Today is the 5th Tuesday, and that means Guest Blogger Day, where Christian Writer's Den readers are the writers!
I'm happy to introduce to you my friend and guest blogger, Liz Welsh. Liz and her husband live in Westminster, SC. They are retired from working thirty-six years with the adult ministries of Campus Crusade for Christ. Their ministry took them to various places, including Novosibirsk, Siberia and New York City where they worked with the Christian Embassy to the United Nations. The Welshes have five daughters, three sons-in-law, and nine grandchildren. Over the years, Liz has written many Bible studies and ministry tools. She has published articles with the Worldwide Challenge and since retiring, she's been working on a novel and is now in the process of revising it. Liz recently started a blog, Devos and Dumplings, which features short devotionals, recipes, and various quotes and sayings.
Darkness vs. Light by Liz Welsh
If you could choose darkness or light which would you prefer? Sounds like a no-brainer, doesn't it? But is it? I know a beautiful young woman who loves and serves the Lord, and she really does prefer rainy days over sunny ones and winter over summer.
We can't choose the condition of the weather or its effect on us. What about spiritually? Do we have a choice as to whether we walk in darkness or in the light?
Psalm 89:15-16 tells us God blesses those who learn to praise Him and to walk in the light of His presence. In this world, we're going to encounter spiritual darkness. That's a given. To walk in the light requires an ongoing process of understanding how to trust God to lead us out of darkness and light our path along the way.
Sometimes I dread going to bed. I don't sleep very well and there are nights when confusion, fear, and doubt flood my mind and darken my awareness of God's presence. I don't always recognize this as an attack from the enemy because his insidious influence often speaks to me in first person, such as:
- I'm not capable of doing what I believe God wants me to do.
- I'm not smart enough.
- I'm too old, too lazy, too distracted.
At other times, the evil one reprimands me in second person, like a harsh taskmaster.
- You don't really believe this stuff, do you?
- Where is your God when you need Him?
- He's far too demanding to require of you what you don't have to give.
- What makes you think you'll ever fulfill your dreams? They're just pipe dreams, not reality.
- Besides, you've already wasted more time than you have left. So, why bother?
Since reality is not always pleasant or easy to take, how can we discern God's truth versus the enemy's lies? The same way we physically distinguish between light and darkness. We recognize darkness because we've experienced the light.
When we walk in the light of God's presence, we experience peace of mind and sound faith. However, when our thoughts rob us of our peace and ridicule the very premise upon which we base our faith, spiritual darkness prevails.
How then do we learn to step back into the light of God's presence? How do we keep from doubting in darkness what God has shown us in the light? God promises when we draw near to Him, He'll draw near to us. That's not theory; it's experiential. When we aggressively feed upon the facts of God's Word, He will restore, renew, and rejuvenate our faith.
When I question God's will, experience tells me to prayerfully and expectantly search His Word for answers. For example, what can we expect from God when we read Romans 12:1-3? When we trust in the facts of His Word, He strengthens our faith not only by showing us His good and perfect will, but by proving to us the pleasure of embracing it. In those same verses, we're admonished to judge our self-talk according to the measure of faith God gives us.
In the midst of our darkness, God's truth speaks to our confusion. His genuineness dispels our fears. His promises erase our doubts. As we confess our sin of unbelief, the Holy Spirit fills us again with the assurance that God is faithful to His call on our lives and His promise to complete the work He started in us. (I Thess. 5:24 & Phil. 1:6)
But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations. Psalm 33:11
Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, O Lord. They rejoice in your name all day long; they exult in your righteousness. Psalm 89:15-16
Who can thwart the mind and work of God? Not the darkness, not you, and not even me.
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Would YOU Like to be a Guest Blogger on The Christian Writer's Den?
Readers, if you'd like to be a guest blogger on a fifth Tuesday, just contact me and I'll add you to the schedule. But be forewarned, since fifth Tuesdays don't come around very often, the next opening is December 2013! Yes, that's 2013!
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The TWO Winners Of Trading Fathers are…
Catherine Young and Bren Bowman! Congratulations, ladies! All you have to do is contact me with your mailing address and your autographed books will be on their way, compliments of Karen Rabbitt.
Thank you again, Karen, for writing this book from your heart. I know many lives will be changed because of your transparency.
BTW, a couple of you have asked how the winners are chosen. It's hightly scientific, so I don't know that everyone will be able to follow the logic, but here goes:
I have an envelope with pieces of paper individually numbered 1-25. Each week I pull out a number and the commenter with the corresponding number that week is the winner.
Yes, I know it's complicated, but I wanted to be fair, so that's the best system I could come up with. Please don't try this at home. 🙂
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Thank You!
Thank you, dear friends, for coming back week after week and spending a little time with me. What a joy to share this writing journey with you! Every week I pray there'll be something for each of you…a word of encouragement at just the right time, a writing instruction you needed to hear, a writing opportunity that's just right for you, a message from His Word.
I'm so blessed to have each of you in my life! Thank you for sharing your Tuesdays with me!
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Parting Words from the Word…
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. I John 1:7
I pray God's blessing on the work of your hands and your hearts,
Vonda
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Not long ago, I was teaching a writing class and one woman said, "I'm not sure I'm a writer. I've already gotten two rejections."
