"The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion — to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair."~from ISAIAH 61 Bible verse for this Blog

APOLOGY to READERS who followed a SEARCH to HERE & didn't find it

On July 18, 2017, I drafted almost 3000 blog posts that I had published since 2008 when I began blogging, rather than edit each one. So if you clicked here from somewhere else and ended up with the post unavailable or error, I am sorry but this is why. It'd be too much work for me to go back and fix them. There's an explanation on 7/19/17 as I'm still learning.

Saturday, August 13, 2016

"UNashamed ...

"Unashamed ...
Drop the Baggage, Pick up Your Freedom, Fulfill Your Destiny"

Book Description
{I don't share book descriptions often but this one captures many points}

"Shame can take on many forms. It hides in the shadows of the most successful, confident and high-achieving woman who struggles with balancing her work and children, as well as in the heart of the broken, abused and downtrodden woman who has been told that she will never amount to anything. Shame hides in plain sight and can hold us back in ways we do not realize. But Christine Caine wants readers to know something: we can all be free.

“I know. I’ve been there,” writes Christine. “I was schooled in shame. It has been my constant companion from my very earliest memories. I see shame everywhere I look in the world, including in the church. It creeps from heart to heart, growing in shadowy places, feeding on itself so that those struggling with it are too shamed to seek help from shame itself.”
In Unashamed, Christine reveals the often-hidden consequences of shame—in her own life and the lives of so many Christian women—and invites you to join her in moving from a shame-filled to a shame-free life.
In her passionate and candid style, Christine leads you into God’s Word where you will see for yourself how to believe that God is bigger than your mistakes, your inadequacies, your past, and your limitations. He is not only more powerful than anything you’ve done but also stronger than anything ever done to you. You can deal with your yesterday today, so that you can move on to what God has in store for you tomorrow—a powerful purpose and destiny he wants you to fulfill.
Join the journey. Lay ahold of the power of Jesus Christ today and step into the future—his future for you—a beautiful, full, life-giving future, where you can even become a shame-lifter to others. Live unashamed! "

How does one begin a review on a book dealing with "shame" and your personal take away of the impact and effect "Unashamed ..." has on you as God reveals the hidden parts of your life that you have faced or face as God goes deeper personally with you through the words written by Christine Caine, as she unveils through her own life, how she moved from a "shame-filled" to a "shame-free life" inviting God to walk with you through this same process of "dropping the baggage, picking up your freedom, to fulfill your destiny"? It's not all that simple, yet knowing how Christine Caine not only has done this for herself, other women like you and I that read her words, but also because of her living testimony, she has become a powerful advocate, recognized teacher, preacher, author, activist as a founder of "The A21 Campaign", where I'm sure she puts to practice over and over again for those rescued from human trafficking, that desperately need to know God can do this for them too, which certainly lets the rest of us know, that in our own "shame" journey, we too can "live unashamed". 

It's interesting to note that perhaps "shame" may not be an issue for you as such, but as you read through these 11 chapters, you notice that your problem or issue quite possibly relates to "shame"{as Laurie McClure found out and shares as she prepares for the upcoming study at Faith Gateway with the Study Guide of this book and honestly lets us know her revelations 'brick by brick'} even by looking at just the Introduction and examples of "shame", we can see ... 

"...Shame is “the intensely painful feeling or experience of believing that we are flawed and therefore unworthy of acceptance and belonging" . . . Guilt says, ‘You’ve done something bad.’ Shame says: ‘You are bad.’  – Brene Brown" - "Christine summarizes it this way: “Guilt is about my do. Shame is about my who.”

We don't have to live "shackled by shame"!

It's my understanding that the Book (with 11 chapters that I read) and the Study Guide (with 5 sessions that are part of the 5 week Study at Faith Gateway - sign up) pack different lessons and additional ones from Scripture. As I have mentioned often I prefer books that include the study guide in the book, not as separate purchases, but in this case, the study guide implements more of what the book describes. 
Since I have read Christine Caine before and heard her speak, I am better acquainted with her story and like her powerful style. She writes from experience and from her heart with true honesty, and a gift of putting her ideas and feelings in words that inspire and are easily understood. You can identify with her and her journey even if your own is not as intense or if it is as heavy-ladened and find a God-given response. 

The best part for me was about the "power of choice" that even though I cannot change the past, "neither what has happened to me, nor what I have done", I can make decisions that will change the future. The key to becoming shame-free is choosing to change your perspective and not allow the enemy (or anyone else, not even yourself) to convince yourself that you or I, are not victims in any way; telling ourselves "I am not voiceless, powerless, helpless, useless, meaningless, etc.", Jesus Christ came to set me free (which I knew) but now I learned that it is a choice to focus more on what Jesus has done than on what others have done or said, God has given me a good plan and purpose with a destiny, so that I will have faith to stand up, start moving forward and live free from shame or anything else that hinders me from walking in the freedom Jesus won and gives me to live abundantly and un-ashamed, (or whatever) unshackled, unleashed, unwavering, undistracted, uncluttered, unmasked, unmistaken, uncovered, unafraid, undaunted, (another of Christine's books) and on and on (taken from part of the ending of this book) understandable in our choices ... This is the new image that I will take away from reading all Christine shares in how to inspire others like myself to live in the fullness of God's promises, shining brighter, able to "BE ME", and live unashamed.


unashamed study christine caine

Also Christine Caine did this as a Book Club back in May 2016  with the Propel Facebook group. I can't wait for the upcoming study with the videos and chats where I am sure to glean much more. There's even a peek of the first Session "Run, Don't Hidehere so you can find out if this is suited to you and your life better. The 10 day reading plan available through You Version gives a very good glimpse into "Unashamed".

Disclosure: I received this book free from Book Look Blogger's Review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

Saturday, June 18, 2016

"The Longing in Me - How Everything You Crave Leads to the Heart of God" By Sheila Walsh


"The Longing in Me - How Everything You Crave Leads to the Heart of God" By Sheila Walsh 

To me, one of the marks of a good book, an exceptionally good book which this is, seems to be how well does it resonate in your soul and changes something within you as you read, and as in this one, "leads you to the heart of God". It not only inspires you and strikes a chord deep within, but reading the book helps you "change the way you respond to life's stresses" {boy, do I need this} or life in general, and your perspective is awakened in a fresh way. That's what Sheila's "Longing ..." book is ...



Sheila Walsh not only states in her intro that this is part of her prayer for this book, but that it helps the reader (me, in this case; or you, if you're bold, brave and bright enough to read it) "find the one true Source who can meet your deepest longings so you can change..." and "give you tools to heal from the past and find joy today." And no one can do this as well as Sheila, with her honest and vulnerable style of writing, weaving her own personal life story and testimony, with a well known biblical figure of a man "after the heart of God" - as she walks us through David's life and worst choices, her life and the life of other women, like me and perhaps you, to study the "Longings" and "learn how to channel those to know God more" and help us "determine what to do when we lose our way", as often we do and have yet realizing that "Longings are part of life." ... not just good or evil.

... "We long to be seen.
We long to be chosen.
We long to be loved.
We long to know that we matter."

"When those longings are left unmet, what do we do? Where do we go?"

Sheila shows us in 10 chapters that she "believes it is a sacred ache, a longing for the very heart of God" and I couldn't agree more. In fact, Sheila's life story is one I can relate to ever so well and I find myself reading and rereading the parts that sound so familiar and have to pinch myself trying to remember she is writing about her life (or David's) not mine, still she tells it so remarkably well "I get it", which is why it resonates with me every step of the way and each longing or vignette touches my heart in a way that changes me, awakens me and illuminates a light in what use to be darkness or dark moments. So I nod as I read along, knowing that this book is making an impact and a difference in me in ways that only God knows. 


Those 10 chapters touch on our longings: the longing to be chosen, the longing to be protected, the longing for what use to be, the longing for control, the longing for your rights, the longing for that one thing you think you need :) - the longing to make everything right, the longing for what would glorify God, the longing to share the grace and mercy we've received from God and the longing for God alone. Each chapter starts out with a Scripture verse and of course, elaborates on a portion of King David's biblical story with the sharing of Sheila's own life experiences, some parts never written about before this book. "The fact is, your longings are built from the blueprint of your needs: for protection, for love, for God. And those needs aren’t going anywhere. You vowed you’d never repeat the same mistakes—yet you find yourself right where you started. What is it that keeps drawing you back into the same old traps?" Sound familiar? well, it sure does to me ... "If you keep reaching out to the wrong people at the wrong times in your own life, "The Longing in Me" will help you understand that your cravings are not the problem. It’s where they lead you that makes all the difference." (parts of the actual book description)

"It seems to me we can never give up longing and wishing while we are thoroughly alive. There are certain things we feel to be beautiful and good, and we must hunger after them." - George Elliot


Both the DVDs and the Study Guide
enhance this book greatly!

I so enjoyed watching Sheila in the beautifully chosen scenes of these DVDS and listening to her speak with us
in the 6 sessions that Study Gateway made available to us during the online study at Faith Gateway.

However, just reading this book alone will help anyone
but especially those hurting from their past
and trying to fill the voids in your life with anything
or 
leading you to long for the wrong thing;
to fill what only God can fill
and He will
as
you read this book

Great for individual or small group studies with the Study Guide.
{although I prefer the Study Guides included in the book}


Sheila Walsh
"is known as a powerful communicator, Bible teacher, and bestselling author"
however she goes far beyond this 
in this newest release
of heart-wrenching
life experiences
as she is gifted in the art of 
retelling parts of the Bible, especially about King David
 and making each one come alive and become real for us today
as she applies the lessons to her and our own life
LONGINGS
in a fresh, honest and eye-opening way
that touches your heart and brings 
everything you crave to lead
you to the heart of God

I can never say enough about
Sheila Walsh and this book
the lessons that Christ continues to teach her and me
on our life journeys
especially how her honest words help me become more aware
of my "longings" in the past and even now
with a kind healing and peace
that only God can give
and has
as is/was
Sheila's prayer
to receive healing and find joy
which helps me as it did her
to "understand the past", "fully engage in the present" 
and "find hope in the future"
with this truth:

THAT "NO MATTER HOW GREAT YOUR LONGING IS FOR GOD

IT WILL NEVER COMPARE TO HIS LONGING FOR YOU!"


I will treasure this book and quite likely return to it often!

especially when I long for God and need to be reminded of how 
He longs for me.
{another mark of a good book "returning to read it again"
besides the turned down, well worn pages, 
 which in a Kindle ebook converts to bookmarks and highlights}

Disclosure: I received this book free from Book Look Bloggers and Thomas P. Nelson Publishers in return for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255


And if you are not totally convinced that this is the book for you to read yet, see this and you can even check out some others linked below that are longer...
"The Longing in Me..."

"The Longing in Me Small Group Bible Study by Sheila Walsh - Session One"
"The Longing In Me Online Bible Study Kickoff "with Sheila Walsh


The images all belong to Sheila Walsh
{and she has more images with really wonderful quotes on her book's page 
down at the bottom}

To my faithful visitors;
all of you who spend your valuable time here with me
I do appreciate you so much!

Thank you for taking your time to visit!

Love, Sweet blessings & Hugs!

DIOS TE BENDIGA
GOD BLESS YOU

always

Peggy