Reading is Good Therapy

A writer friend posted this on our critique group recently. It's good news for writers, but also very true. I remember C.S.Lewis said (quoting a student) "We read to know we are not alone." Reading is good therapy.

September 2011 issue of Prevention magazine displays this note on page 53:

  A Novel Therapy

Feeling lonesome? Grab a book! New research proves that relating to fictional characters creates a satisfying sense of belonging.

I pray that my fiction will not only help people to feel a sense of belonging, but a sense of belonging to God. I pray they feel His presence as they read and know that He desires a real/interactive relationship with them.

The Gospel's Power

I'm challenged with Paul's words to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3. One line keeps circling again and again in my mind. "...having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof..."

Do we hold to the form, but deny the power of the gospel?

With power comes responsibility most of us don't want to carry. We enjoy our comfortable life. We want ease.

Paul encourages Timothy to suffer with him. We were called for a purpose. God intends that His people will bring His kingdom and push out the illegally, ruling authorities of the devil. Sounds like science fiction, right? But it's not. It's real. When was the last time you or I set someone free from an addiction or spoke miraculous healing to someone's body? This is God's expectation. He's already won the victory, paid the price, now we are to go make it happen.

But how? That's the question.

We can't make miracles happen. We're not God.

But we can seek Him. We can come before Him daily asking for His will to be done and offering our words, our time and our effort to Him.

Lord Jesus, teach us by Your Spirit. Give us a willing heart.


Kind of heavy for a Thursday morning, so I'll lighten it up a bit. Check out the cornbread recipe I promised yesterday. I hope you enjoy it with your Chili or whatever you serve it with.

Winter Comfort Food

The temperature is dropping slightly here and I'm thinking about food that warms from the inside. One thing we can say about winter is that it forces us to stay home a bit more, relax and stay warm. Food is a great part of that routine. There are recipes I only use in the winter time and by fall, I'm ready to think about them again.
Here's my blog on Whole Living with a great chili recipe. I hope you enjoy!