d.washington-jones

The Most Wonderful E-book of the Year!!!

It’s the most wonderful time of year, Christmas that is.  We all love the Christmas story classics like Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Frosty, the Snow Man, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas, but imagine sharing a new Christmas story with your Children and loved ones this year and many years to come The Runaway Christmas Tree. Copy and paste the address below in your browser now: http://www.therunawaychristmastree.com.  Teachers will love the book in that it takes less than 30 minutes to read and it keeps the children’s attention.  I love the hugs that I get once the story is over.  It also has a glossary in the back with words to actually teach a lesson.

You will love visiting our  landing page to download your copy of the E-book and play games, answer questions or just buy your copy now at the low, low special holiday  price of $3.99 ($9.99 regular). http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0067GMOKK 

Synopsis of Story

The Kent family wants to purchase a real Christmas tree this year.  When they finally pick one from Nick’s Magic Christmas Tree Grove, they get more than what they bargained for.  They wanted a real tree, but just how does one define “real”?  That is precisely what the Kent family is about to find out!

Visit our landing page for more information and fun! http://www.therunawaychristmastree.com.

“I wonder why you care, God- why do you bother with us at all? All we are is a puff of air; we’re like shadows in a campfire.” Ps.144:3 Message

What is Man?

Recently, the Lord reminded me of something that I so needed at the time. That night, I was being attentive to my oldest son who had recently gotten a tattoo.  He knew how I felt about it, but he insisted on getting it and besides, as he has often reminded me, he only gets “Christian Tattoos”. I was concerned about “infection” and even worst things. Sleep didn’t even really matter to me at the time because, if for some reason my son needed me through the night, I wanted to be there. I prayed for him and I kept checking on him to make sure that he was alright and the Lord said, “Do you see how you feel toward your son? That is how I feel towards you.”  I felt frozen as I listened to these words resonate in my spirit. “This is how I feel towards you”.   How excellent, how wonderful, how marvelous was God’s way of reminding me about his unfailing love.  Then I, like David, had a question for God, “What is man that Thou art mindful of him?…  his life is as a puff of air and yet, you have made him a little lower than the angels.” Ps. 8, 144. Why, God, Why?   And in my Spirit once more I heard, “Because I love my children, just as you love your children.” Lesson learned.  We can’t always keep our children from doing certain things, but we continue to love them.  God’s love, like a mother’s love, is unconditional.

TODAY is the Day!

The Amazon Bestseller Book Launch for
“They Stood Alone: 25 Men and Women
Who Made a Difference”

Buy a copy of They Stood Alone! on Amazon TODAY
(September 25)
and receive more than 20 Free Bonus Gifts! 
Just go to http://TheyStoodAlone.com
and follow the simple instructions.

It would appear that I cannot move away from the Psalms right now or from David because David had the right idea when he said, “But it is good for me to draw near to God,” Psalm 73:28.   I respect how much the man (who was also KING), recognized that he needed God.  It does not matter which or how many hats we wear; we need God. 

In the run of a given day, numerous things distract us and pull us in so many different directions.  Our nerves become on edge, our patience is thin, and one emergency after another seems to demand our personal attention.  I once heard a minister say that we (Christians) “leak”.  We can only hold so much and after a period of time, we must refill or refuel because we are “poured” out.

We pray and intercede for others on a daily basis and there are those who draw from us or pull from us often.  Have you ever felt “weak” after you have spent even a small amount of time with others, or someone in particular?  Have you expended so much spiritual energy that you become virtually dehydrated?  If our cars run low on fuel, we don’t hesitate to fill the tank, why does it take us so long to realize that we need spiritual refilling?

Each day, we are consumed by the demands on our jobs, the phone, the TV, the soccer, the football games (that we attend out of genuine parental support) and yes, the church. We are constantly going and doing, dropping off and picking up.  There doesn’t seem to be much time left.  So, we therefore, try to “wait” for the right “moment” when we have the “time” and can get “quiet” and be “alone” with God.  It is no wonder that we feel tired, weak and worn.  The needs are still great and we are still expected to perform our daily duties with enthusiasm and vigor. How can we give something that we don’t have and if we don’t “make” the time to spend with God will we ever “find” the time? 

David also said this, “Oh God, thou are my God. Early will I seek thee:  My soul thirsteth for thee in a dry and thirsty land where no water is,” Psalm 63:1.  Do it now. Just stop, and allow God to speak to your heart, allow him to fill you as only he can.  Do it now!

God will go before us!

“And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.” Deut. 31:8

Moses wanted Israel to know that he could go no further with them; he would no longer lead them, but that they did not have to be afraid.  From that time on, Joshua would lead them and God (himself) would go before them. God would help them and they did not have to fear or feel that they had been abandoned or left alone.

Sometimes, it feels as if we are out here alone.  We’ve stepped out or moved forward from the grips of Egypt and like Israel, we can’t go back, so we must forge ahead.  Knowing that God is there, working and moving on our behalf is just what we need at a time like this.

From Deuteronomy 31:8, it is important to recognize that God is the one who goes before us.  He is the one who paves the way and will make our crooked paths straight.  I love this scripture because it lets me know that God goes ahead of me, sees what I need and provides for me.  My job is to trust him.  In deeper study, I found the words from this scripture to be even more reassuring that God will not abandon me or relax his grip on me or let me slip.  I have often spoken on this because, in comparison, I may have the greatest intentions of holding you up and not letting go of you.  But in all my good intentions, it could happen.  Picture this. If you were on the side of a cliff and I had a good grip on you, I’d do everything I could to uphold you and even try to pull you up, but I could still fail you.  Not so with God!  He won’t let go of you. He won’t let you slip.  Isn’t that a comforting thought?

• Yvonne told me that this is the way that she relaxes with this beautiful worship song.  We hope that it will bless you too!
• There is a place of quiet rest,
  Near to the heart of God,
  A place where sin cannot molest,
  Near to the heart of God.
• O Jesus, blest Redeemer,
  Sent from the heart of God,
  Hold us, who wait before Thee,
  Near to the heart of God.
• There is a place of comfort sweet,
  Near to the heart of God,
  A place where we our Savior meet,
  Near to the heart of God.
• There is a place of full release,
  Near to the heart of God,
  A place where all is joy and peace,
  Near to the heart of God.
• Fabulous giveaways!!! …..A Kindle device and several fiction and non-fiction books.   For 24 hours only, on Tuesday August 21^st, 2012  when you purchase your own copy of From Spice to Eternity through Amazon   A blend of Christian faith, love, joy, and grace along with a sprinkling of Bible verses and a dash of botanical history equal a recipe for perfection.  Sweet in its approach and pointed with its messagehttp://yvonnepatwright.weebly.com

My Soul Desire

As I listened to Deniece Williams’  version of the song “My Soul Desire” on youtube, the tears began to flow.  As she sang, “Lord, I do not seek to claim the glory, I only wish to be under your control”,  I was overtaken by such an overwhelming feeling of God’s presence.  I have always said that you truly cannot sing that song until you mean that song.  It reminds us that we must give him all of our goals, aspirations and plans.  Afterall, he is the one who truly knows all about us and it is at that moment that our fears of doing what ever he has called us to do dissipate.

Funny how we get caught up in doing things in our own strength and actually begin to believe that we are doing them on our own.  A good indication of this is when fear sets in and anxieties build.  David knew in whose power he would slay the giant, Goliath.  He said,  ”This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand….” 1st Sam. 17: 46.  The Bible tells us that David ran out to meet Goliath.  He certainly had no fear. We must be just as assured of the giant slayer in us.  When our fears grip us and the anxieties build, when we are treading upon new territory (things that we have never done before), we must stop and take a moment to remember that “This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.” Psalm. 118:23.

“…write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.” Habakkuk 2:2

In 2007, I attended a Christian Writers’ Conference and I knew then that writing was something that I had to do.  It’s not always something that I want to do, but greater than my fears is my need to pass on what I have heard and learned through the years.  There are things that I absolutely must say and there are those who are out there who need to hear it.  This is not just for me, although I must admit, each new day is a learned experience for me in this walk.  I am just so amazed by the things that are shown to me simply because I am willing to ask or seek or knock.  Others sometimes ask me, “how do you know so much about so many things?”  It’s not me!  It’s truly not me.  I ask and God is so gracious to answer.  And when the time comes, I share it.  I don’t pretend to know all of the answers, but I know someone who does, so I point others to him.  I simply point the way, nothing more, nothing less.  At the conference, I shared one of my eccentricities concerning writing:  I constantly buy pens, pencils and I have a collection of journals of all kinds.  Imagine my surprise when other writers told me that they did the exact same thing.  Do you think that this was God’s way of helping us to see that writing is a call on our lives, one that is unmistakeable?  Please comment.