God My Judge - Dayna Mazzuca

My name is Dayna. In Hebrew it means “God is my judge.” A powerful reminder to me over the years that I am not to fear any man, but only God, the true “judge” of my soul, the reader of my thoughts, the one watching over my comings and goings. The one who sits in a place of authority to reach out and bless me with his Strong Arm. To defend me when necessary, to allow his Son to intercede, to be a place of refuge and healing in a time of need. 

In my impressionable 20’s, I served as a Court Reporter for two years while working for the local newspaper in Banff, Alberta. What a great window that was into the nature of a good judge vs an apathetic or tired or even bitter judge. The heart-perspective of the person who sat in this place of authority made a huge difference, for everyone involved. 

The good judges did more good for people in one session than I had thought possible. The good judges changed lives. Brought justice, while being open to hearing so many stories, so many sides. They recognized when a young offender (or near enough to being labeled ‘young’) had someone in their camp, a father standing up at the same time his son was called. The father standing from the regular seats, with everyone around him seated and many of them staring, while his boy held his own at the front of the court, immediately in front of the judge’s bench. Good judges took note. Made allowance.

Good judges knew the lawyers. They mingled with everyone involved, even lowly community reporters. They hosted people for barbeques. They valued relationships. They had faith in the process they had signed up, for life. They seemed to have done the inner work to weather the storms (floods?) of disappointment in the nature of humanity; in our ability to love one another (or not); they sat on that bench having seen it all and come out the other side, still believing. In the good. In the right. In the process.

They stood firm by the relationship between justice (done first, to protect the innocent) and mercy (following in its wake once the lines of civil society had been enforced and affirmed in word and/or deed). They lived what they preached. Operated with integrity. Had clean hands.

God is my judge. This might sound scary if your name doesn’t give you an affinity for ‘judgment,’ or the same kind of life experiences that have led me to a deep appreciation of the whole process. But these are reassuring words to me. I have often leaned on them. And taken comfort that, thanks to my mom’s choice of my name, deep in my bones I sense what it means to say, “God is my judge.” And trust that he is good, and he is strong. And he will do right by me, as he has led me to do by him.

In the end, good judges work for freedom. A free and just society. Free, responsible individuals. The righting of wrongs and lessons learned that allow us to walk in ever-greater, more effective free will. It is a gift of God, this free will we are endowed with. But sometimes it takes a good judge on the bench to help us work out all that it means; it’s deep significance. To know that as Christians, our name means God is my judge. And he is sovereign over all; would see us all live upright and free, including being free of the fear of Man. 

I’m so glad, God is my judge.

Dayna Mazzuca is a writer, speaker and poet working from home in Sylvan Lake. Her formal background is in Philosophy, Journalism and Spiritual Formation. These topics tend to overlap in her writings on the spiritual journey, her eight books of poetry and her online work. Her most recent project is an online course called “The Power of Authentic Storytelling” and can be found on her new site – www.daynamazzuca.com.

Canyons and The Cornerstone by Pamela Mytroen

 

What do you do when you’re asked to write something that you might not agree with? Recently I was asked to interview an artist whose work is on display at a well known gallery. Usually, this is something I look forward to, but when I viewed her website my spirit stirred uncomfortably within me. While her subject matter is a rugged National park with surprising canyons, her message combines the tenets of two trendy religions, fraught with deception, albeit very popular and appearing innocuous.

What was I to do? I prayed much about this. It is my job to cover topics that my paper assigns me. Should I refuse this particular assignment so that I could honour Truth? I didn’t want to encourage potential viewers of her art to follow her over the cliff into a canyon of darkness. However, I also felt that I should try to cover this assignment to the best of my ability, while staying true to absolute standards.

The Lord answered quickly and clearly with four quotes I came across all within a few hours. I had missed one day of my Easter reading plan so I returned to that chapter to finish it off and this verse resonated with me: “For in Scripture it says: ‘See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame” (IPeter2:6). I knew that I had to stand my ground on the foundation of Jesus. Then, whatever I wrote would be grounded on the solid rock of Truth. I would write well with respect to the paper and the craft and even if people didn’t approve of my writing, I also knew that I would never be put to shame.

But, that still didn’t solve exactly how I was to write this article. Within minutes, a little bamboo sound notified me I had email. It was a quote by Francis Schaeffer from his book, Art and the Bible. Curious, I opened it and it helped me discern how I should approach this article.  It said, “If the artist’s technical excellence is high, he is to be praised for this, even if we differ with his world view. Man must be treated fairly as man.” Aha, I could angle this piece towards the artist’s technical expertise, which was interesting and highly praised. I still had a niggle in my spirit, though.

Interestingly, I delved deeper into Schaeffer’s theory and found this gem: “As Christians, we must see that just because an artist – even a great artist -portrays a worldview in writing or on canvas, it does not mean that we should automatically accept that worldview. Good art heightens the impact of that worldview, but it does not make it true.”

I knew what I had to do.

 

That afternoon I had an appointment to interview the curator and to view the art. While technically it appeared well done (I’m not an artist but it truly was stunning), there was an aura of death about it, which even the curator pointed out. Every piece featured a skull, and most of them were painted over the scenic canyons and landscape. Impossible to miss. That was part of her message, that life dies and is reborn again as another creature.

I wrote the piece pointing out her engaging technique and the subject matter of the park. Rather than giving my opinion, which I am not really supposed to do, I  invited the the viewer to ask questions about it such as, “How many animals can you count in each scene? Do you see the cycle of life and death? What do you think of it? What message is the artist trying to portray? Do you agree or disagree? If you could ask the artist one question, what would it be?” Asking questions, I feel, gives the viewer the opportunity to think for themselves, and maintains freedom of expression for both the viewer and the artist.

That evening I picked up my novel, “Safely Home” by Randy Alcorn, and wouldn’t you know it, the chapter I read included a scene with people involved in this religion. My heart pounded and I chilled. God had heard my prayer and was pointing out the darkness and deception I am surrounded by. Although the artist is sweet, engaging, and even invited me to have tea with her, I feel that she has been deceived. It affirmed to me that I must speak truth and have nothing to do with innocent sounding lies. 

We walk along valleys of the shadow of death, but we fear no evil. I am learning to navigate these dark canyons as a writer. 

Asking questions and allowing the other person to tell their story and the reasons for their message is a good place to begin. Maybe even having tea with them. But standing firm on the Cornerstone of truth – by the grace of God -  is where I will remain.

 

Pamela Mytroen

 

A Boy Named Sue by Bob Jones

Johnny Cash made it clear that “life ain't easy for a boy named Sue.” Names matter. They have meaning, purpose, and shape destinies. Naming can feel like a heavy parental responsibility. Or, choosing a name can be a joyous opportunity. Months before our firstborn entered the world, my wife and I started our search for names before we knew the gender.

 

A girl would be Natasha, for no other reason than Jocelyn liked the mystery of the name.

 

For a boy, we wanted a strong name, the kind that would suit a hero. We liked “Cory” because one meaning of the name was “brave hearted.”  We chose “Daniel” for a middle name, after the Old Testament hero known for his courage, faith, and tenacity

 

“Congratulations. You have a boy!” And so it was settled – Cory Daniel Jones.

 

Twenty-five months later, Jocelyn was about to deliver our second born into the world. This time we knew the gender so our search for the perfect name was simplified. John Mark, a disciple of Jesus, caught our attention. We wanted our boy to grow up to follow Jesus and because we were living in Quebec we chose the name, Jean Marc.

 

Their names took on an unexpected life of their own. Jean Marc worked well for the first six years of his life while we lived in Quebec. Moving to Alberta introduced him to how a name can get messed up. His 1^st grade teacher pronounced his name as “Jeanne.” His classmates told him he had a girl’s name. To them Jean (pronounced without a French accent) sounded like "Sue." We didn't want him to grow up to be a fighter so intervention was required before our first parent-teacher interview. That’s when his older brother started calling him “JM.” Ironically, both sons would become known by the initials of their name - Jean Marc as “JM” and Cory as “CJ.”

 

Jocelyn made up songs for the boys based on their names and serenaded the boys so often the words are on easy recall to this day.

 

Over time, they became respected names. The boys' athletic abilities and competitive natures earned them honors on a school-wide basis. They helped lead their teams to championships in basketball, volleyball, football, and track and field. Both boys were named “Athlete of the Year” four years running by their Junior High and had their names engraved on plaques and trophies at their High Schools.

Cory and Jean Marc are the best of friends, teammates, and heroes to each other's kids. They are living out the character of their combined names - brave, courageous, tenacious, disciples of Jesus.

 

What's in your name? What is the story behind how your name was chosen, especially if your name is Sue. 

 

I write to grow hope, inspire people to be real, forge an authentic faith in Jesus, and discover their life purpose.

Please follow my writing at REVwords.com

I would love to hear from you.

Book Review - Sally Meadows' Amazing Animal Fact Books!

It's book review day here on the IWO blog! I want to feature a couple of books by Sally Meadows. This set of books are amazing and interesting for all ages. I was so impressed, I have given them as gifts to my students. Here are the reviews about the books that I posted online:

WHEN SLEEPING BIRDS FLY: 365 Amazing Facts About the Animal Kingdom

What a wonderful collection of true facts about the animal kingdom. It is an interesting little book, full of amazing oddities - perfect for children, but adults will love it, too. I can imagine a curious child, for example, sitting down and devouring it in one sitting, and I can also see readers picking through it at random, enjoying their “fun fact for the day,” as it were. It is a great book for kids who don’t like to read – they can just focus on the glorious curiosities presented. It will be a favourite for kids who do like to read – and they’ll want more. It’s for reluctant students and those with a keen scientific mind. It is for families to enjoy together. It should be on every homeschooling shelf and in every public school library. I have a suspicion that it will become a favourite in every household that owns it. I bought several copies and am giving them away as gifts. Commendations to author Sally Meadows for such a unique and engaging book!

WHEN CROCODILES CRY: 365 More Amazing Facts About the Animal Kingdom

Like the first book in this series, When Sleeping Birds Fly: 365 Amazing Facts About The Animal Kingdom, this volume is chock full of delightful and surprising information and should be in every home and school library – anywhere curious minds can be found!

If you have read these books, I encourage you to post an online review!

Thank you, Sally, for such entertaining information. Of course, Sally also has music and many other books that you can enjoy. Visit her website for more. 

If you have read a good book on writing craft, marketing, or faith, why not post a review here? You can contact the blog moderator tracy[dot]krauss[at]gmail[dot]com We also accept reviews of books written by InScribe authors, so if you know an InScribe author whom you would like to feature, let me know!