Guest Blog: People’s Expectations Versus God’s Excellence

 I love this young lady! Before I ever knew Folsom Myers, I observed her as she worked a job in the college dining hall and exhibited such a godly spirit, not in a spooky way, but in a fun, bright mannerism.  One day while riding a college bus on one of my husband's Chicago history trips, Folsom and I got to know one another, and we became fast friends. Throughout her tenure as a student, Folsom often stopped by my office and we would chat a while. Sometimes she would share her beautiful poetry that she had written with me. Folsom is such a vibrant young lady, that it doesn't take long to see right past the fact that she deals with a crippling disease.  I'm so blessed to call Folsom Blue Myers my friend!

Genesis 37:19  “And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh.”

Do the people in your life think that you could never accomplish the great dream God has placed in your heart?  Perhaps you are too young, old, naïve, or shy?  Maybe others feel that you are not mentally, physically, spiritually, or emotionally strong enough to achieve such a grandiose task?

Joseph’s brother’s thought he was simply the spoiled, favorite son of their aging father.  They ridiculed him for the dream that God had given him.  They despised him for it even.  Those in David’s life, too, thought that he would neither conquer the giant nor reign as king: 

1Samuel 16:11  “And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There  remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep.”

1Samuel 17:28  “And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.”

1Samuel 17:33  “And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.”

In both Biblical accounts, all those finding fault in the dreams of these two young men had negated one thing when forming their expectations: God’s excellence!  Truthfully, Joseph and David probably weren’t strong enough in their own power to accomplish the goals which God had laid out for them, but in God’s power, they could do all—and more still!

I want you to now take a moment to consider two things:

1.       What seemingly unreachable goal has God given you?

2.      Have you ever dismissed or discouraged another from pursuing what you felt would be an impossible task?  Whom?  What did you discourage them from setting out to achieve?

Write the answers to both questions on an index card.  

Now, you must decide.  Is the excellence of God enough to override other’s expectations as you set out to accomplish your dream?   Is the greatness of God enough to compel you to believe your loved one might achieve what they wish, as well?   The answer is most definitely “yes,” but you’ll need something to help during times of discouragement, for they will come. 

 Here’s one more task for you to complete before you set out with God to make your dreams come true:

Go to God’s Word and find six verses: three to encourage yourself  and three more to pass on to that friend of yours!

Guest Post: "Reluctant Readers" by Jennifer Bailey

I love to read, and I wish everyone else did too...BUT I know from my years of teaching English that there are just many people who just don't enjoy perusing a good book like I do.  Although anyone of any age can learn to love reading, the best case scenario is to teach kids when they are young.  All of my kids like to read, but they didn't all come by it naturally--they had to be nurtured into a love of reading. My neice Jennifer has a wonderful blog called "A Good Book."  She features many great articles on reading and showcases many good, wholesome books for kids. In this article she gives several great recommendations for kids and adults alike who are "reluctant readers." The link to her blog will be at bottom of the article.

 

Reluctant Readers

Do you have a reluctant reader in your family of little ones? Are you yourself a reluctant reader and want your children to acquire a love for reading? Here are a few tips for helping your child or even yourself become an Avid Reader instead of a Reluctant Reader.

1. Read, Read, Read! Now, that may sound incredulous since the problem is the person in question does not like to read. To quote one of my literature heroes, Dr. Jim Trelease, "The more you read, the better you get at it, the better you get at it, the more you like it, the more you like it, the more you do it!" It's that way with anything in life. The more you like something, the more you want to do it! I love to scrap book!! I am going to want to choose scrap booking over laundry any day. However, the more I do my laundry, the happier I am I did!! It's the same with reading. The more you or your child reads the better you/he will become at it and will want to do it more often.
Most of the time, the reason someone is a reluctant reader is because they struggle with reading. The more you do something, the better you become at it! So, if you or your child is a reluctant reader, read, read, read!!
2. Find a book about something which interests the reader. If your son is not enjoying reading, find a book about his favorite sport, cars, animals, or whatever else might interest him. For a sport enthusiast, find him a biography about an athlete he enjoys. If he likes horses, get him a Black Stallion book! There is a book for every interest!! Make the effort to steer your child towards books that interest him. He will develop a love for reading faster if he is reading about something that is exciting to him.
3. Insist that they read!! Not too many children are excited about taking a bath, but we insist they do! No too many children are excited about cleaning their room, but we insist that they do! Not too many children are excited about eating their vegetables, but we insist that they do! Ok, you get the point!! If a child is not excited about reading, insist that they do!! Make it fun for them. Often, a parent will make a chart or set a goal for a child in order to motivate him to do the chores he is not excited about doing. Well, we can do the same for reading!! Make a contest out of it! This summer, set a goal of a certain number of books for your child to read. If they reach that goal, reward them with a trip to Dairy Queen or to their favorite toy store or park, etc. Children will do that which is fun to them. Make reading exciting, but also insist that they do it. For older children, set aside a half hour or hour each day during the summer that is their time to sit quietly and read. As parents, we all want what is best for our children. Reading is definitely best for them!!
4. Read aloud to a reluctant reader. Reading aloud is an advertisement for the fun of reading. Make the book come alive and you will interest your child in that book. Choose a book from a series and create a curiosity in your child to read more books and find out what happens to the characters. Reading aloud is one of the greatest tools we have at our exposure for helping a reluctant reader to want to read, yet, so few of us utilize it. Take the time to read aloud on a consistent basis and you will be amazed at the interest it will develop in your reluctant reader.
One of our most important goals as a parent/teacher should be to help our children/students develop a love for reading. I hope these few tips help you do just that! Happy Reading!!

Considering My Freedom by Erica Lerisse

 I love the fact that Erica wrote this essay especially because I just finished a phenomenal Bible study about breaking free from the chains than bind a Christian. I love her summary!:


 Because of recent books that I have read, the question has remained in my mind: "Who bought my freedom?" I think about the years between 1776-1779.  The  War of Independence was fought and the Declaration of Independence signed, and although the colonists' independence from the English  government was declared, that secured no freedom for my people---they were still enslaved on tobacco and cotton fields in those newly freed colonies.

Then I consider the war of 1812 and  the French and Indian War--they secured no freedom for my people.  The battle at the Alamo was fought, and though Texans gained alot and the USA gained a new state, The blacks were still in chains.  Skirmishes here and wars there, and then there was the Civil War.  Although one result of this war was the emancipation of the slaves, you do not have to read many history books to know that freedom was still far off for the slaves.  Immediately following the emacipation, Jim Crow was still the law of the land, lynchings were legal and frequent and any black man daring to raise his eyes to the same level of a white woman or man South of the Mason-Dixon Line, soon found out just how free he really was.1914 bought WW1  but the blacks couldn't fight in that war.  1934 ushered in WW2 and still German POWs had more freedom within the boarders of the USA than did black US citizens and soldiers!---Amazing.  In considering all these things, I realize that though these wars did not make my people free, as a black woman living in the 21st century, I do now enjoy the privileges of freedom because of  those wars being fought and won.  But still where did MY freedom come from?

Then people like the Tuskegee Airmen came on the scene paving the way for integration of the armed forces. Lynchings finally became illegal, although the KKK was still protected by local officials. Thurgood Marshall won cases integrating the public schools; Rosa Parks sparked a revolution; Martin Luther King marched in peace for equal rights; and Jim Crow was legally put to death.  Finally, the blacks began to taste freedom; but still who won my freedom?

  Who won it for me?  John 8:36-"If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed."!
Even had I been the victim in shackles in the belly of a slave ship, I could still be free in Christ Jesus my Lord.  In chains, bent over in the Alabama heat on a cotton field, I could still be free.  On the back of the bus or in a Jim Crow train car, I could still be free.  So once again my troubled spirit has found peace, peace in my Lord Jesus Christ, who has made me free!