Give the Gift of Radical Forgiveness for Christmas

(Suggested Reading: Luke 23:32-43)

As Christmas approaches and our world continues seeking some sense of normalcy during this pandemic, some people are not social distancing from family because of the virus. Some are grieving over unresolved family conflicts. Some have given up on broken relationships long before the pandemic. And some are licking their wounds and widening divisions over differing opinions on masks, politics, and tension caused by racism and an idolatrous sense of nationalism.

Instead of singing carols about Jesus’ birth, some are crushing hearts with careless words and graphics shared on social media.

Not many of us can escape the crossfire.

The enemy doesn’t have to work hard to divide God’s people when we do most of the legwork work for him.

As I prayerfully prepared to write this Christmas article multiple times, I couldn’t get past the first paragraph. After a few personal attacks I endured over the last year , I’d allowed resentment and bitterness to take root in my heart.

How could I write about celebrating the birth of Christ if I couldn’t obey the Greatest Commandment ̶ to love God and to love my neighbor as I love myself?

The Bible clearly explains God’s command to love our neighbors includes all people who are created in His image no matter what their beliefs, differences, or sins.

When I truly love my neighbors, I’ll treat them as Jesus would treat them.

It’s easy to love the kind neighbors, the neighbors who agree with me, who encourage me, who understand me, who stick up for me, who don’t rub me the wrong way.

But Jesus calls me to love the neighbors who need the most grace, the neighbors who are as depraved and dependent on God’s mercy as I am.

How can I do this if I allow pride and hurt to fester until gaps of resentment, bitterness, and unforgiveness feel too wide and too deep to repair?

I cried out to God, trying to justify the list of people I had tucked in the dark corners of my unforgiving heart. “What do You want me to do, Lord?”

Forgive.

But I’m angry.

Forgive.

But I’m tired of forgiving when there seems to be no remorse, no repentance, no willingness to listen to learn or even empathize.

Forgive.

But I’m still hurt.

Forgive.

But I’m afraid to get hurt again.

Forgive.

As I wrestled with God, He reminded me of the countless times He’d extended undeserved mercy toward me and led me to Luke 23:32-43.

While Jesus hung on the cross, He willingly submitted to the nails that pierced His hands and feet. As an atonement for my sins, He paid the insurmountable debt my wickedness earned.

What does this have to do with Christmas?

Our loving Savior intended on offering us radical forgiveness before He left His heavenly throne, put on flesh, and allowed Himself to be wrapped in swaddling cloth and placed in a manger.

During Christ’s earthly ministry, He had countless reasons to hold grudges, to become bitter, to seek revenge, to refuse to forgive . . . especially when He chose to endure the suffering on the cross.

But as He looked on the ones who cheered for His execution‒those who mocked the King of Kings without remorse or repentance‒Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34, NIV).

The ones Jesus loved, the ones Jesus asked the Father to forgive weren’t remorseful . . . at all.

In Total Forgiveness, R.T. Kendall states that “[asking] the Father to forgive them showed that not only had [Jesus] forgiven them and released them from their guilt, but also that He asked His Father not to punish them or take revenge on them . . .” (p. 3).

Though I’ve read this book over half a dozen times and have read through the Bible yearly since 2005, I still choke up when I consider the words Jesus cried out while hanging, bruised and bloody, on the cross . . . paying the price for my sins.

Am I truly willing to love with such selflessness?

Are you?

When we think of Jesus in the manger, we cannot forget Jesus on the cross.

 So this year, would you join me in asking God to help us give the gift of radical forgiveness for Christmas?

No more pleas for payback.

No more daydreams of dishing out a cold bowl of revenge.

No more harboring resentment.

When we ask God to help us release our offenders into His loving and merciful hands, we can trust Him to work in and through their lives as He continues working in and through our lives.

The more we pray blessings over our offenders, the more God helps us see them through His eyes of loving grace . . . and the more peace reigns in our hearts.

When we offer radical forgiveness, we’re not condoning, minimizing, or even forgetting an offense. God is righteous and just. He is full of compassion and understands our need to process, heal, and sometimes close the door on a relationship.

But when we place the offense and the offender into God’s trustworthy hands, we no longer have to carry burdens that don’t belong to us.

We can choose victorious freedom through right relationships with God and others instead of insisting on being right, gloating in someone else’s remorsefulness, or demanding apologies before forgiving.

As imperfect humans in desperate need of our Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ, we will need to forgive others and ask for forgiveness all the days of our lives. We’ll need prayer and encouragement every step of the way.

Radical forgiveness requires an ongoing commitment to surrender to the Holy Spirit but begins with the choice to love Jesus and love others like Jesus loves us.

Will you give the gift of radical forgiveness for Christmas this year?

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Lord, thank You for forgiving us and for empowering us to forgive. Please prepare our hearts to receive and submit to Your truth and love. Show us our wickedness and lead us into the way everlasting (Psalm 139:23-24). Help us recognize, confess, repent, and turn away from our sins. Please help us reconcile, even if restoration of a relationship isn’t possible, as we embrace the peace and freedom of living in radical forgiveness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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I ordered a revised and updated copy of Total Forgiveness by R.T. Kendall, a book God has used to help me understand what forgiveness is and isn’t, as well as what He says about forgiveness in the Bible.

I’ll be reading Total Forgiveness as I read through the Bible in a year with the Our Daily Bread Ministries reading schedule, which is posted with each day’s devotion starting on January 1, 2021.

Please let me know if you are going to join me in reading Total Forgiveness and/or if you are going to join me in reading through the Bible in 2021, which only take 15 minutes per day (30-45 minutes if you read slow like me).

I look forward to growing with you!

Merry Christmas!

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To inhale God’s truth, exhale prayers and praises, and rest in God’s presence, please join me for Pause for Prayer: Thriving through the Wait by subscribing to my new YouTube Channel today.

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When We Can’t Seem to Catch a Break from Life’s Hardships

I didn’t even notice when the complaints started overtaking my thoughts.

Expected stress accompanied our move from Wisconsin back to California, but unexpected disappointments increased my grumbling capacity.

After hunkering down in a hotel for the first three weeks as we searched for a rental, we finally found a new apartment. Third floor. No elevators. Community living definitely required a few adjustments, physically, mentally, and emotionally.

The furniture dealer didn’t deliver our recliners on the promised date. My struggles with pain management escalated as I adjusted to working with a new doctor. The perfect Thanksgiving feast I expected with both of our sons ended up being a quiet meal with our youngest son and his fiancé.

As the list of things that went wrong and things that did not go as I expected grew, my negativity nourished my complaining spirit.

I snuggled Callie and pouted as I prayed.

Can we catch a break from the hardships, Lord?

In His loving patience, God gently turned my eyes back to His Word.

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

How am I supposed to rejoice or give thanks in these difficult circumstances, Lord?

On the surface, rejoicing felt impossible and giving thanks felt fake.

Until I took a closer look at what the apostle Paul was saying to the church of Thessalonica.

When I read each phrase separately, I missed the point.

I couldn’t rejoice always unless I prayed continually, which would lead to giving thanks in all circumstances.

When I focused on God, not myself or the temporary circumstances that affected me on this side of eternity, I could experience the biblical meaning of joy.

Acknowledging God’s constant presence helped me recognize the ways He was working in and through my life, in and through my relationships, and even in and through my trials and suffering.

My prayers became more focused on God, on His promises and His faithful goodness.

As His truth cleared my vision, I remembered all the Lord had done during my transition.

God had answered my prayers by allowing us to move from Wisconsin back to California.

He provided the funds for us to hunker down in a hotel with excellent customer service and given me plenty of opportunities to share His truth and love with the staff and fellow patrons.

Though many families were displaced by the fires and the pandemic, God led us to a gated community that would be safer for me to walk Callie when I wasn’t feeling well. My service dog learned how to navigate those three flights of stairs quickly.

Our furniture didn’t arrive before the holiday, but the Lord provided two temporary chairs that I could use for video interviews after the pandemic.

My struggles with pain management didn’t improve, but my family and countless prayer warriors continued supporting me.

On Thanksgiving, I video chatted with my amazing niece and nephew (Eliza and Emmett) before enjoying a tasty meal with our youngest son and his fiancé.

As the list of things that went wrong and things that did not go as I expected took back-seat to the blessings God showered over me, my capacity for rejoicing increased.

I stopped pouting and practiced the privilege of interceding for friends who were hurting, which helped me view my complaints with an eternal rather than an internal perspective.

Life isn’t going as any of us expected in 2020. But not one moment surprised God or threw him off His game plan.

Though we may not always feel like smiling or cheering, we can experience joy that supersedes our ever-changing circumstances when we rest in the center of God’s will for us ̶ an unceasing and intimate connection with Him, our unlimited source of strength, peace, hope, and joy.

Counting our blessings as we wait on God may sound trite, but I’ve learned it’s hard to keep grumbling when my heart begins bubbling up with gratitude.

Faithful Father, please help us to recognize and rejoice over every blessing that comes through being intimately connected with You.

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What is the hardest part about viewing life with an eternal perspective when faced with difficult circumstances?

How has God blessed you in the midst of a tough season or situation?

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For more biblical encouragement and Scripture-based prayers, check out Pause for Prayer: Thriving through the Wait, a video series on my brand-new YouTube channel. Here is the link to Episode 1: God Holds Us.

 

Pause for Prayer: Thriving through the Wait Video Series Begins Today

I’m excited to announce the second season of Pause for Prayer: Thriving through the Wait, which you can find on my new YouTube channel.

I need 100 subscribers before I can receive a custom YouTube channel.

If you enjoy my videos, please help me beat that goal by subscribing to my YouTube channel and encouraging others to do the same. Thanks in advance for your prayers and support. I can do nothing without God or your ongoing encouragement.

From November 21, 2020 to December 21, 2020, I’ll be sharing new videos daily on YouTube that can stand alone or be used as you read the thirty-one chapters of Waiting for God: Trusting Daily in God’s Plan and Pace.

During each Pause for Prayer video (5-15 minutes each), we’ll dig deeper into God’s Word, seeking to know Him and trust Him with every moment of the wait.

I’ll be reading selected Bible verses, offering biblical encouragement, and leading a Scripture-based prayer as I explore the challenges, the purposes, and the rewards of waiting.

As we continue trusting God with every moment of our lives, we can walk with confidence in His character, His truth, and His love as we thrive through the wait.

To watch Pause for Prayer: Thriving through the Wait Day 1, November 21, 2020, please click here.

To watch Time to Grow, a message I shared during an Our Daily Bread Ministries chapel time on May 20, 2020, please click here.

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I have wonderful news to share, too.

Waiting for God: Trusting Daily in God’s Plan and Pace was awarded second place in the Selah Awards, hosted by the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference, and placed as a finalist in the Cascade Awards, hosted by the Oregon Christian Writers Conference.

To God be the glory!

I enjoyed a wonderful time of fellowship with the sisters who joined me for Flourish: Thriving through the Wait.

I’m thanking God for every person who participated.

Special thanks to my fellow author and speaker Mabel Ninan, who facilitated the chat and organized the giveaways, and my wonderful sister in Christ, Amy, who took Callie for her morning walk so I could reserve my strength.

Congratulations to the recipients of the five exclusive giveaways I offered during the event: Becky Heartsfield, Kathryn Robinson, Tamara Glover, Dora Jean Benson, and Carmen Perez.

Some of you have asked how you can pray for me and how you can support me as I continue sharing God’s truth and love to the ends of the earth.

I’ll need your help spreading the word so I can keep spreading God’s Word.

How can you serve alongside me?

  1. PRAY and praise the Lord with me daily!
  2. Subscribe to my blog (link on my home page) and my YouTube channel.
  3. Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter (links on my home page).
  4. If you enjoy a blog post, a graphic, a social media post, or a video, please share those links on your social media platforms.
  5. When you share a post, tag me so I can give you a shout-out and interact with your family and friends in the comment section.
  6. If you’ve read Waiting for God or Different Like Me, please write a short review on Amazon then share the link to purchase Waiting for God and/or Different Like Me.
  7. If God encouraged you through any of my speaking events or writing workshops, please let me know so I can share your testimony/comments on my speaker page.

I’m looking forward to being rooted in God’s Word as we grow closer to Him and each other over the next few weeks.

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Last Day to Register for Flourish: Thriving through the Wait (FREE Live Women’s Zoom Event with Xochitl Dixon)

Are you feeling tired, frustrated, discouraged, stuck, lonely, or simply longing for a deeper connection with God and other women?

If you answered yes, you are not alone.

Please PRE-REGISTER for Flourish: Thriving through the Wait by Friday, November 13, 2020 at 8 pm (Pacific).

If you pre-register and attend this FREE LIVE WOMEN’S ZOOM EVENT, you will be eligible for a chance to receive one of two signed copies of Waiting for God, or one of two copies of God Hears Her, an Our Daily Bread bestselling compilation.

You will also be eligible for a chance to receive the Mega-Giveaway, which will include: a signed copy of Waiting for God, a copy of God Hears Her, and a signed copy of my first children’s picture book, Different Like Me, with some fun swag.

I look forward to connecting with you after the message.

Father God, please prepare our hearts to hear from You and surrender every aspect of the wait into Your capable and compassionate hands. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Flourish: Thriving through the Wait

Saturday, November 14, 2020 Agenda

Check-In: 9:45 am to 10 am (Pacific)

Welcome and Message: 10 am – 10:45 am (Pacific)

Fellowship and Giveaways: 10:45 am – 11:30 am (Pacific)

Closing Prayer: 11:30 am (Pacific)

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 If you registered in the month of October or before for Flourish through the FBCVV Women’s Ministry, you do not need to register again.

If you haven’t registered yet, please click HERE and fill out the form.

Registrants will receive the Zoom link and instruction via email and will automatically be entered for a chance to receive one of the exclusive giveaways I’ll be offering during this FREE LIVE Women’s Zoom Event.

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I will be recording Flourish: Thriving through the Wait for those who are unable to join me for this event. Stay tuned for more details on this blog and on social media. If you haven’t joined my blog family yet, please visit my home page and subscribe today.

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Exciting Change of Venue for Flourish: Thriving through the Wait

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the First Baptist Church Vacaville Women’s Ministry will no longer be hosting Flourish: Thriving through the Wait on their Facebook LIVE page.

But God . . . Hallelujah . . . God quickly affirmed that nothing would stop me from sharing the message He’s placed on my heart to share with you.

If you registered in the month of October or before for Flourish through the FBCVV Women’s Ministry, the lovely leadership team has already given me your contact information.

You do not need to register again. You will receive the Zoom link via email so you can join me for this spirit-refreshing time of worship, fellowship, biblical encouragement, and prayer.

If you haven’t registered yet, please click HERE and fill out the form.

You will receive the Zoom link and instruction via email. All registrants will automatically be entered for a chance to receive one of the exclusive giveaways I’ll be offering during this FREE LIVE Zoom Event.

That’s right! FREE LIVE Zoom Event!

As I prayed over the change of venue, the Lord nudged me to make this event more personal.

I am looking forward to connecting with you via Zoom on November 14, 2020 from 10 am to 11:30 am (Pacific).

After the message, we’ll connect and celebrate with some fun giveaways.

Here is the original invitation with more details:

Are you feeling tired, frustrated, discouraged, stuck, lonely, or simply longing for a deeper connection with God and other women?

If you answered yes, you are not alone.

Please join me for Flourish: Thriving through the Wait.

We’ll enjoy a spirit-refreshing time of worship, fellowship, biblical encouragement, and prayer as God equips us to thrive through the wait with our hope, joy, peace, and our identities rooted in His unchanging and infallible Word.

If you pre-register and attend the FREE LIVE ZOOM EVENT, you will be eligible for a chance to receive one of two signed copies of Waiting for God, or one of two copies of God Hears Her, an Our Daily Bread bestselling compilation.

The grand prize will include: a signed copy of Waiting for God, a copy of God Hears Her, and a signed copy of my first children’s picture book, Different Like Me, with some fun swag.

Register for Flourish: Thriving through the Wait today!

If you cannot make it to this FREE LIVE Zoom Event on November 14th, I still want to connect with you in the comment sections on my blog and on social media.

I will be recording Flourish to share as the kick-off video for my brand-new YouTube Channel, as I prepare to present the second season of Pause for Prayer.

On November 21, 2020, you’re invited to Pause for Prayer: The Waiting for God Video Series.

 This stand-alone series, designed to complement the 31 chapters in my devotional, Waiting for God: Trusting Daily in God’s Plan and Pace, will include Scripture reading, biblical encouragement, and prayers.

 You do not need to purchase a copy of Waiting for God to enjoy this season of Pause for Prayer videos.

Join me on November 14, 2020 for Flourish: Thriving through the Wait and for Pause for Prayer, from November 21, 2020 to December 21, 2020.

I’ll share more information on this blog and through my social media pages.

If you haven’t connected with me on social media, please check out the links in the purple section at the bottom of my website pages.

I’m so excited to see what the Lord has in store for us!

Father God, thanks for assuring us that You have a purpose for every second we spend waiting for You. Please align our hearts with Yours and fill us with wisdom, courage, and confidence rooted in Your Word and Your proven faithfulness.

When the days feel way too long, fuel our perseverance with Your enduring hope. When the road ahead is covered in a fog of frustration, discouragement, loneliness, impatience, selfishness, fear, insecurities, or doubt, clear our vision and sharpen our hearing so we can discern Your directions.

Help us recognize our desperate need for You as we submit to the plan and pace You’ve set for our growth and our good. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

***

SPECIAL EVENT:  If you want to join me in reading through Waiting for God: Trusting Daily in God’s Plan and Pace while we enjoy the Pause for Prayer: Waiting for God Video Series, I’ll be hosting a book discussion and prayer time on Tuesday, December 22, 2020 at 6 pm (Pacific).

I’ll share the registration information on my blog and on social media soon.

Love your neighbors by ordering extra copies to share as gifts on Amazon, at Barnes and Nobel, from Our Daily Bread Publishing, or on the Christian Book website today.

If you’ve read Waiting for God: Trusting Daily in God’s Plan and Pace, please prayerfully consider writing a short review on Amazon and any other review platforms you enjoy so we can reach more readers with this empowering message of hope.

Thanks for your loving support and encouragement!

***

Are You Tired, Frustrated, Discouraged, Lonely, or Simply Longing for Deeper Connections with God and Others?

(UPDATED November 2, 2020)

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the First Baptist Church Vacaville Women’s Ministry will no longer be hosting Flourish: Thriving through the Wait on their Facebook LIVE page.

But God . . . Hallelujah . . . God quickly affirmed that nothing would stop me from sharing the message He’s placed on my heart to share with you.

If you registered in the month of October or before for Flourish through the FBCVV Women’s Ministry, the lovely leadership team has already given me your contact information.

You do not need to register again. You will receive the Zoom link via email so you can join me for this spirit-refreshing time of worship, fellowship, biblical encouragement, and prayer.

If you haven’t registered yet, please click HERE and fill out the form.

You will receive the Zoom link and instruction via email. All registrants will automatically be entered for a chance to receive one of the exclusive giveaways I’ll be offering during this FREE LIVE Zoom Event.

That’s right! FREE LIVE Zoom Event!

As I prayed over the change of venue, the Lord nudged me to make this event more personal.

I am looking forward to connecting with you via Zoom on November 14, 2020 from 10 am to 11:30 am (Pacific).

After the message, we’ll connect and celebrate with some fun giveaways.

Here is the original invitation with more details:

Are you feeling tired, frustrated, discouraged, stuck, lonely, or simply longing for a deeper connection with God and other women?

If you answered yes, you are not alone.

Please join me for Flourish: Thriving through the Wait.

We’ll enjoy a spirit-refreshing time of worship, fellowship, biblical encouragement, and prayer as God equips us to thrive through the wait with our hope, joy, peace, and our identities rooted in His unchanging and infallible Word.

If you pre-register and attend the FREE LIVE ZOOM EVENT, you will be eligible for a chance to receive one of two signed copies of Waiting for God, or one of two copies of God Hears Her, an Our Daily Bread bestselling compilation.

The grand prize will include: a signed copy of Waiting for God, a copy of God Hears Her, and a signed copy of my first children’s picture book, Different Like Me, with some fun swag.

Register for Flourish: Thriving through the Wait today!

If you cannot make it to this FREE LIVE Zoom Event on November 14th, I still want to connect with you in the comment sections on my blog and on social media.

I will be recording Flourish to share as the kick-off video for my brand-new YouTube Channel, as I prepare to present the second season of Pause for Prayer.

 On November 21, 2020, you’re invited to Pause for Prayer: The Waiting for God Video Series.

 This stand-alone series, designed to complement the 31 chapters in my devotional, Waiting for God: Trusting Daily in God’s Plan and Pace, will include Scripture reading, biblical encouragement, and prayers.

 You do not need to purchase a copy of Waiting for God to enjoy this season of Pause for Prayer videos.

Join me on November 14, 2020 for Flourish: Thriving through the Wait and for Pause for Prayer, from November 21, 2020 to December 21, 2020.

I’ll share more information on this blog and through my social media pages.

If you haven’t connected with me on social media, please check out the links in the purple section at the bottom of my website pages.

I’m so excited to see what the Lord has in store for us!

Father God, thanks for assuring us that You have a purpose for every second we spend waiting for You. Please align our hearts with Yours and fill us with wisdom, courage, and confidence rooted in Your Word and Your proven faithfulness.

When the days feel way too long, fuel our perseverance with Your enduring hope. When the road ahead is covered in a fog of frustration, discouragement, loneliness, impatience, selfishness, fear, insecurities, or doubt, clear our vision and sharpen our hearing so we can discern Your directions.

Help us recognize our desperate need for You as we submit to the plan and pace You’ve set for our growth and our good. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Valuing the Beauty of God’s Masterful and Diverse Workmanship

Years ago, my son raced out of his kindergarten classroom and into my arms and shared a story that I’d long expected but wished we could have avoided. An older student had hurled racial slurs at him during recess.

A white woman interrupted our conversation. “Oh, honey,” she said. “We’re all equal. God doesn’t see color.”

Before I could respond, she smiled and walked away.

My son frowned. “God doesn’t see me because I’m brown, Mama?”

“God sees you and loves you,” I said, trying to conceal my anger. Why didn’t I tell the woman that her words hurt me and could have hurt my son if not addressed? Cupping his face in my light-but-not-white hands, I met his gaze.

To read more, click here to join me as I serve as a guest writer on the (in)courage blog today.

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Sign up here to receive free notes from (in)courage, delivered daily to your inbox!


 

 

Today is the release date for Different Like Me!

You can love your neighbors by ordering extra copies to share as gifts on Amazon, Barnes and Nobel, ChristianBook, Our Daily Bread Publishing, or wherever books are sold.

You can encourage me and partner with me in ministry by writing a review on Amazon or any other review platforms you enjoy.

Thanks for your prayers and encouragement as we celebrate our differences and our sameness as God’s beautifully diverse and purposefully connected people.

Celebrating Diversity with a Book Giveaway!

On August 4, 2020, Our Daily Bread Publishing will be releasing my first children’s picture book.

Different Like Me celebrates our differences and our sameness as God’s beautifully diverse and purposefully connected people.

I prayed for an illustrator who would create diverse characters, avoid stereotypes, and include special needs children as heroes not just sideline characters.

The talented Bonnie Lui did a fabulous job!

She even used photos of Callie to create the service dog in the book. Yep. That’s Callie on the cover.

Recently, a friend asked me why I wrote Different Like Me.

My reasons for writing the book brought up some painful memories and a question that had caused deep resentment and contributed to my identity-crisis as a young adult.

What are you?

As a Mexican American with a light-but-not-white complexion, I struggled with poor self-image.

Even though our diverse extended family accepted and loved me without judgement, I never felt like I fit in or resembled the stereotypes some people had accepted as truth.

My parents had done everything they could to erase our culture at home, not intentionally or maliciously. They simply wanted their first-generation American children to assimilate into the dominant culture.

They never considered that some people in that dominant culture wouldn’t accept me or that some in my own culture would call me a sell-out because I didn’t meet their expectations.

It took me decades to understand my parents’ predicament and their regrets for some of the decisions they’d made.

They had no idea that their choices would thrust me into an ongoing battle with feelings of worthlessness, self-hatred, and loneliness.

When I married Alan, we received full custody of his seven-year-old boy.

It didn’t take us long to discover we didn’t fit the stereotypes that came with being an interracial couple or a blended family.

Our growing family faced subtle and blatant racism daily in our predominately white world.

Instead of reciprocating with hate or bitterness, we chose to love and encouraged our sons to love all people.

After our youngest son got slapped in the face with a racial slur shouted directly at him when he was in kindergarten, I knew something had to change on a deeper and wider level.

As I prayed, the Lord revealed I was part of the problem.

I was not living out my desire to raise my children in a diverse environment.

Our family grew closer to God and each other in a church that was predominately white.

We had white friends and colleagues.

But the close friends and family we spent the most time with were predominately people of color.

I repented and made a conscious effort to nurture deeper and more authentic relationships with people from all backgrounds.

We still faced racism, subtle and blatant, even within the church and at our son’s Christian school.

We still had to prepare our sons for life in America as black men.

And we still appreciated the gift of being a part of God’s intentionally diverse family.

Standing on the firm foundation of the Bible ̶ the trustworthy and unchanging God-breathed words of Scripture ̶ I can now answer that question with a renewed confidence.

What are you?

I am a Child of God!

We are beloved children of God. Hallelujah!

The Lord knows, cares for, and remains with all of His beloved children (Psalm 139:1-12).

He intentionally designed each of us to be unique with a unified purpose (vv.13-14).

He remains reliable and intimately involved in the lives of all His children (vv. 15-18).

God affirms people are not our enemies (vv. 19-22).

And He accepts our invitation to reveal our sinful attitudes, our biases, and the ungodly expectations we place on ourselves and others as He helps us live for Him (vv. 23-24).

What are we?

We are beloved children of God!

When we struggle, stray, or slip into believing the enemy’s lies about our worth and our purpose, when we don’t fit in or feel like we belong, God reminds us we belong to Him.

I thank God for our differences and our sameness as God’s beautifully diverse and purposefully connected people.

I’m grateful you are special and different like me.

Today, I want to celebrate you, and every other amazing person God created and uses to work together for His glory and our good, by giving away one copy of Different Like Me.

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How can you enter for your chance to receive the giveaway copy of Different Like Me?

Share something about yourself that God has helped you see as special, something that helps you serve Him and others in a way that is unique to you.

If you are a parent, I would love to know how you have intentionally equipped and encouraged your children to celebrate diversity?

I’ll be announcing the recipient of this giveaway copy of Different Like Me on Wednesday, July 8, 2020.

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I cannot do anything without God or your ongoing prayers, encouragement, and support.

How can you help?

You can spread the word about Different Like Me.

You can love your neighbors and buy extra copies of Different Like Me to share as gifts.

You can donate copies of Different Like Me to your local schools, libraries, children’s ministry leaders, or foster care organizations.

You can pre-order your copies of Different Like Me for only $9.99 each on Amazon today!

And if you enjoy reading Different Like Me, you can write a short Amazon review.

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To write an Amazon review, all you have to do is answer three questions?

1. What did you like about Different Like Me?
2. What didn’t you like about Different Like Me? (optional)
3. Would you recommend Different Like Me to others?

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Thanks for joining me in this exciting ministry outreach as we celebrate our differences and our sameness as God’s beautifully diverse and purposefully connected people.

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CONGRATULATIONS, Karen Foster! You have been selected to receive a signed copy of Different Like Me. I will email you with details. I am thankful for every one of you who showed courage by sharing your story.
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How to Avoid a Spiritual Drought

During our first full year in Wisconsin, Alan and I met wonderful people and missed the wonderful people we’d left on the West Coast. We celebrated great news and grieved great losses. We struggled with adjusting to the extreme winter temperatures and enjoyed watching my service dog, Callie, romping in the snow.

As my health declined, I struggled to finish writing, editing, and spreading the word about my first full-length devotional, Waiting for God: Trusting Daily in God’s Plan and Pace. (Click here to find out what readers are saying about Waiting for God.)

Alan got tired of caregiving and I grew weary of struggling with pain management and fatigue. We stuck together and picked each other apart as frustrations continued to overwhelm us.

I praised God with steadfast faith and reacted with a complaining spirit when the days felt too-long and too-hard.

After one of my difficult days, Callie licked away my tears and snuggled next to me until we fell asleep.

Why was I so exhausted?

After much prayer, I realized I was in a spiritual drought.

Although I had been studying the Bible for my writing and speaking ministry, I wasn’t communing with God when I read Scripture. Instead of listening for His voice, I worked to understand everything I read. I craved the structured and often lengthy quiet time I used to enjoy before our move and before my health declined, instead of enjoying His loving and powerful presence.

I knew I wasn’t physically able to do the things I used to do, but became upset when what I could do didn’t seem like enough.

As I wrote that sentence, I finally understood that God had been allowing me to embrace my weakness and rely on His strength.

He was helping me internalize the message He helped me share through Waiting for God!

My loving Lord reminded me that the struggle was a good thing . . . a necessary thing that helped me realize I needed to surrender to the slowness as I saturated my heart with God’s Living Word.

Still, I missed God!

I enjoyed pouring into others each day and supporting people in prayer. God continued to deepen my faith as I watched Him working in and through the lives of others, and in and through my life as I practiced relying on Him one breath at a time. I still thanked God each time He encouraged me through notes from readers.

But I missed Him!

So, I made the commitment to read through the Bible in a year again.

I started using the Our Daily Bread Ministries Bible in a Year reading schedule on January 1, 2020. (You can find the Bible in a Year daily readings under the titles of the articles you receive when you subscribe to the Our Daily Bread encouragement devotions, which are available in multiple languages via email or print.)

I invited others to join me, too.

God is refreshing my spirit as I read portions of the Old and New Testaments for familiarity each day.

Sometimes, it’s tempting to stop and dig deeper. But the Lord keeps reminding me that I need to remain in listening mode. I’ll have plenty of opportunities for deeper study as He leads me through writing and speaking messages.

But for now, I’m savoring the pleasure and the privilege of sitting in His presence . . . opening my heart to hearing His voice.

I’m saying, “Here I am, Lord.” And I’m waiting with a listening spirit . . . expectantly.

How do we avoid a spiritual drought?

We can surrender to the Holy Spirit, who Jesus refers to as Living Water in John 7:37-39, every moment of every day. He will be our strength, our peace, our hope, as He illuminates the meaning of Scripture and empowers us to live in courageous obedience and faith.

During my spiritual drought, I missed God. But I am so grateful He never gave up on me, never left me, and never stopped revealing Himself to me.

In many ways, 2019 was one of the toughest years in my faith-journey. But now, I can understand why the writer of Psalm 119 can sing with confidence: “It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees. The law from your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.” (v. 71-72)

If you’re interested in joining me as I read through the Bible in a Year using the Our Daily Bread Ministries reading schedule, please comment below.

I will be sharing what God is doing through this adventure on my blog.

I’m looking forward to hearing what the Lord is doing in and through your journey, too.

I’d also like to invite you to join me for another adventure.

To celebrate the new year, I decided to continue a tradition I’ve enjoyed since 2005.

I love buying Bibles and asking God who He wants me to bless with the gift of His Holy Word.

This year, Callie helped me choose a Bible and a pack of Bible tabs for the person God placed on my heart to receive the first Bible giveaway of 2020. I’m excited to say that she is reading through the Bible in a year with me. Hallelujah!

Would you prayerfully consider starting or continuing this tradition with me?

How many Bibles can we give away this year?

What would happen if we prayed for the recipients of these Bibles together?

I look forward to hearing from you and growing closer to God with you this year.

Thanks for being a part of my blog family!

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If you haven’t read Waiting for God: Trusting Daily in God’s Plan and Pace, you can order copies on Amazon, at Barnes and Nobel, from Christian Book, and through Our Daily Bread Publishing.

Love your neighbors by ordering extra copies to share as gifts!

If you have read Waiting for God, I would appreciate it if you would write a short review on Amazon and the Our Daily Bread Publishing website.

Reviews make a difference in so many ways.

You can write a review by answering these questions:

  1. What did I like about this book?
  2. What did I not like about the book? (optional)
  3. Would I recommend this book to others?

Thanks for your prayers, encouragement, and ongoing support, Blog Family! It is my pleasure and privilege to pray for you!

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Waiting for God – Chapter 4 – Just Say the Word

When God blessed me with the opportunity to serve as Emma Mae’s writing coach, I never expected He would use her to ignite my faith and free me from the chains of unforgiveness I thought I had broken and left behind me.

Though I believed I had forgiven the people who hurt me in the past, I allowed their behavior to hinder me from moving forward in Spirit-empowered courage and confidence. When I forgave them . . . with all my heart . . . God wrapped me in peace and assured me that He would not be wasting the heartaches.

When I remain focused on the Lord and tuned into His Word, I won’t be so worried about my reputation or bound by what others think about me. Spiritual growth requires the ebbing and flowing of surrendering our wills so we can submit to His authority.

I’m ready to praise the Lord as you share your comments or your answers to the reflection questions in the comment section below.

Reflection Questions

  1. Why is it hard to wait for God to handle our reputations when we’re feeling attacked?

When I feel like I’m under attack, it’s not easy to remember that God is working behind the scenes. The Lord is working all things out for the good of all who love Him. But I don’t always want to care about the “good of all who love Him” when I’m the one hurting and waiting for Him to work things out. If I keep focusing on my feelings, I won’t be able to release my grip on my desire for my definition of justice. But when I focus on Jesus, He will help me cling to what I know is truth‒Scripture‒and help me shrug off the lies I’m tempted to believe.

  1. What lies or opinions of others have you chosen to believe about yourself?

Someone told me that “no one would ever love me” and that I was “useless.” When I first heard the Gospel, I struggled with the thought of Jesus dying for me because He loved me.

 

  1. How can knowing what God says about us help increase our confidence and courage as we wait for Him to work in and through our situations?

When we read the Bible, God plants seeds of truth in our hearts and minds. The more time we spend with Him, the more we get to know and trust Him, the more we will understand He does not lie. Through our intimate relationship with Christ, the Holy Spirit can help us believe the unchanging words of Scripture. We can remember the God-breathed words of Scripture are God’s words, infallible and unchanging. Jesus is the Word and He is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hallelujah!

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To find out more about Emma Mae Jenkins, check out her Facebook page and her YouTube channel. You can read the article about Emma Mae’s response to being bullied on CBN.

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If you’re just joining the conversation and would like to share your thoughts on the previous chapters, I’ve posted the links below.

End-of-Chapter Questions

Chapter 1 – The Weight of Waiting

Chapter 2 – It’s Not All About Me

Chapter 3 – Holy Vision

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*** Thanks for joining me to discuss the Waiting for God end-of-chapter questions. Please remain focused on what God is doing in and through your life and refrain from sharing full names or personal information (yours or anyone else’s) so we can keep this blog family a safe place to share. All comments will be monitored and modified to maintain a loving and encouraging atmosphere that is glorifying to the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I look forward to growing with you.

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To order your copy of Waiting for God or to love your neighbor by ordering extra copies to share as gifts, please take a look at my book page.

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I look forward to having you join the conversation!

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