Writing and God: Making the Impossible a Possibility! by Ruth L. Snyder

 This month we are exploring the idea of writing dreams. Some people may scoff, saying we need to be more realistic. I disagree! As Christian writers, we serve the God of the impossible. 

In fact, I would go as far as to say that God delights to do the impossible through us because when that happens He gets all the glory. God, who created the whole universe, made us in His image. One of the ways we imitate our Creator is through expressing ourselves using creativity.

Thoughts on Creativity

Creativity is one of my passions. It makes me sad that too often people believe they are not creative. I believe God made us all creative, that creativity can be cultivated, and that creativity has different angles we need to consider. Creativity can definitely be a challenge. One of the main blocks to creativity is often our own mindset, struggling with imposter syndrome.

Imposter Syndrome

As writers, we often fight imposter syndrome, wondering if we are writers, thinking we don't have anything important to share. I believe part of imposter syndrome is spiritual warfare. If God is calling us to write, we need to be obedient. When we step out in obedience to write, we may be attacked, spiritually. God wants to set people free, and he often uses the written word to help people understand who He is and the salvation He offers. Satan wants to keep people in bondage. When we allow God to share His message through us, we need to be prepared for opposition, and also failure.

Creativity and Failure

We often see children as being creative. Part of this is because children aren't tied down by rules and etiquette like we adults are, and they haven't failed as many times. When I was growing up, I was taught that failure was a bad thing. Now I realize that failure is not permanent—I only fail if I give up. Most of us don't get things right the first time we try. Did you know that Thomas Edison went through thousands of iterations of the light bulb before he found a material that conducted electricity without burning up? When something doesn't work, do we learn from it and keep going? Are we committed to obeying God, no matter what? Are we willing to step out of our comfort zone and dream the impossible?

Impossible Dream #1—Book Coach

If someone had told me, even two years ago, that I would be coaching people through the process of writing and publishing a book, I would have thought it was impossible. However, God opened the doors for me to learn the process myself by taking courses and making my share of mistakes. At the beginning of this year, I prayed and asked God to show me what goals He had for me. He told me to aim to help 20 people write and publish a book this year. I am over halfway there, and have been amazed at how He has brought people to me, most of whom I have never met in person. 

Mentors

InScribe Christian Writers' Fellowship has been a huge encouragement for me and stimulated me to grow in many ways as a person, and as a writer. I have found friendship, encouragement, prayer support, and training. Thank you to each of you who has influenced my life! Serving on the executive forced me to learn new skills and take on challenges. I had on-the-job training in how to maintain a Wordpress website, how to plan and run a conference, how to publish and launch a book, and how to deal with complicated issues that had the potential to bring disunity.

I have also had the privilege of learning from many diverse coaches. Last year I worked with Market Like a Nerd, which stretched me both intellectually and financially. I also flexed my creative muscles while working with Murielle Marie. When I looked for business coaching from a Christian perspective, I found Anita Albert-Watson helpful. Shelley Hitz has been a steady influence on me for several years. I started learning from her before she started her first program, and continued following her when she and her husband started Christian Book Academy, which provides incredible training for those who want to learn how to self-publish. Now I am working with Erica Latrice, who gives practical help to those building a Christian business in AmplifyHer.

Impossible Dream #2—Entrepreneurs Write app

If someone had told me a few months ago that I would have my own app, I would have thought they were crazy. Last week I met with my app designer to lay the framework for my app. I have a list of items I am working on. Once I send them to my designer, he will put everything together for me. The goal is to have the first phase of my Entrepreneurs Write app available in September 2020. There are more complicated portions of my app that will be released down the road.

One of my clients told me, "You make the seemingly impossible, seem like a possibility." I'm thankful that God is allowing me to reflect Him in this way. 

What dreams do you have? How is God helping you make them a reality?

Ruth is on a mission, determined not to let people’s powerful stories go to the grave with them.

She guides Christian entrepreneurs along the book writing journey, providing a safe place for them to birth their stories. 

Ruth has shared her expertise on platforms like Thrive Global, Women in Publishing, Authority Magazine, The Write Coach, and Author Audience Academy. She guides people through practical steps that make writing a book an attainable goal.

She is dedicated to making sure her clients are in the 8 percent of people who successfully get their book written, published, and into the hands of eager readers.

Ruth’s clients write their book outline in a day. They go on to write their first draft in 30 days. In six months or less, powerful stories are birthed and authors are holding their published book in their hands.

“Ruth makes the seemingly impossible feel attainable with her easy to follow steps.”

My Writing Theme: Finding Hope and Beauty in a Broken World - Ruth L. Snyder

I found it challenging to define my writing theme. However, "Finding Hope and Beauty in a Broken World," sums it up well. I find myself sharing messages of hope and beauty. In this blog post I will share some of my journey, along with some recent beauty I've captured with my camera.

The first bloom opening on my new rose bush

The Meaning of My Name

When I think about God's calling on my life and writing, it starts with definitions of my name I found as a teenager. Ruth means "compassionate friend," and Lucile means "one who brings light". Since then, I have made it my goal to be a compassionate friend who brings light.

Geese along Jessie Lake, my favorite walking path

An Attitude of Gratitude

One thing I used to struggle with was having a positive attitude. Over the years I have learned that attitude is a choice. I cannot necessarily choose what happens to me, but I can choose how I respond. Writing in a gratitude journal has helped me develop an attitude of gratitude. I have discovered that no matter how bleak a day looks, I can always find at least three things for which to be grateful.

Charles Swindoll puts it this way:
"The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what others think or say or do.  

It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company, a church, a home.The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day.  

We cannot change our past, we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable.The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude.  

I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you—we are in charge of our attitudes."

I grew up hearing and singing hymns and enjoy playing them

The Joy of Music

I'm grateful that my parents shared the gift of music with me. My Dad played an E-flat alto horn and my Mom played accordion. They also sang. I have many memories of singing as a family—during family devotions, as we traveled hundreds of miles across Canada and the United States to visit those who supported our family's mission work in Africa, in church, and in nursing homes. I didn't realize what a gift this was until I started Bible college. One day I was singing alto along with a CD that was playing in my dorm room. My roommate gaped and asked, "How do you do that?" Singing parts became second nature, thanks to my parents. 

My parents also invested time and money into allowing me to take music lessons. I remember wanting to learn to play the piano from the time I was very young. Pianos were rare in Africa, but the year my siblings and I attended school in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), I had access to both a piano and a piano teacher. I started piano lessons at age nine and now I enjoy sharing music with others by teaching Music for Young Children and piano lessons. 

Music also became a unique doorway to share special times with my Dad after he developed dementia. Even when he no longer remembered who I was, he remembered the lyrics to hymns. We spent many hours together—my Dad singing bass and me playing piano and singing soprano.

NOTE: On Wednesday, June 17th, two pianist friends and I will be launching a virtual hymn sing, streaming to Facebook. Our goal is to provide joy, especially for those who live in senior residences. If you'd like to join in, go to https://www.facebook.com/HymnSingTime/ from 9-9:45 am MST on Wednesday mornings.

One of my flowerbeds

My First Published Piece

Although reading and writing were an important (and enjoyable) part of my life, I didn't think of myself as a writer or dream of publishing my first book. I did take some writing courses through the Institute of Children's Literature, and entered the Fresh Ink Contest in 2009, hosted by The Word Guild. I was shocked to hear I won first place and the award of a free Write!Canada conference registration. At that time our five children (ages 1-11) and work on our local school board kept me busy. However, several months later, Gifts From a Loving God, our journey through the grief of infertility and into adoption, was published in Testimony. I also joined InScribe, happy to find other Christian writers closer to where I live. I kept entering contests, learning, and getting short stories and articles published. 

My peaceful place to relax

I'm an Author!

It took me a while to call myself a writer. I knew I enjoyed writing, but a writer? An author??? Little by little I added to my writing repertoire and wrote longer and longer pieces. Books still scared me...until I figured out books were made of chapters, and I was capable of writing chapters. I thought my first book would be a devotional, but people kept asking me about Twitter and how to use it effectively. Twitter Decoded was born—giving hope to those who thought they would never understand or be able to use Twitter. I also enjoyed some collaborative projects—Kathi Macias wanted to publish a Christmas book and asked if I would be interested in writing a 10,000-word story. She included my story, Cecile's Christmas Miracle, in her 12 Days of Christmas book. Then I joined four other writers to work on The San Francisco Wedding Planner Series and Uplifting Devotionals (which also includes devotionals by Tracy Krauss, Marcia Laycock, Janice Dyck, and Murray Pura).

Pansies are one of my favorite flowers

Self-Publishing?

During this time, I also began exploring the world of self-publishing. I eased in by learning how to publish a Kindle book. Then I joined Author Audience Academy with Shelley Hitz and learned how to publish a paperback as well. (Her program is now called Christian Book Academy.) I enjoyed the challenge and decided to self-publish both an ebook and paperback copy of Equipped: Ephesians 6 Devotionals to Empower and Make You Victorious in Everyday Struggles.

A recent sunset

Coaching

Last year I enjoyed taking training through Beautiful You Coaching Academy. After I graduated, I started working with a business coach to put together a book coaching business. God has really pushed me out of my comfort zone, but after months of work, I'm starting to reap the results. I help Christian entrepreneurs write, publish, and profit from their books. I am aiming to help 20 people publish a book this year. (Check out my updated website.) God has been bringing opportunities for speaking and coaching to me, and I'm stepping out in faith. One of my clients thanked me last week for "providing a safe place and giving me hope."

Thanks for allowing me to share my writing journey and my theme of finding hope and beauty in a broken world. I look forward to hearing about your journey and theme!

Pentecost, the Coronavirus, and the Abundant Life by Ruth L. Snyder

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” John 10:10-11 NIV.

One of my Bible College professors used to challenge us to, “Live beyond the comma!” He referred us to John 10:10 and urged us not to be satisfied with life, but to seek ABUNDANT life or LIFE TO THE FULL.

Jesus reminded His disciples that a thief comes with the sole intent of stealing, killing, and destroying. Satan is definitely a thief. He wants to rob us of all the good things God has in mind for His children. In contrast, Jesus gave up everything He had and came to earth for the sole purpose of giving, living, and redeeming mankind by dying on the cross and rising again. That’s what we have just finished celebrating at Easter.

In John 15, Jesus told His disciples to abide in Him so that they could bear fruit (verses 1-17). He warned them that the world would hate them, just as it hated Jesus (verses 18-25). Then Jesus told the disciples that He was going away, but He would send the Comforter or Counselor, the Holy Spirit (John 15:26-16:16). The Holy Spirit’s job description included:

• Convicting the world of being guilty of not believing in Jesus (vs. 9)
• Convincing the world of righteousness (vs. 10)
• Condemning the world with judgment (vs. 11)
• Guiding Believers into all truth (vs. 13)
• Revealing what is yet to come (vs. 13)
• Glorifying God by making known God’s will (vs. 14-15)

Jesus celebrated the Jewish feast of Passover (which commemorates the escape from the bondage of Egypt) with His disciples the evening before His crucifixion. He became the ultimate Passover Lamb to take away the sin of the world and set us free from bondage to sin.

Fifty days after Passover, Jews celebrate Pentecost. In Acts 2,  we are told that the Disciples were all together for Pentecost (verse 1), and while they were together, the Holy Spirit filled them and enabled them to speak in tongues (verses 2-4). The rest of the book of Acts shows us the amazing things the Disciples were able to do because they were filled with the Holy Spirit.

Fast forward to today. It is all too easy, especially in North America, to get so caught up in living, working, and pursuing our dreams, that we miss the abundant life. I believe that God still speaks to us today. The problem is that often we don’t listen. Sometimes God does drastic things to get our attention. Could that be why He has allowed the Coronavirus?

This time of isolation, job loss, economic downturn, and school closures has caught everyone’s attention. People are scrambling to figure out what caused the virus, how it is passed from person to person, and how to stop it before it kills everyone. Many are evaluating their lives as never before. What is important? What should I change? How will I live differently?

God calls us to do more than merely exist. Jesus paid the ultimate price to redeem us. We no longer need to be slaves to sin. With God’s help, we can live victorious, joyful, productive lives...even in the midst of the Coronavirus. We should be so full of the Holy Spirit, that no matter what happens, His love, joy, peace, and all the other fruits mentioned in Galatians 5:22-23 overflow out of us and splash on those around us. Instead of living in fear, we should be demonstrating God’s love to those around us. Instead of wondering when life will return to “normal,” we should be using our time wisely and being faithful in what God calls us to do.

For me this means:

• Maintaining a consistent devotional time where I seek God, learn from Him, and ask Him to show me what He wants me to do. Praying!

• Keeping my kids busy with good things

• Giving thanks for the many blessings in my life 

• Reaching out to others by phone and Zoom 

• Learning from people like Pedro Adao (Check out his FREE 30-Day 4:14 Challenge - from Esther 4:14 "For such a Time as This")

• Getting ready to launch my book coaching program (I will be doing a 4-Day Live Launch, starting on April 27th. Join my Facebook Group if you're interested.)

• Making new friends online and asking God to show me how to bless others

 How are you using (redeeming) your time?

Abide: My Word for 2020 - Ruth L. Snyder

As I was praying about what God wants me to focus on in 2020, I came across this "Find Your 2020 Word of the Year" Quiz from Dayspring. When I answered the questions, "Abide" came out as the answer. The more I think about it, the more the word resonates with me.

According to Dictionary.com, "Abide" means: remain, continue, stay, dwell, reside, remain steadfast, keep, patience, put up with, endure, sustain, wait for, submit to, remain faithful, and expectation.

Strong's Concordance gave the following definition for the Greek word which is translated as abide: "to stay (in a given place, state, relation, or expectancy), to continue, dwell, endure, be present, remain, stand, tarry for."

The meanings that seem to be most relevant for me are:

1.  Dwell — God seems to be opening the door to purchase a home.
2. Remain faithful — I want to choose to be faithful in the responsibilities and relationships God has placed in my life.
3. Wait for — I want to wait for God's perfect timing in my life. This means I need to be in close communion with Him so that I can hear His voice and be obedient.
4. Expectation — I'm excited about what God has for me this year. This week our new Lakeland Christian Writer's Group met. It's exciting to see the people God is calling to share the messages God has laid on their hearts! I'm one of the speakers at the HerStory conference in Edmonton at the end of March. In April, Jayson and I are going to a Mexican orphanage for a week with a group from our church. The business coach I've been working with for the past year has invited everyone she works with to join her on a Caribbean cruise at the end of May/beginning of June. In July I'm looking forward to attending my first international Music for Young Children conference in Toronto. I have been teaching MYC for 10 years and look forward to improving my teaching abilities. September is always a highlight for me because I get to meet with all my InScribe family members. I'm excited to present a workshop on social media marketing at the conference. 
5. Stand — This word reminds me of Ephesians 6 where we are exhorted to stand firm, with God's armor in place. On January 4th I read Faith Bigger Than Fear, and God challenged me to pray boldly. When I asked God what he wants me to pray boldly about, these requests came to mind: 1. That I would have a profit of $50,000 in my business this year. 2. That I would faithfully and specifically pray for my husband. 3. That we would purchase our home this year. 4. That I would be able to help 20 people get their book published in 2020.

Our pastor invited anyone interested to join a church renewal study. On the first Tuesday of January, we met at 6 o'clock in the morning to pray and study together. I was delighted to hear our pastor say, "The theme of our study is 'Abide'!" We will continue to meet every Tuesday morning at 6 am for at least the next 14 weeks. The study includes daily devotionals, Scripture reading, reflection questions to encourage thoughtful journaling, and memorizing. Our group challenge is to memorize Romans chapter eight in fifteen weeks. I'm looking forward to learning and growing along with my brothers and sisters in Christ. (You can find more details about Church Renewal and The Way Discipleship Pathway: Abide at https://churchrenewal.com/)

A habit I started last year that will continue into this year is meeting almost weekly with a spiritual accountability partner. We have been working our way through the Celebrate Recovery step studies.  (Celebrate Recovery is a Bible-based program for those who are working through issues like addiction or abuse. You can find more information at https://www.celebraterecovery.com/.) My accountability partner challenged me to start learning to listen to God by journaling and writing down what I hear Him saying to me. Here's an example from December 30th:

My Dearest Child,
I'm glad you are learning to trust me more. I long for the day when you trust me fully. I know you've been deeply hurt and you are learning to establish boundaries. That is a good thing. I have boundaries too. Sharing your love with other people is good, but not when it destroys who I made you.
Ask me and I will flood you with my love. Seek my face and I will show you who to share that love with. Continue to heal. Continue to grow. I am with you and will guide you in the way you should go.
All my love,
Jesus

This last year has been a year of growth. Now I'm going to work on abiding.

What about you? Do you have a word for 2020? I'd love to hear about it :)

Welcoming new seasons in life - Ruth L. Snyder

Do you welcome new seasons in your life? Personally I struggle with change. I prefer what I know, and what I feel comfortable with, as opposed to being stretched. However, I have discovered that I grow more in seasons of change. Probably because I am forced to rely totally on God.

I am currently in a season of change. One I would not have chosen. However, I'm learning to focus on what I do have control over and choosing to be thankful.

I can choose my attitude. 

Charles Swindoll puts it this way:

“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, the education, the money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company..I a church... a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our Attitudes.”

I can choose to build into other people's lives

No matter what my struggles are, I have discovered there are always others who are struggling or hurting more than I am. 

• I can listen. 
• I can pray. 
• I can hug. 
• I can share my struggles, and how God helped me.
• I can share Scriptures that I find helpful. 
• I can share my testimony. 

One Friday my boys asked to go to garage sales. I noticed three lawnmowers at one place, but didn't think I needed one. That evening I tried to mow our lawn, but found out the lawnmower I had wouldn't work. A couple other people tried too...nothing. I thought of the garage sale lawnmowers, but knew I wouldn't be able to get back to the place we had been until late afternoon on Saturday. "Lord, keep a lawnmower there for me." 
Throughout the next day when I was tempted to fret, I stopped and prayed. When I returned to the garage sale, there was one mower left. I approached the older gentleman and told him I wanted to buy the mower. He shook his head. "I don't understand it. You saw I had three mowers for sale. This is the best one. And nobody bought it."
I smiled. "God saved it for me."
"You know I wouldn't even be selling this mower, except someone thought they were doing me a favour and they bought me a new mower. I can't sell the one they bought for me, even though this one is better. It's my favourite mower."
I almost felt sorry for him! 
"Would you like me to show you how to start it?"
I nodded. He demonstrated how to put on the choke. He pulled once and the mower roared to life.
"Would you like me to help you load it?"
"Yes, please."
I came home feeling like God had blessed me with a "Cadillac" lawn mower. I paid about a third of what I would have paid for a new one, and it has worked well all summer for me.

I can choose to take good care of myself

Since February I have been working on changing some of my unhealthy habits. I tend to eat when I'm anxious ... or stressed ... or nervous ... or ... you get the picture. I also find exercising regularly difficult. In February I read information from Fitera and decided to work on healthy eating habits and exercise. I also happened to be exchanging coaching with a fellow student from the Beautiful You Coaching Academy. She helped me set goals and pick strategies and cheered me on as I made changes. It was hard, especially when I didn't see any changes in the numbers on the scale. She helped me focus on consistency and the fact that I was feeling stronger and more energetic. God reminded me that my body is His temple, and I can glorify him just as much by exercising as I can by reading my Bible. Fitera provides an exercise routine where 1 minute of a weight bearing exercise is followed by 1 minute of cardio-based exercise. You have an option of doing 15, 22, or 30 minutes of exercise, and can start with your fitness level and work up from there. Fitera suggests you do their exercise program 3 days a week and then walk the other 3-4 days. I found my walks beside Jessie Lake inspiring and enjoyable. (The pictures on this blog post were all taken during my walks.) Over the weeks, the pounds started to slip away until I had lost 30 pounds. Now I am working on maintaining the habits.

I can choose to learn new things

Before this season of change started, I signed up for the life coaching course through Beautiful You Coaching Academy. They offer a four-month course, with reading materials, homework questions (answers were shared on the closed Facebook Group), bi-weekly calls, and the opportunity to practice skills by having a coaching partner. God's timing was perfect (as usual). The course, which started in February, gave me something positive to focus on, and I learned that I not only enjoy coaching, but I am also good at it (according to my clients). Now that the course is finished, I'm working on becoming certified with Beautiful You.

Just before I finished the coaching course, I also took on the challenge of working with a business coach from Market Like a Nerd. This has been a huge stretch for me, but I'm looking forward to reaping the results of having an online business.

I can choose to be thankful!

This has been one of the hardest years of my life, but I'm so thankful!

• I have a wonderful support team
• God has provided for all my needs
• I'm enjoying friends, both "old" and "new"
• God has drawn me closer to himself

Are you in a new season? What lessons have you been learning? 

Find out more about Ruth, her writing, and her coaching, at ruthlsnyder.com.

My Friend, My Saviour: Mary of Bethany - Ruth L. Snyder

My name is Mary. You may know me as the sister of Lazarus and Martha.

I heard many rumours about Jesus, the carpenter's son from Galilee—the stories he told, how he stood up to the Pharisees, and how he healed people. But I didn't meet him in person until my brother invited him to our place for dinner.

I sat at Jesus' feet and listened. I wanted to find out who this Jesus really was. Martha didn't appreciate my choice. She thought I should help with the meal preparation. But that's another story.

After that first visit, Jesus visited many times. I loved to hear his stories. Jesus' love and patience amazed me. Jesus called me his friend!

One day Lazarus became sick. No matter what Martha and I did, his condition worsened. We sent an urgent message to Jesus, "Lord, the one you love is sick," (John 11:3). I thought he'd come right away. But he didn't.

Lazarus died.

I wept. For four long days.

Then Jesus came. And he wept.

I thought he was too late.

But he wasn't; Jesus raised my brother from the dead. What power! Many of my Jewish friends and I understood he was the Messiah, the Promised One. I couldn't wait for the day he took the throne and put the Romans in their place.

Then, I heard more rumours. The Sanhedrin was plotting to kill Jesus. How could this be? Didn't they understand who Jesus was?

Six days before Passover, Jesus came to visit. We honoured him with a dinner. I wanted everyone to know that Jesus was worthy of the highest honour, so I opened my precious bottle of nard perfume and poured it all over Jesus' feet. Then I wiped his feet. With my hair.

My actions outraged one of his disciples. Jesus told Judas to leave me alone. "It was intended that Mary should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me (John 12:7-8).

I pondered. What did Jesus mean? He would be King. Wouldn't he? Why was he talking about burial?

The next day, Lazarus, Martha, and I hiked to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. We were in the crowd that welcomed Jesus as he rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. Palm branches waving. Cloaks on the road. Shouting. Celebrating our King! It was happening. Finally! We would be free.

The disciples invited us to share their evening meal with them. After the meal was over, Jesus stood and washed our feet. Then he became troubled. He told us one disciple would betray him. He said he would only be with us a little while longer. Jesus shared many things I didn't understand.

What did this all mean? If he was our Messiah, why would he go away without becoming King?

The next day, I heard the chief priests and Pharisees had arrested Jesus. Some said the leaders paid people to give false testimony. Surely everyone would see through the scam?

I asked where Jesus was. Jerusalem was in an uproar. Finally, someone said Pilate was rendering a verdict. I shoved my way through the crowds. Running. Frantic for information.

"Here is your king." It was Pilate. He understood!

"Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!" I gasped. What were these people thinking? Were they going to crucify their king? My friend? The Messiah?

The crowd parted. Soldiers came, dragging Jesus. I hardly recognized him. Thorns. Wounds. Blood. He struggled to walk under the weight of a rugged cross. My heart broke. This couldn't be happening.

I followed the crowd. Where were they taking him?

We trudged step by step to Golgotha. Pounding. Nails. Blood. I watched in horror. Soldiers crucified my friend between two criminals.

Jesus was innocent. Didn't the crowd understand Jesus was our king? It seemed like Pilate was the only one who got it right. He prepared a sign reading, "Jesus of Nazareth, the king of the Jews," which the soldiers fastened to the cross.

I wept. Jesus raised my brother. He was powerful. Why didn't he save himself? The tears wouldn't stop.

I heard Jesus say, "It is finished."

"With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit," (John 19:30).

Nothing made sense anymore. My hope died.

The first day of the week, Mary Magdalene invited me and some of her friends to go to the tomb early in the morning with spices. That was the least I could do to show respect for my friend.

We arrived at the tomb; it was open. Empty! We ran and told Simon Peter and the other disciples.

What could this mean? Where was his body?

Later that day, Mary Magdalene told me she had seen Jesus. He told her to tell us that he was returning to our God.

Could it be? Was he alive?

That evening, Lazarus, Martha, and I joined the disciples. We met in a room. Door locked. There were rumours. Soldiers said the disciples stole Jesus' body. We were afraid.

Suddenly, there was Jesus, standing among us. "Peace be with you!" (John 20:19-20).

He showed his hands and his feet. Then he instructed us to share his message with others.

It was really him. Jesus was alive!

I remembered what he taught us. He told us he was the Lamb of God. He said he came as the ultimate sacrifice for sins. My sins? Then I understood. I believed. Jesus forgave me.

He is more than my friend. He is my Saviour.

Finding Humour in Tough Situations - Ruth L. Snyder

Luke, wearing his grad suit and giving us a thumbs up

Our seventeen-year-old son graduated in June. It was a wonderful day of celebration—his first Paediatric report stated that Luke would never be able to walk, talk, or feed himself. The day of grad, Luke pranced proudly down the aisle, waving at everyone, a broad smile on his face. One of his classmates bribed him not to talk during the ceremony—he loves to talk and spouts out information non-stop. At the banquet, Luke gave us a thumbs up as he walked in. Then he made sure his plate was heaped with his favourite Ukrainian food, and he ate it all. Luke and his twin brother have developmental delays, but they bring a lot of joy and laughter to our family.

Luke was very proud of his suit, so I asked him if he wanted to wear it to church the next day.
"Yes!"
I washed his shirt and wiped down the suit. Sunday morning I knocked on his door and handed his suit to him.
"Thanks, Mom"
"You're welcome, Luke. We'll have breakfast in a few minutes, okay?"
"Yup!"
I went downstairs and prepared breakfast, set the table, and then called everyone. A couple minutes later, everyone was at the table except for Luke. (Usually he's the first one around when there's food involved.)
I marched back upstairs, and stopped short. Luke was sitting on his bed, both feet protruding—from the sleeves of his suit jacket. He was stuck! His feet would not go forward or backward, even with me holding onto the sleeves.
At that moment, several thoughts (and emotions) went through my mind simultaneously:

• How in the world did he get his feet through the sleeves? And why did he put both feet in? (I felt bewildered and sorry for Luke)
• Was this the end of his brand new suit that he had only worn once? (I felt frustrated and angry)
• Everyone was downstairs waiting for breakfast, and there was no quick fix! (I felt rushed because I'm the church pianist and we needed to leave for church in 20 minutes.)

I took a deep breath. "Okay, Luke. I'll help you, but I need to go downstairs for a minute. I'll be right back."

He nodded, looking for reassurance. 

At that point, I couldn't find the energy to smile, but I squeezed his hand.

Downstairs I grabbed a pair of scissors. "Go ahead with breakfast. Luke and I will be a while."

My husband nodded, waiting for an explanation.

"I'll tell you later."

Back upstairs, I took a fresh look at the situation. Luke's heels were both through the sleeves and by this time he was sweating. The actual sleeves were loose; it was the lining that was tight around his ankles. Little by little, I sliced the lining until Luke was able to pull one foot out, then the other.

"How about if you just wear your vest this morning?"

Luke nodded.

I inspected the jacket sleeves. "I'll sew the lining, and next time you wear your suit, you'll be able to wear the jacket too." 

"Thanks, Mom!" Luke gave me a big hug and a slobbery kiss.

Now that this event is in the past, I can laugh. It's another story to add to the "Remember when" collection. Parenting kids who have special needs can be a roller-coaster ride—I say that every day is a new adventure. I'm thankful that God gives strength, and humour, to see us through.

Are you able to find humour in tough situations? I look forward to hearing about it in the comments below.

Ruth L. Snyder lives with her husband and five children in northeastern Alberta. Grace, Luke, Levi, Jayson, and Dorothy have all taught them that being "specially-abled" brings unique opportunities to learn and serve. https://ruthlsnyder.com/blog

My Scripture Verses for Writers - Ruth L. Snyder

This month we have been asked to share some verses that keep us fuelled for our writing journey. Most of these memes were created using the Wordswag app. A couple of the memes I created by hand.

Although writing is a calling, and often a gift, it takes work to become a skillful writer. I want to continue to fan my gift of writing into a flame that provides the warmth of encouragement, the light of truth, and even the heat of correction. I need to be sensitive to God's leading to know what He wants me to share with my readers.

Last year during our InScribe Fall Conference, Connie Inglis urged us to not only be aware of the spiritual element of writing, but to also start our writing times with prayer. This is an example of what I often pray.

Not all writing days go well. I will choose to give thanks when the words just don't flow. I will choose to give thanks when the needs of my family crowd out my writing time. I will choose to give thanks when my computer crashes.

As I write, I need to ask God for wisdom in discerning the truth. Sharing God's truth in a way that draws the reader in and makes them hungry for more is a challenge. 

I'm grateful that I don't need to live or write in my own strength. God wants me to rely on Him and is ready to help. Often my biggest struggle is giving up control and resting in my Heavenly Father.

It is natural to get discouraged when I don't see success in my writing journey. We all benefit when we help others by giving feedback, writing reviews, and celebrating book launches. When I focus on helping others, I often find that God blesses my writing as well.

Every day I need to make the choice to abide in Jesus. I need to talk with Him throughout the day. When His will becomes my will, I will want what He wants and it will be done.

How do these verses speak to you? Feel free to share in the comments.

Ruth L. Snyder squeezes writing in between caring for her husband and children, and teaching piano lessons. She is also enjoying sharing adventures with her first grandson.

Prayer, Purpose, and Peace - Ruth L. Snyder

In January I shared how God led me NOT to set goals for 2018. It continues to be an interesting challenge that is drawing me closer to God, my family, and my church. I have found my priorities shifting.

In many ways I have been encouraged:

• Peace is more consistent in my life, freeing me to focus on what is happening in the moment.
• Conversations with God are happening throughout the day. My prayers have been deeply affected as I work my way through Power Praying: Hearing Jesus' Spirit By Praying Jesus' Prayer. 
• I'm spending less time on the computer. When someone comes to talk to me while I am working on the computer, I consciously turn away from the computer and towards them, giving them my full attention. This is one of the reminders I picked up from The Lifegiving Home: Creating a Place of Belonging & Becoming
• I have enjoyed and been challenged by many deeper discussions with friends. We are skipping past the superficial and sharing our heart struggles, and how God is meeting us in the midst of our struggles.
• My Pastor encouraged me and is supporting me in hosting a monthly prayer meeting. I started out thinking this prayer meeting would only be for women, but the men are also asking to come :)
• God used my need for fellowship to spur me into starting a monthly get together for women where we have fun, laugh, and share.
• In January I was elected onto the board of Inclusion St. Paul, which works under Inclusion Alberta. This group works to raise awareness of the benefits of including all children and adults in the normative path of life, and to advocate for children and adults with disabilities to be included in every sphere. 

Along with the positives, there have also been some struggles:

• My spiritual warfare book has been put on hold. In fact, I have done very little writing in the last few months. At times this bothers me. However, I continue to remind myself to trust God and wait for His timing.
• Some days I feel like I get nothing done. However, when I look back at the day I see that I used my time wisely. I'm learning to do what I can and trust God.
• I still struggle with not making lists. I am an organizer by nature. But for this season God is telling me to put less energy into organizing and more energy into being the person He wants me to be.
• I am having to say "No" to some things I enjoy. As a peacemaker, this is difficult for me.

As we celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, let's set our minds to seek God. Let's confess our sin to Him and walk in step with HIM each day, minute by minute. Let's listen and obey, praying for His will to be done on earth as it is in Heaven.

What has our Heavenly Father been teaching you lately? How will you celebrate Jesus's death and resurrection—not only at Easter, but throughout the coming year?

Chance or God's Perfect Timing? By Ruth L. Snyder

As I write this blog post, our InScribe Fall Conference is less than two weeks away. Robert Burns said, "The best laid plans of mouse and men often go astray." The committee received notification on Thursday that one of our workshop leaders will not be able to attend conference or present a workshop, due to health issues. I had the natural human reaction - panic. After my mind started racing through all the "what if"s, I stopped and prayed. After all, if I say I believe God is always in control, and His plan is always best, then He obviously has an answer for every dilemma.

 

 I enrolled in Chandler Bolt's Self Publishing School several weeks ago. Minutes after I started praying, I received an email that said, "This training session isn't officially part of Self-Publishing School. Instead it's my gift to you for taking action and committing to your success." The free training was a webinar on the exact subject the workshop leader was scheduled to present about—something I've explored before, and was planning to dig into further. Long story short, I will be presenting the workshop.

Chance, or God's perfect timing? Throughout my life I have experienced many of these incidents that continue to remind me of God's loving hand in my life.

My husband and I had been discussing adoption for a few months. We looked into options, requested information from adoption agencies, and prayed for God's guidance. The night we sat down to fill out an application with Adoption Options, we received a phone call from our sister-in-law. Her sister wanted us to adopt her 8-month-old baby. The phone call came on a Thursday; we were asked to pick up the baby the next Monday. That is how our oldest daughter, Grace, joined our family. The day this post goes live just happens to be her 20th birthday.

On the more humorous side, last week I drove into Edmonton to pick up boxes of InScribe's newest anthology, Christmas: Stories & More. About half way home I noticed the gas tank was getting close to the quarter tank mark. I checked the "distance to empty" and figured out I should be able to get back to Glendon to fill up, with about 20 kilometers to spare. (When I filled up that morning, gas was less than a dollar a litre, but everywhere else it was at least $1.05/litre.) I knew there were at least two gas stations between where I was and the gas station in Glendon. When I passed the first gas station, I checked again and everything was right on track. Then, I went past the second gas station. The gauge seemed to be going down faster, but I figured I would still make it. When I was 16 kilometers from Glendon, the "distance to empty" also said 16. That's when I started to pray. "Lord, help me to make it to the gas station, please. I know I should have filled up before, but it's too late now." I reached the 8 kilometer mark, and now the gauge said the tank would be empty in two kilometers. I kept driving and praying, thinking about who I knew along the road in case the van stopped. The "distance to empty" read zero, and I still had six kilometers to go. I kept praying, and driving. Somehow, the van made it, not just to Glendon, but also to the gas station. After I filled up, the "distance to empty" was 638 kilometers. I had driven 674 kilometers. I'm so glad God had mercy, despite my foolish decision. But I have also decided I will fill up when the gas tank is no lower than a quarter tank from now on!

Have you experienced God's perfect timing in your life? I'd love to hear your stories. Please share in the comments below, and let's praise God together!

Every day is a new adventure for Ruth, her husband, Kendall, and their five children. Sometimes those adventures are self-inflicted!

Ruth is on a mission to help creative people live their passion. You can find out more about Ruth's adventures and RLS Creativity at http://ruthlsnyder.com

Joy, Prayer, and Gratitude: Finding perspective and balance as a writer - Ruth L. Snyder

Recently I listened to a webinar where writers shared their challenges and needs. When asked what the biggest challenge in writing was, most answered, "TIME!"

We all feel the crunch. Many of us have families. Many work, at least part-time. When we do squeeze in time for our writing, we are also told we need to research markets; find a group of beta readers; rewrite (several times); work with an editor to hone our manuscript; figure out whether we are self-publishing or working with a traditional publisher; maintain a website; be active on social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Goodreads, and others; and market our own work, plus support fellow writers in their marketing efforts.

As Christians, there is a whole extra layer to the demands. We write because we feel called by God to share a message He has laid on our hearts. We write because we see it as a ministry. We write to be a light in a dark world.

It's so easy to feel overwhelmed! 

Sometimes we quit, because it's so difficult.
Sometimes we quit, because we doubt our god-given abilities.
Sometimes we quit, because we listen to others who don't understand our calling.
Sometimes we quit, because we fail to put on our spiritual armour and fight against the devil's schemes (Ephesians 6:10-19). 

I Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (NIV).

Be joyful is translated, "Rejoice," in the King James Version. These words come from the Greek, "chairo," a verb which means to be full of cheer or calmly happy. Hmm. Calmly happy. It would seem that God wants us to choose to be cheerful. And calm. With four active children, the only time our home is quiet is when everyone is asleep. However, as I go through my day to day activities with my husband and children, and my writing, I can choose to be calm and happy instead of reacting and getting angry.

Prayer is definitely something that helps me maintain a calm and cheerful attitude. I notice when I don't get up early in the morning and have my quiet time before everyone else gets up. (I think others notice too!) Having time to read God's word and pray sets my whole framework for the day. Although I can't spend my whole day on my knees in prayer, I can talk to God throughout the day. Short snippets of conversation:

"Wow! Thanks, Father, for a beautiful sunrise."
"Lord, give me wisdom to know how to motivate my son without giving in to anger."
"Father, you know that I was planning to write today, but my mother-in-law needs a ride to town. Help me to do it cheerfully, for you."
"Lord, I feel sad and angry. I give you my hurt feelings. Help me to respond in love."
"Father, guide my thoughts as I write."

A recent sunset in Alberta

Giving thanks or gratitude is not something that comes naturally to most of us. This too is a choice. Sometimes it's easy to be grateful - for a good harvest, for children who love us, for a welcoming church family, for a contract with a publisher. Other times it is extremely difficult to choose gratitude - when we get a diagnosis of cancer, when our teenagers rebel, when other Christians criticize us for taking a stand against sin, when we get those rejection letters.

For me, finding that equilibrium in my life and writing boils down to two words: relationship and trust. When I have a healthy relationship with my Heavenly Father, the Creator of the universe, then I am able to walk each day with trust in what He allows. I am able to trust that if He has called me to write, He will provide the opportunities and the ability to write. I can trust that He will guide me to the audience He has for me. I am also able to trust that a rejection either means my writing needs more work or it is not a good fit for that publisher or their audience.

Does this mean I am always calmly happy, praying, and giving thanks? Definitely not. I have asked, "Why?" many times. I have pouted. I have blamed others instead of taking responsibility myself. But then God reminds me of His will and the choices I can make.

Each new day, we have choices. God wants us to choose joy, prayer, and gratitude. I'm working on it. How about you?

Ruth L. Snyder
Follower of Jesus. Coach.
President of ICWF.
Creativity is my passion.
My mission is helping other creative people achieve their goals.
How can I help you?
Find more at http://ruthlsnyder.com

Celebrating Faith During #Canada150 - By Ruth L. Snyder

In 1977 our family left Southern Africa, where my parents served as missionaries, and settled in Three Hills, Alberta, for what we thought would be a one year furlough. Instead, we stayed in this small town on the prairies, which provided many opportunities for my personal faith to grow and flourish. Along with memorizing hundreds of Scripture verses, studying the Bible, listening to world-renowned missionaries like Dr. Helen Roseveare, and experiencing majestic music nights, I discovered not everyone wanted to follow Jesus Christ. (In grade 7 some of my classmates gave me the nickname, "Saint R.B.") During my grade 8 year I renewed my commitment to Jesus Christ and was baptized.

In grade 9, I entered Prairie High School. That year our language arts teacher asked us how she could pray for us. I was shy, so I asked her to pray that God would give me boldness and help me welcome all the new classmates who had joined us. I also joined the high school band. Our conductor was a former RCMP member who walked through the halls of our school with no emotion 😐 on his face. I made it my goal to make him smile every time he saw me. After several attempts, I was successful 😃.

High School provided many more opportunities for me to grow in my faith. I enjoyed the weekly youth events, including the "Sing-and-Share" nights where we were encouraged to share what God was teaching us. In grade 10 I thrived under the instruction of my volleyball coach. I related well to her because she wanted to be back in South America where she had served as a missionary, and I was still working through not being able to return to Southern Africa. At the end of grade 10, I spent the summer at Ross Haven Bible Camp as a junior counsellor. The campers challenged me to explain my faith clearly. I also learned how to play almost any chorus by ear on the piano as I was the only pianist at camp and printed music was not always available. One week I received a phone call from my parents, informing me that our family was moving away from Three Hills. I was devastated! I prayed that God would allow me to stay at Prairie High School. He answered by having my grandparents offer to host my sister and I so that we could attend school there.

However, the next year my parents wanted us home. My sister and I attended Hines Creek School - a small K-12 public school north of Grand Prairie. What a culture shock! I was the only one who had not been in the class since Kindergarten. I missed my friends. I grieved not being able to graduate with them. I cried myself to sleep. I prayed that God would bring at least one person to saving faith that year. God answered when one of my sister's classmates accepted Jesus Christ as her Saviour.

There are many more memories I could share of Canada and opportunities to grow in my faith. However, my prayer is that God will help each of us to continue to grow in our faith, that we will be lights, and that God will keep Canada glorious and free.

How are you celebrating Canada150?