“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:2-4
I don’t know if my faith has ever been tested as much as it has been in the last three months. After I lost my husband in 2010 I spent many years in grief, then a lingering depression. Yet in all those times I never doubted that God was with me and had a plan for my life.
As recently as July of this year, I felt that God had brought me out of the dark times in my life and I was now living in the light of His blessings. Things were going amazingly well.
Then in August, my tower of faith began to tumble, one brick at a time. I’ve shared much of the struggles over the past few months in previous blog posts, so I won’t get into the details here.
I think my faith was tested in every way possible.
Well, I thought it had been every way possible.
Now as I face a health challenge and uncertainty about the results, I find that my faith is wavering.
The “What-Ifs” are building up this health problem into the worst case scenarios even as I try to tell myself it’s probably nothing and will easily be resolved. It’s human nature to worry, to want to control the outcome anything we come up against.
Then as our plans start to crumble, we realize how little control we have over some areas of our life.
God is faithful.
He is a good God.
He has a plan for my future.
He is my Provider.
He is my Healer.
I believe these promises for a fact.
Yet I know that everything doesn’t go according to “MY” plan.
I can’t see beyond today to know what “HIS” plan is for me. But I can trust in His unfailing love.
22 years ago today, my youngest son was born at 4:00 in the afternoon. After having labor induced and receiving an epidural to manage the pain, labor was dragging on until it was getting dangerous for the baby.
By that time the epidural had worn off and I felt the pain as I pushed a third child into the world without the benefit of medication to dull the pain.
The first child was born on the day he was supposed to have been induced. I woke up in labor. I couldn’t figure out how to breathe during the Lamaze classes and anything I did learn was forgotten when the labor pain became intense. When the nurse told me it was too late for pain medication and my doctor would be very upset if they gave me something at that point, I panicked. Needless to say, a short time later I screamed as my firstborn came into the world.
With my second, eighteen months to the day after the first, I woke up in labor and sat up most of the night by myself. The pain wasn’t bad. But by the time I woke my husband up and we made it to the hospital, I knew I was in trouble. I asked for pain medication, as the contractions were getting intense by that point, but my baby was already crowning. The doctor broke my water, and my daughter was born twenty minutes later.
I said to my husband, “Let’s not do this again for at least five years.”
Six years later, I found out I was pregnant but the fetus never developed and it wasn’t a viable pregnancy. I miscarried a few weeks after I took the test.
A few months later, when my cycle was regular again, my husband and I talked about it. We knew we needed to take precautions if we didn’t want another child. Instead, we decided to “see what happens.” Both of us had always said we wanted three or four children (my husband would always add, “or half a dozen.”)
It was no surprise when I became pregnant a few months later.
As mentioned above, by the time he was born, I was in pain and exhausted.
My son was born on October 24, 2000.
I loved being pregnant, and I loved my babies. But I knew I couldn’t go through another labor and delivery.
Besides, I was 35 years old. We considered our family complete and took permanent steps to make it so.
I’m blessed to be the mom of three adult children. Since 2010 I’ve been a single parent. Their dad would be proud of them for the wonderful people they are today. They are supportive of me and also protective. They are worth every moment of pain that I bore to bring them into this world.
Happy birthday, son.
And may God’s blessings be upon you, your sister and brother from this day forward.
I recently created a Children’s Church curriculum series entitled: Passport to the Promised Land. It is my hope to publish this series sometime this winter.
Here is a preview of the first lesson in this series:
Title of Lesson: Passport Journey #1: Abraham’s Journey
Scripture Verse: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
Introduction to Lesson:
We are taking a pretend journey in the Old Testament of the Bible.
Our story begins after the Great Flood. Noah’s sons and their wives had children, who had more children, and families grew. They started to spread out across the land.
HERE IS A COPY OF THE MAP FOR YOU. (The link to this map will be provided when the curriculum is published.)
The land of Ur, where our journey begins, is in the region that is present day Iraq.
If you were traveling to a foreign country today, what would you need to take with you? A passport
For our journey through the Bible, we are also going to carry a passport.
(HAND OUT PASSPORTS – Instructions on how to create passports will be provided when the curriculum is published.)
Now we’re ready to travel with Abraham and his family.
WALK ALONG HALLWAY, STOP IN FRONT OF CLASSROOM DOOR.
Let’s check our mailbox for a message from God’s Word that will tell us which land we are entering.
Message from God’s Word:
Genesis 11:31
31 Terah took his son Abraham, Abraham’s wife Sara, and Abraham’s nephew Lot. Together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. But when they came to Haran, they settled there. (Although Abram’s name has not been changed to Abraham yet, I have included the new spelling to make it consistent throughout the curriculum).
(SHOW HARAN ON MAP)
Passport Stamp: Haran (Passport stamps will be explained when curriculum is published)
Introduction to Story:
A man named Terah and his family came from the land of Ur of the Chaldeans. He wanted to move his family to the land of Canaan (SHOW ON MAP).
But they settled in Haran.
It was a long journey. Do you think they had buses back then?
Trains?
And definitely not airplanes, right?
How do you think they got from one place to another?
Walking, riding donkey/camel, cart
What did they need to take with them to survive the long journey?
shoes good, comfortable clothes, provisions like water and food
Bible Story:
Read aloud Genesis 11:27 – Genesis 12:5
After story:
Abraham went from the land of Haran to the land God promised him. What was this land called?
Canaan.
Today you get a second sticker on your passport for the land of Canaan.
Story in Action:
Use picture cards (These will be provided when curriculum is published.)
We’re going to go on a “journey” around the room.
First person is Abraham. Draws card. “I’m Abraham, and I’m going to the Promised Land. What or who am I taking with me?” Says what’s on the card.
Second person draws a card. “I’m going with Abraham and we’re going to the Promised Land. What or who am I taking with me?” Says what’s on the card.
Third person draws a card. “I’m going with them to the Promised Land. Who or what am I taking with me?” Says what’s on the card.
Continue until all cards are played, even if the players have to start over with number one person again. Play until all cards are played.
Lesson Point:
God made a promise to Abraham. God promised Abraham that He would give Him a land that would belong to Abraham and his descendants.
What are descendants?
Abraham’s, children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and so on.
God told Abraham that his descendants would be like the stars in the sky, too many to count.
The Bible tells us that Abraham believed the Lord. Abraham had faith that God would do what he promised.
God had a plan for Abraham, and God has a plan for your life, too.
Our Bible verse today is from Jeremiah 29:11. (Read aloud).
You were not put on this earth by accident.
God created you with a special purpose in mind.
God isn’t asking you to physically move. He wants you to trust Him with the things that come up in your everyday life.
You can ask for God’s help to make good choices.
Craft:
Print off a picture of Abraham and the stars. (Link will be provided when curriculum is published.)
Color, place gold star stickers on stars in picture and sandpaper or brown paper torn in pieces to glue over the ground for sand.
I will make an announcement in mid-November about the details for how you can purchase the curriculum for use in your church’s children’s program.
Good Morning. My guest today is Suzie Waltner, author of Midnight Blue, a Christian romance.
Suzie, thank you for being my guest today. Let’s start with you telling us a little bit about yourself.
I am a busy single gal (although, I’m probably past the age where I can get away with “gal,” LOL!) who writes in her free time. During the day I work in the mortgage division of a large bank. I love my church and my group of friends, dog sit for a few people, and love watching my Predators (National Hockey League) play.
What is Midnight Blue about?
Ten years after Jake Turnquist broke up with his high school sweetheart in order to pursue his music career, he crosses paths with her again. Scarlett Sykes now has a daughter, but Jake is interested in renewing a friendship with her. What he doesn’t know is that Harmony is his daughter.
When he discovers the truth, Jake scrambles to orchestrate a way to spend time with Scarlett and Harmony—the family he’s always wanted but never knew he had. He once gave Scarlett up to pursue his music. What will he have to surrender to win her back?
So tell us, Suzie, what was the catalyst for your interest in writing?
I don’t have the typical story where I loved writing from a young age. I did write, but I didn’t really think much of it. In fact, I thought I wanted to be a veterinarian up until my second year of college when I passed out during a sheep surgery. It was after that little episode I decided that I wasn’t cut out for the vet life.
Long story short, I ended up taking a lot of detours in college and ended up with an English degree, but I wanted to be an editor, not a writer (although I did take some creative writing classes).
Fast forward several years and a co-worker had posted something on Facebook about NaNoWriMo. When I saw her at work the next week, I told her I’d always wanted to give it a try, but it was usually halfway into November when I saw people talking about it. This particular year, I saw it in October. My co-worker encouraged me to do it, and I did. And then I kept writing and discovered I enjoyed it.
Do you have a day job? If so, how do you find time in your day to write?
I do have a 40-hour-a-week day job, so most of my writing is done on the weekends when I can dedicate large chunks of time to my stories. I love writing sprints, but they’re usually not running when I am writing so I will find a pre-recorded video or two on YouTube because it makes me feel like I’m writing with others plus those sprints provide for short breaks. Isn’t it funny the mind games we can play with ourselves to get something done?
Who was your favorite character to create?
Harmony (Jake and Scarlett’s daughter) was a fun addition to the story. It’s through her we see how differently Jake and Scarlett react to their daughter. She also adds some fun elements because kids are unpredictable.
Are you a plotter or a panster?
I am 100% a pantser. I’ve tried to plot a few times, but the characters refuse to follow my outline, so I’ve learned to let them steer the story. The one downside of being a pantser is that edits are more intense since I don’t have all the plot points worked out at the beginning of the book.
What does your family think of your writing?
My family is extremely supportive of my writing. I am the only one of my siblings (one brother and one sister) who is a reader, but both of them order my books. And my parents are always recommending my books to others or picking up another copy to give away.
Are you part of a writing group?
Yes, I am part of several writing groups. I belong to a couple of the big organizations like ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) and Faith, Hope, and Love Christian Writers. I am also involved on more local levels as the current president of the ACFW Middle Tennessee chapter and I have two critique partners I work with weekly. I also love encouraging people who are interested in writing or new to it.
What’s next for you as an author?
I am currently writing book three in the Love in Color series while awaiting edits for book two. Readers are introduced to the entire band in Midnight Blue, and each member is getting their own story over the four-book series.
Inspirational Author 