“This will continue until we are . . . mature, just as Christ is, and we will be completely like him.” —Ephesians 4:13 (CEV)

“Spiritual Growth Is a Lifelong Journey” —By Rick Warren:

“Becoming like Christ is a long, slow process of growth. Spiritual maturity is neither instant nor automatic. It’s gradual and progressive. Paul said, “This will continue until we are… mature, just as Christ is, and we will be completely like him” (Ephesians 4:13 CEV).

You are a work in progress. Your spiritual transformation —developing the character of Jesus—will take the rest of your life. And even then it won’t be completed here on Earth. It will only be finished when you get to heaven or when Jesus returns. At that point, any unfinished work on your character will be wrapped up.

The Bible says that when you’re finally able to see Jesus perfectly, you will become perfectly like him: “We are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is” (1 John 3:2 NLT).

Many Christians become confused because they ignore this simple truth: God is far more interested in building your character than he is in anything else.

People worry when God seems silent on specific issues, such as “What career should I choose?” The truth is, there are many different careers that could be in God’s will for your life. What God cares about most is that whatever you do, you do in a Christlike manner.

God is far more interested in who you are than in what you do. We are human beings, not human doings. God is much more concerned about your character than your career—because you will take your character into eternity, not your career.

God’s purpose is to make you like him before he takes you to heaven. Becoming like Jesus is your greatest privilege, your immediate responsibility, and your ultimate destiny.

Talk It Over:

How have you seen God shaping your character to be more like Jesus?

God is more interested in who you are than in what you do. How does knowing this change the things you’re praying about or worrying about?

Your spiritual transformation will take your whole life—and not be completed until you see Jesus face to face. How does that knowledge affect how you live each day?”

Daily Hope Devotional by Rick Warren 10th January 2024 – You Don’t Always Need Sunshine to Grow

Daily Hope Devotional - You Don’t Always Need Sunshine to Grow

The topic of Daily Hope by Rick Warren 10th January 2024 ” You Don’t Always Need Sunshine to Grow”

TODAY’S  SCRIPTURE: James 1:3-4 (NLT) “When your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.”

RICK WARREN DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY 10TH JANUARY 2024

It’s possible to grow during times of bright, fair weather—but you put down deeper roots during the dark days of life. As a pastor, I heard from countless people who said they had grown more through separation, illness, job loss, or tragedy than they would have otherwise. They recognized how God had used difficulty to draw them closer to him and mature them. The Bible says it this way: “When your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing” (James 1:3-4 NLT). When you let God into your problems and don’t push him out, then you’ll develop endurance that will make you ready for anything—strong in character, full and complete. Pain is the high cost of growth. The old cliché is true: There is no gain without pain. We want the quick solution and the easy fix. We want the pill or the seminar or the book that’s going to change everything without pain. We want the product that brings maturity without the painful process. But that isn’t going to happen! Theologian J. I. Packer said, “God uses chronic pain and weakness, along with all the other inflictions, as his chisel for sculpting our lives. It deepens our dependence upon Christ for strength each day. And the weaker we feel, the harder we lean, and the harder we lean, the stronger we grow spiritually. The very thing that’s discouraging you right now is the very thing God is using to develop you right now. How was David able to write such beautiful and powerful psalms? Because through all the loneliness, neglect, and injustice he went through as a young shepherd and even as a king, David knew God was with him the whole time. David wrote his most beautiful words in his deepest pain. There will be growth in the painful parts of life that you will not gain any other way. The process will not make you perfect, but it will move you toward being more like Christ. And if you’ll trust God to keep you and walk with you in your pain, he will develop endurance in you and give you his peace and rest. Read the full article

Here's a script that might be helpful:

FADE IN:

INT. A QUIET ROOM - DAY

JESSICA, a young woman, sits on a chair with her head in her hands. She looks worried and anxious.

JESSICA

(to herself)

I don't know what to do. I feel so lost.

Suddenly, she hears a voice in her head.

GOD

(voiceover)

Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.

Jessica looks up, surprised.

JESSICA

(to God)

But how do I do that? How do I give you my problems?

GOD

(voiceover)

Trust in me. Pray to me. Give me your worries and I will take care of them.

Jessica closes her eyes and takes a deep breath.

JESSICA

(to God)

Okay. I trust you. I give you my problems.

She opens her eyes and looks at the camera.

JESSICA

(to the audience)

If you're feeling overwhelmed, remember that God is always there for you. Just pray to Him and give Him your worries. He will take care of you.

CUT TO:

INT. JESSICA'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

Jessica is lying in bed, staring at the ceiling. She looks worried and restless.

JESSICA

(to herself)

I can't stop thinking about everything that's going on. I need to do something.

Suddenly, she hears a voice in her head.

GOD

(voiceover)

Be still and know that I am God.

Jessica sits up in bed.

JESSICA

(to God)

But I can't just sit here and do nothing. I have to take control of the situation.

GOD

(voiceover)

You don't have to take control. Just trust in me and I will guide you.

Jessica takes a deep breath and lies back down.

JESSICA

(to God)

Okay. I trust you.

CUT TO:

INT. JESSICA'S KITCHEN - DAY

Jessica is cooking dinner. She looks calm and relaxed.

JESSICA

(to herself)

I don't know how, but everything seems to be falling into place. I feel so much better.

Suddenly, she hears a voice in her head.

GOD

(voiceover)

See? I told you I would take care of you.

Jessica smiles.

JESSICA

(to God)

Thank you.

FADE OUT.

Remember that it's natural to want to control situations in our lives. However, it's important to remember that we can't always control everything. Sometimes, the best thing we can do is to give our problems to God and trust that He will take care of us. If you're feeling overwhelmed, consider taking a moment to pray and ask God for guidance and strength.

I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions.

Source: Conversation with Bing, 12/27/2023

(1) 5 Ways to Let Go and Let God - Surrender Control - iBelieve. https://www.ibelieve.com/faith/5-ways-to-surrender-control-and-let-god-handle-your-life.html.

(2) Why Won’t I Let God Take Control? - Pastor Rick's Daily Hope. https://pastorrick.com/why-wont-i-let-god-take-control/.

(3) 10 Ways to Let God Take Control of Your Situation - Faith Gazette. https://faithgazette.com/take-control/.

(4) How to Give God All the Control - The Deliberate Mom. https://thedeliberatemom.com/letting-go-of-control/.

(5) Give it to God: 3 simple ways to let go and let God have His way. https://www.christianpost.com/voices/give-it-to-god-3-simple-ways-to-let-go-and-let-god-have-his-way.html.

(6) Give God control: 20 verses to help during anxiety and fear. https://www.catholic.org/news/hf/faith/story.php?id=59040.

(7) 8 Ways to *Lose* Control...and Let God Take Control. http://proverbs31gal.com/control/.

“Choose to focus on God’s promises and not your circumstances.”

I got this from Pastor Rick Warren’s daily hope. Thank you Lord for delivering your message through your gospel, the bible, and using people to reach people for your message to them, to us. Whatever we are facing right now, always remember that God is with us by our side. We may not see the bigger picture yet, but choose to see things in God’s perspective. We cannot control everything that happens to us, but we can control how we respond. Choose to believe and you will see what God has prepared for you. Choose to be kind even when you’re hurting. Choose to be happy amidst pain. Faith, patience and hope. All will be alright in time.

Showing Fairness - Part Three

“I have not yet reached my goal, and I am not perfect. But Christ has taken hold of me. So I keep on running and struggling to take hold of the prize.” Philippians 3:12 (CEV)

Yesterday we talked about three reasons you need to set goals. Today we’re going to talk about three more reasons why goal setting is so important that even Jesus set goals for himself.

Set goals because they give you hope to keep moving and endure. Job said, “What strength do I have left that I can go on hoping? What goal do I have that I would want to prolong my life?” (Job 6:11 GW). You need a goal to keep you going.

To motivate you, a goal doesn’t have to be big. For instance, if you needed surgery, your first goal in recovery could be to sit up in bed. Then you might work toward standing up and later walking down the hallway.

Those are small goals, but they’re all important. To get from where you are to where you want to be isn’t done in one big leap. It’s many small steps. A goal doesn’t have to be big to be important. Even small goals encourage you to carry on.

Set goals because they build your character. The greatest benefit to your life will not be your accomplishments but rather what happens inside you while you’re moving toward your goal.

God is more interested in your character than your accomplishments. While you’re working on your goal, God is working on you. He is building your character, because that’s what will last for eternity.

That’s why Paul said in Philippians 3:12, “I keep on running and struggling to take hold of the prize” (CEV). It takes energy, effort, and purpose to reach your goal, and the result is that you become more like Christ.

Set goals because good goals will be rewarded. Proverbs 11:27 says, “If your goals are good, you will be respected” (GNT). When you give your life to a good goal, it brings honor and builds a legacy on earth. But the real reward in setting good goals is going to come in eternity.

The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 9:25-26, “All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step” (NLT). Paul was a purpose driven goal setter. God wants you to be one, too, so that you can win the prize he has prepared for you in heaven.

PODCASTS RECOMMENDATIONS

These are the podcasts I listened to for several years already plus a recent discovery. This might be a long post, but most and foremost, I'm not listening to this all in one seating, it depends on my mood if what do I want to listen.

Genre: Motivational, Self Help, Christian - Prayer, Inspirational, Self Improvement, Focus in Life, Affirmation, Society, Culture, Meditation, Stories, Business, Erotic (yup! Didn't expect Spotify has this lol)

SPOTIFY

The Mindset Mentor

On Purpose

The Motivated Mind

7 Good Minutes

Adulting with Joyce Spring

Bo Sanchez Radio

BIG Life Devotional

Savvy psychologist

TED Talks Daily

Boiling Waters PH

*used all count of links lol*

Small Talk with Alec Cuenca

https://open.spotify.com/show/6MWunfa6H0AvLew8vu6SN0?si=4mnOdBTqRiacv6m2RADGkg&utm_source=copy-link&dl_branch=1

Your Daily Prayer

https://open.spotify.com/show/7wNJMFDlJHmtGx6pLoTLsO?si=5-OT0-T6SNaK8sYZMsdlIQ&utm_source=copy-link&dl_branch=1

Daily Motivations

https://open.spotify.com/show/1A4raDwUk6CPt2jTYsT7hl?si=rPrK4_rGRhO6Hiupad1Sjg&utm_source=copy-link&dl_branch=1

The Paper Cup

https://open.spotify.com/show/6Yj0wUop4V71RYgxg4La1m?si=rYHL8PtlQou-B9xxEoPHIA&utm_source=copy-link&dl_branch=1

Victory Devotional Podcast

https://open.spotify.com/show/4QVEjbciIH0aHidOPYLGIL?si=vfNGUKmwT0KZuidgzHedDg&utm_source=copy-link&dl_branch=1

Stories After Dark

https://open.spotify.com/show/1hyQ3YzcdNsTJ5RWX0robX?si=lMTo4g6ISqmuUT0EpfxnnA&utm_source=copy-link&dl_branch=1

Quickie PH

https://open.spotify.com/show/5sFbjg816t4SylbQMTCj1e?si=VC7X7yzLSF6-CSenUzIklQ&utm_source=copy-link&dl_branch=1

CCF Sermon Audio

https://open.spotify.com/show/6R5WWQDX28ChltsLPAXmYY?si=gcDMThm4Q4i-nzvOqE3XpQ&utm_source=copy-link&dl_branch=1

Guided Meditation

https://open.spotify.com/show/3Q3Pgcmg0ybRtgmCnmRoH2?si=K7mK0pVPRPCJJtXUvcUtHg&utm_source=copy-link&dl_branch=1

The Daily Meditation Podcast

https://open.spotify.com/show/3CPoJwrn09eF1bHFgeHZ0v?si=oPLHiKuuTTGVthCl2kdkjQ&utm_source=copy-link&dl_branch=1

Think Positive: Daily Affirmation

https://open.spotify.com/show/6JTylErEaFf9aTCwAm2dKu?si=i4gnl-SjQyeT1CnzFCaFVg&utm_source=copy-link&dl_branch=1

Guided Sleep Meditation

https://open.spotify.com/show/75BvaaxemjYBSLP03xpm3m?si=ZjqZQkY4S-Ca5FsMur5VuQ&utm_source=copy-link&dl_branch=1

Not Overthinking

https://open.spotify.com/show/1Zo2yYgEYWRRpF2jTcNP5R?si=stBqCZnlTsqKhuW6tkNARw&utm_source=copy-link&dl_branch=1

The Unheard Truth

https://open.spotify.com/show/76ty23uNB87b7roZUwB1Ts?si=nTeKmjHZQ7qNm8rwGvfB8g&utm_source=copy-link&dl_branch=1

The Daily Boost | Clarify Your Purpose

https://open.spotify.com/show/2KV9x4cj9buAWOzvB7bpwM?si=ncx011DTR7agujMMSa6VpQ&utm_source=copy-link&dl_branch=1

Weightloss Mindset

https://open.spotify.com/show/3MV8xTXqwo0GRLfMSQ37wg?si=dVqMRAdIQbi6hhAxA6B7Zw&utm_source=copy-link&dl_branch=1

Mahal Ka Ba Nya? The Podcast

https://open.spotify.com/show/3AcV6i6etEeZ5ZsxJ0o4cR?si=t24zAEvtSJSrdhHLSvWe1w&utm_source=copy-link&dl_branch=1

Greatness Within

https://open.spotify.com/show/2FxGUypoIRRM7k3W9Pgbzy?si=R03esVamRMa4ksoFdtx6Ng&utm_source=copy-link&dl_branch=1

DOWNLOADABLE APP

DAILY HOPE (Pastor Rick)

YOUTUBE

Les Brown

Grace For Purpose

Grace For Purpose Prayers

Law of Attraction Coaching

Be Inspired

Doc Willie Ong

Above Inspiration

Surely forgot to put some, but my Top Three Podcasts are The Mindset Mentor, On Purpose, 7 Good Minutes. xx

Graphic Source:  We Can Bring Our Messes and Failures to God - Pastor Rick's Daily Hope

We favorited this tweet:

Some people fear that if they commit their lives to Christ, they won’t be able to keep their commitment. But it’s up to God to do the keeping, and that means you can never lose your salvation. Join Pastor Rick as he teaches from the Bible here: https://t.co/V6QxtzKKSf pic.twitter.com/CehhA1rryU

— Daily Hope (@dailyhope) December 9, 2019

from http://twitter.com/dailyhope

“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me” (Psalm 23:4 NIV).

“God’s Presence: Your Anchor through Any Storm” By Rick Warren:

“No one gets to live a life without setbacks. All of us will face storms from time to time.

The real issue is how we respond. What happens next? Do setbacks dominate you? Do you stop trying and give up?

If we’re not careful, setbacks will lead us toward unhelpful decisions:

Drifting from our goals. We hear the little voice inside that asks, “What’s the use of trying?” Then we stop striving for what God has clearly called us to do.

Discarding what we value. Sometimes, after a period of intense pain, our priorities change—we let go of what once mattered greatly to us.

Despairing about our future. We figure we’re doomed, we’re finished, and it’s all over.

As a pastor now for more than 40 years, I’ve watched many people react to crises in one of those three ways. I’ve discovered that the true test of faith is not how high you jump when you’re singing praises to God, but how straight you walk when you’re going through the valley of the shadow of death.

You’ll always drift in a storm without the right anchor. And only one anchor will really do.

One of the Bible’s most famous passages says it like this: “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me” (Psalm 23:4 NIV).

God’s presence is the greatest anchor in any situation.

When you’re feeling hopeless, remember that God hasn’t left you. Make him your rock-solid anchor. No matter how dark your valley, you’ve never been closer to God than you are at this exact moment.

When I make that statement to people as they’re going through setbacks, they often tell me: “Well, I don’t feel his presence.”

But it really has nothing to do with how you feel. The Bible says God is there in your darkest valley. That’s reality—whether you believe it or not.

The Bible tells us, “I’m absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us” (Romans 8:38-39 The Message).

No matter what you’re going through, God and his love are right there with you.

That truth offers stability in any storm.

Talk it over:

What setbacks in your life have made you doubt God’s presence?

When you look at the three ways setbacks can lead us to losing our way, which have you experienced? How did the loss impact you?

How does recognizing God’s presence in the midst of setbacks help you get through those difficult times?”

VERSE OF THE DAY

September 23

Lamentations 3:25-26

25 The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; 26 it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.

Read

Remind Yourself of God’s Grace, and Relax In It

By Rick Warren

Devotional image from Rick Warren

“I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith” (Philippians 3:9 NLT).

Legalism will rob you of happiness. It’s the attitude that you have to prove your love to God, which means you have to make sure you do everything exactly right. It’s thinking you have to follow rules and regulations and restrictions in order to prove yourself worthy. One of the consequences of being legalistic is that we then force the same expectations on others, thinking they also have to prove their worth to God.

Legalism will suck your life dry of happiness. It sucks churches dry of happiness. Everybody’s just there out of duty or guilt.

How do you know when you’re being legalistic? It’s when you’re judgmental of other people. How do you know when you’re living by grace? It’s when you’re gracious to others. People who live by grace often find it easier to forgive because they recognize that God continues to forgive them.

When you finally realize there’s nothing you can do to make God love you more, it is one of the most liberating feelings in the world. And it is a key to happiness. Every day, remind yourself of God’s grace, and relax in it.

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk About It

How have you dealt with the feeling that you have to prove your love to God?

Even if you trust in God’s grace, what are some little traps of legalism that still occur in your daily life?

Philippians 3:3 says, “We Christians glory in what Christ Jesus has done for us and realize that we are helpless to save ourselves” (TLB). How can you “glory in what Christ Jesus has done” for you?

he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.

Psalms 23:3 NIV

https://bible.com/bible/111/psa.23.3.NIV

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

— 2 Corinthians 5:17

SEPTEMBER 23, 2019

Form New Habits

Adapted from the resource Trusting God Day by Day Devotional - by Joyce Meyer

God’s Word teaches us that when we receive Christ as our Savior and Lord, He gives us a new nature. He gives us His nature. He also gives us a spirit of discipline and self-control, which is vital in allowing us to choose the ways of our new nature. He gives us a sound mind (see 2 Tim. 1:7), and that means we can think about things properly without being controlled by emotion. The way we once were passes away, and we have all the equipment we need for a brand-new way of behaving.

God gives us the ability and offers to help us, but we are not puppets, and God will not manipulate us. We must choose spirit over flesh and right over wrong. Our renewed spirits will then control our souls and bodies or, to say it another way, the inner person will control the outer person.

Without God’s help we have difficulty doing things in moderation. We frequently eat too much, spend too much money, have too much entertainment, and talk too much. We are excessive in our actions because we behave emotionally. And after the thing is done and cannot be undone, we regret doing it. But we can choose to form new habits, not doing something just because we feel like it, but instead doing what will produce the best result in the end.

We do not have to live in regret. God gives us His Spirit to enable us to make right and wise choices. He urges us, guides and leads us, but we still have to cast the deciding vote. If you have been casting the wrong vote, all you need to do is change your vote. Forming new habits will require making a decision to not do what you feel like doing unless it agrees with God’s will.

Prayer Starter: Father, thank You for constantly changing me and making me more like You. Help me today to obey Your direction and make wise choices. Help me to form healthy habits that will produce good results in the future. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

The Daily Hope Devotional by Rick Warren 11th December 2023 – No More Mixed Motives.

TOPIC: No More Mixed Motives. TODAY’S  SCRIPTURE: John 5:30 (GNT) “I am not trying to do what I want, but only what he who sent me wants.”

RICK WARREN DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY 11TH DECEMBER 2023

What motivates you to get up in the morning? To go to work? To study hard? To serve and give and love others? To keep going when life gets stressful? If you don’t want to be fighting stress all the time, you need to know your deepest motivation. Why is that? Because mixed motivations will leave you feeling like you’re being pulled in different directions. Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters” (Luke 16:13 NLT). Even God can’t please everybody. When somebody’s praying for it to rain, someone else is praying for it to be sunny. As a pastor for 42 years, I knew that I was always disappointing somebody, because people often have different expectations. I can’t please everyone, and neither can you. The Bible says the fear of man is a trap. It will capture your heart and mind and cause you to stumble. That’s why Jesus said in John 5:30, “I am not trying to do what I want, but only what he who sent me wants” (GNT). Jesus knew who he was trying to please. If you’re not trying to please God, then in all likelihood, you’re trying to please a bunch of people. It’s a lot easier and less stressful to decide you’re going to please God—because whatever you do that pleases God will always be the right thing. This is why Jesus was so stress resistant. He was only trying to please one person. Whose approval are you depending on for your happiness? Who are you still trying to please? For some, it’s a parent who never showed approval or encouragement. For others, it may be a boss who’s impossible to please, no matter how hard you try. But you are not a victim. You are as free as you choose to be. Nobody can pressure you into meeting their expectations without your permission. When you live for an audience of one, you won’t be controlled by the fear of rejection. Instead, you’ll be motivated by love and free to be the person God made you to be. Read the full article

BOOKS COMPLETED IN JUNE 2019

(listed by order of completion)

Bookworm that I am, just thought I’d share.

I normally am in the middle of 2-3 books at any time because one in text, one in audiobook, and lately one in Chinese too because I’m trying to improve on that

SEA OF POPPIES by Amitav Ghosh / Feb.15, 2019 - June 10, 2019 / Set prior to the First Opium War a cast of characters all end up together on a ship from Calcutta to Mauritius.  / Ok, this took me waaaay too long to finish. It wasn’t that it wasn’t good. It was because I wasn’t really paying attention in the beginning which caused me to not have any of the characters’ identities straight in my head which made me have no momentum reading it because I didn’t know what was going on. But once I finally did figure out who everyone was it was good. One scenario that stands out in my mind is when one guy takes care of his shitty jail cellmate (and by shitty I mean literally covered in feces). But, you see, I still can’t remember names. 

THE BEST COOK IN THE WORLD by Rick Bragg / May 30, 2019 - June 10, 2019 / (audiobook version) / Part memoir part cookbook of author’s mother’s recipes from the American south / I was in China for the last 2.5 months. I think I was missing food from back in the U.S. so picture me passing time on long Shanghai bus rides with descriptions of things like buttery biscuits and fried chicken being read to me 😂. Some parts felt like too much of the same thing over and over, but it was a good book to semi tune into while looking out of bus windows.

THE ALICE NETWORK by Kate Quinn / June 10, 2019  - June 12, 2019 / (audiobook version) / A young woman searching for her cousin finds out about the past of a woman who was recruited as a spy in France during WWI / To be honest I suspected going into this exactly what it was going to be but I still listened to it hoping it was gonna surprise me in someway. But nope. It’s another one of those historical fictions with a book cover that shows an image of someone from behind. And it’s that formula in which the author uses a present-day person to gradually reveal pieces of the past. Usually these things involve some sad story of women getting separated or an unfortunate romance or somebody’s child or friend or sister dying tragically but ultimately the present-day person learns a lot from it blah blah. And the past is supposed to be this big mystery but actually it’s pretty predictable for the reader. Another one that I remember being basically the same formula was Before We Were Yours. 

BLACK BEAUTY (黑骏马）by Anna Sewell / April 28, 2019 - June 14, 2019 / Written from the perspective of a horse, you follow it as a young colt in a comfortable home through various other homes it lives in throughout the course of its life, sometimes getting kind treatment, sometimes incredibly inhumane. / I read this one in mandarin Chinese while following along in English for practicing my Chinese reading skills. I would guess my Chinese reading skills are at the level of a 9-10 year old. I read it at the pace of 30 minutes a day--a daily Chinese lesson. So now I know an abnormally large amount of vocabulary in Chinese pertaining to horses 🤣. All jokes aside, I felt so bad for the horses in this book though! omg!!! sob sob

REVOLUTION FOR DUMMIES: LAUGHING THROUGH THE ARAB SPRING by Bassem Youssef / June 13, 2019 - June 14, 2019 / (audiobook version) / The “Jon Stewart of the Arab World” takes you through his experience of creating political comedy that dared to make fun of and critique the Egyptian government. His program was similar to the Daily Show but with a whole lot more life-risking.  / This was very interesting. I don’t know that I ever laughed out loud even though it does have humor. I was more fascinated with just finding out his story. 

EVERY DAY A FRIDAY: HOW TO BE HAPPIER 7 DAYS A WEEK by Joel Osteen / June 16, 2019 - June 18, 2019 /  A pastor gives his advice on how to appreciate life. / Yeah, sometimes I just want to read some inspirational stuff. I’m not really a religious person but I would say the pastor’s writing is suitable for anybody. To sum it up, he basically tells you to appreciate what you have. 

THREE DARK CROWNS by Kendare Blake / June 11, 2019 - June 19, 2019 / Triplet girls, each with their own powers, have been kept apart for years and now are pitted against each other trying to kill one another because only one can be queen.  / Fun, dark YA read

THE WAR ON NORMAL PEOPLE by Andrew Yang / June 19, 2019 - June 20, 2019 / (audiobook version) / This is by the Andrew Yang who is one of the huge number of Democratic candidates. / Seriously, more people need to pay attention to the things this guy is saying. The stats he gives about how many jobs are going to be automated in the next few years...just wow. Totally eye-opening.

ONE DARK THRONE by Kendare Blake / June 20, 2019  - June 21, 2019 / (audiobook version) / 2nd book in the Three Dark Crowns trilogy / It’s not very long so I listened to the entire thing while I was doing the Felix from Stray Kids drawing.

THE WORLD AS IT IS: INSIDE THE OBAMA WHITE HOUSE by Ben Rhodes / June 21, 2019 - June 26, 2019 / Author was a speechwriter, policymaker, and friend during Obama’s presidency. / Will make you long for the Obama era the entire time you are reading this.

There Are No Benchwarmers in the Great Awakening

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); "Never have I been more certain that America’s only hope for recovery from her loss of strength and purpose is a Third Great Awakening, and never have I been more certain that such an awakening is coming. This great revival, however, won’t occur only in America; it will be worldwide. In fact, earth’s greatest harvest has now begun. Heaven is determined, prepared, and confident."

The Church, Christ’s Ekklesia, is being readied and positioned for this epoch-making era. God is raising up leaders like Rick Curry to assist in this process and to pioneer the first wave. Prophetic forerunners who have the ability, just as Elijah did, to hear awakening’s rumbling sound when it cannot yet be heard by others are now preparing the way. They do so with messages, of course, and also with books such as this. As spiritual tuning forks, their words tune us to the frequency of heaven, enabling our hearts to hear what they’re hearing.

Not only do I love the title of this book, but I’m also thrilled with its subtitle: A Prophetic Call for Everyday People to Arise and Release Revival. In Acts, the early Church immediately began experiencing supernatural growth. Holy Spirit “added” to their number daily.

Frankly, the incredible growth was a bit overwhelming for this multiplying, unorganized body of believers. What a wonderful problem!

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Then, in His infinite wisdom, Holy Spirit allowed the apostles’ frustration to reach a point which motivated them to seek a new pattern. “Let’s spread the responsibility somewhat,” they said among themselves. “We’ll appoint deacons to oversee the practical, hands-on responsibilities of pastoral care.” They chose seven good men, full of faith and the Holy Spirit, laid hands on them, and commissioned them for the task (see Acts 6:1-6).

Holy Spirit had more in mind than the food pro- gram, however, as important as that was. When the apostles laid hands on the deacons, an impartation of power, anointing, and the gifts of Holy Spirit occurred. The same anointing carried by the apostles to preach the gospel and heal the sick was transferred to the deacons! As they distributed food and clothing, they also distributed the power of God. Incredible signs and wonders began occurring through them as well as the apostles, and a new era in church history was born. This new body of Christ realized that the ministry of preaching the gospel with signs following wasn’t just for a select group of leaders; it was for all believers, just as Jesus had said in Mark 16:15-19.

Game changer!

A little-known fact regarding this change occurred in Acts 6 after the deacons were anointed. From this point on, the growth of the Church was no longer described as Holy Spirit adding to their numbers. Throughout the remainder of the book of Acts the descriptive term changed to multiplied! When those empowered to preach and pray multiplied from leaders alone to the body as well, the harvest did also.

Get ready for déjà vu!

This coming great awakening will not be released by leaders only but by all willing believers. It was never Christ’s intent to only work through leaders. Certainly, leaders are needed to equip, coordinate, and govern; but the work of the ministry is intended for all believers. You, faithful brothers and sisters, are about to be promoted!

My friend, Rick Curry, wrote a book called The Sound of Awakening that will awaken faith in you for this next great awakening. But just as importantly, it will awaken you. In this next, greatest of all revivals, you’re not called to warm the bench. God is calling your number, putting you in the game. There will be only one Superstar—Christ Himself. The rest of us will all be equal players, deflecting all glory to Him.

Get ready!

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How to Trust God During Changes You Don’t Like - Part One