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Book Review – Six Miles from Nashville by Elaine Littau
Elaine Littau knows how to craft beautiful fiction stories with interesting and believeable characters, so when I saw that she had a new book out, “Six Miles From Nashville,” I was excited to get my copy. This latest book didn’t disappoint. Young Betty is struggling to recover and find herself again following difficult and devastating circumstances. She feels alone and in need of medical attention when she stumbles into a café looking for work in a little town just six miles from Nashville, Tennessee. The owner “Sweetie” gives her a job, but then immediately realizes the extra care that Becky needs. She slowly nurses Betty back…
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Christian Devotional – February 25, 2013
VERSE: 1 Chronicles 25:6–All these men were under the supervision of their father for the music of the temple of the Lord, with cymbals, lyres, and harps for the ministry at the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthum, and Heron were under the supervision of the king. TRUTH: God instructed specific people and their families to be in charge of the music at His temple. I enjoy that God loves music. He created music and He desires that we use it as a way to praise Him. Are we using music as a means to praise God? Music should be about God receiving praise, not about our own personal preferences and…
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Christian Devotional – February 24, 2013
VERSE: 1 Chronicles 24:19–This was their appointed order of ministry when they entered the temple of the Lord according to the regulations prescribed for them by their ancestor Aaron, as the Lord, the God of Israel, had commanded him. TRUTH: God had given Aaron a plan and order for how to carry out the responsibility of ministry. Generations later, that was still being held to and obeyed. Why? The descendants had been taught not only what to do, but their elders had conveyed the passion for why to do it as well, otherwise the actions would have fallen by the wayside after a couple of generations. As we experience the wonders…
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Christian Devotional – February 23, 2013
VERSE: 1 Chronicles 23:30–They were also to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord. They were to do the same in the evening. TRUTH: Many places in this chapter read like a daily to-do list for the Levities: bake the bread, offer the sacrifice, take charge of the purifications, praise and thank God every morning and every evening. We must be very careful that we remember the importance of thanking God in every circumstance and every day. This is to be part of our daily agenda. Are we thankful and full of praise today? RESPONSE: Father, I love You and I want to make sure that I set aside…
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Christian Devotional – February 22, 2013
VERSE: 1 Chronicles 22:12–May the Lord give you discretion and understanding when he puts you in command over Israel, so that you may keep the law of the Lord your God. TRUTH: This is a curious statement to me because David is king, yet he makes it clear that it is God who will put Solomon in place as the next king, not himself. The Lord is truly the one who gives power and authority to people. We can expect Him to give us the discretion and understanding we need in order to do all that He’s set for us to do. We just have to choose to obey Him and…
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Christian Devotional – February 21, 2013
VERSE: 1 Chronicles 21:24–But King David replied to Aramah, “No, I insist on paying the full price. I will not take for the Lord what is yours, or sacrifice a burnt offering that costs me nothing.” TRUTH: David had done wrong and was looking to make amends for what he had done. David came to make a sacrifice to the Lord at the place where the angel stopped, which happened to be on Aramah’s land. Instead of just taking the land and the animals, which as a king he had a right to do, David realized that since he had done wrong, he needed to be the one to make…
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Christian Devotional – February 20, 2013
VERSE: 1 Chronicles 20:6-7–In still another battle, which took place at Gath, there was a huge man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in all. He also was descended from Rapha. When he taunted Israel, Jonathan son of Shimea, David’s brother, killed him. TRUTH: Another big man from the Philistines came and began taunting Israel. Jonathan remembered his uncle David who fought Goliath, and he went out and killed this six-fingered, six-toed man for taunting the nation of Israel and her God. When we hear about the amazing things God does in the lives of others, do we realize that He can do…
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Christian Devotional – February 19, 2013
VERSE: 1 Chronicles 19:12–Joab said, “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you are to rescue me; but if the Ammorites are too strong for you, then I will rescue you.” TRUTH: We are to have each other’s backs. Joab knew he could count on his brother to come to his rescue and he also knew that he would go rescue his brother. Do we depend on your brothers and sisters in Christ to have our backs when we experience difficulties, or do we push people away? Do we come to the rescue of others we see that are hurting or do we just ignore them? RESPONSE: Lord,…
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Book Review – Killing Kennedy by Bill O’Reilly an Martin Dugard
When I saw that Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard had teamed up again to tell the story surrounding the Kennedy assassination, I was excited. I really enjoyed Killing Lincoln and you can read my review of that book here. I looked forward to learning more about the events surrounding another historic day in United States history. I was not disappointed. Killing Kennedy is a great read and is really insightful into the lives of these people and the circumstances that led to that fateful day in Dallas. The storyline kept moving and was a good blend of following Lee Harvey Oswald as well as the entire Kennedy family. I read…
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Christian Devotional – February 18, 2013
VERSE: 1 Chronicles 18:11–King David dedicated these articles to the Lord, as he had done with the silver and gold he had taken from all these nations: Edom and Moab, the Ammonites and the Philistines, and Amalek. TRUTH: God gave David the victory and in return, David gave God the praise and the spoils of war. David made sure that everyone knew who he credited for his success. Do we give credit back to God for the victories and successes that God brings to us? RESPONSE: Father, I will not take credit for the things that You have done. I will give You the credit. I will give back to…