Standing Tall In Difficult Times

I’ve been reading an unusual book on relationships. Though it is written from a psychologist’s standpoint, my faith is so tied into everything I believe, every decision I make, that I would hear what God’s Word says on the subject.

She said, “Stop straddling the fence. Make a choice and own the consequences.” (paraphrased)

I actually liked that thought. However, I asked myself why. Why, and what does the Bible say? Does it agree or disagree? I found my answer in two places. The first comes from the book of James.

If any of you lack wisdom…let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. (James 1:5-8)

Ah! Straddling the fence is the same as being “double minded”. You can’t decide which thing you want, so you place one foot over the left side and the other foot over the right. God’s Word says this brings instability, and I don’t want that!

The other example in found in the book of Revelation.

I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. (Revelation 3:15-16)

Here, God pleads for us to make a choice. He says, “Take a stand. Don’t be lukewarm.” Notice, He also gives the consequence. Have you ever eaten something that didn’t taste like you expected? Did you grimace and swallow anyway or spit it out? Well, God has said what He will do, and I don’t want that either!

But what happens now? You climb off the fence. You will follow God’s answer to your situation no matter what. What is next? Perhaps you are facing an especially difficult situation at your job. Maybe it’s your health or a family relationship that is troubling you.

The author said: “Maybe it’s time to rethink where you are standing as you attempt to resolve your problems…It’s when you come down, determine your course, and start the journey that your life will begin to change. You can’t stand until you find your legs.”

When I read that, the Lord gave me a simple phrase. He said, “Know where to stand. Know how to stand. Know why you are standing.” Here is a powerful truth.

Where do we stand?

And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:6)

We stand in heavenly places with Christ. Every situation we face we approach from the standpoint of who Christ is IN us. There are 78 uses of the phrase “in Christ” in the New Testament. It offers everything from hope to righteousness. I encourage you to study them individually. Find out what Christ has done IN you. Then grab hold of the name of Jesus and the power of God that Jesus’ death and resurrection provided and determine no matter what, you will stand.

How do we stand?

So then, take your stand! Fasten truth around your waist like a belt. Put on God's approval [righteousness, KJV] as your breastplate. Put on your shoes so that you are ready to spread the Good News that gives peace. In addition to all these, take the Christian faith as your shield. With it you can put out all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Also take salvation as your helmet and the word of God as the sword that the Spirit supplies. (Ephesians 6:14-17 GW)

Know this! We do not stand unarmed and inefficient to the task before us. Our heavenly Father has provided everything we need. We have truth. We know God can give us the answer. (Jn 17:17) We have righteousness, or right-standing, with God. This is our new place in life. It is what we now are, being cleansed from sin through faith in Christ. (1Jn 1:9) We seek peace. We pursue it. This means walking in forgiveness toward others, even with those who seem to be against us. (1Pe 3:11) We walk in faith for faith is confidence in God. It is belief that He is faithful to keep His promises. (1Th 5:24) Lastly, we live aware of the complete promises of God’s magnificent salvation. We believe in “exceeding abundantly above,” and we wield God’s Word against the thoughts and strategies of the devil, knowing we are NOT powerless. (Eph 3:20;Heb 11:1;Mk 11:24-25)

The author talks of having realistic expectations. Where man is concerned there is some truth there. You cannot expect of someone what he or she cannot or will not produce. Doing so sets you up for failure. However, if you put God into the situation, then nothing is impossible. He can do what we cannot. (Mt 17:20;Lk 1:37) With God on our side, we must instead raise our expectations. (Ps 118:6)

Why are we standing?

Why not give up and walk away? Because God gave us both choices for any difficulty and then provided the answer.

I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live. (Deuteronomy 30:19)

Choose life and both you AND YOUR SEED will live. My choices today affect more than just my own pathway. Everything I do also affects the future of my daughter and the future of whatever grandchildren I might have. This spurs me on to never give up. Besides, why give up when God promises life?

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (John 10:10)

I know sometimes the way out seems hard. I’ve never said learning to live fearless wasn’t hard for me. On the contrary, it was the most difficult thing I’ve ever done. However, I walked forward each minute of each day hand-in-hand with the Father, knowing where I stood in Christ, why I was standing there, and how I was going to get out. I couldn’t always see beyond the next step, but that was ok. For the next step was all I needed to get where I wanted to go.

The author of this book had one other statement that I think closes out these thoughts perfectly. She said, “Both choices require that you see what you have – the past, see what you want – the present; and see what can be – the future.”

Again, I ask, “What does God’s Word say? What does He provide for my past, present, and future?”

Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13-14)

I think that is more than enough!

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Suzanne
Suzanne Williams Photography
Florida, USA

Suzanne Williams is a native Floridian, wife, and mother, with a penchant for spelling anything, who happens to love photography.

A Short Piece of Advice (For Writers)

This advice takes the form of a popular children's song:

Be careful little eyes what you see.

The best advice I can give any writer learning to write is to watch whose advice you take. I have read hundreds of books, probably thousands, in my 41 years. I have been proofreading for 25 of those years. Consistently, I see people handing out advice who don't know what they are talking about.

So how to judge?

Look at their track record. How long have they been giving writing advice? Look at their success. Who recommends them and why? Look at their networking. How many services do they offer? Do they write often? Most of all, read their articles. Are you learning something from what they say? Is someone else?

Also, large organizations don't necessarily make for good advice. I appreciate someone's references, but their ability to write means more.

Here are my favorite writing advice columns:

Janice Hardy
http://blog.janicehardy.com/

Cecil Murphey
http://themanbehindthewords.com/

Daily Writing Tips
http://www.dailywritingtips.com/

And don't forget, writers must learn about words. It's not enough to rely on an editor or proofreader to correct you. I highly recommend signing up for the newsletters at the websites below.

Alpha Dictionary
http://www.alphadictionary.com/index.shtml

World Wide Words
http://worldwidewords.org/

My last piece of advice is turn on the punctuation/grammar checking tools in Microsoft Word. Believe it or not, it WILL help you prevent many common mistakes.

A good writer will always admit they continue to learn their craft. They strive to become better and are willing to admit their failings. However, be careful whose advice you take along the way. Form good habits and never stop growing.

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Suzanne
Suzanne Williams Photography
Florida, USA

Suzanne Williams is a native Floridian, wife, and mother, with a penchant for spelling anything, who happens to love photography.

Sunday Photographs

This week's photos start with a sunrise. I've seen many nice sunrises from my front porch and they never grow old.

This last set were all taken on a nature walk with my husband in the Green Swamp. It was quite beautiful there.

Saw Palmettoes

Ferns

This Zebra Swallowtail landed on a palmetto front right in front of me.


Pinewoods Trail

I love wildflowers. My husband and I spent considerable time trying to identify the many we saw. I'm unsure what this one is, but it is one of the more unusual we saw.

It was a lovely day. We ended our walk tired and thirsty, but happy. To view the complete set of images - visit my Webshots album.


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Suzanne
Suzanne Williams Photography
Florida, USA

Suzanne Williams is a native Floridian, wife, and mother, with a penchant for spelling anything, who happens to love photography.

Playing With Fire, The Amanda Series, Part 5

Welcome! Below is part 5 of Playing With Fire, the second story in the Amanda series. If you missed Part 4, you can read it below.

As usual, nothing Amanda tries goes smoothly. What role will Bob play in acting it out?

Part 4

So how did this all begin? Purchase the first story in the series at the links below to find out. Only 99 cents! It includes a BONUS not published online.

At Amazon
At Smashwords

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The cab skidded to a halt in the intersection as a bullet streaked in the window glass on one side and out on the other. Amanda ducked down in the seat. Bob’s breath smacked her in the face.

“Dadgumit,” he mumbled.

Suddenly, her car door flung open and two strong arms grabbed her by the legs. In an instant, she stiffened her thighs, taking hold of Bob’s hands.

“Hold tight,” she shouted.

With a powerful upward thrust, she forced the assailant’s head with a crack onto the side of the car and watched as the dark-clothed form slid to the ground.

Releasing Bob’s hands, Amanda leaned and lifted the man’s gun. Looking quickly, she aimed left and right, but there didn’t appear to be anyone else.

“I think this is where we get out,” she said with a gesture at Bob.

Stuffing the gun into her waistband, she yanked him away from the vehicle. The crowd swallowed them. She didn’t slow her pace until they reached a pair of doors, one red and one yellow. Shaking the knob of the red door, it easily swung open, and she pulled Bob inside.

The darkness of the building engulfed them.

“Where are we?” he asked.

Not responding, Amanda moved down the hallway and entered a small office. Encircling the desk, she slid open a drawer and rifled through its contents. The rustle of paper and clatter of pens engulfed the room until triumphant, she extracted a small folder. Slumping down in the desk chair, she spread the papers out before her.

“Say, what’s this?” Confused, Bob loomed over her.

Amanda held up a finger, never moving her gaze from the page. It was enough. Folding the paper, she tucked it inside her jacket. Only then, did she look at Bob.

His face was creased with concern. “You’re not law enforcement are you?” he drawled.

Amanda tented her fingers and then brushed them against her pants.

“No.” She shook her head, “I’m afraid you’ve complicated things.”

Bob sat on the corner of the desk. “Would you care to explain?” he asked.

“There’s no need,” she replied. “We have to deal with it because now you’re involved.”

Bob removed his hat and rubbed his skull. Strands of blond hair stuck up at odd angles. “So what do we do now?”

Amanda rose from the desk and hooked her arm through his. “We go to our hotel as planned.”

“But I don’t get it. Who was that guy?”

Amanda shrugged as they re-entered the hallway. “Him? Just a soldier working for someone else. Who we want is the bigwig, and I think I have a plan.”

The noise of the city reached their ears as they returned to the street. Yes, after reading that paper, she knew exactly what to do, and Bob was going to help.

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Suzanne
Suzanne Williams Photography
Florida, USA

Suzanne Williams is a native Floridian, wife, and mother, with a penchant for spelling anything, who happens to love photography.

Sunday Photographs

Here are the photographs for the week of March 4, 2012.

This grass blooms each spring, and somehow, it always appeals to me with its pinkish color. I have yet to identify the species.


My spring garden is coming along beautifully.


The snapdragons are the stars!


It seems to have been a great year for azaleas, with the warmer weather. I have only one bush, but it did spectacularly.


Here is a Blanket Flower in my garden.


The spring leaves on our cassia tree proved to be a draw to Cloudless Sulphur Butterflies as it is now covered in caterpillars. Visit this link to see what the adult looks like.


Last photo is over another green anole I came across as he wandered down the side of my house.


Suzanne
Suzanne Williams Photography
Florida, USA

Suzanne Williams is a native Floridian, wife, and mother, with a penchant for spelling anything, who happens to love photography.

Playing With Fire, The Amanda Series, Part 4

Welcome! Below is part 4 of Playing With Fire, the second story in the Amanda series. If you missed Part 3, you can read it below.

Paul is about to make an important decision. What effects will that have on his marriage to Amanda? Amanda seems unable to part from the new stranger.

Part 3

Not familiar with the characters? Purchase the first story in the series at the links below for only 99 cents! It includes a BONUS not published online.

At Amazon
At Smashwords

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Paul held his hand suspended over the telephone. Should he do this? What other choice did he have? He gazed back down at the folded paper in his hand. Amanda’s father, Edward, was the only person he knew with enough power to figure this out.

Amanda’s face rose up in his thoughts. She’ll be so angry with him for calling. But she’ll be more upset Yvette is gone.

He sighed and lifted the receiver. He was out of options. His glance fell on the clock. She’d be in the air by now. There was no point in calling her again and he couldn’t leave a message. That was too dangerous.

His fingers shook as he dialed the number. Coughing, he pressed his left hand against his chest. The burning indigestion wouldn’t leave. Who would think peanut butter would give indigestion?

The line pulsed beneath his ear as the call connected.

“Hello?” A deep voice answered on the other end.

“Edward,” Paul stated, and the line fell silent.

“Yes. What is it?” Edward snapped back at him.

Paul coughed again and wished for a drink of water. “It’s Paul, Amanda’s husband.”

“I know who you are,” was the immediate response.

“I…” Paul’s voice trailed away. I, what? I lost Yvette, the kid you didn’t want Amanda to keep. Oh, and I don’t know why or who is responsible. By the way, I’m a complete idiot, but I love your daughter.

“It’s Yvette,” Paul finally said. “Someone’s taken her.”

A persistent buzz resounded in Paul’s ear. He heard a shuffling noise and then a long metallic squeak.

“Amanda can deal with it.”

Paul took the phone from his ear and stared at it. Never let me think he doesn’t know everything that’s going on, he reminded himself. Amanda’s father always had his fingers in every pie, at least where she was concerned. And the niggling idea that Edward was up to something returned.

Anger rose up inside and Paul pushed the phone back to his ear. “I think you know she can’t be reached. I won’t burden her with this,” he stated. “I need your help.”

The metallic squeak re-echoed followed by a thunk. “I’ll send someone,” Edward said. “Stay put.”

The line fell dead and Paul set the receiver back in place. It is as I thought. He knows where we are, and he is up to something.

Paul leaned back on the couch and rubbed at his head. Along with indigestion, he now had a massive headache. He was towing a fine line here and he’d have to be careful. How did that saying go? If you play with fire, you might get burned.

At that, the burning sensation in his chest returned. Where did I put those antacids?

***

“Let me help you with that.” Bob, the cowboy, took Amanda’s bag and slung it over his shoulder.

Amanda sighed. That’s all she needed, Mr. Nice Guy. Before, this wouldn’t have been a problem.

The only reason he annoys me is because I’m married to Paul. Amanda sighed. She’d been trained to use any person as a means to an end. This meant sometimes she had to be exceedingly female.

Being single, it hadn’t been so much of an issue. However now, the only hands she wanted help from were Paul’s. The only eyes she wanted to look into were his. It was definitely a problem.

She had to shake this guy somehow. Unfortunately, she’d discovered he was staying at the same hotel.

Of all the hotels in all the cities, she mourned.

AND he’d invited her to dinner. “My treat,” he’d said.

I don’t have time for this.

Amanda waited while Bob hailed a cab. She had to figure out a way to get away from him, especially tonight. Dinner was one thing, but she had business to attend to after dark.

Bob held the car door for her as she slid onto the seat and then folded his hulking frame in beside her. As usual, his gaze locked onto her face.

How does he manage to smell like wood smoke in the middle of Ireland? She mused.

“So,” he began, “you wanna visit some of them touristy places?”

Amanda clenched her fists in her lap.

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Suzanne
Suzanne Williams Photography
Florida, USA

Suzanne Williams is a native Floridian, wife, and mother, with a penchant for spelling anything, who happens to love photography.

Expectations

And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. (Acts 3:5)

I was thinking in the wee hours this morning about the predicament of a friend. “Why, Lord,” I prayed, “Does she struggle with that? Strangely, she seems content.”

And from inside me, came a still, small voice, “Her expectations aren’t high enough.”

Wow. This is a revelation to me.

Thinking of the stories in the Bible, we see this same problem. In Acts 3, the lame man expected only alms. He was satisfied to sit daily at the gate and receive the pittance people gave him.

Then there’s Moses standing at the burning bush, a miracle in itself. God shares what will be his part in the deliverance of Israel, and what does Moses say? “I am not eloquent…I am slow of speech…slow of tongue.” (Ex 4:10)

How about Gideon? He’s threshing wheat when an angel shows up and calls him a “mighty man of valor.” How does he respond? “Who me? How can I save Israel? My family’s poor and I am the least among them.” (Jdg 6:15)

Now think about Simon Peter. Out fishing all night, he’s caught nothing when Jesus tells him to let down his nets once again. Incredulous, Peter replies, “But, but, but…we tried that already.” (Lk 5:5)

A Pastor I respect has said many times, “I don’t want a cabin in a corner of Gloryland. I want a real pad.” As humorous as that statement is, there is some truth to it. It’s not that we lack expectation. Perhaps you desire only the small cabin in the corner. Yet let me ask you this. What is wrong with expecting a mansion? Maybe you need to raise your standards.

Look at Abraham. He did. He’s willing to sacrifice the dearest thing to him – his son. He builds an altar and prepares to make the sacrifice, and Isaac pops up and asks, “Hey Dad, where’s the lamb?” What did Abraham say?

“My son, God will provide himself a lamb. “ (Ge 22:13)

Now look at David. Goliath is taunting the army of Israel. Seeing this, David, unlike all the older, stronger men around him, asks, “Who does this guy think he is?” (1Sa 17:26)

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us. (Ephesians 3:20)

Now I’m not talking about excess. The Bible warns against that. (Mt 23:25;Lk 12:16) We are told not to have things for the sake of having things. Yet we are also told God can do exceeding abundantly above anything we can even THINK of. That’s a pretty amazing thing!

So you need a job. Expect a position that more than supplies your needs. Don’t stop at, “God please give me something, anything,” and yet you still can’t pay your bills. Expect a position that fits with your personality and talents in an environment you enjoy. Expect an amount of pay that more than supplies your needs.

So you need a house. Why settle for something too small with too high of a mortgage? Why have a mortgage at all?

“But,” you say, “My faith isn’t big enough for that.”

Yeah, well, mine wasn’t either. I lived in a location that made me unhappy for many years. Frankly, I didn’t expect to ever get out. I had no faith at all for it – none. However, in the matter of year, I was in a brand, new house that my husband and I designed, completely paid for. How did that happen? God proved Himself once again to be more than enough.

Perhaps our struggle continues because we aren’t expecting Him to do enough. We’re asking for a cup of water, when God wants to give us an entire pail. Didn’t He say He’d supply all our needs ACCORDING TO HIS RICHES IN GLORY? (Php 4:19) How rich is that?

I don’t know about you, but I’m raising my expectations. I’m expecting God to do “on earth as it is in heaven.” (Mt 6:10) Then, when I’m in THE BLESSING God has promised for my life, I will be able to better help those around me. I can be the one who blesses you, instead of always the one who needs to receive. That sounds pretty grand to me!

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Suzanne
Suzanne Williams Photography
Florida, USA

Suzanne Williams is a native Floridian, wife, and mother, with a penchant for spelling anything, who happens to love photography.

Steve's Digicams - Slow Growth Photography

This month's article at Steve's Digicams is my recent walk down memory lane and a look at how my photography has changed over time. Enjoy and leave a comment!

Slow Growth Photography

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Suzanne
Suzanne Williams Photography
Florida, USA

Suzanne Williams is a native Floridian, wife, and mother, with a penchant for spelling anything, who happens to love photography.

Sunday Photographs

I thought I'd institute Sunday as the day to share photographs I've taken the week before. To catch up, here's a few from the past couple weeks. Enjoy!

Pansies and Verbena


Carolina Jasmine


Flatwood Plum Blossoms


Orchid (My aunt gave me this a few years ago and for a few years it didn't bloom. Last year it finally had one flower, but this year it has six!)


Green Anole


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Suzanne
Suzanne Williams Photography
Florida, USA

Suzanne Williams is a native Floridian, wife, and mother, with a penchant for spelling anything, who happens to love photography.

Playing With Fire, The Amanda Series, Part 3

Welcome! Below is part 3 of Playing With Fire, the second story in the Amanda series. If you missed Part 2, you can read it below.

Amanda is now boarding her plane when she meets up with an interesting stranger.

Part 2
Part 4

Don't forget you can purchase the first story in the series at the links below for only 99 cents!

At Amazon
At Smashwords

------------------------------

Amanda tapped at her cell phone screen for the third time. The concrete of the column pressed cold against her back. With a sigh, she returned it to her pocket and glanced up.

Should’ve charged it before I left.

Her eyes met with the stranger’s again. She didn’t look away, but studied his face. A slow smile spread across his lips and with two fingers of his right hand, he tipped his Stetson. What was a cowboy doing in an airport in France?

A loud screech sounded from the busy corridor and Amanda turned her head. A woman tottered on uncertain feet at the edge of the platform.

“My purse!” she screamed.

Following the track of the woman’s fingers, Amanda spotted a small figure in a dark hoodie, weaving through the crowd. Her eyes followed it. Seeing him round a corner, she slipped away from her perch. She knew where that corner led.

She let him keep his lead, just enough so he’d feel safe, and waited until he slid to a halt between two doorways. Scrambling sounds echoed in the small space as the contents of the woman’s purse fell to the floor. Nonchalantly, Amanda stepped in.

“Put that back.”

The youth, a boy about age twelve, glared at her and sneered. He returned his gaze to the contents, stuffing several bills in his pocket.

Amanda sighed. Not attempting to speak his native language, she said to herself, “You’re going to make me do it, aren’t you?”

Shaking his head to clear a shock of hair from his eyes, the boy laughed in incomprehension. Satisfied he’d rifled the purse enough; he threw it down and attempted to move away.

In that moment, Amanda sprung. Grasping his shoulder and upper arm, she swung him in an arc laying him prostrate on the floor. His body hit the carpet with a smack. Stunned, his eyes grew as large as saucers.

“You made me,” she said in English. Pulling at the boy’s jacket, she stood him to his feet and thrust him toward the doorway. “Pick that up.” Her finger pointed at the floor.

Frightened, the boy stooped down and began scooping the purse’s contents back into the bag. He shoved it in her hands.

“The rest,” she said, extending her hand.

The boy glared at her and pulled a wad of dollars from his pocket.

So the woman had American money, that explains why she was a target. He’d probably been watching her for a while, Amanda thought.

His pockets empty, he turned them inside out as proof. Amanda reached behind his head and lifted an object from his hoodie – sunglasses, expensive ones too. Shaking her head, she slipped them into the purse.

“Now, you’re going to return it,” she announced. Spinning the boy around, she gave him a poke square in his back. “Go on.”

As they approached the scene of the crime, Amanda saw that the cowboy had found the woman a seat. Trembling, she wiped at her eyes.

“I believe this is yours,” Amanda said. She jabbed at the boy again and stumbling he dropped the purse in the lady’s lap. Amanda’s eyes met with the cowboy’s for a split second and she saw his admiration.

“Thank you so much,” the lady said, “My passport, money, everything was in there.” She clutched the bag to her chest.

“Well, I think he had you picked out for a while. You might want to be more careful.”

The woman nodded in gratitude. “Thank you again,” she replied.

Amanda looked up as the call to board the plane flashed overhead.

***

“Is this seat taken?”

Amanda shifted as the cowboy pushed past her legs. Settling himself beside her, he removed his hat. His sandy hair pressed into a ring against his scalp.

“That was amazing what you did out there,” he stated. His voice seemed warm.

Uncomfortable, Amanda smiled. “Thanks.”

His eyes seemed to bore into her skull as unblinking he stared. Amanda returned the gaze. What was this fellow’s agenda?

“You’re going to Ireland?” she asked instead.

He smiled at her and chuckled. “Yeah, I guess I look outta place, huh? You in law enforcement?” Unhesitating, he returned the conversation to the original subject.

Amanda nodded. “I guess you could say that.”

It’s as good an explanation as any.

“They send out females alone? But I guess you can handle yourself.”

Amanda again searched the stranger’s face. He was nothing if not persistent.

“I work alone,” she said.

The stranger paused, as if to drink that in, and then extended his hand. “Name’s Bob.”

Amanda shook his hand. His palms felt rough from hard work. “Hello Bob,” she said.

Bob clung to her hand. His eyebrows lifted and in true forthright fashion, he said what was on his mind. “What’s your name?” he asked.

Amanda’s thoughts shifted into place. This stranger might cause a problem, put a kink in things, and for the first time, she was concerned.

“Siobhan,” she finally replied.

“That’s purdy. Nice to meet you, Siobhan.”

Amanda turned her head away from him and closed her eyes. This was evidently going to be a long flight, and her thoughts turned to Paul – what she wouldn’t give to have him here beside her instead.

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Suzanne
Suzanne Williams Photography
Florida, USA

Suzanne Williams is a native Floridian, wife, and mother, with a penchant for spelling anything, who happens to love photography.