The lady’s picture of Michelle Ule’s new book Mrs. Oswald Chambers caught my attention, and I “liked” it. The book’s pages were marked with blue and orange tabs, and a pair of reading glasses sat off to the side.

The following day or so, as I scroll through my Instagram activity, I notice a new follower. Oh … it’s that lady. I click onto her gallery page and sense her familiarity. Yes, that’s right. I had seen her picture from Michelle Ule’s launch party. Because I had written a blog post on Michelle’s book, I was led here, to this place.

As I glance over the lady’s bio, words grab my attention–author of The Ache for a Child. My heart flutters. I know God is up to something incredible in my life. Anything God does for me, and I recognize it, is deemed incredible. Because it’s usually the small things that bless my heart in the big ways.

I head into my closet and pull out the clothes hamper. And there against the wall is the bookshelf, the old bookshelf. The one that holds old things, heart things, book things that touched my hands and touched my heart. I can’t part from them.

My eyes roam over the sections. I shift books around, looking for … There … there it is.

As I open the pages, my past reunites with my present. They hug. They cry in each others’ arms. And after the weeping comes the rejoicing. What are you doing here, old friend? After this many years. Page after highlighted page explains away. I read over my scribbles in the margins, never doing justice to the words of comfort God scribbled over my heart. But how does a marginal human put into words something so vast, something that can’t be contained in the tiny space of her heart?

I sit there on the closet floor, pondering God’s goodness.

Because I did this … because I walked through the door you opened, Lord … you did this. I bow my head. I thank Him, oh, how I thank Him. I’m no stranger to tear-stained jeans.

I follow my old and new heart-friend back on Instagram and contact her. “Did you write this book?” I attach a picture of the book.

“Yes, a long time ago!” she says. “I’m in the middle of updating it. How did you come across it?”

How did I come across it? What a question. I picked it up from a Christian book store 20 years ago, as I stood there feeling alone in the aisle of  pain and misery. As I stood there wanting a family with all my heart and wondering if God would come through for me. After I took that book into my home and devoured it with my whole being, my pastor at that time, Dr. Robert Jeffress, asked me to start and lead an infertility support group for our church.

Holding that little book in my hands, I remember all the doors that God opened for me through the years.

Page after page turned in my life, and new words were written over my story … my life came alive. God gave me two girls. God gave me a family. God came through with my heart’s desire since childhood.

“I can’t tell you what your book meant to me,” I write. “Thank you. You were a light in a very scary time.”

I bow my head again.

Father, thank you. I follow you, but you followed me first. You loved me first. Your love conquers all fear. You know exactly how to wrap up the chapters in my life. And tie it off with a gold and pink bow. I’m thankful The End of this life hasn’t come. I’m thankful you let me say “thank you” after 20 years. I’m thankful that Deb made herself vulnerable and emptied her heart on those pages so that I could find courage. Thank you for leading me to her words that became marked on my heart so long ago.

I like it, God. I so ♥ it.

Have you had a chance to say thank you to someone who helped you so long ago? Maybe someone who didn’t even know they’d helped you? I’d love to hear your story.

“I’d like a painting for my office,” he requests. “Will you try?”

“I don’t want to.” My daughter’s voice floats into the kitchen.

“I will.” The words spill from my mouth. I’m not a painter, but I’d like to try something new.

I gather the materials–canvas, paints, brushes. It’s getting expensive.

When the house is quiet, I lay my three canvas pieces on the table. Paving the way, my hand begins sketching.

Finally, my brush strokes the canvas … little by little. And I love every glorious minute of it.

When I finish working each afternoon, I keep the sections hidden away through the rest of the day, until it’s ready. A birthday present.

I venture outside over the following days. The beautiful weather warms my heart. The breeze–such a gift.

My unsteady hand wobbles, and the paintbrush shifts over of the sketched line. As I’m sitting there, in the daylight, all I see is the mess I’ve made. The outside border of my attempted subject is too wide, messy. And in the process of tucking them away, I’ve hit one canvas against another, and paint smears.

Why? I’m not …

I won’t give up. I haven’t come this far to give up. When the paint is dry, I decide to try … Focusing on steady, I take my foundation white and patch over the messy umber.

With the tip of the paintbrush between my lips, I evaluate the project. It’s not so bad. Perfectly imperfect has to be okay. Because, well … it’s me.

My heart is nudged. I remember the beautiful canvas we are all given at the onset of life. And look … the smear, the mess I made. But you, O Lord, you painted me new. The crimson ran down to white, to pure. Free, yet so expensive a cost. You took your foundation and made me … changed me, covered me. My spiritual birthday–the gift that never stops giving, never stops covering.

But the destroyer creeps in, going into hidden places where he doesn’t belong, and pulls me out. He works with ease to scrape away the new, revealing my old, reminding me of my old … the times I stroked my brush out of line … the embarrassment of the ugly, the smears, the beyond ugly …

Not to help, but to hurt. And he so hurts.

And I wonder why I allow it. Why do I get pulled out? Time after time. O Soul Within, why …?

Father, help me “take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed” (Psalm 57:1), where I’m loved every glorious minute. Give me the “I will” …. For you only. My eyes focused intently on you. Unashamed. Because that’s where I’m ready. That’s where I’m perfectly imperfect.

Until that day, when all is revealed.

O Soul Within, don’t be afraid to try something new.

“Holy Spirit, blow peace, joy, and love in and through us today.”—Wendy Macdonald

Have you ventured out to try something new?

*And I thought you might like to know that the painting is hanging on a wall in downtown Dallas right now. No matter how imperfect it is. Yikes!

 
Congratulations to the winners … Becky Bray and Karen Morris!!


The girls and I snuggled under the covers with their precious devotionals. Tiny fingers, tiny toes, little baby button nose. Not only was it a time to teach them about Jesus, their Savior, but I was blessed with lots of sugars and giggles.

Yes, my girls are teenagers now, but when they were small, we’d always read their children’s devotionals together and talk about God, their friends, our family, about the goings on in their sweet worlds. Special heart-savoring memories.

And because of that special time together, learning about Jesus, my girls came to know Jesus as their Savior at a very early age.

So I’m thrilled to review a devotional book for a friend, Carol McAdams Moore. I’ve grown to know and love Carol over this last year. She loves God and is passionate about sharing Jesus’ love with kids.

Carol has released two tween devotionals with Zonderkidz. 

***** [5 star rating]

These devos are intended for kids 8-12 but definitely the youngers [5-7] would enjoy if they can already read or with a parent’s help.

One for boys—Dare U 2 Open This Book …

 And one for girls—Just Sayin’ …

And this is why Carol wrote them:

“I wanted to create devotionals that would encourage tweens to engage with God’s Word and really think about what the Bible means to them. I pray the tweens who read them will discover that following Jesus is the best. idea. ever.” —Carol McAdams Moore

The devotionals are not real wordy like some. The devotionals my girls had when they were small had almost too much to read. If there is too much reading either done by the child or parent, I think the child tends to lose interest. ZZZZ. But these keep the writing/reading short, with one Scripture focus. If the child wants to read more, longer Scripture passages are referenced.

All 90 devotions are different and action packed. Some contain pictures to color, fill in the blanks, uniquely crafted drawing spaces for certain topics, questions asked to answer and think on … basically, a chance to doodle and meditate on God. Kids love to color … never seem to outgrow it … and I think this is a sweet way to combine learning about God with one of their favorite activities—coloring/drawing.

Just Sayin’ for girls

Dare U 2 Open This Book for boys

And when the book is complete, a sweet keepsake will remain to store away for your child, filled with special memories regarding their walk with God … and possibly their time with you, if you help them.

Giveaway Time!

Because these devos will make great stocking stuffers and because freebies are awesome, Carol’s publisher is giving away one boy’s devotional and one girl’s devotional (U.S. only). If you’d like to have one for your child, grandchild, a special kid in your life, please …

leave a comment with your name and contact information [email] here on my blog or on my Facebook page, and specify if you would like the “boy” or the “girl” devotional. If you would like either/or, specify that, and I’ll put your name into both categories for the drawing. But to share the love, you can only win in one category.

I will draw and notify two winners—one boy devo winner and one girl devo winner—on December 3rd at noon, Central Standard Time, and immediately ship the books out in order for them to arrive before Christmas.  

I hope you enjoy this review/giveaway and may your Christmas be special as we celebrate Jesus’ birth!

Shelli

Friends, I have a new article out on Woman’s Missionary Union’s website, myMISSIONfulfilled.com on a dear friend from Terrell, Texas, Nancy Cobb, titled “Courage, a Suitcase and the Lion Queen.” Nancy has been on many mission trips. She has a book out called  Suitcase Carrier for God. I loved her book. I read it to my family all the way from San Angelo, TX, to Albuquerque, NM. I laughed and I cried. So good! I know you will be blessed by her.

Thank you, Nancy, for sharing your story with WMU.

Love, Shelli

I have a new article out! I am so thrilled about this one because it is written on a lady, Mary Clemons, who lives in my hometown of Terrell, Texas. We actually went to high school together for a few years until she moved away. It is a tragic story of domestic violence … I say tragic because there was not a happy ending to her marrige. But her life is victorious, and the best thing is that she is alive today to proclaim how much she loves the Lord and is a servant to helping others escape domestic violence. I know you will be blessed by her story!

And Mary will be featured in Good Housekeeping toward the end of this year!
Love, Shelli