The Light Changed Today

The earth spins silently around the sun, revolving from day to night then day in the eternal celestial dance. The sun shines on all parts of the earth equally, without reservation or discernment. It also shines on all humans equally, no matter their color, culture or creed.

There is a special place created by man in 1260 that filters the sunlight through pictures and stories. This building is actually the fourth one to stand on this site, all dedicated to Mary, the mother of Jesus. For more than 1,700 years, pilgrims have traveled to the Cathedral in Chartres, France to show their devotion to Mary and be blessed by her.

Pushing open the heavy wooden door and walking into the gloom of the interior, my eyes take a moment to adjust. Even thought I cannot discern details of the interior, I sense a vast space rising above me, seemingly to infinity.

Slowly, my eyes adjust to the gloom and I feel small, insignificant, in the face of so much space. What can hold me together so I don’t spin apart?

The stained glass windows. They hold the key to emptiness. They give meaning to my life, don’t they?

Sunlight from a zillion miles away filters through the glass, coloring the floor in colors of red, umber, green and gold. These pieces of color are assembled to tell the story of creation, destruction and the coming of the one who will save us from ourselves. The story of Christianity is told in these panes of glass, 1,100 of them.

It isn’t the minute details that fascinate me, but the sense of reverence that permeates the air. Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims have traveled to this spot to adore Mary, the mother of Jesus. They have walked these stones in their bare feet or with sandals that are worn through, taking one more step to reach their dream.

To see the Shroud of Mary that is encased in the far left corner of this magnificent Cathedral.

As I stand in front of the chapel, looking at the shroud, I can’t help but think of how many people have done the same thing. How many others have felt the energy of this simple piece of cloth that Mary wore while she was giving birth to Jesus?

The sunlight is filtered by the stain glass above the shroud. It filters the light through the stories told on its surface. It struck me that I was being educated by the people who created this art.

I continued to the opposite side of the Cathedral, passing several other alcoves and places of worship. Until I saw it on the floor, as if it were waiting for me.

A single beam of light, shining through a piece of clear glass. There were no stories filtering the light, just a clear opening for it to shine in all of its brilliance.

I stood in the pool of divine light and felt loved by God. In the place of a million stories (told in the stained glass and in the hearts of all who had ever set foot in this building), God found me. And he loved me, without my having to do anything but allow his love to flow into my heart.

The light changed for me in that moment. Accepting the gift, I now step forward. To join the celestial dance of love.

The Heart Dance.

When you know you are loved for who you are, not who you think you should be. When you know that you are enough, because you are loved for who you are. When you are seen and loved, just as you are, in this moment.

Why don’t you step into the pool of light unfiltered by stories, and join the dance?

A Warrior or a Believer?

The third and final book in the Marc Royce series, Strait of Hormuz provides a gripping story that will satisfy even the most die-hard action adventure fan.  The added bonus is that Davis Bunn is a Christian author and he boldly explores what it means to be a Christian in a violent world.

Straits of Hormuz picks up where Rare Earth (Book 2 in the series) left off. But Bunn is so adept at providing the back story that Straits can also be read as a standalone book.

Marc Royce is again entangled in an international web of intrigue that he does not understand, but that has far-reaching consequences. He must decipher the clues to determine whether he is on the correct trail or chasing rabbits while the real threat remains inbound.

Along the way, he discovers what he thought he would never see. Small, hidden communities of Christians composed of Turks, Kurds, Syrians, Lebanese, Ethiopians and Iraqi.  Sworn enemies who lay down their arms and found each other in the arms of Jesus.

Impossible if they followed their traditions and societal rules.  Possible only because of the gift of salvation.

Marc must seek their help in his quest to stop the evil that is about to descend on the Middle East. But these people have a well-hones sense of credibility and Marc must prove himself worthy of their support. He is forced to come face-to-face with his own doubts and fears, and to choose to “follow Jesus even when it is painful to do so.”  His training as a warrior and combatant has to be set aside so he can seek guidance in prayer.

His primal dilemma: remain cold and angry as a warrior or step into an unknown place of weakness and wait for direction from God.

As Marc states so eloquently, “There is no harder lesson for me to learn than to recognize the moment when I am called to be weak.”

Marc must also face his personal conflict of whether to love someone and therefore become vulnerable, or remain in the comfort of his “warrior mentality.” He already knows that the warrior mentality does not produce warm, trusting relationships, but the obstacles he faces in Straits sends him straight back to his warrior comfort zone.  Will he also shed that attitude and open himself up to the gifts of love?

Davis Bunn excels at weaving the themes of Christianity, love and forgiveness in a story that is both compelling and thought-provoking. Because the reader is allowed to see directly into Marc Royce’s conflicts and dilemmas, the resolution of his conflicts also provides a possible solution for the reader. We see into Marc’s world and gain insight into our own.

Straits of Hormuz is a book worth its weight in gold. It will change your perspective about the Middle East and what it means to be a “warrior” in Christ.

Were Dogs Around when Jesus Walked the Earth?

What was it like to live in Nazareth when Jesus was a young adult, living a peaceful life while waiting for the call from his Father?  Surely adults looked after the children; people went to work everyday, and dogs and cats lurked around the stalls, hoping for a bit of food or water.

Image via Wikipedia

Recently, I reviewed my daughter’s Latin book to help her past a problem.  Turning the pages, I came across a wonderful photo of a mosaic that shows a guard dog, fierce and unrelenting, forever frozen in a moment of assertiveness.  I couldn’t believe it when I read the caption – the mosaic was found on the floor of the entrance hall to the House of the Tragic Poet, in Pompeii!

Mount Vesuvius erupted in AD 79 and buried Pompeii under 4 to 6 meters of ash and pumice, permanently preserving life in a Roman city forever.  Although this event occurred after Jesus’ death and resurrection, it is safe to say that life as Jesus knew it was fairly similar to what people experienced in Pompeii.

Which means there were dogs that lived among people!

Confirmation of this simple fact thrills me to no end.  Why?  Because I have always wanted to travel back in time and walk with streets of Nazareth with Jesus.  To sit at his feet and listen to him teach a new way of life.  To feel his peacefulness invade my heart and open my soul to God.

With no ability to time travel, I did the next best thing – I wrote a book about it.  Walk With the Master is told from the viewpoint of Barnabus, a stray dog who is adopted by Jesus.  Barnabus and a group of children learn many lessons from the Master, including loving someone for their “God Light”, changing their attitudes and beliefs from judgment to acceptance, and learning to forgive any transgression someone may commit against them.

To learn more, please visit the following link on Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/4xngsz2

Soon, the Faithful Companion Guide will be available as well.  With 16 lessons, discussion topics, companion Bible verses and exercises, the Faithful Companion Guide is a great tool for youth groups, homeschoolers and anyone who wishes to grow in their personal relationship with Jesus.

Can’t you just imagine how a dog would react to Jesus?

 

 

 

What is a “God Wink”?

Recently, I came across a small, compact book about Christian living in the most unlikely place – a Dollar General store!  They carry books from Thomas Nelson, the big Christian publisher.  The copyrights may be several years old, but the wisdom that flows from these pages is timeless.

I just finished reading a book by Squire Rushnell called “When God Winks at You.”  He has collected stories over the years about coincidences, that he believes are really winks from God.  In Squire’s opinion (and mine), God is just waiting for you to ask him for help, so He can let you know He is thinking about you.

As Squire says, “Every time you receive what some call a coincidence or an answered prayer, it’s a direct and personal message of reassurance from God to you – what I call a godwink.”

Has that ever happened to you? Something so unbelievable that it can’t be explained except by calling it a “godwink.”  (Let me know so I can write about it!)

This book is full of amazing stories that will leave you breathless in wonder.  After reading “When God Winks at You,” you will be filled with the desire to look for all the “godwinks” in your life that happen right before your eyes!

The Solution Lies Within

The solutions to the problems before us isn’t more money or fewer difficult people in our lives, because the only real problem is disconnection from God. Solutions come as we connect with a higher level of thinking and knowing. When we lift ourselves in connection with God, an entirely new realm of thought becomes available to us.    —-Mary Manin Morrissey

For many, the search for happiness and peace starts with what is happening in your life – the people, events, and circumstances in which you live. The external world, if you will.  But you will never be satisfied by anything in the outside if you are not balanced on the inside.

How do you obtain inner balance? You first have to withdraw your attention from the external world, stop your mind by mediation or prayer, and just…be.  Listen to the small, still voice that is always trying to communicate with you, but you can’t hear it because of all the chattering noise that fills your head.  When you stop the noise and just listen, you will discover that most miraculous thing of all – that God has been waiting for you to just stop and listen!  

He has been waiting for you to open yourself and say “Yes!”

Practice remembering God.  Remember Him in the small, mundane details of your life and you will discover a secret known throughout the ages – He cares about it all!  Because He loves you – the complete, unadulterated, unfiltered, unpolished you.  Want to know why?  It is very simple – He made you. And the Creator of all things does not hate what He created!

So don’t look outside for the next new thing to solve your problems.  Go within and listen.  God is waiting to help you, but you have to open the door to let Him in.