Wonder Women

Are You Ready for the Challenge?

When I was participating in the Body for Life Challenge this September, I started thinking that I had a lot in common with Bill Phillips. Nope, not the big muscles or the big bucks! I could relate to his passion for sharing a new life. Bill wanted to share the new healthy life possible through physical fitness. I want to share the new life possible through spiritual fitness.

I got the idea for a New Life Challenge using prayer as exercise and Bible reading as nutrition this summer. But if not for Deb and Phyllis I wouldn't have run with it. Pardon the exercise pun! I am so thankful for their encouragement and for God's grace allowing me to prepare this challenge for January 5th, 2009.

I'm often asked how I "do it." Now I can tell you: take the New Life Challenge! It's free. Choose one goal, spend ten minutes and fifteen to twenty minutes reading the Bible's New Testament each day, and watch your spiritual muscles develop. Check out the website, download the challenge guide, sign up for the weekly newsletter, participate in the forum, and get ready for a new you in 2009! No matter what your goal, God can get you there. If He can change me, He can change anyone.

Change is always easier when you aren't going it alone. Please share the www.newlifechallenge.net website with friends and family members and encourage them to join you in taking the challenge.

Disappointed in Someone?

As long as I can remember, I've struggled with disappointment. When things didn't happen as planned, when friends let me down, when my boyfriend didn't show up for a date (yes, that happened on numerous occasions!), I moved beyond disappointment to depression. I had such high hopes! And being a mostly positive, forgiving person, I set myself up for further disappointment. You know the saying, "Fool me once, shame on me"? My motto was, "Fool me once, fool me twice, fool me three times...gee, this is disappointing." 

Since learning about Fools from Fool-Proofing Your Life by Jan Silvious, I've been fooled less often. But I have still battled disappointment. Sure, I know that my hope is in God, not in others, and certainly not in myself! But until God's answer to my most recent disappointment, I was still very discouraged by what people in my life were doing or not doing. 

This morning I read this verse, Isaiah 40:31: but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

For me, hoping in the Lord was more like hoping that God would change my Fools so they wouldn't keep disappointing me. This morning, however, I realized that God is not asking me to hope in what He will do for me, but hope in Who He is. And He is the One Who never disappoints. He is perfect and holy and just and loving and beautiful. The beginning and the end. He is everything and anything that is good. I can COUNT on Him! If I had nothing and no one else, I would have more than enough. 

When I am disappointed and discouraged, I am weak and exhausted. I feel like Elijah in the wilderness. Elijah became so overwhelmed by disappointing Fools, that he just wanted to give up. That's the result of hoping in yourself and hoping in someone else. But when we hope in the Lord, there isn't anything too hard for us. We have the energy and the stamina to persevere!

Today I keep singing one of my favorite contemporary songs:

Our hope is in You, Lord...

Our strength is in You, Lord...

In You, it's in You!

If you are disappointed today, draw near to the God who will never, ever let you down.

I'm Not OK, You're Not OK

I promised you another book review and here it is!

Years ago, I met Shelley through an online writers group. She was looking for a psychologist to do a little writing for her humorous look at the subject of mental health. I was more than happy to oblige! I read Shelley's book and laughed out loud. That says a lot! I rarely laugh out loud at books.

I got to know Shelley and understood why I was laughing: she is very, very funny! She's the only person who's ever written a Christmas letter that I think should be published! Although the book is funny, it deals with a serious subject that Shelley is intimately familiar with. She does a great job at attacking the stigma by being brutally honest.

The book is funny, Shelley is funny, I had great fun writing for her, but that is where the fun part quit until now. Although Shelley was encouraged by many, many publishers, none of them would take the book and run with it. Shelley gave up. When I had a good experience self-publishing, I told Shelley to do the same. So many people I have mentioned her book to had asked, "Where is it? I want it!" So in fairly short order, Shelley has her book published and ready to sell on Amazon. If you know anyone who's not OK, this would make a great Christmas gift!

Check out Shelley's website to read an excerpt of the book and take time to read her blog. She's a riot. I have no doubt that Shelley will be A-OK with you!

Speaking of books!

I just have to tell you how excited I am about a great book for women and girls: Sarah's Garden. My friend Deb and my friend Gregg's daughter, Rebecca, have authored a fabulous new book. The story is a parable of God's love for us and the illustrations are stunning. You'll be even more stunned when you realize that the illustrations were done by a 12-year-old! You can purchase it here. Proceeds will provide a scholarship fund for aspiring artists. How cool is that?

It's been an exciting journey to see this book born. Deb is in my writer's group. I heard her use this parable in a talk she gave at our women's retreat years ago. Because of the good experience I had in self-publishing (especially because I'm also a speaker), I encouraged Deb to get it published. Seeing the progression in Rebecca's art has been something to behold! I have a hard time getting excited about my kids' art now, I tell you! She has truly been gifted by God. I'm so proud of how hard Deb worked to get this book formatted for publication. It was a challenge! Deb named the princess in the book Sarah, after her recently departed mother who was also an artist.

Buy this book as a Christmas gift for any ladies on your list (or for you!) and you'll be blessed.

My next post will be about another book recently published by another friend. You won't want to miss it!

Twilight Update

I've gotten a lot of feedback on my Twilight review and wanted to update you.

First, I talked with someone whose daughter has read the books and she hasn't. She thanked me profusely for my feedback and borrowed my book so she can read it and discuss it with her daughter. I think using this as a means of generating discussion about relationships with your daughters is excellent!

Second, I've heard from some people that they don't want me raining on their Edward parade. LOL I totally get that! I definitely enjoyed the book. Some of us know that there are no men like Edward, but we'd like to indulge the fantasy.

Third, I've heard from some that the books actually get better in terms of moral behavior, i.e. Edward actually resists a sexual relationship as Solomon does in the Song of Solomon (also a great book that can be found in the Bible). I anticipate reading more of the books in the series and may give further reviews in the future.

Finally, I've heard from some that they totally agree with me. One concern I have is this--that my concerns could be used to judge others. I am so grateful that as a Christian I am free from the law. There are Christians who would be very unhappy with many of the choices I make. I gave my review not to sit in judgement of those who read these books or allow their children to, but as food for thought. I trust God enough to allow Him to guide your choices as He does mine. Any finger pointing I do needs to be done in a mirror. :-)

Happy reading!

Twilight

I figure Halloween is as good a time as any to discuss the vampire book craze! My 17yo babysitter is wild about this series. She's been telling me forever that I need to read them. And it's caught on with many of my friends at church as well as lots of teenage girls. So I finally made time to start it. I was up until 2:30 a.m. one night finishing! You might want to check out my friend, Gregg's blog for a humorous take on this girly obsession.

Obviously, it's an engaging book. I don't stay up all night reading boring books. I enjoyed it a lot. BUT...
You probably knew that was coming. :-)

But, I have some concerns I wanted to share with you. I will note when my concerns will also spoil the book in case you haven't read it.

First, the book is a sad commentary on family life today. The 17yo main character fends for herself. Not only that, she must protect her divorced, inept parents. My heart aches for young people in this position and I'm quite sure there is more truth than fiction in this depiction. However, I wouldn't feel comfortable with my daughter reading this book for this reason alone. I do not want her to imagine (any more than may occur naturally) that her parents are clueless and incompetent so that she has to make her own choices. Could you discuss this issue with your daughter before she reads the book? Yes, but if I had any concerns that she was in a rebellious phase, I wouldn't do it.

Second, the book, like every other romance (in my opinion) portrays an unrealistic view of men that leads to disappointment and even divorce. The fact that the 17yo's boyfriend is a vampire is unrealistic. Of course. LOL But honestly, everything else about him is more unrealistic than that! Before I present some spoilers, let me just say that I honestly believe romantic books and movies create discontent in women the way scantily clad women and car advertisements create discontent in men.

I've counseled enough engaged women to know that although they know these romantic expectations aren't realistic, they still cling to them. I know I did! I felt like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman. I wanted it ALL. And though I am married to the hunkiest, toughest man (he's a black belt in jujitsu), who's a great father, provider, and friend, he just isn't ALL.

In So You're Not Wonder Woman, I talk about a vision God gave me of what really happened on my wedding day. I was in my wedding gown, walking down the aisle when suddenly I saw Him--the Groom of my dreams. I know it sounds so corny, but I was marrying Jesus! The look in His eyes still blows me away. I knew beyond a doubt that He would never hurt or disappoint me. He loved me with every fiber of His being and I loved Him more than I've ever loved anyone. I was ready to seal the deal! But then he looked to my right. I followed His eyes and there was my husband in his tux waiting to marry me. Um, he wasn't exactly ALL I wanted. Jesus told me with His eyes that He wanted me to marry my husband. I didn't want to. I knew this very human man would hurt and disappoint me in countless ways! But Jesus insisted, reassuring me that He would be with me always, filling up the empty places and comforting me in the painful, lonely times in my marriage.

Since then, Jesus has been so much more to me than Edward, the vampire boyfriend, could ever be. Reading Twilight was actually a wonderful reminder to me of the passion that I have for Jesus. So if you like Edward, give Jesus your time and attention! He's never tempted to suck your blood.

Now for some spoiler concerns...

Okay, Edward is a phenomenal dresser. You KNOW that isn't realistic. I'm just happy when my husband isn't wearing two conflicting plaids.

Next, he asks the girl questions about herself for two days straight. Any married woman will tell you that she's ecstatic if she's asked a couple of questions about herself in a row and not about where his socks or dinner are!

My serious concern with teen girls reading this book is although there are no sex scenes, the scenes that are there are highly erotic. If I had teenage hormones, I could be scarier than a vampire after reading this book! Not to mention the fact that the main character has her boyfriend IN HER BEDROOM while her father is downstairs. And as the reader, you are really hoping she gets away with it! Not what I want my teenagers to be cheering for.

Finally, you have a teen girl willing to give up everything for a guy and again, the reader is cheering for her! Yikes. Giving up your life for a vampire is cool, so why not turn your back on your faith if you fall in love with an atheist? Why not run away if your parents don't like your boyfriend?

Don't get me wrong. I am not a book burner. I'm a book lover! I so enjoy reading a good book now and then. But books can change us. Beware...not of vampires, but of the scary ideas some books can teach us when we're not looking.