Blog Archives
10 Day Diet Plan
Welcome to the 10 Day Col. Diet! I’m glad you made it. And I hope you make it back everyday and participate! Starting today and for the next 9 days you will find a healthy dose of Colossians as well as a challenge for personal application. Every time you stop by, go ahead a leave a quick comment to let us know you were here. Each comment gives you an entry into a drawing. The more you comment, the more chances you have to win! The winner will get their choice of one of these book options: The Message (in denim color), Come Along, and What Happens When Women Walk in Faith.
Ready to get started?
Today’s Diet Dose: Read Colossians 1:1-14 & Colossians 4:2-4
The beginning and the end.
It’s the first and last thought on Paul’s mind.
Prayer.
Communication between friends, quiet moments listening, intimate soul searching talks.
In my journey, prayer has come and gone and come again.
I remember a time, maybe 3 or 4 years ago, where all I wanted to study was prayer. Then my depression kicked in and I moved into an isolated, lonely place hiding from God. However, God brought me back with a new desire for prayer in my life.
Prayer for some people is quiet time, reflection, meditation. It may include certain steps or move in a particular sequence. Some people record their prayers in notebooks or journal their way through prayer.
Today, God is teaching me an art of prayer that never ceases – an ongoing open dialogue that moves throughout the day. It has no rules or any boundaries. And I like it!
We always pray for you, and we give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. For we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all of God’s people, which come from your confident hope of what God has reserved for you in heaven. You have had this expectation ever since you first heard the truth of the Good News.Col 1:3-5(NLT)
This new outlook has brought new meaning to “we always pray for you.” Earlier in my journey those words sounded very intimidating. I imagined a monk in a hole somewhere with a large scroll and quill pen bringing constant supplication to the Father. (Not that there is anything wrong with that!) But if you read Paul’s writings you know he was very busy. Sure he had his solitude moments in jail. But, even in jail, read what he encourages us to do in Col 4:2-4:
Pray diligently. Stay alert, with your eyes wide open in gratitude. Don’t forget to pray for us, that God will open doors for telling the mystery of Christ, even while I’m locked up in this jail. Pray that every time I open my mouth I’ll be able to make Christ plain as day to them. (The Message)
Paul was always looking for opportunities to share Christ. He could have huddled quietly in the corner asking the guards not to disturb him because he was praying.
Of course, there are times when quiet solitude is absolutely necessary and vital for our health. But, prayer doesn’t have to be quiet. Nor does it have to be the same each and every day.
Prayer.
- consistent, constant, never-ending
- eager, persistent, tireless
- watchful, vigilant, spirited
Always praying, diligent and alert. That was Paul’s prayer life. How about yours?
Challenge: Take a base line measurement of your prayer life. How do you pray, when do you pray, do you have any rules to prayer? Then spend a few moments in evaluation. Allow God to speak to your heart about how He desires prayer to work for you.
Subscribe to Heart Reflections by Email —>Have the 10 day diet sent directly to your inbox!
for further consideration:
Take Time to Listen Today (quiet listening prayer)
Is Prayer Important (why pray)
Victories in Prayer (answers to prayer)
Behind Worry
You have one last day to participate in the Week Of Worry! How fun! You can participate by adding comments to any of the posts from this week. You can also post your own thoughts and link it to W.O.W.! Remember, each time you participate you are entered to win a new book by Jane Rubietta called Come Along. Don’t miss out!
Last night my preacher hubby and I discussed the “origins” of worry. Here are some of his thought provoking questions:
- is worry an expression of control?
- is worry a desire to have power over your life?
- could worry ultimately be a sin of idolatry?
I am becoming more and more convinced that worry can be “cured” by coming close to Christ.
Read or listen to “I Am” by Mark Schultz and see if knowing who God is {I Am} calms your heart.
I am the maker of the Heavens
I am the bright and morning star
I am the breath of all Creation
Who always was
And is to come
I am the One who walked on water
I am the One who calmed the seas
I am the miracles and wonders
So come and see
And follow me
You will know
I am the fount of living water
The risen Son of man
The healer of the broken
And when you cry
I am your savior and redeemer
Who bore the sins of man
The author and perfecter
Beginning and the end
I am
I am the spirit deep inside you
I am the word upon your heart
I am the One who even knew you
Before your birth
Before you were
I am almighty God your father
The risen son of man
The healer of the broken
And when you cry
I am your savior and redeemer
Who bore the sins of man
The author and perfecter
Beginning and the end
I am
What’s behind your worries today?
Worry Week
At the beginning of the year I wrote to some of my favorite blog writers and asked them if they would be interested in participating in What’s on Your Mind ’09. Many said yes and a few continue even today. Karen is one.
So when Karen said she wanted to hear from others this week about worry I jumped on the case. I thought we could use this entire week to devote to the subject instead of just the meme’s traditional Tuesday posts and really facilitate conversation. All participants will be entered in a drawing for a free book, winner announced Friday.
One of my favorite scriptures on worry comes from Matthew 6. (NIV, bold print my emphasis)
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
I’ve always found comfort in this passage. It helps me focus on who I am in Christ instead of the source of my worry.
On a scale of 1 to 10 [1 being low, 10 being high] where’s your worry meter today?
W.O.W.
Welcome to the Week of Worry. Sounds fun, right? Write your own post about worry, comment on the posts here on worry, write a note on facebook about worry & you’ll be in the W.O.W. drawing for this book. Winner announced Friday. Need more direction? See What’s on Your Mind ’09. W.O.W. will be held in place of Tuesday’s What’s on Your Mind. (if you can’t see the box below, click on it away)
Change in Perspective + a giveaway!
Who are the people in your life that bring out the best in you?
Your parents?
Your children?
A neighbor?
A friend?
I had the pleasure of reading a new book by Andy Andrews called The Noticer.
Andy Andrews is author to one of my favorite books The Traveler’s Gift. So I knew his new book would be one to count on. It did not disappoint.
The book finds everyday people in real-life, relatable dilemmas. People who feel hopeless, in conflict, or full of anxiety. Mysteriously an interesting character named Jones appears and somehow knows all about the person in trauma. He knows their name, their struggle and even the others involved.
Jones is well known in the town. Yet no one knows where he lives or where he came from. But what they do know – Jones offers perspective.
A few of my favorite Jones’ quotes:
“If you set your mind on loss, you are more likely to lose… But a grateful perspective brings happiness and abundance into a person’s life.”
“Many people who worry too much say that they cannot focus… Worry is focus! But it is focus on the wrong things… [instead] be grateful. After all, the seeds of depression cannot take root in a grateful heart.”
“there is no difference between a person who intends to do things differently and the one who never thinks about it in the first place. Have you ever considered how often we judge ourselves by our intentions while we judge others by their actions? Yet intention without action is an insult to those who expect the best from you.”
Lately I’ve been dealing with perspective issues myself. In researching the peace of God I came across some interesting insights that the Bible offers. Peace, a gift from above, can be cultivated in a thankful heart. (You can read more about that here: Practical Peace.) So I was thrilled to read Jones offering the same advice to others going through hard times.
Author, Andy Andrews, was a recipient of Jones’ perspective. And in Jones’ honor he began a worldwide campaign called The Noticer Project. He urges all of us to “notice” influential people in our lives. So, today, I want to point out 3 wonderful people…
- My husband – Sunday is his busiest day of the week. Yet, this Sunday, he told me to rest, as he could see I was struggling. He continues to support me when I’m down and when I’m up. He doesn’t give up me… even when I feel like I’ve already given up on myself.
- [&3] My Mom and Dad. Even though they live 300 miles away, they still are my rock of support. Their voice over the phone can calm me instantly. In addition, they have such a beautiful relationship with our 2 daughters. It’s such a pleasure to hear their conversations.
Now it’s your turn! Leave a comment with the name of someone who has influenced you. This post will be open through Thursday, April 30. On Friday, May 1st, one random commenter will receive a free copy of The Noticer!
Come back tomorrow, Tuesday, for What’s on Your Mind. This edition features – Stones of Remembrance.
Darlene Schacht is here plus a GIVEAWAY!
Welcome! I am thrilled to have Darlene here 
sharing her thoughts on writing, motherhood, and answering your questions! Also, she is offering a FREE book to one of our commenters, which will be picked randomly, and posted Friday, October 24th. So, don’t forgot to leave your comments on this interview!
Tea With Tiffany asked: And as a writer, I’d be interested in reading about her writing journey. [How did you get started?]
I started online. Unless I consider the countless coil notebooks I’ve filled over the years with jots of my thoughts, but let’s not.
It started with a blog called “What Would Jesus Blog?” about four years ago, where I found myself primarily writing humor. My family and friends were a huge encouragement, which I think was the boost I needed to seriously pursue this dream.
I had wanted to write for several years already, but up to that point my writing had been rather dry–it was more technical, and matter of fact, than it was creative.
Once I had a few stories written there, I started to approach small publishers such as our local newspapers, and Christian websites. Through online friends I discovered writing opportunities, through which two articles were published by Thomas Nelson and Tyndale Publishing.
I polished and compiled the stories I had written on my blog, which is what I now have published in my own book “The Mom Complex.”
Over the past few years, I have veered off from humor writing somewhat, but I do enjoy the relaxed style I gleaned from that, and that is something I still carry in my writing at Christian Women Online. I like to have fun!
Most recently I have been hanging my hat over at Live Well, which is a monthly column I carry at Christian Women Online. Live Well takes readers on a Christ-centered journey through weight-loss to freedom. It’s been going so well, that I’ve teamed up with actress Candace Cameron Bure to write a book on the Live Well premise. Our agent is currently seeking a publisher for us, so I’m excited about that one!
Mama Zen asked: I’d like to learn more about the online magazine. [Why did you start the magazine? How does it get "published"? Who is your target audience? What types of articles are included? How many people subscribe?]
While still writing at WWJB? I decided to venture out and get some of my humorous articles published, and so I started approaching small publications including websites. While doing so, I heard a voice telling me, “You can do this yourself. Why not just start your own site?” That voice was my husbands, who has always been the biggest supporter of Christian Women Online.
When I get an idea, I move quickly, and so within about six hours I had a small team of writers gathered and I was working on a design. I had really only expected us to have a little writing site-a team blog sort of thing-but the gears started turning and I figured, why not put in the extra time and design it like a magazine? I didn’t know that online magazines already existed, in fact I was a little shy about calling it a magazine since the technical name is ezine, but when it’s your baby, you can call it what you want, right?
My goal has always been about content first-traffic last. I like diversity, and most of all-I like truth. I need the articles to be spiritual. Even if we’re only discussing Grilled Cheese sandwiches, I want Jesus to be in the kitchen with us.
The blogroll was quite an interesting endeavor. I needed about six bloggers to start, and ever dreamed I’d even have a hundred members, but the blogrollhas been one of the biggest parts of who we are as a website. After all, it’s a great way of uniting women of faith.
We have something like 4,000 blogroll members, maybe more now. And we have 2,600 regular subscribers.
I think that the site has had the greatest appeal to stay-at-home moms since so many of them connect through blogging.
Elizabeth said: When I saw this phrase, I knew this book would be important for me to read: It urges us to search inside ourselves, so that we may uncover the path that God has placed our feet on. 
[Can you tell us more about your book?]
The book is a collection of humorous stories that stem from my childhood through to my life as a mom. It’s about finding God’s hand through the chaos of life-the joys amidst the toys.
I think that many moms are so frazzled with life as it is today, that they are always looking to the next destination in hopes of relief. What I hope the book will show them is that peace and joy are right beneath our feet, we just need to dust off the path to see it. If only we could all enjoy the bumpy ride while it lasts!
Elaine asked: Can you tell us more about the self-publishing world?
I’ll start by saying that I don’t believe that an author sells a book as much as a book sells an author! Having a book in hand is a great way to promote yourself as a writer. It opens so many doors that may not have been opened before.
There are two main ways of publishing in the self-publishing world. One is print-on-demand, and the other is what our company does “short-run publishing.”
Some print-on-demand companies will offer to print your book for free, so customers order the book (at a hefty price) and it’s printed and sent out directly to them. That’s okay for someone who isn’t a serious author, but if you want to promote your writing, you need books on hand.
With short-run publishing, you can order anywhere from 50-200 books (or more) and because you pay a low price you make a profit on each. Authors use the 200 books for book signing parties, online book tours, speaking engagements, giveaways, self-promotion, local bookstores, listings on Amazon, etc. That’s where the book sells them!
The other difference is that with print-on-demand, you get what you send. If you send a book in for print and it doesn’t have a bar code, or the cover your nephew designed doesn’t fit quite right, it comes off the press that way. Whereas a company like http://www.artbookbindery.com (our company) works alongside the author through the process and aids in the layout and design. This ensures that the books are print perfect.
You can read more about writing and self-publishing at my Writing Fundamentals website: www.writingfundamentals.com
My monthly column: http://www.christianwomenonline.net/live_well.html
My Websites:
www.christianwomenonline.net
www.darleneschacht.com
www.writingFUNdamentals.com
Thanks Darlene! Also, thank you for the free book to one of our commenters. Please leave your thoughts or follow-up questions for Darlene in order to enter the drawing for her inspiring book. The winner will be posted on Friday, October 24th.
Q & A with Darlene Schacht
I have a great honor and privilege to interview Darlene Schacht on my blog this month. Below are some facts on Darlene. What interests you? Would you like advise on writing? How to break into the writing world? Do you want to know more about her career? More on her family life? More on the online magazine? Take a look and then cast your vote by adding a comment.
About Darlene Schacht:
- She is a Christian mother of four whose children range in ages from seven to sixteen.
- Darlene lives in Manitoba, Canada.
- She and her husband run a company that empowers writers to self-publish.
- Darlene is the founder and editor of Christian Women Online Magazine.
- She writes a monthly column inspiring women to a Christ-centered journey through weight loss.
- Her articles have been published in print, online, and in her own book.
- Darlene hosts a blog called Writing Fundamentals.
Darlene will be also be sharing information on her latest project AND be giving away a copy of her book, The Mom Complex! Your comment here this weekend will enter you for the drawing! (you will have additional chances when we post the interview)
The Mom Complex is a collection of stories that are written both to humor and to inspire the soul of mothers who are seeking daily devotion with God. It urges us to search inside ourselves, so that we may uncover the path that God has placed our feet on. It’s on that path, where we often discover that His plan for our life is different than ours.
I look forward to hearing from you! Happy Weekend!
Offering hope and joy for all irritable mothers!
Today we are talking with Karen Hossink. Karen is a wife, mother, speaker and author. Her ministry, which truly is God-lead, is called Irritable Mother and her blog is called Surviving Motherhood. Would you like to receive a FREE copy of one of Karen’s books? Read on and leave your comments for a chance to win!
And the winner is…
Congratulation to Elle Bee our blog design winner! Random.org picked her lucky number! Elle Bee, feel free to contact Judi or wait until she emails you! Congrats! Read the rest of this entry
Surprise! Plus an Interview and a GIVEAWAY!
Take a look around! Do you like the design? If so, what do you like? Would you change anything?
I’ve been having a ball working with a great designer named Judi at DoodleBug Designs! Judi has a surprise for YOU too! She is giving away a FREE premade template for your own blog! For those of you who do not have a blog, I have a special giveaway just for you! Read on! Read the rest of this entry
