The View From The Green Room - by Vickie Stam

And God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years. Genesis 1:14

Some people might think it doesn't occupy the best seat in the house but it's where I find myself sitting at some point during the day and even the occasional night. When I'm tired of wrestling with my inability to sleep I give up the fight and make my way to the green room at the end of the hall. A cup of hot chocolate warms the palms of my hands and I'm careful not to spill when I sit down in my chair on wheels. The sweet aroma of chocolate fills the room. It's not the first time that I've lost my bid for a good night's sleep and I'm certain it won't be my last. As I lean back in my chair I can't help but deliver an ear-splitting yawn. I'm tired yet the thoughts that invade my head show no signs of winding down.

The walls that wrap around me are painted green. 'Olive Branch' green to be precise. The colour swatch was just one of many in a long list of possibilities but the biblical reference immediately grabbed my attention and it wasn't long before I proclaimed my decision. "Olive Branch, it is!"

The green room isn't your typical backstage room of a theatre but its location does lend itself to an amazing view of God's landscape. Just outside two large windows a forest of trees breathes life to lush green leaves in spring and summer, eventually turning them to warm hues of red and gold. Winds blow, casting the leaves from the branches. Under the weight of the wind the naked limbs bend and crackle anticipating the arrival of a blanket of snow coming to dress them. As for me, I have the pleasure of watching each magnificent season unfold from the comfort of my green room. Photos of life here on the farm adorn the walls igniting interesting tales of their own. What a marvelous place to write!

Tick-tock. The time continues to move underneath the midnight sky. My fingers begin plucking the keys on the keyboard in front of me breaking the silence that would otherwise hang in the air if I were fast asleep. The words appear one after the other forming sentence after sentence. I'm on a roll. How can I possibly give in to my persistent yawning? Deep down I fear stopping will only interrupt my train of thought and render me unable to pick up where I left off come morning. So I convince myself to stay and keep writing for just a little while longer.

When I finally click the mouse and close off, I smile. The floor creaks beneath my chair as I roll it away from the desk. I breathe a sigh of relief and flip the light switch on the wall. The wall to the green room -- the room. that is in fact, my husband's office. But for me, the best seat in the house resides in this room. By day or by night it's exactly where I go when I need to let loose the words that convey my thoughts.

My desire to put words down on paper began more than two decades ago when I opened my first journal and penned what lay inside my heart. Journaling remains an integral part of my life.

The Mb Herald published my testimony in their August Edition of 2012. It is my hope to one day publish a short story. More recently I’ve had the pleasure of taking part in a number of writing classes at Redeemer University. In between raising pigs with my  husband on a farm just outside of Jarvis, Ontario I embrace the strong desire that God has given me….. my desire to write.

Blogging for God - Lynn Dove

Someone told me when I published my first book to start a blog.  So I started blogging five years ago basically to promote my books.  I really had no thought about content or outreach, it was all about marketing and promotion.  I honestly had no idea what "blogging" really was and I had no idea that a blog could have a potential for a world-wide audience.  It was when I started to gain followers and more and more people started to comment on the content I posted, that I realized that blogging had the potential to be a ministry.

This past year, I have seen God take my little musings and expand my reading audience world wide.  I have followers who contact me and ask for prayer...many of them from countries that are considered "dark" and believers persecuted harshly for their faith.  I am humbled and at times saddened that total strangers are so desperate for prayer that they contact me, a stranger to them personally, to ask for prayer.  It is the least I can do for them.

I have been discouraged at times by dwindling book sales and have often questioned the Lord as to why He wanted me to write and publish in the first place.  I never thought about it before, but I wonder if publishing my books was just an avenue that led me to blogging?  Perhaps it was not my books, although the Lord has certainly blessed that effort immeasurably, but the blog that has given me a ministry the likes I would never have realized had it not been for my need initially to promote my books with my blog. 

It is a lot of effort.  It requires much devotion and passion to write regularly and write timely posts that appeal to a large audience.  I find I spend far less time promoting my books as a result of my blog but book sales have still held steady because people who read my blog venture to read the books as well.  Some authors may call this a means to an end, and that's what I thought five years ago to be sure, but I have a whole new mind set now.

For me it's not about using my blog to get people to buy my books per se, it's blogging to bring a message of hope and Truth to people who hunger and thirst for spiritual food.  This past year, rather than promoting my books as much on the blog, I have been devoting myself primarily to writing for His Glory on my Journey Thoughts blog and God has blessed those efforts in ways I could not have imagined.

Christian writers, do not stop writing.  If God has called you to write a book...write a book.  If God has called you to write poetry, write rhyme and verse.  If God has called you to blog, blog!  Use your talent to bring honour and glory to God in everything you write!

Lynn Dove calls herself a Christ-follower, a wife, a mom, a grandmother, a teacher and a writer (in that order). She is the author of award winning books: The Wounded Trilogy. Her blog, Journey Thoughts won a Canadian Christian Writing Award - 2011. She has also had essays published in "Mother of Pearl: Luminous Lessons and Iridescent Faith" and "Chicken Soup for the Soul - Parenthood" (March 2013),  Devotional Stories for Wives: 101 Daily Devotions to Comfort, Encourage, and Inspire You (Sept. 2013) O Canada The Wonders of Winter: 101 Stories about Bad Weather, Good Times, and Great Sports (Nov. 2013) and Miracles Happen: 101 Inspirational Stories about Hope, Answered Prayers, and Divine Intervention (Feb. 14).  She was most recently awarded Literary Classics International Book Awards - Seal of Approval and Silver Medal in Young Adult Faith-based fiction for her book Love the Wounded.  Readers may connect with Lynn on Facebook, Twitter and on her blog Journey Thoughts 

Marahaba... Greetings from North Africa by Jocelyn Faire

Writer's retreat, or soul therapy? What do I do?

Nature has been a source of calm, beauty, and inspiration in all areas of my life.

From North Africa for the month of January, staying with my daughter's family...

Earlier this week, I left before the household was stirring, except for my grandson who had just begun babbling in his crib.

Sunrise was imminent, the pink glows of predawn skies hurried me along the walk to the marina. By now I had navigated this pathway alone several times ... turn right at the first corner, continue past the car wash, the louage/taxi station, past the school that has a child to toilet ratio of one hundred to one, straight ahead at the first roundabout, slightly right at the second one. Sidewalks present their own obstacle course challenges of 'men's only' cafe chairs, cars, motorbikes, or stacks of building bricks; and the curbs vary in height from nine to eighteen inches—an added challenge when pushing a stroller.

Past the police station on the left, where the latest crunched Peugot waits inspection. (Mopeds are hard to insure, as “they have too many accidents.”) Papagallo's Italian-ish

restaurant lets me know I am still on track, past the final Fruit Secs stand and the Marina is in view. I breathe in deep, the fresh sea air has a cleansing effect despite the shores being overrun with litter. Two herons swoop down, as fishermen ready their boats for the morning catch, I arrive just in time to see the sun reflect its magnificent ascent over the water.

Thousands of octopus pots line the rocky port walls—the small clay pot trap has not changed for centuries. Apparently the tiny octopus and squid love to crawl into cozy spaces, and then become trapped due to their inability to either back up or turn around.

Reminds me of the children's story of a boy who caught his hand in a jar, and was unable to free it as he couldn't release his grip on the item of his desire. I am reminded how easy it has been to feel stuck in a tight spot, unable to reshape my attitude. I climb over the rocks that create the protection for the boats in the port, reaching the light house, and I watch the waters swirl... the blue of the Mediterranean sea — rich, deep colours, the boats traveling out to sea, a feast for the eyes, therapy for the soul.

My heart craves for beauty, and recently John Eldredge put it into words for me.... in that as much as we have felt pains in our lives, proportionately we seek the beauty ... this has become clear to me in my journey of grief. The amazing thing is that beauty can be found everywhere, in all countries, all climates, in ordinary and spectacular.

I have brought my travel New Testament with me; it was my daughter's, and I still feel connected when I find verses she has underlined. This morning the pages open at First Corinthians 4:7 ... And I laugh at God's sense of humour as I read: “Yet we who have this spiritual treasure are like common clay pots, in order to show that the supreme power belongs to God, not to us ....” (Good News NT)

I text my daughter to let her know that I will meet her on the path to her son's school.

What a great start to the day for just one of a million clay pots!

Jocelyn Faire

A child of God, a mother, a grand-mother, a world traveller wannabe, and former operating room nurse; she is a seeker of beauty. Into each life a little rain must fall, but the downpour of losing two of her three children in a car accident was an event survived by God's grace alone.  Through a journey of intense tragedy emerges a woman being rebuilt by her Creator who has led her to see the flowers that bloom in the desert.

Her book on grief, Who is Talking out of My Head? Grief as an Out of Body Experience, was published by DW Friesen in 2013 and is available in Manitoba bookstores; online at Amazon, or Friesenpress.com

She blogs about finding hope in the hard places at Who Is Talking.  You can find her on Facebook via Jocelyn B Faire.

Currently enrolled in University of Calgary's Creative Writing program.

Birthday Reflections and Gifts by Brenda J Wood

How did I get to be this old? Honestly! How did that happen? So many memories, so much life lived and so much life missed. All from choice of course.

Would I change things? Mostly not. I am sincerely content that I did not go over Niagara Falls in a barrel or attempt to climb Mount Everest. I guess I should have grabbed certain other opportunities or worked harder to achieve some goals.

On the plus side, I'm still standing in spite of childhood abuse, an eating disorder, and two bouts of cancer. Memories of deep love and a long, happy marriage sustain me, though I still struggle with widowhood. Surrounded by caring family and friends, I move into another year with thanksgiving.

Some would call my years difficult, when in fact the presence of Jesus Christ in my life, turned my many sufferings into joy. Before I knew him, I was an empty, lost, wandering soul. Someone cared enough about me to introduce us via this prayer.

Dear Lord Jesus; 

I do believe that you are the Son of God and that you died on the cross to pay the price for my sin. I believe that you rose from the dead and that you’re alive right now. Please come into my life. Forgive my sin. Make me a member of your family.  I now turn from going my own way.I want you to be the center of my life. Thank you for your gift of eternal life and for your Holy Spirit who has come to live in me.Amen

Perhaps you have already prayed it yourself. If not, it's never too late. It will change your life as you cling to its truth. You see, Jesus is all there is, and Jesus is absolutely enough. Happy Birthday to you, from me.

Brenda J Wood

http://heartfeltdevotionals.com

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