Earlier this week, I received an email from a reader (of my books and of this blog). She wrote to me because she read The Victory Club over the Memorial Day weekend and wanted to tell me what it meant to her. Her words of praise were especially sweet since I struggled so during the writing of that book.
But then she went on to say this:
I love the faith and prayer that comes across on every page, and books like
yours renew my faith that there ARE people out there who hear the Lord in their
hearts, rejoice in finding new light in His Word that speaks to their hearts
etc.
Maybe that sounds strange…but I just find it hard to find others who
really share faith the way you do in your blog and in your stories. People who
are excited by passages of the Bible that speak right to their hearts, etc. Not
perfect people, but people who live with God uppermost in mind and heart. And
I’m thinking… I need to start praying for God to bring such people into my
life. And to give me words to share with others that He can use to set their
hearts on fire for Him. It’s easy to close myself off when I am met with blank
stares of other Christians when I’m sharing something so exciting that the Holy
Spirit has shown me in the Word… But stories like yours renew my hope to keep
on sharing…
But her comments also caused me to ponder how God has moved in my life, how He has brought Christians into my circle to influence and guide and encourage me, even when they didn’t know they were doing so. I’ve had the example of so many giants of faith, people who because of true humility would never think I referred to them if they were to read this blog. How I thank God for them. How I thank God for my Christian friends who sit with me and email with me, friends who find no greater pleasure than talking about the Word and what the Lord is doing in their lives.
I understand and expect that those who don’t know Jesus as Lord and Savior will think me strange because of what I write about and talk about. (Hey, they’re right. 1 Peter 2:9 in the King James Version calls Christians a "peculiar people" because we are set apart and dedicated to Him.) But what I find sad is that some Christians can’t relate with those who live and breathe their faith daily.
If you know the Lord, if you call yourself a Christian, and yet find that you don’t hunger to read His word daily as much as you hunger for your three meals a day, then pray and ask God to make you hungry for Him and His written word. He loves to give good gifts to His children. When you ask to fall in love with the Bible, you can be assured you are praying according to His will.
In the grip of His grace,
Robin
That’s the prayer I need to pray, Robin. Thanks for the challenge today.
Robin,, because I’ve learned that I’m often praying for struggle and hard times. But hey…whatever it takes to be closer to Him. To bear more of His likeness and to leave this “old woman” behind.
The reader who commented is so right! TVC is a moving tribute to God’s faithfulness in the lives of imperfect people. I loved TVC and am praying that it gets into the hands of people who need to hear that grace-filled message.
I too, pray that God will increase my desire for Him. I used to pray that with one eye open
Congrats on Beyond the Shadows finaling in the Booksellers BEST! 🙂
Tammy