I haven’t posted in a while, but couldn’t wait a moment longer to share this with you.

Have you ever had God do something so amazing that all you can do is sit there and go, “Wow!”?

That happened to me today. I’ve been struggling with some issues in my life, things that have developed slowly over time and have recently come to a head. I’d been feeling a little “low”, and just needed a boost from God. So, I left my house and went up to the local Panera to do some writing and just have some time alone with God—which, I must confess, I haven’t done much of lately. Anyway, I wasn’t looking for anything specific, just for God to calm my spirit and show Himself to me. And He did. In a truly amazing way.

I write fiction. Created stories that come from my imagination. Yes, I pray over my written words, I want them to touch readers in a way that can only come from God. I ask Him to give me the words because nothing I write can compare to the ultimate author. Right now, I’m working on a story where a man has been in a coma for a long time. When he wakes up, he remembers nothing about himself. To build his strength back, the doctor suggests working construction at an orphanage. A young woman arrives on the scene and recognizes him due to a birthmark. At the time I was creating the story, the idea for this particular birthmark just kind of popped in my head. I had no clue why, but I went with it.

My mother even asked me the other day where I got the idea. I just shrugged and said, “I don’t know, it just came to me.”

The birthmark looks like a belt around his waist, buckle and all. It only goes about halfway around, and growing up, this particular female character used to tease him about getting a tattoo to finish the belt. She even gave him suspenders for Christmas as a joke several years before.

Unfortunately, this man was betrayed by a member of her family and she agonizes over telling him the truth. About who he is and how he came to be in a place where he was almost killed. She wrestles with God, not wanting to be the one to tell him. God continues to press upon her the need to reveal the truth to him and she resists until she can no longer go against God. She must tell him the truth and accept that he may hate her as a result–and have faith that God will get her through it.

Telling the truth. How hard is that sometimes? Especially when we know it’s going to hurt–the other person or ourselves!

Today while reading on Beth Moore’s website, I came across a weekly devotional section with several devotionals listed. I just picked one and began to read the scripture part. It was about David killing Goliath, a story I’ve read and heard numerous times. After reading the scripture, I read on to see what Beth had to say.

God obviously had this in mind for me today. One of the things I needed to hear was, “We’re often intimidated in battle because we are uncertain of our faith. But we must remember we don’t stand in victory because of our faith. We stand in victory because of our God. Faith in faith is pointless, but faith in a living, active God moves mountains.”

How true! My faith in God wasn’t uncertain, but I was feeling a little weary of all the “battles” that I seemed to be in the midst of lately. God reminded me that even if my faith gets shaken, or tossed about, He still remains solid, a rock, and that my faith in Him is what will make the difference in the outcome of the “battle.”

But that’s not all!

This is the verse that ended the devotional.

“Lord God, I desire no other protection than that which You have promised to give me: truth like a belt around my waist, righteousness like armor on my chest, the gospel of peace like sandals on my feet, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, Your very Word. With these, I know that I can extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one (Eph. 6:14-17).

Can you just see my stunned reaction? How like God to take that verse and give it to me today! “TRUTH like a belt around my waist”. God connected it to my writing! I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Talk about a God moment. What a loving, sweet, wonderful God to infuse me with hope, peace, and confidence that my writing is really what He has called me to do. I knew, but we all like confirmation, right? I’m still just praising Him and thanking Him.

And yes, I got my boost from God today.

I also know where the idea for the birthmark came from now!

Blessings,
Lynette