I'm Gonna sit right down and Write a Letter

 

      Before telephones, email and text, our ancestors communicated by written letter. As a child I had “pen-pals’ with whom I wrote letter after letter communicating our daily activities, likes and dreams. I still enjoy the handwritten note or letter.

    After Jesus’ resurrection, as the apostles evangelized the world, written communication to the churches became a primary mode of instruction. Paul was the chief letter writer of our New Testament, but other apostles communicated by letter also. Literarily speaking,  the New Testament letters are divided into two categories:  those written by Paul and those written by ‘others.’   Once again,  these were written as complete letters; verse and chapter divisions were added by translators. Once again, they were written to be read aloud to the congregation and then passed on from church to church.

   These letters  were written exactly the way we learned in elementary school about letter writing.  There is a greeting,  a body, a closing, and a signature. The body contains elements of news, questions for the reader,  complements or criticisms and helpful notes. The closing is a personal note. Paul and the other writers wrote like we would write a friendly letter.

   Paul’s writing doesn’t always seem ‘friendly; so it will help our understanding to look at the church or individuals the letter is addressed to. If Old Testament scriptures are referred too,   we need to stop and look them up to understand why the writer added these old writings.

   Inside Story readers are reading Paul’s letters to his individual friends this week.  Timothy, James and Jude.   He calls these friends,  “my true child in the faith”,  “ a servant of God and Jesus Christ”.  These greetings aid our understanding of the message of the letter.

DIVE DEEP

·       Read the letter to Jude three times in three different translations.

·       Dissect the structure of the letter by identifying the greeting, body, closing and signature.

·       What is the theme of this letter?

·       What outcome was Paul hoping for?

  I hope you are increasing in your love and excitement for the Word of God through these studies!   Leave a comment below! 

Reading the Historical Books of the Bible

 

      It’s an on-going joke that the Colorado outdoor activity is wasted on me. I do not want to hike, kayak, hunt, fish or camp in the mountains. Nor do I want to sit on a sandy beach with my toes in the surf for days on end. My idea of a dream vacation is a tour of the Presidential Libraries. I love Philadelphia, Washington DC, and Boston. Doreen Rappaport, Beth Anderson,  Marissa Moss, and Barb Rosenstock write the BEST kids history. Thank you, Jill Eileen Smith, and Fiona Davis, for cannot-put-down historical fiction. Yep,  I’m a history nerd.

  Despite that, I stumbled through Old Testament books 6-17 yawning. Mostly lost in the wilderness with the children of Israel. Yet another driving reason to look for a better way to read the Bible.

   I knew those books as the history of God’s people, but they seemed so repetitive and boring. Until I started reading them as stories,  not statistical historical accounts. Ignoring the chapter and verse breaks and the subtitles in my translation.

   In narratives,   we read about specific characters and see them as real people with real problems. Villains become more villainous;  heroes have flaws also. We see thought processes for problem solving and we feel their emotions. As with any narrative, these stories give us deeper understanding of our God and His plans for the world He created.

   Writers are constantly admonished to “show, not tell”  in their stories. The writers of these Old Testament narratives were experts in this literary technique. For example:  I Kings 10:1-5. What if the author had written “The Queen of Sheba came to visit and to test Solomon with questions?  She was shocked at the wealth of Solomon.”   Read what it really says and see the difference!

 A good narrative will put the reader in the setting,  the characters will feel like friends or foes. An ‘inciting incidence’ such as seven hundred wives and 300 concubines turning a king’s heart from the Lord will cause our blood pressure to rise as we anxiously anticipate the outcome of this action. The action follows an “arc”  as the action rises, and situations become more dire until they fall into resolution. The Biblical narratives are a roller coaster of good and bad even among our heroes.

   Old, familiar stories become exciting when read as a narrative. Choose a story from 1 Kings and . . .

  DIVE DEEP     

·       Identify the main characters and the setting of this story.

·       What has happened that led up to this story?

·       Identify the ‘inciting incident.’  What happened after this that led to the resolution?

·       What is God trying to teach us through this story?

 

  I can’t wait to read the rest of I Kings this week. How about you?  

   I am still posting here due to you who are still reading here.  BUT,  if you could join my email list at tonyaann.com  I would appreciate it.   The website is under redesign but scroll to the bottom and contact me.  You won't recieve any more content than what is posted here.  And share with a friend.  THANKS!  Tonya

     Msg me at tonyaann.com  or comment on my FB at TonyaAnn,Writer.

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The Law, Literarily

 

   As promised, here is a mini literary lesson about genre. Followers of Inside Story are reading Leviticus this week. One of the five books in the Bible categorized as “Law.”  These books were written by Moses between 1445 and 1405BC,  also called the Pentateuch. The laws recorded here can be sorted into three categories: moral, civil, and ceremonial. Understanding these categories help  us understand which laws apply to today.

   When reading or studying any book of the Bible, it is helpful to remember that the Bible was written to be read  aloud. It did not have chapter or verse breaks; it was on long scroll. Translators added chapters and verses much later. Moses read the laws to the people;  they didn’t have a hard copy in their hands.

Secondly,  the Bible is primarily written as stories, speeches, or poetry. It will aid your understanding  to know which you are reading.

   And finally; as you read,  think about the connecting theme of the passages in the genre.

       The Law books consistently focus on a Sovereign God, the great I AM. And every law points to the sin of putting any other Gods before Him.

   It’s obviously overwhelming and all-consuming to think through the following suggestions for every passage of the law, so,   choose one chapter from Leviticus this week and consider the following questions.

  DIVE DEEP  

·       Decide if the passage is a speech or a story.

·       Imagine what is happening to the people at this time in history.

·       How does this speech or story connect to the theme of  ‘no other Gods” ?

·       Why did God make this law?

·       Does He repeat it anywhere else?

   Comment on my FB or message me through TonyaAnn.com.

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The Bible as Literature

    Thanks to my friend, Kathy Brahmer, for telling me about a book called Literarily   How Understanding Bible Genres Transform Bible Study by Kristie Anyabwile (https://kristieanyabwile.com/). Not surprisingly, I was intrigued.

   Anyabwile hypothesizes that the variety of genres that make up the word of God  need to be studied the way one studies literature. The study of poetry is different from the study of history,   which is different from the study of biography  and so forth. Anyabwile makes a case for the value of studying the Bible according to the literary style of the book.  I obviously agreed with her when I wrote  Inside Story.

   Literarily is  the study of the form and structure of the writing. Specifically God’s Holy Word. It is a deeper dive into Biblical genres.  

    The Bible is literature,  not just a book but a library of sixty-six unique books with a consistent theme. A genre approach to reading the Bible is helpful to the new reader and adds insight to the experienced reader. The human authors of this inspired text become real as we read the words with an understanding of genre. It makes sense of confusing sections.

     Over my next several posts,   I’ll be correlating some of Anyabwile’s  insights with mine. They will post to coincide with the Inside Story reading chart. If you aren’t using Inside Story,  no worries, considering the genre of the book you’re reading will enhance the experience. You may decide to try a genre reading plan.

Keep reading!  

   

Road Trip

  I’ve been out of pocket for a few weeks. Spent my annual week at Royal Family Kid’s Camp in Missouri (see forthechildren.org for more info),  attended an anniversary celebration for my cousin,  had some quality time with extended family and good eating with friends. I drove over two thousand miles in 17 days. A trip I’ve done several times before. As I planned my return, I mapped a different route from OKC to Denver, but circumstances sent me back to boring, flat land I35 to I70 across Kansas. It was the same scenery;  the same gas station stops and the drive through at Steak n Shake in Goodland. The obligatory stop at the last Braums before Colorado in Salina, Kansas, and decision to take backroad 83 instead of 70 into downtown Denver. It was the usual road trip.

  How many times do we take the same way to work every day,  the same road to our summer cabin,  the same itinerary  to Grandma’s house,  same street,  same turns, same stoplights? Most of us travel the same route day after day. It’s familiar, it’s easy and the car practically drives itself.

  Last year I was bored with the “same ole” when it came to Bible reading. That’s why I wrote Inside Story: 52 Weeks in the Word. (See https:TonyaAnn.com). I was looking for different. A different trek through the same ancient words. A reader recently messaged me that she was using Inside Story for her year’s Bible reading. “It’s as though I’m on a journey that I’ve been on many times but taking a different route. So many new and interesting things to see,” she said.

   If you’ve never read the Bible completely before,  try the genre reading plan. You won’t get stuck in the wilderness right away;  you’ll get some breathing room in heavy prophecy, and you’ll find Jesus in every book.

   If you are an avid Bible reader,  it’s time for a different route through familiar territory.

     Inside Story is undated so can be started with your school year,  your birthday,  your fall Bible study group or TODAY! Ask for it at your favorite Indie bookstore or log in to Amazon prime!

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It's Only A Day Away

  

  I recently discovered author, artist and blogger,  Austin Kleon.  He’s the author of Steal Like an Artist and  Show Your Work.  His newsletter is genius.  It’s always 10 things worth sharing.  It is a quick read unless you choose to extend it by clicking on one of its plethora of links.   He shares comments of music, art, literature, food, places etc.  Warning:  Austin doesn’t write Christian content, he is occasionally controversial and/or offensive.   

  Last week, I chose to read his blog entitled Would I do it Tomorrow?  In an effort to control his schedule, he suggests moving every request and/or task to “tomorrow”.  “Tomorrow makes decisions simple…”  If you would drop everything to honor a request or do a task tomorrow,  your answer is a simple yes.  If not,  stop and consider.  

   This advice seems especially applicable to life as a believer.  In light of eternity, we should evaluate every project, plan and opportunity with eternal value in mind.  How would our schedule change?  Is that project worthy of my time tomorrow?  Would I move my plans around to accommodate that invite tomorrow?  Is it worth cancelling something else to do that tomorrow?  Can I drop everything tomorrow for this? 

  If we employed this train of thought,  applied it to every decision,  how would our priorities change? 

   Looking back over my last week,  I was shocked to find that three tasks would have been utterly abandoned.  They were prior commitments that I would have declined if I had considered doing them within twenty-four hours. When I accepted them,  May 20^th seemed a long way off.    Two time consuming errands would have been eliminated.  One task was a requirement of life on earth,  oil changes are necessary evils.  Only one item listed in my planner would have been a definitive YES.   Thought provoking to say the least. 

  Look at your calendar and/or to-do list;  past and present.  Categorize your entries. 

·       Which of these have eternal value? 

·       Which ones are worth cancelling everything else?

·       Which are required of life on earth?

 Prior commitments need to be fulfilled,  but can you put a stop to them and remind yourself not to say yes in the future?  Eliminate things you would never say yes to again.  Put “tomorrow” in place of the date or deadline you are asked to consider.  

    Comment at TonyaAnn,Writer on facebook  with your thoughts or insights!     

Teacher Appreciation/Grateful/Blessed

 

     All the media about Teacher Appreciation week  got me thinking about those 32 years I spent in education. When challenged to remember “a” teacher who impacted my life,  memories came flooding back.

    I had some teachers as a child who made a difference in my life but the teachers I worked with as an adult changed me forever.   

   I began my career in rural Missouri; Miller, Missouri to be exact. A woman with three years’ experience,  Lillian Andrade, was my first mentor. I lost track of her years ago.

    I spent three years in Sapulpa, Oklahoma as a traveling Speech/Language pathologist. Ben Hazlett and Robert Price taught me what a principal should be. I didn’t always like it at the time but looking back;  they knew what they were doing.

    I spent two years with the Early Childhood Coop of Creek and Okfuskee counties traveling through the countryside bringing resources to teachers to deal with special needs in rural Oklahoma. Every teacher in those country schools was phenomenal,  choosing to educate that population.

    In 1985, I joined the educators of  Moore, Oklahoma. I would spend thirty one years there teaching in four different schools. Here is where I would hone my skills and learn more than college could ever teach me. I won’t name names because I would forget someone and hate myself for that. Suffice to say,   I worked with far more great teachers than mediocre ones. A few incidents that solidified that:

      When teachers were hired a few hours before open house, (on more than one occasion)  we sprang into action. The room was a Pinterest worthy classroom after eight seasoned teachers attacked it. #amynickell  #kaywilliams 

     Together, we navigated two major tornadoes and a dozen minor ones. As we sheltered our students under desks and flattened ourselves on top of them,  we prayed. After the 2013 tornado, we spent the summer supporting our colleagues who lost everything in the devasted schools that were wiped off their foundations.  We cried with the teachers who buried students as a result. We shared tons of teacher-made resources to restock their scattered files.   #ginajantzen  #avawilhelm    

    Our buildings shook the morning of April 19, 1995. Numerous students were affected as our police and EMT”s and firefighters streamed to the scene of the Murrah building bombing. My forward thinking principal pressed anyone not in a classroom into the office to check every student’s record. In those days, parent employment was listed on the forms, and  we made sure no student went home to an empty house. When one of our teachers hadn’t heard from her husband by noon,  we covered her class but refused to let her go home to an empty house also!  #cherylfields  #kelleystrong  #debbiearato

      Five of us were subpoenaed in a custody battle and traveled together to experience our first testimony  as “expert” witnesses.  It was an unforgettable experience and one that impacted me forever. Law prevents me from sharing details but as an eight year old was led out by a CASA to testify against his biological father, the adoptive father stopped him at the door, threw his arms around him and said,  “You are my son, no court changes that.”  Not a dry eye in the room. The ex-con  bio father and his girlfriend in her lace dress with NOTHING under it  did not get custody. I am friends with the family to this day.   #amynickell  #carolyates #tammyharrison

      Our entire faculty was shaken when a former student murdered a classmate as initiation into a gang. In jail,  he requested to see two of our teachers. One of them was called to testify. She did so bolstered by the prayers of her team.  

      In 1997,  we collapsed into each other when we faced the murder of three of our students, siblings, at the hand of their father.  Nothing,  nothing, prepares you to navigate that. We were led by a principal who epitomized  courage and wisdom. Together we healed each other and our remaining students. #suziepierce  #kaywilliams  #carolanderson  #amynickell

     I was doubly blessed because I worked with the teachers who taught my children. There are no gifts, cards or mementos that can convey appreciation to these incredible human beings. I am a culmination of all they taught me and our shared experiences. I owe a debt I can never repay.

     Thank you.  Thank you, Faculty and Admins of  Briarwood,  Fisher, Kingsgate, Red Oak.

Tell a colleague how much you appreciate them today.

    

Table for 12 Revisited

 

    Three years ago I attended a program at my church on Good Friday. Journey to the Cross was an interactive stop at several stations depicting Holy Week. The last supper station sent me to research and introspection that led to a blog post turned CBN article publication turned part of my first book,  Inside Story. ( both available at tonyaann.com; blog dated 03/31/2021)

    The catalyst for that piece stemmed from my accidental seating at the Last Supper station at the place setting of Judas. This year I purposely sat at Judas’ seat,  I sought it out.  I sat at Judas’ seat to consider his thought process.

    Judas appears last in all listings of the disciples. It is widely accepted that he was among the last chosen, if not the final one. He came into the group like all the others, not from a noble background,  no religious influence,  humble beginnings. Like all the others, Judas was privy to Jesus’ private teachings,  his routines, and his deity.  Like the others, Judas saw the miracles of Jesus and preformed them himself.

    We don’t know why Judas,  after three  years with Jesus took a mite tobetray him. Some Biblical scholars believe Judas was never a believer,  some say his greed finally got the best of him,  but all agree,  he was part of God’s sovereign plan.

   As Judas sat in the most honored seat next to Jesus, was he so sure of himself that he believed Jesus didn’t know what he had done? That would have lasted only  a few minutes as Jesus pointed out a betrayer was in the room and was sharing his bowl. Did Judas squirm uncomfortably? Was he embarrassed?  How did his eyes meet Jesus’?  I suspect he kept his head down and ate fast. When Jesus washed his feet,  I imagine he couldn’t watch, and his feet prickled with heat and crawling skin.   

   I chose to sit in Judas seat so I could remember. I wanted to remember not just the body and blood. I wanted to, needed to,  be reminded that God knows what I’m going to do in each situation, but he also will allow me to change my direction. We’ve heard repeatedly that Jesus is the God of second chances,  Judas had at least three chances during that Passover meal  to change his trajectory. I believe at any point he could have made a different choice. Confessed, returned the money,  chosen to die with Jesus.

    The plan for salvation would not have changed,  Jesus would still have died for us but Judas’ part in the story could have been different.

   I sat at Judas’ seat because I’ve been studying Sovereignty. Judas’ seat at the table,  his clean feet,  his conversation with Jesus was the ultimate picture of mercy.  Jesus continually offered it to Judas,  as he does to us.  

    Sit next to Jesus for a moment today, talk to him honestly about the times you have been unfaithful to him, ask forgiveness and let him bathe you in mercy.

Last but not Least

 

  One of the most significant women in my history is a woman whose name I did not know for over forty years.  She was speaking at an Assemblies of God kids camp when I was ten years old.    

 “Sister Wise” placed a 24x36 flannel board on an easel behind six hay bales. She used flannel pictures to depict a straight and narrow road leading to a place of light in a beautiful blue sky. Another picture showed a  winding, rocky path leading to a circle of flames. They both originated from a church positioned at the bottom of the board.  I had no problem choosing the straight and narrow.  At a hay bale altar with women I thought were “old”  (probably late thirties), I trusted in Jesus as my Savior.

  Years later in a book called Like A Prairie Fire by Bob Burke (https://www.amazon.com/Like-Prairie-Fire-Assemblies-Oklahoma/dp/0964132508) I learned that a woman named Katie Wise had been a missionary in China in 1936.  During WWII, she was interned in a Japanese prison camp in the Philippines for three years.  She came back to the states and ministered in churches and camps.  In 1962, she spoke at an Oklahoma youth camp. I had always known the woman with the flannel board was named “Sister Wise”.    

      It would be surprising if any of my  readers had ever heard of Katie Wise. I never saw her again.  She never knew me.  She didn’t know who or what I became. The number of souls saved through her ministry probably number in the hundreds.  She doesn’t remember me, but I remember her.   She holds a place of honor in my history. 

   Was a woman instrumental in your salvation?  Comment about her on this post.

Women in Tonya's History

 NOTE:  Please subscribe to my blog on my website.  I'm trying to transfer everything to there!  Thanks!

     Angeline Tucker is not a name most of you will recognize.  I never knew her well although I did meet her in my early twenties. Her daughter and I taught together my first year of teaching. I knew her story, but  we spoke of it only once.

In the early 60’s, Sister Tucker, her husband and her two children were missionaries to the Congo.  In 1965,  Angeline Tucker’s book called He is in Heaven  was passed among my mom and her friends. It garnered much discussion. I was thirteen. I read the book later while in high school.

     The Tucker family was ministering in the Congo when a revolt took place.  Reverend Tucker was taken prisoner. The insurgents took over a convent several miles away for the prison. The nuns were  also captive but allowed to give minimal care to the prisoners.  Sister Tucker knew one of the nuns and the two of them were able to talk by phone briefly each day. Sister Tucker would start the conversation with “How is my husband?”  After many mornings of “fine, okay,”  the morning came when the nun answered, “He is in Heaven.” 

    Within a few days, Sister Tucker and her children were running across a field to a hovering US Army helicopter to be evacuated. Her daughter shared with me that she was nine years old .  She knew the helicopter occupants were friendly and there to rescue her family. However,  she ran across the field with AK 47’s pointing at her.

    Angeline Tucker and her family returned to the United States where she worked at the National Assemblies of God headquarters. She wrote and developed the first girl’s ministry curriculum known as Missionettes. The program that would become a passion for me. I would spend 25+ years serving the local church and my district as sponsor, teacher  and leadership trainer. It would be my privilege to plan many  events for our entire state, city, and local church.  Over 100 girls would cross my path during this ministry.  Most of them are counted today among my friends.

   Angeline Tucker was the catalyst for my understanding of missionaries. In her story,  I saw the sacrifice of these extraordinary women. As an adult, missionary women would command my respect and gifts. Dee McNeil, Peggy Sims, Loretta Wideman, Joni Middleton,  Linda Stamps Dissmore, and Tina Morrow to name a few. 

  Angeline Tucker  will never be in a history book, but God knows her name. He knows how   her impact on a thirteen year old girl made a difference  in Tonya’s world.  

Tonya's Women's History Month

 

     March is National Women’s History Month. Talk shows and news reports will feature women whom society considers worth of remembrance. They will feature artists who have produced great works of all kinds of arts. They will report on the “first women”,  first woman in congress, on supreme court, attend ivy league colleges,  and so forth. Social media influencers will share about  the “politically correct” women of history.

     I am not a news reporter, not a social media influencer, not a talk show host. I invite you to join me during March for Tonya Ann’s  Women’s History Month. I want to share stories of women most people never have nor ever will hear about. These are women from my history who made me who I am today.

    Opal Ruth McLaughlin Claxton was born in 1910,  she married my mom’s older brother in 1926. My grandmother passed away when my mom was twelve  years old and three years later,  she moved to the “city” with her brother and Ruth. Virgil and Ruth were pastors, so my mother’s spiritual heritage began and grew in their home. Ruth already had a twelve  year old daughter but she took on a teenager who’d been living on a farm with the boys.

     Ruth Claxton,  by all accounts was the quintessential pastor’s wife: played the piano, served the congregation,  opened her home to any and all and was a woman of God. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1964. This was early in the discovery and treatment of breast cancer and  Ruth readily volunteered to subject herself to experimental treatments. Her selfless actions made a difference for countless cancer survivors. She went to Heaven when I was eleven. Ruth Claxton left a legacy thru every woman whose life she touched in her fifty-six years on earth. She may not have changed the world,  but she changed my world.

    How about you? I challenge you to make a list of  “women of history”  who impacted your life? Comment on my website or Facebook page!

How Do you Eat an Elephant? One bite at a time.

Personal Note:   This is my February newsletter.  Please subscribe to my monthly newsletter at TonyaAnn.com  

 LEARNING TO LOVE IT!

    The Bible is God's Word,  authoratative, infallible, completely trustworthy and the only Truth.  It is how God speaks to his people today.   Moses had a burning bush because he didn't have the written word of God.  We do.  Every Christian feels the need to read this Word and every Christian wants it to be more than a commandment.  It's just so long, and all those lists of names.   You read the Bible the same way you eat an elephant.  Take these ten bites to help you learn to love it!

   
1.   Timing can help or hinder.   Most christians are told to read the Bible first thing in the morning. This gives it priority in our daily schedule.  However, not all of us are morning people,  some have obligations first thing in the morning.   When are you most likely to enjoy the reading?  If reading the Word of God is a 'to-do' that you dread,  you won't grow in the Word or enjoy it.  Schedule a time that works for you, and stick to it! 

2. Location, Location, Location. Where do you sit when you read the Bible?    Find a comfortable place where your Bible is close and you won't be distracted by dirty dishes or laundry.   Frankly, I do well in my bed propped up with pillows after I've had my coffee and am fully awake.  It's a date with my Bible and I look forward to it.  I have a friend who lays in the floor.  Find your place.

3.  Pray before you read.  Thank the Lord that he loved you enough to speak to you.  Ask Him to let you see something new even in a familiar passage of scripture.  Anne Graham Lotz says to remember that the God of the Universe is speaking in his Word.  We are blessed that He wants to speak to us.  

4.  Enjoy the story.    Read the scripture like you would a novel.  Think of it as a story and see it in your mind as you read.  Imagine the real people you are reading about.  

5.  See Jesus in every book,  even the Old Testament.  Check out this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?=HmfFW0gPuyE  Tony Evans tells you who Jesus is in every book of the Bible.  Refer back to it as you read a specific book.  

6.  Motivation.   Why are you reading the Word? Be honest.  Are you checking off a to do list, reading out of guilt or a false sense of getting something from God (works based)  or to impress someone?   Ask God to give you a sincere love for His word.

7.  Habit Forming Let your reading become a habit.  And forget everything you think you know about establishing a habit.   James Clear (https://jamesclear.com/goals-systems)  says the way to reach a goal is to establish a system that will help you reach any goal,  not just this one.  Bites 1-6 are establishing a system.  

8.  Translations. Choose the right translation for YOU.  Not the most popular, the most downloaded,  the one your grandmother's pastor suggested.   They are different depending on your motivation for reading.  (March's newsletter will address translations with several expert quotes and notes)  

9.  Until then,  check out the resources on my website  TonyaAnn.com,  Gordon Fee's book How to Read the Bible for all It's Worth.   Which Translation should You Use? by Rick Hamlin  at  Guideposts.org    Ask some trusted friends which translation they read from in their personal devotions.  Confession,  I read from several depending on the book,  this year I'm reading the prophecies in The Message.

10.   Grace Give yourself grace. If you get behind, catch up when you can.  It's not about reading the Word on a timeline,  it's about hearing from God.  It's about learning to communicate with the King of Kings.   It's about loving hearing from Him.  He may be slowing down to hear a word just for you.   

            Learning to love it takes committment, practice and an open heart.   Are you ready to try?   Drop me an email. Or comment at TonyaAnn, Writer on facebook.  

Grace Redefined

   The word ‘grace’ is mentioned 170 times in the Bible. Devotions, sermons, and books abound about “grace.”  It’s a buzzword in the Christian community. Personally,  I’ve heard it my entire life. My  granddaughter’s middle name is Grace. Some of my most favorite songs are about grace. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeRHyY2I-PU)  and (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwBTkHyO1vs) I’m all about grace. But, I have no idea how to explain it. 

    The Greek translation of “grace” is graciousness. Dictionary.com says grace is a “manifestation of favor from a superior.”  Graciousness is the state of benevolence,  kindness. Biblical scholars say it is "unmerited favor.”  I am convinced that any grace that comes my way is completely unmerited. I’ve done nothing that could win my salvation and a home in Heaven. That I do get.

   However, over the past few months,  I saw,  with my own eyes,  Grace. In the lives of two women I do not know well but who shared their story. Neither of them used the word “grace” in their monologue,  but both caught my attention,  I’m not sure they realized what grace they were describing.

   One shared being raised in a home where the Bible, God and church were  a nonentity. As a teenager, she went to church with a friend just to get out of the house. There, she found a Savior, her life was changed and she’s in full time ministry today. How does that happen? How does that girl find a friend who is part of a Bible believing church that preaches Jesus? (There aren’t that many on the West Coast anymore). What are the chances that THAT girl continues to grow in the Lord? I know what Vegas would say. But,  God says,  I can keep you wherever I lead you. I’m God,  wherever you go. His Spirit keeps drawing THAT girl closer to Him despite her circumstances.   That’s Grace.

   The other woman shared growing up in a church that never asked her if she wanted to “accept Jesus.”  She thought her upbringing and rituals and traditions were her salvation. As a teenager, she went to a Bible Study. By her admission,  she can’t remember who invited her,  why she went or how it came about but there she was. The leader asked her if she wanted to accept Christ. How does that happen? Why does it happen to her out of all the girls in the world? Again,  why does she stick with it? Grace.

  By the way,  the Barna Research Group indicates that youth and teens aged 14-18 have only a 14% probability of accepting Christ. These women defied the odds.

  As long established,  raised on the pew, read the Bible through, die-hard  Christians,  we may take the gifts bestowed by Christ for granted. It’s easy to skim through that familiar passage of scripture. It’s easy to tune out yet another sermon on relationships. It’s easy to hear a word like grace and move on. I’m stopping today,  I’m thinking about grace and what it really means. I’m looking up “grace” scriptures and applying them to me and my life.

“ But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me-and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles;  yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace. I Corinthians 15:10(NLT)  

Intimidation

 

    While I was writing Inside Story, I had more than one doubt about my ability to do this.  It was a daily question in my head,  “Who are you to hear from God?  You don’t have a MDiv,  you only took sixteen hours of Bible in college.  You don’t really know the Bible.  You always want to be the center of attention,  Pride,  that’s your sin.  You don’t ‘hear’ from God.  It’s serious business to say you heard from God,  people die from claiming that”  and on and on.   Intimidation was a daily battle. 

    Intimidation is of the enemy.  Intimidation is the nagging feeling that stops you from doing something. Even something God has called you to.    Intimidation is rampant in our world today.   Coming mostly in the form of verbal assault but also in some very real threats.  Losing your job, losing the  ability to eat in a restaurant, or travel.  Intimidation is tangible and it has been a tool of Satan throughout history. 

   In his book, Experiencing God, Henry Blackaby put intimidation into perspective for me.  “Don’t let anyone intimidate you about hearing from God”.   If I believe the Word of God, then,   “His sheep know His voice, He gives wisdom to those who ask,  He guides and directs when we acknowledge Him.”  It follows that I am capable of hearing from God.   Satan doesn’t care if I hear from God as long as I don’t act on anything he tells me. Personally or in ministry.  

   Intimidation is only successful to the self-centered life.  Remember Moses,  when God called him to free the Israelites from captivity?  His first response was “ME?”  And then he listed a litany of reasons he was not the man for the job.  He gave into intimidation.   None of us would suggest that Moses  from God had not heard from God in that situation,  yet we give into those same lies. 

   I don’t want to minimize the responsibility of claiming to hear from God.  It’s a dangerous thing and one must be absolutely positive that they have heard from God.  Which begs the question, “how do we know for sure”. 

   I’m going to continue exploring that prayerfully and through scripture, but I am sure of one thing:  it only happens within a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. 

  Do you need settle step one before we move on?   Connect with me at TonyaAnn.com 

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What is keeping you from hearing from God today?

   

  Did you know that the Bible was not written in chapters and verses?  It was written as stories, letters and poetry.  The chapters and verses were added by translators following the trend of British and American authors who tended toward shorter paragraphs.  Translators also added these measurements to aid the reader in finding specific scripture.   Reading by genre encourages you to read the narratives the way the original writer intended. Reading in a different genre each week will give you fresh insight and keep your thoughts flowing. 
    It’s not too late to start reading the Bible through in 2022 with Inside Story (https://www.amazon.com/Inside-Story-52-Weeks-Word) 
Here are three easy steps to jump start you!

1. Order Inside Story: 52 weeks in the Word today.   Inside Story is undated so week one starts when you want it to be week one.
2. Download the free reading chart from TonyaAnn.com and chose your favorite color marker to keep track of your success.
3. Schedule 30 mins at the beginning and end of each week to allow time to understand the cultural atmosphere of the time and consider how the week’s reading relates to today.  Start any time now.

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     My blog is posted twice monthly,  the first and third Wednesday of the month at TonyaAnn, writer on Facebook and on my website at TonyaAnn.com.       

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Circumstances

 

    Recently, my “circumstances”  had me down and out. The God who loves and sees me made sure I was at a specific place in my Experiencing God study by Henry Blackaby. He had already purposed the lesson I was to learn.

    Blackaby says  “A whole lot of wrong things can happen if you try to look at God from the middle of your circumstances.”  In the eye of the storm, we can’t understand what is happening and often can’t find the answers no matter how hard we pray. We can’t move forward in God’s will until we hear God speak. If he is silent, we must continue in the last thing we knew to do. Always prayer & Bible Study. Here is my take on Blackaby’s 7 steps when circumstances are confusing.

·       Decide right now,  before the crisis,  what you believe. Has he ever failed you? Has He always been faithful in every situation? His Word assures us that his love for us is unfailing, that He is for us, and He will never leave or forsake us.

·       Don’t try to figure it out. In a storm, you don’t look up into a whirling wind and measure windspeed and direction. (Meteorologists may but even they run for cover at some point).

·       Pray,  not just for the change in the circumstance, but ask God to give you his eyes to see a purpose in this time.

·       Wait,  the hardest one. Listen for the Spirit to speak to you  in prayer, from His Word and in the voices of His people

·       Follow God’s guidance as you temporarily adjust to the circumstances. Watch to see what he is doing not only in your life but the life of your friends & family. Sometimes the trial is not about you.

·       Do what God says to do. Whatever he tells you, do it and do it immediately.

·       Eventually you will understand His purpose as He works in and through you.

 

My friend, Amy Young,  wrote on her website  “we need to be anchored in Someone outside of our circumstances.”   As for me,  my circumstances lasted three full weeks, a couple of them resolved positively,  a few are still ongoing but less intense. I do not have the answers for why, how, or what the purpose was. I have made some adjustments to my thinking,  hid a few specific scriptures in my heart and planned for the next time Satan attacks in this area. I saw how they affected some loved ones and believe there’s a positive outcome in their lives as a result. That’s what growing in the Lord is all about. Mostly,  I am reassured that I am firmly anchored in Someone, not only outside the circumstances but above them.

Muhammad Ali & Me

    I’ve never understood the ‘sport’ of boxing. I can understand the desire to pummel someone with your fist but the risk of being pummeled far outweighs the joy of the former. Even more confusing is the audience excitement at the sight of flowing body fluids and swollen faces. Why doesn’t the beat up boxer just lie there,  down for the count,  at least it’ll be over.

     I was an unwilling participant when a phone call hurled me into the ring with the enemy of my soul. We’ve being going round and round for a few weeks now. For a time he landed punch after punch of fear, anxiety, heartache, depression, and hopelessness. I stumbled back onto my feet time after time, but exhaustion set in quickly. I was down for the count and not at all sad about it.

  In that moment,  the guy in my corner steps in. He pushes my opponent aside and gets in my face. Do not be afraid,  he repeats 365 times. Be strong and courageous he says 25  times. I am with you he tells me over three hundred times. And with those words ringing in my ear above all the din of the world arena,  he grabs my arm and pulls me up. I wish the next scene were limping out of the arena with his arm supporting me, but it isn’t. Instead he pulls me to my feet and propels me to the center of the ring where Satan awaits bouncing around on his feet ready for the next blow.

   An old gospel song reminds me,  “it’s a battlefield, brother, not a recreation room,  it’s a fight not a game.”   So back into the ring I go, and Satan pulls his best punch,  hopelessness,  this will never change certainly not for the better. This final blow,  the one he expects to bring me down,  can and will. I am  on the ropes with only one hope of survival. The one thing that will stop his final punch and throw him to the ground, my  only defense. I throw the only blow I have, ‘by the blood of the lamb and the word of (my) testimony.’    My return blows come from my mouth (no surprise there)  not my hands.

   Satan,  you have no power, Jesus took it from you on the cross (Hebrews 2:14-15)  The Word of God abides in me, and I can overcome you. (I John 2:14)  My steps are ordered of God (Psalm37:23)  and I have been made righteous by the blood of the lamb (Romans 5:17). You have come against me, but I come against you in the name of the Lord almighty(I Samuel 17:45)  No punch you throw at me can succeed,  your accusations are lies, I am defended by the God of the Universe and because of Him I will be victorious. (Isaiah 54:17). I have peace that you cannot steal because it is a gift from Jesus himself (John 14:27)  You don’t scare me because I have a spirit of power and my thoughts are captive to that spirit (2 Timothy 1:7,  2 Corinthians 10:5) 

    So,  I live to fight another day. “ I have told you this so that you might have peace in your hearts because of me. While you are in the world, you will have to suffer. But cheer up! I have defeated the world.”  –Jesus (John 16:33 CEV)