Running from a Crazy Man

Lynn Blackburn — Sat, 20 Dec 2014 08:39:00 +0000

Lori Roeleveld

One of my favorite writers anywhere ever is Lori Roeleveld. I’ve had a writer crush on her since 2010, when I heard her share her story in a workshop at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference…and then listened as her name was called several times during the awards ceremony a few days later.

I discovered her blog, Deeper With Jesus in Rhode Island, and found myself developing a love/hate relationship with her posts. They are beautifully written, funny, and provocative. They are also courageous, disturbing, and convicting. When I read her posts, I am often encouraged. I am also frequently annoyed. Annoyed that I can no longer sit cozy in my comfy chair and ignore the plight of suffering Christians, stay silent on unpopular issues, or pretend that I serve the kind of God I can explain in a tweet.

I’m thrilled to tell you that Lori has just released a new book, Running From A Crazy Man (and other adventures traveling with Jesus).

Running from a Crazy Man

Here’s what I had to say about it on Amazon: If you’ve discovered that following Jesus is more like traveling to Mordor than following the yellow brick road, then the wisdom found in these pages will encourage you when you fear, strengthen you when you falter, whisper peace in the dark, and kick your rear when you start thinking about calling it quits. Lori writes from a unique place. She writes as a poet warrior who rests in the certainty that the One leading us into battle is not only big enough to have already won the war, but is also loving enough to understand how afraid we become when swords start flying at our heads. Running from a Crazy Man is an honest look at what it means to follow Jesus – it’s an adventure no one will want to miss.

Here’s what I had to say about it on Facebook: Lori is one of my favorite writers and Running from a Crazy Man is the kind of book that will encourage you as you walk with the Lord. Of course, by encourage, I mean the way jumper cables “encourage” a car to start! Running from a Crazy Man isn’t the kind of book you read and then close the pages and think, “well, that was nice.” Running from a Crazy Man is the kind of book you read and then get out of your comfy chair and live the adventure Jesus is calling you to.

This weekend, you can grab the paperback copy for $8.96. And the Kindle version is only $1.99! I don’t know how long these prices will last, but Running from a Crazy Man would make a great gift for anyone on your Christmas shopping list. It belongs on your nightstand as well, so go ahead and pick up two or three.

I know sometimes we wonder if the people who write books about the Christian life are the real deal. Do they live their faith? Do they mean what they say? You don’t need to worry about that with Lori. Since that conference in 2010, it has been my privilege to call Lori my friend. Over the past few years, Lori has prayed for me, encouraged me, listened to me whine, prodded me, celebrated with me, asked me hard questions, and extended lots of grace.

I can recommend Running from a Crazy Man without reservation. Get it. Read it. Just don’t expect to walk away unchanged.

The post Running from a Crazy Man appeared first on Lynn H. Blackburn.

Hungry for God . . . Starving for Time

Lynn Blackburn — Sat, 13 Dec 2014 21:13:00 +0000

Lori Hatcher

Lori Hatcher is the editor of Reach Out, Columbia magazine and she is responsible for my very first print article (and the two articles that followed it). I’ve had the privilege of working with Lori as an editor and it’s a delight to introduce her to you, not as an editor, but as the author of a wonderful devotional.

I know many of you will find yourself in this description…

You
want to connect with God, but in the craziness of life, it’s just not
happening. Between the demands of work, relationships, activities, and
everything else that crowds your days, you’re hungry for God, but starving for
time.

You want practical, biblical answers to situations you face every day,
but you don’t have hours to pore over Scripture. You need a resource that
answers the questions you’re afraid to ask out loud. Questions like:

· Is my situation hopeless?
· If God already knows what he’s going to do, why bother to pray?
· Why have you allowed this to happen to me?
· No one appreciates what I do. Why shouldn’t I quit?

Each
devotion begins with a Facetime question and ends with a biblical answer
wrapped in a modern day parable. Like a spiritual power bar, Hungry for God … Starving for Time is packed with enough scriptural
nutrition to get you through the day.

Wherever
you are—in break rooms, carpool lines, or wherever you can snatch five minutes
of quiet reflection—Hungry
for God … Starving for Time, 5-Minute Devotions for Busy Women is
for you.

Hungry for God … Starving for Time

Here’s a sample devotion from the book…Check it out. I know you’ll want to pick up a copy of Hungry for God…Starving for Time. It would make a fantastic Christmas gift!

The Day I Missed a Miracle

Facetime: God, this is
hopeless. Why should I even bother to pray?

She was a lovely lady with a voice
that was sweet, winsome, and compelling. Of all the soloists at our church, she
was my favorite. When she sang, the joy of God was so evident on her face that
the song on her lips was merely an echo of what was in her heart.

My heart broke for her when our
pastor announced she had been diagnosed with a cancer so rare no oncologist on
the East Coast would treat her. Her only hope was a clinic in Texas, he
explained, and she was leaving immediately. He invited us to join him in
praying that God would do a miracle and spare her life.

When I heard his words, my heart
sank. I knew she was going to die. The hopeless diagnosis and confirmation from
the oncologists who wouldn’t treat her sealed the inevitable in my heart.

Two years later she stood before
our congregation cancer free and once again singing to the God who had healed
her. She thanked everyone who had prayed for her. She was a living miracle.

And I had no part in it.

I missed being a part of her
miracle because I had not prayed in faith for her healing. Instead of believing
the God who asked Jeremiah, I am the
Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for me? (Jeremiah
32:27), I believed the doctors when they said there was no hope.

Instead of believing the God who
said, If you have the faith of a mustard
seed, you can say to this mountain, be removed, (Matthew 17:20), I believed
statistics that said her cancer was too advanced.

Instead of believing the God who
said, Call unto me and I will answer you
and show you great and mighty things that you do not know, (Jeremiah 33:3),
I believed the reports that said she was beyond healing.

Was God able to heal this sister in
Christ without my prayers? Obviously. My lack of faith did not hinder him in
the least. God was more than able to fulfill his purpose for her without my
help. This precious lady was not harmed in any way by my prayerlessness.

Of all the people involved in this
scenario, I was the only loser. I had missed the chance to be part of a
miracle. While I rejoiced in her healing and praised the God who had brought it
about, I had no share in the victory because I had not believed.

I learned several powerful lessons
that day.

I learned that nothing is
impossible for God. That he delights in working through the faith-filled
prayers of His children. That nothing is sweeter than the victory that comes
after doing battle on our knees. That when we unite our hearts in prayer around
a common goal, God’s incredible power is unleashed. And I learned that every
prayer victory makes it easier to believe the next time.

I missed out on the chance to be
part of a miracle that day, but I purposed in my heart that it would never
happen again. Now, when someone invites me to pray, I say “Yes!” with
all my heart. Never again will I miss being part of a miracle.

I am the Lord, the God
of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for me? Jeremiah 32:27

Lori Hatcher is an author, blogger, and women’s ministry
speaker. She shares an empty nest in Columbia, South Carolina, with her
ministry and marriage partner, David, and best dog ever, Winston. Her latest
book, Hungry for God . . . Starving for
Time, 5-Minute Devotions for Busy Women, helps women connect to God in the
craziness of life. You’ll find her pondering the marvelous and the mundane on
her blog, Hungry for God. . . Starving for Time (www.lorihatcher.com).

The post Hungry for God . . . Starving for Time appeared first on Lynn H. Blackburn.

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Running from a Crazy Man

Hungry for God . . . Starving for Time