New Book Release, All For His Glory!

Published on: October 3, 2012October 8, 2012 by Mary Category:Peace Comment

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
—Romans 8:28

Peace for Each Hour, published by Comfort Publishing, hit the shelves and online stores this morning after stirring in my heart for several years. The book follows my first release, Grace for Each Hour (Bethany House 2005) and my second, Hope for Tough Times (Revell 2009). While Grace for Each Hour focused on a woman’s journey through breast cancer treatment, Peace for Each Hour is for the 12 million cancer survivors in the US today, including two million women living on the other side of breast cancer. Virtually anyone who has survived a life threatening health crisis and is seeking God for wholeness and freedom can benefit from this new release.

Who would have guessed 13 years ago that a journey through a devastating disease like cancer would lead to all this? Certainly not me. But God knew. “The enemy intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position” so I could speak peace into lives of many people (Genesis 50:20). And I have been blessed with countless opportunities to do so. I have prayed with and ministered to hundreds of people with cancer over the years, and I know firsthand the emotional challenges faced by survivors. After successfully completing treatment, they often live with the paralyzing fear of recurrence and feeling of uncertainty about their future. Waiting for the next check up or having a simple headache or backache can unleash possibilities that can send them into an emotional tailspin. Many books help them cope with life as a survivor; I wanted to write a book to disciple them into the future by helping them live victoriously over their past.

Through short chapters and prayers in the style of my other books, Peace for Each Hour uses personal stories as a platform to speak Biblical truth into the fears many people experience after surviving cancer. If you are one of them, my deepest desire is to help you face the future with renewed hope and expectation. The book will help you keep your eyes focused on God and His goodness so you can “get past the past.” Unlike the Israelites who lingered at the border of their promised land because they didn’t believe God would do what He promised, you will be encouraged to step into your future in faith and tend to your blessings through gratefulness, praise, worship, daily devotion, prayer, and simply resting in His love. My hope is for you to understand that your identity is in Christ, not as a cancer survivor. In Him, your future is certain, regardless of what tomorrow might bring.

May you walk in the fullness of life and receive all that Jesus died for–healing for your body, deliverance for your soul, and forgiveness for your spirit! May you freely give back what you have been freely given. And may God continue to cause everything to work together for good, all for His glory!

Fruit of the Vine

Published on: September 13, 2012 by Mary Category:Uncategorized 1 Comment

“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. This brings great glory to my Father.
—John 15: 5,8

We are blessed with wonderful friends who always challenge us to do new things. In our latest adventure, we joined the grape harvest crew at a local winery. As our car meandered up the hill through the vineyard, I was struck by the beauty of the setting. Our destination was an old restored barn without walls resting on the top of a hill. It was surrounded by pristine rows of perfectly groomed grapevines producing fruit of many varieties especially bred for the northern climate. As we rested on Adirondack chairs overlooking the valley below, the owner gave us a brief overview along with our harvesting instructions. Then he sent us out into the vineyard, armed with special cutters and “lugs” to carry our harvest. We spread out with an arm’s length between us along the first row of vines to hand pick the ripe grape clusters, while harvesting but leaving behind the unripe and spoiled fruit. When we finished harvesting the fruit in our section, we picked up our lugs and hop-scotched to the end of the line. This pattern continued for the next two hours until our crew of thirty harvested all the rows of this particular variety.

As I worked each section, I thought about some of the many Biblical references to the fruit of the vine. For example, we know one of the first things Noah did after the flood was to plant a vineyard (Genesis 9:20), and the scouts sent out by Moses to the Promised Land returned with huge clusters of grapes (Numbers 13:33). The Bible gives instructions for growing grapes (Proverbs 24:30-31), tithing with wine (Leviticus 23:13, Deuteronomy 14:22-27) using wine in Jewish feasts (Deuteronomy 16:13-15) and as a drink offering with the daily sacrifice (Exodus 29:40-41). The Prophet Isaiah used the vineyard to symbolize Israel’s fruitfulness in doing God’s work on earth (Isaiah 5:1-7). Jesus turned water into wine as His first miracle (John 2:1-11) and He used wine at the last supper as a sign of the new covenant of His blood, shed for the forgiveness of sin.

While filling my lug, I could see that the grapevine is a prolific plant and a single vine bears many grapes. It reminded me of John 15:1-17 where Jesus used the grapevine to teach that He is the vine, we are the branches, and His Father is the gardener who cares for us to make us fruitful. The “gardener” or owner of our vineyard explained how he cuts off the branches that don’t bear fruit and prunes the fruit-bearing branches to make them more fruitful. Likewise, when we are unproductive and bear no fruit for God or block the efforts of others who are bearing fruit for the Kingdom, we can be cut off from our life source. Like the useless withering branches in the vineyard compost pile, we can bear no lasting fruit apart from the vine. To stay connected to the vine and produce much fruit, we must remain faithful to Jesus, do what He says by His power, and be led by the Holy Spirit. The fruit we harvest is joy (John 15:11), love (John 15:12), answered prayer (John 15:16) in addition to peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control (Galatians 5:22-23). Even as we bear fruit, God can use the difficult times in our lives to “prune” us so our character and faith our strengthened and we can bear even more.

When finished with the harvest, we enjoyed a meal together, sampled some wines, and then followed our grapes back to the winery where the winemaker showed us how the grapes would be de-stemmed and crushed and the juice would be fermented, aged, and blended. And no, although it would have been fun, we didn’t stomp them with our feet!

We’ll go back next year to be a part of this ancient practice that dates back to Bible times. The next time you pass a vineyard or sample its fruit, I encourage you to remember that He is the vine, and you are the branches. Bring Him glory and do whatever it takes to stay vital, healthy, and fruitful. May your harvest be great and may your lug overflow!

Still Waters

Published on: August 17, 2012 by Mary Category:Peace Comment

He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul.
—Psalm 23:2b-3a (NKJV)

This past weekend was our semi-annual trek with the “up north gang” to our friend’s cabin on the Gunflint Trail. We gathered at Starbucks early in the morning with our motorcycles packed up and ready to ride. We made a quick exit through the city, headed north on the freeway, and before long, we were meandering up Minnesota’s North Shore drinking in the majestic beauty of Lake Superior along the way. When we finally arrived at the cabin, we settled into a weekend of laughing, eating, and enjoying each other’s company. Highlights this year were hiking up to a beautiful scenic overlook, fishing, laying on the dock looking at the stars, napping in the hammock, and simply enjoying the pristine unspoiled waters of the boundary waters canoe area interrupted only by the laughing sounds of a family of loons gliding silently across the lake. We like to call this cabin a “healing place” because we have all been touched by God’s grace there, and His very presence has restored our souls. Being there reminds me not to take life too seriously and to find child-like delight in every blessing.

One of my personal highlights this time was learning to kayak. My friend is a great teacher. Kayaks can be easily tipped and I don’t swim. (No, I really don’t swim. Thank God for life jackets.) She taught me how to position my feet and knees, rock my hips, keep my head up, and look straight ahead to maintain my balance. I learned how to start, stop, and steer the kayak with the double-ended paddle. The thought of tipping and trying to wiggle out of the kayak while upside down with my head under water was a great motivator to follow her guidance and direction. Once I got the hang of it, I was struck by the serenity of the kayak gliding over the top of the glassy lake surface. I could hear the sounds from the dock as people called out directions or encouraging words, but the words didn’t penetrate my secret place. Head up and eyes forward, it felt as if I was moving to the rhythm of the kayak and in perfect tune with the water itself. Losing my focus and letting their voices or anything else distract me could have easily turned me upside down into the lake.

It reminded me of Peter walking on the water. As long as he kept his eyes focused on Jesus, he was in perfect harmony with Him and able to access the full power of God. Peter and the Lord were one and he transcended from the natural into the supernatural realm. When he took his eyes off Jesus and looked around at the high waves crashing around him, Peter was terrified and began to sink (Matthew 14:28-30). His faith wavered and he focused on his own inadequacies instead of fully receiving the peace and promises of God. The reality of his circumstances pulled him into the lake, just like the voices from the dock could have easily distracted me and caused me to capsize my kayak.

There’s a good life lesson in this. Jesus is your Shepherd and Teacher. If you follow Him in obedience, and completely depend on Him for provision, guidance and protection, He will lead you to a place of contentment where the roaring waves or the voices of the world can’t touch you. You will glide along life in perfect tune with the Lord Himself, looking straight ahead into His loving eyes. In the still waters of His presence, you will find a supernatural peace in the worst of life’s storms. Try it sometime. I guarantee you won’t tip the kayak.