authors. They're also on Twitter. It's been such a joy to interact with these gals and guys. I've learned about their books and their journeys, and I've tweeted about several of the new releases. 

One of the founders of the group, Karen Baney, is my guest today and her new book, Nickels, comes out next week! As with most of the authors I interview, I'm intrigued about their motivation, to write in general and how their current book came into being.

Marji: What inspired you to become a writer?

Karen: In early 2010, I went through some tough health issues.  Through that process, I re-learned to depend on God.  It was then that I asked Him one simple question:  I know you haven’t called me to be a mom, so what have you called me to do?

Big Picture Thinking!

I got this cool idea the other day. In the shower. I always think better there. Maybe my brain muscle is attached to my sinuses. I get stuffy and need to clear them out so I can think straight.

Anyway. The radio station in town does a secret sound contest. Sweet hubby wanted so bad to win it the other day. He knew exactly what it was - and he was right! We all got up early, dialing our phones to try to get through. Everyone and their dogs were up dialing, too. So, no, he didn't win. But it did give me a sweet idea.

I thought it would be fun to give a little test today and see how many everyday items you can identify. I'm just going to post a few pics, but see if you can tell what they are in the close up view. Then you can "Read More" and see the actual items. Good luck!

Picture A

Picture B

Picture C

X is for

X-IT 

I know I'm cheating a little, but this post is a continuation of my last two posts about fears. Sometimes they are unreasonable - like heights or elevators or closed in places. Mind you, the fears are real; there's just no reason behind them.

Yesterday and the day before, I talked about some things that scared me through my childhood. They were ridiculous, goofy things that shouldn't have scared anyone, but they terrified me. And might I just add that the terror still visits every now and then when I'm at my most vulnerable? I don't stare up at the ceiling anymore, but I still hate windows at night! Yikes! (And yes, as I wrote yesterday's post in the

You Are What You Eat!

Dear Banana Boy

Oh, I'm gonna get a fussing for using this pic of my dear boy! However, a glance at the birthday picture at the left, or the one of the family on the right will confirm the ancient status of this Halloween photo. But it is so stinkin' cute!

The section that I read this week (1John 3) calls a skunk a skunk and a dove a dove. (Wish my Sweet Hubby and Bubba had known the difference.) Basically, John explains that if the animal looks like a skunk, sounds like a skunk, and smells like a skunk, it probably is one and we best stay upwind of it.

John basically said that a Christian could be identified by his actions of purity and love and that a non-believer could be identified the same way, by his habits of sin.

At first this seemed so judgmental to me. No wonder folks think of Christians as intolerant. But then I examined it a little closer. I look at it this way. What if my

Weekend-spiration

This week in the online Bible Study that I do (from the website Good Morning Girls), we finished up with 1John chapter 2. One of the sections was from verses 18-19.

Dear children, this is the last hour, and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. this is how we know it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.

There is so much to unpack with these two verses!

V is for . . .

Vessel

I have a poem that I wrote decades ago, during a time when I actively tried to have my poems published. (Sold one! For the back of a bulletin, and I got a check for $10!) In those days, I wanted so badly to write, but

Faith Readers' Weekly

Woohoo! I'm back on track on my ROW80 goals after doing a revamp on my story. My goals were over-accomplished the last two days of the week, even with all-day volleyball tournaments. *Yes, I brought the story with me!* Overall, I'm still behind by a few thousand words, but the writing is much easier now that my plan is more complete.

Weekend-spiration: The Kudzu of Life

The verses in 1John inspired me this week. He spoke about the difference between living in the light and living in darkness. It took me to the picture below.

What an amazing view. The emerald landscape, straight out of a fairy tale, is truly beautiful, if little creepy. 

This is kudzu, a plant indigenous to China. It was brought to the United States on purpose during the 1876 and 1884 World's Fairs. Like a warm blanket or comfortable chair, the vine wraps around the host, bringing it beauty and choking away all life.

I'm convinced that bitterness is a

Weekend-spiration - He Is

This brings a whole new meaning to the phrase, "Wrap yourself in a good book." In this case it's The Good Book.

What an amazing visual of John's Gospel. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God ... And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us."

How distinctly we see the person of Jesus pour from the pages of His book, and not just through the Gospels and letters of the New Testament. Like a thread throughout history, He is also evident in the Prophecy books of the Old Testament, being the One of Whom they mainly speak. He is the loving bridegroom in Song of Solomon, the wisdom of Proverbs, and the muse throughout the Psalms. All of the historical books

S is for

Seasons. Oh I love this time of year. It seems like the world explodes into color while a chill starts refreshing the days and cooling the nights.

It reminds me of the seasons of life. I'm not talking about
the four of them, childhood, active years, passive years, and old age (whatever that is). I'm talking about recurring times in our lives, both physical and spiritual, when we go through

Faith Readers' Weekly

Weekend-spiration - Am I Up to the Challenge?

This week, I embarked on an online Bible Study with ladies from all across the country. It's sponsored through a sight called Good Morning Girls and my group is a Facebook group of Homeschool moms. Over the next 12 weeks, we will take a walk through 1 John. Have you seen

Weekend-spiration - My Favorite!

I'm really enjoying my visits to Faithful Bloggers. Not only is the founder, Courtney Chowning, insightful in her own posts, she gives suggestions for inspirational blogging that others can do. That's really a ministry when you think about it. She could just serve to build up her own site by keeping all the great ideas to herself, but her generosity shows in how she promotes the sites of others, for the building up of the Kingdom and the glory of God.

Love the "for the good of the whole" attitude! But I digress.

I find there are times I need to visit the site for some fresh ideas. What God is