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Prayer Journaling pt 4

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Admitting to God.

Confession of my sin is the second part I cover while prayer journaling. It’s when I come clean to God about areas of weakness. However my natural human tendency is to avoid admitting any wrong doing. It’s easier for me to justify my actions…

Easier in the short term.

If I don’t confess my sins to God regularly, they pile up and over time it keeps me from honest fellowship with Him. This leads to strained relationships with my family and friends. Strained relationships lead to strained effectiveness in God’s particular calling in this season of life. Not good at all.

So, while it can be hard, I write in my journal about my sins and ask God to help me overcome areas of weakness in my life. The effects are amazing. Each time I confess to Him, I feel loved by Him even more. God is first and foremost a Father.

As a mother, I know the degree of love I have for my son is small compared to the depth of love God has for each of His children. So yes, admitting my sins to Him is tough at first but because He loves me, I know He only has my best interests at heart.

Fiction Fridays: The Pirate Queen by Patricia Hickman

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My Review:

Well to do and unsatisfied. These words describe Saphora Warren, the main character in The Pirate Queen. Saphora is a southern woman who, after decades of marriage, has finally decided to leave her womanizing, plastic surgeon husband Bender. After Southern Living magazine visits their home to feature it in a future issue, Saphora packs her bags and leaves for their bungalow in Oriental on the Outer Banks, hoping to make sense of her self.

Just as Saphora is about to leave for Oriental, Bender arrives home and says he’s dying of cancer. With this monkey wrench thrown into her plans, Saphora agrees to care for him at their bungalow. Inwardly, she wants to kick herself for being such a pushover. Their bungalow gets more and more crowded when family members arrive and townsfolk stop by to check on them. Frustrated, Saphora asks God to show her the way back to herself.

The Pirate Queen is a deep character study of Saphora who, after years of fulfilling her duties as a wife and mother, fights to discover Saphora. Hickman’s poignant writing style allowed me to easily slip on Saphora’s distinctive view of her marriage and family. In addition, the cast of characters in this story add dimension to the novel. This story courageously deals with the often unspoken expectations of womanhood, especially as women navigate their role in the home. The Pirate Queenhad me turning the pages, wanting to see how Saphora comes to terms with her life. A great story.

February Contest Book Giveaway:

From February 1-28, 2011, I’m holding a contest for The Pirate Queen One lucky winner will receive a brand new copy of the book. To enter, leave a comment on any February 2011 blog post. Give your name, email address and US state (Sorry, no international entrants) Only one entry per person. I’ll announce the winner on March 1st.

When giving your email address use this format: you[at]yourmail[dot]com to prevent spammers of targeting your email address. It’s up to the winner to check to see if you’ve won and to email me if you haven’t heard from me.

I always email the winner and give them a week to reply. If I don’t receive an answer, I’ll pull another person to win the book. The winner can expect their free book in 4-6 weeks. Read the contest disclaimer here.

You can also post a comment and not enter too!

Word Wednesdays: The Book You Have Written

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“But now, please forgive their sin – but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written.”

(Exodus 32:32, NIV)

God wrote a book and it has you in it. That’s an awesome thought. To know the God of the universe has ordered your lives and planned it in such detail that He wrote it in a book. This scripture demonstrates God is not a God of randomness or chance. The best corrolation I can use is my own experence of writing a novel.

I’ve heard it said there are two types of novelists: pantsers and plotters. ‘Pantsers’ are those who fly by the seat of their pants, writing the story as it comes to them without any planning or forethought. ‘Plotters’ are those who plan their story ahead of time and, to varying degrees, follow the plan they set forth. No matter whether a writer is a ‘pantser’ or a ‘plotter’, at some point during the creative process, they’ll have to sit down and clearly delineate their story’s progression, i.e. plot it out.

I think God is a plotter. Psalm 139:16 (NIV) states: “Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”

He planned your life before you were even formed. He wrote all of your days in His book. From day to day, you may not know the details of that plan and that’s where faith comes in. Seeking Him and relying on Him daily enables you to fully live out the plan He plotted out for you beforehand.

Till next Wednesday…

“But now, please forgive their sin – but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written.”

(Exodus 32:32, NIV)

Click here to read about February 2011’s contest.

Sneak Preview: February 2011 & A Book Giveaway!

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Can you believe it’s already the end of January? It’s feels like time goes by quicker the older you get. Here’s a preview of what to expect in February on The Literary Mama:

Marriage & Motherhood Mondays

I’m continuing my blogging series on Prayer Journaling. We’ll chat about making requests of God, giving thanks to God, hearing God’s voice and following His direction in simple, workable steps.

Word Wednesdays

I’m still looking up the word ‘book’ in the Bible. (I’ve got a loooong way to go.) This month we’ll examine the following passages: Exodus 32:32, Exodus 32:33, Numbers 5:23 and Numbers 21:14.

Fiction Fridays

I’m excited about our author lineup this month. We’ll be looking at Patricia Hickman’s novel The Pirate Queen and Young Adult novelist Shellie Neumeier‘s latest release Driven.

So pull up a chair, plop yourself in front of your computer and get ready for an exciting February.

February Book Giveaway:

From February 1-28, 2011, I’m holding a contest for The Pirate Queen One lucky winner will receive a brand new copy of the book. To enter, leave a comment on any February 2011 blog post. Give your name, email address and U.S. state (Sorry, no international entrants) Only one entry per person. I’ll announce the winner on March 1st.

When giving your email address use this format: you[at]yourmail[dot]com to prevent spammers from targeting your email address. It’s up to the winner to check to see if you’ve won and to email me if you haven’t heard from me.

I always email the winner and give them a week to reply. If I don’t receive an answer, I’ll pull another person to win the book. The winner can expect their free book in 4-6 weeks. Click here to read the contest disclaimer)

You can also post a comment and not enter too!

Prayer Journaling Pt 3

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Steps to an Effective Prayer Life

Last November, I was fiddling through some books I had and came across an excellent book which I red many years ago: Change Your Life by Becky Tirabassi. In one section of the book, she outlines a method for prayer journaling which I have started using and it has had a great impact on my relationship with Christ.

Tirabassi advises readers to get a notebook and divide it into eight different sections. They are:

Section One: Talk to God
  • Praise
  • Admit
  • Request
  • Thanks
Section Two: Listen to God
  • Old Testament
  • New Testament
  • Listening
  • Action Steps

Each section covers specific aspects of prayer and enables you to go deeper in your personal time with God. Today we’ll discuss the ‘Praise’ section. The Bible commands us to praise God regularly with our mouth. (Psalms) Praising God has many benefits. WhenI praise God, I remove the focus from myself and instead focus on Him. By doing so, my problems, worries and concerns fade in importance. After doing this long enough, I start to build faith and trust in who He is and what He can do.

How to Praise God

Praising God is simple. I recommend getting a One Year Daily Bible which has a passage from the Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs. In your daily reading, flip to the Psalms, read it and use the verses to form a personal prayer of praise to Him. Saying the words aloud builds your faith and you can also write them in your personal prayer journal.

Here’s an example from Psalm 1:

“I praise You Lord because you don’t allow me to walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers. Instead you enable me to take delight in your law day and night. I praise you Father because you make me like a tree planted by rivers of water. I bring forth fruit in my season and You prosper whatever I do.”

What are some ways you ensure that you intentionally praise God?

Next Monday, we’ll discuss section #2 of your prayer journal: Admit.

Book Review: Unexpected Love by Andrea Boeshaar

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My Review:

It’s 19th century Chicago and Nurse Lorenna Fields is hard-working, dedicated and – self conscious. She has a glaring birthmark on her face which she insists has repelled many suitors, leaving her a spinster. When a rogue, mysterious man is admitted into her medical ward, she grows to care for him and lovingly gives him the nickname “Mr. Blackeyes.” He has suffered amnesia and blindness after a recent accident.

While Lorenna cares for him, they become close friends and Mr. Blackeyes develops a relationship with Christ. Lorenna feels comfortable with their relationship because he cannot see the birthmark on her face. As Mr. Blackeyes’s memory slowly returns so does his eyesight. But he keeps his recently gained eyesight a secret from Lorenna because of her insecurity. Can Mr. Blackeyes love Lorenna after his tumultous past? Can love base itself on appearance alone?

Andrea Boeshaar’s Unexpected Love (Seasons of Redemption, Book 3) deftly handles these questions and provides a page turning romance that shows the power and depth of true love.

Read my recent interview with Andrea Boeshaar here.

Prayer Journaling Pt 2

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Finding Time to Pray.

Isn’t that the challenge of a mother’s life? It is for me. As 2011 began, my prayer life dwindled. It bothered me that I didn’t set aside an entire hour to read the Bible and write lengthy prayers in my journal. It bothered me that I was falling behind in my daily Bible study lessons with CBS. I just wasn’t being diligent enough. Aaah!

I started thinking about this while driving and I’ve come to the following conclusions: First, if I’m going to grow in my walk with God, I need making Him a priority needs to be reflected in how I spend my time. Second, don’t become a religious zealot and miss out on true fellowship with Him.

Fulfilling Conclusion #1:

At this season of life, I’m adjusting to motherhood which, as moms with small children know, can be a juggling act. So I’ve decided to spend the first few minutes of my day with Him, at least 15 minutes. Why the first minutes of the day? According to time management experts, the first moments of the day set the course of the day. So, why not use at least 15 minutes reading the Bible and jotting down a prayer in my journal?

Fulfilling Conclusion #2:

Incorporate prayer into my daily activities. This one requires more conscious effort on my part. Typically, after I finish my quiet time, my brain just zips to the stuff of daily life: laundry, dishes, writing, etc. But I can talk to God while doing the laundry, while writing, while getting ready in the morning, while playing with my nine month old. I can ask Him about a snag I have in my story as I type it. I can ask Him to help me plow through my towering load of dirty clothes. I can send up a quick prayer that my son will have a great morning nap as I put him down in the crib.

And then, whenever I have uninterrupted time (hint, hint: my nine month old is napping or right before I go to bed) I can continue the “intensive” prayer business I started with God in the morning with my Bible and journal in hand.

Talking to God while washing dishes sounded radical to me at first. I’m used to approaching Him in a more formal way. But God desires friendship. And friends talk. Praying this day means I can pray all the time – and I don’t have to join a monastery to do it!

As for what to do in those “intensive” prayer times, we’ll chat about that next Monday…

Fiction Fridays: Interview with Novelist Andrea Boeshaar

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I’m thrilled about today’s author interview on The Literary Mama. Andrea Boeshaar’s latest novel Unexpected Love (Seasons of Redemption, Book 3) releases this month. I’m pleased to welcome Andrea to The Literary Mama.

Andrea thanks so much for taking the time to chat with The Literary Mama. Tell us a bit about yourself.

Me in a nutshell:  I’ve been married for almost 33 years to my hubby, Daniel. We have 3 grown sons and 4 grandchildren.

I’ve been writing since I was a little girl; however, it wasn’t until 1991 that I answered God’s call to write for the Christian market. Since then I have penned and published more than 25 novels as well as numerous novellas and nonfiction pieces. I’m represented by the Steve Laube Literary Agency

In addition, I served on the Advisory Board of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and I am one of its cofounders.

In addition to writing, you’re also a Christian Life Coach. What motivated you to become a life coach and what does your work entail?

I have a heart for other writers, especially those just starting out and wanting to get published. This is one of the reasons I co-founded ACFW. The organization is a boon for all writers! But as a life coach, I can help writers identify their goals, organize their time, and make decisions toward that goal so it’s ultimately reached.

Do you see any correlations between life coaching and writing fiction?

Absolutely. I’m a writer, so I can use my experience to help other writers.

Where did you get the inspiration for the Seasons of Redemption series?

My inspiration, I think, came from my love of history. Researching one book led to writing another.

You are noted for writing strong female leads in the Seasons of Redemption series. How do you go about creating your characters?

I really don’t know my characters until I reach about chapter 3 of my stories. I do, however, create character sketches, but even then I don’t intimately know them. Once I do know them, I go back and revise the first three chapters. As for strong female leads – I grew up surrounded by strong females and there are strong females in my lineage. They are women who migrated to America from Norway. They worked alongside their husbands, clearing the fields and growing potatoes and other crops. With babies perched on their hips, they used their other hand to cook meals and serve them up on the dinner table. Again, I suppose it’s my love and knowledge of history – mine included – that enables me to create strong characters.

Who are your favorite characters in Unexpected Love (Seasons of Redemption, Book 3) and why?

Well, Renna, of course. She’s strong and hard working, yet extremely vulnerable.

And Captain “Blackeyes.” He was so much fun to create and write about!

Unexpected Love is set in 19th century Chicago. What do you like about this particular time and place?

The year in my book is 1866. This was Chicago before the Great Fire, which occurred in 1871. What I found fascinating is that most of the city had been constructed in wood, including many streets, which were constructed with wooden blocks. Little wonder it burned like a tinderbox!!

Historical fiction involves quite a bit of research. How did you go about researching Unexpected Love?

I try to find out as much as I can online. I use what I feel are credible sources. Chicago’s Historical Society, as an example, has a site that offers free information, accompanied by pictures of the city, and sites like that were a big help to me. I’m a visual person. I also go to the library and find books. I buy volumes as well, although I’ve run out of room and my husband has forbid me to collect any more books. L

What do you want your readers to walk away with after finishing Unexpected Love (Seasons of Redemption, Book 3)?

I hope the truth that “man sees the outward appearance, but God sees the heart” (1 Sam 16:7) rings true. Women who feel less beautiful, less thin, etc. than those they see in magazines and on TV need to realize that physical appearances don’t matter to God. He’s concerned with your heart (your attitudes, opinions, etc.). And godly men will be attracted to your beautiful heart as well, if its molded after biblical principles.

 

What’s the next book in the Seasons of Redemption series?

The next book in my series is called Undaunted Faith. It features Luke and Jake McCabe and Bethany Stafford – characters that readers met in  Uncertain Heart (Seasons of Redemption, Book 2).

How can readers get in touch with you?

Readers can reach me via my web site: www.andreaboeshaar.com  Just click on the “Contact Andrea” button.

Thanks so much for chatting with us today Andrea.

Thank you for the interview. It was fun!

My review of Unexpected Love (Seasons of Redemption, Book 3) posts next week, Friday, Jan 28th. You can order copies of Andrea’s books on Amazon, Christianbook or Barnes & Noble.