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Book Review – The Lottery Ticket by Tony Eldridge
What would you do if you won a billion dollars in the lottery? What if others learned you had won it before you did and were plotting to take it away from you by any means necessary? This is the scenario faced by Jason Breezey in Tony Eldridge’s book, “The Lottery Ticket.” Tony has a masterful way with words as we are taken deep into the world of corporate corruption. Eighteen year old Jason tries to cope with the death of his father, and yet is being dragged further and further into an underground world for originally unknown reasons. As he pieces together the mystery of his father’s last few…
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Devotional – August 8, 2011
VERSE: Psalm 53:3–Every one of them has turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one. TRUTH: Despite our best efforts, we do not do good. We frequently attempt to be good, but on our own every effort falls short of the standard God has set. The sooner we accept this and beg God’s forgiveness, the sooner we can put on God’s righteousness and allow Him to be perfection through us. RESPONSE: Lord, even when try, I cannot do good apart from You. Work through my every action today to show Your love and mercy to all.
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Devotional – August 7, 2011
VERSE: Psalm 52:2–Your tongue devises destruction; like a sharp razor, O worker of deceit. TRUTH: The tongue can be used for great good or great evil, depending on what we choose. When we speak, are we trying to cut others down or are we building them up? The sharpness of the tongue can result in deceit and destruction or truth and encouragement. How will we use our tongue today? RESPONSE: Lord, help me to be faithful to use my tongue today for encouragement and truth.
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Devotional – August 6, 2011
VERSE: Psalm 51:12–restore to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit. TRUTH: We can lose our joy, or at least lose the ability to experience it daily. Sin and unrepentance cloud our ability to clearly experience all that God has for us. Repentance restores this joy. Are we lacking joy? We need to repent so that we are restored to the joy that God has given us. RESPONSE: Lord, forgive me. I need to be restored to You so I can fully experience Your joy. Without You, there is no joy.
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Production Diary – The Decay Within, Part 4 – Rewrites
I consider myself a recovering perfectionist. The perfectionist side of me started early on. I liked to get everything just perfect. In all the things I tried (piano, drawing, sports, playing the flute, reading, Spanish, math, etc), I wanted to not just be good, but perfect. While this will come as a shock to none of you that know me, I am not perfect. I had to eventually decide how I was going to react when I was not perfect. Would I pitch a fit, say that skill is worthless, and refuse to do it any more (umm, piano lessons)? Or would I accept it, learn from it, and try…
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Devotional – August 5, 2011
VERSE: Psalm 50:12b–for the world is Mine, and all it contains. TRUTH: Sometimes we think we are supposed to give things to God, In truth, He already owns it. We are to simply acknowledge His ownership and allow Him to do whatever He chooses with it. Do we get angry with God about how He chooses to use His things? Once we truly understand His ownership, we recognize He has every right to do with things as He pleases. RESPONSE: Lord, I pray You will use Your possessions however You see fit. Help me to be willing to give and share as You direct.
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Devotional – August 4, 2011
VERSE: Psalm 49:7–No man can by any means redeem his brother or give to God a ransom for him. TRUTH: We can try and persuade, demonstrate, beg, and plead, but we cannot force someone else into a relationship with God. Each person is responsible to God for their relationships with Jesus Christ. We can (and should) pray for them, but we cannot do it for them. RESPONSE: Lord, please continue to work in the lives of the others I know. I pray You will show them their need of You since only You can save them.
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Devotional – August 3, 2011
VERSE: Psalm 48:14–For such is God, our God forever and ever; He will guide us until death. TRUTH: This psalm describes many attributes of God and with all of them, He is intent on guiding us. He directs us even when we cannot see Him and even when we think we don’t want Him to. He directs us all the way up until He leads us home with Him. Do we look for and follow His leading every day? RESPONSE: Lord, lead me and guide me today to bring me closer to You. I will follow.
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Devotional – August 2, 2011
VERSE: Psalm 47:2–God reigns over the nations, God sits on His holy throne. TRUTH: Sometimes, in the midst of all the chaos around us, we forget that God has never left His throne. God is always in control and He is always on the throne. Do we focus too much on our circumstances or do we stay focused on the truth that God is over all? RESPONSE: Lord, help me not to be distracted today by my circumstances. Instead, I choose to trust that You are over all, because You are!
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Book Review – My Hero, My Ding by Lisa Tortorello
Many of us have that one special person in our lives who has impacted and influenced us in ways we can only begin to tell. Such is the case for Lisa Tortorello. In “My Hero, My Ding” Lisa shares the stories and impact her grandfather had on her life. Each reminiscence shared paints a beautiful picture of how their relationship shaped both of them as they both grew up. Lisa has a beautiful writing style which captures the essence of every story she shares. As a reader, you can feel completely a part of the scene unfolding around you. Lisa has chosen to share memories which can be relatable to…