Month: October 2015

In Paths of Righteousness | Review and Giveaway!

Published on by Amanda Tero13 Comments
Author Keri Aeschlimann graciously sent me a copy of her book, In Paths of Righteousness. But better than that, she also offered to have me host a giveaway of her book! How exciting is that? I enjoyed reading In Paths of Righteousness and think it’d be a great book to add to your shelf. As for details…
ABOUT THE BOOK

David Riley is a typical, hard-working farm boy of the late 1800s, growing up in a Midwest community where religion was a tradition that none dared to challenge. He and his friend Jill set out to explore the “Old Man’s Path,” to uncover the mystery of an old wives’ tale, and it turns into more of an adventure than they bargained for. When they discover long-held secrets in the town of Detweiler, David is determined to find the truth—regardless of the cost. As he faces opposition in his search for the truth, David also finds a battle waging within. He and his friends struggle to be kind to Henry, a cruel bully, and his mother, a widow bitter toward God. But as his hatred for Henry grows, so does the darkness in his own heart.
With an emptiness that threatens to consume him, David despairs of ever pleasing God. When all prospects of finding peace appear lost, he meets a strange old recluse, thought to be long dead, who offers him both friendship and hope. David discovers something in common with the mysterious stranger—but what binds them together threatens to tear his family and community apart. Will he have the courage and determination to stand for what is right? Facing rejection in the greatest decision of his life, David must choose which path to follow: a religious tradition to live by or a faith to die for. 288 pages. Soft cover.


MY REVIEW
When I read David’s proud exclamation, “Real men are Christians and Christians don’t fight. And I’m a Christian!” I knew there was something coming for him. In Paths of Righteousness follows David’s life as a sixteen-year-old, searching for truth–questioning as to whether or not he is indeed a Christian–whether or not he could be righteous enough on his own. One quote sums up his struggle: “He was trying harder than ever to please God, but the more he did and the harder he tried, the greater the emptiness inside him became.”

David’s search for spiritual truth paralleled with his search for the truth about a mysterious man and tales that had been spread about him. I wish that the tales of the mysterious man were sooner introduced and more deeply developed before David stumbled into solving this mystery, but it did hold my interest as written. 

There was definitely tension as David questioned the teachings of his church (which were based in man’s ability to keep the law rather than trust in Jesus for salvation) and, in turn, had confrontations with his parents.

While written in a style that seems geared towards younger teens, I personally recommend this book to those sixteen and above because of the many discussions (which could pose confusion to younger believers) as well as a scene in which one character, in delirium, “saw” hell and its terrors then heaven and its beauty. 

I found the spiritual plot of this book very strong and interesting (chapter seventeen was probably my favorite!). Keri summed up well the terror and confusion of a young man who strove with learning truth and pushed forward his journey to answers well. Though the writing style was somewhat amateur, I really enjoyed the book and am looking forward to a possible sequel!

*I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.* 

TO BUY
ABOUT KERI
Keri lives in the Midwest with her family. “In Paths of Righteousness” is her first novel–she is currently working on its sequel. Find her on Goodreads, FaceBook, and her Blog.












GIVEAWAY TIME!!

Reflections of my Father

Published on by Amanda TeroLeave a comment
When a baby is just learning how to walk, the parents are there, excited about every step, encouraging them when they stumble, and helping them up when the fall. That is how God is for us. He does not get angry when we stumble a step. Instead, He is there, willing and ready to help us.
“13 Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. 
14 For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.”
Psalm 103:13-14

(thought encouraged by a Sunday School service by our pastor, Bro. Thomas)


Word Wednesday #78

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“He is thy praise, and he is thy God, that hath done for thee these great and terrible things, which thine eyes have seen.”
(Deuteronomy 10:21

“He is thy praise” — when the day is cloudy and it seems my every step is a struggle. When my hopes are dashed. When others praise me for something I could only accomplish through Him. Is He indeed my praise in ALL things?

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Psalm 119:75-76

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Psalm 119:75-76
(75)  I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.
Similar to verse 71 (“It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.”), how do we view affliction? Do we truly believe that God afflicts us in His faithfulness (literally firmness; figuratively security; morally fidelity:)? Because God’s judgments are right, and because we are His children, like the best of fathers, He must afflict us to bring us back to His commandments. “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.”(Hebrews 12:6-11)
(76)  Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant.
Merciful kindness – OT:2617 checed (kheh’-sed); from OT:2616; kindness; by implication (towards God) piety: rarely (by opposition) reproof, or (subject.) beauty:
Comfort – OT:5162 nacham (naw-kham’); a primitive root; properly, to sigh, i.e. breathe strongly; by implication, to be sorry, i.e. (in a favorable sense) to pity, console or (reflexively) rue; or (unfavorably) to avenge (oneself):
According to thy word – OT:565 ‘imrah (im-raw’); or ’emrah (em-raw’); feminine of OT:561, and meaning the same:
Thy servant – OT:5650 `ebed (eh’-bed); from OT:5647; a servant:
Are we deserving of God’s merciful kindness? But yet, hasn’t He promised it?
“Yet the Lord will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.” (Psalm 42:8)
“He shall send from heaven, and save from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth.” (Psalm 57:3)
“For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds.” (Psalm 57:10)

Do we trust in these promises? Do we remind God of these promises? (and thus remind us of the truth of these promises) Do we take comfort in these promises?

Danielle and Deven | Wedding Photography

Published on by Amanda Tero7 Comments
You know those posts when there’s so much to say and you have no clue how to begin? That about defines me as I’m thinking back to the first solo wedding that the Lord allowed me to photograph (and I know this is SUPER late in being posted, seeing as the wedding was in June).
My sister met Danielle in college and somehow, as they were talking, mentioned that I was getting into photography, check out my website, etc. From day one, I said that this event was something that God just seemed to drop in my lap. I wasn’t quite ready to spread my wings and fly into wedding photography. But you know what? I loved every minute of it!
From the very first time I talked with Danielle and her mom, I was SO comfortable with photographing their wedding. I have heard many wedding photography stories and I don’t know that I could have asked for a sweeter, more relaxed family to work with! Plus, I feel that being photographer, I got two bonuses: 1) Capturing this precious day for them, 2) Getting to enjoy a God-honoring, sweet wedding! Honestly, there were times during the ceremony that I caught myself with a huge grin on my face because I just loved being there.
But I know that if you haven’t already skimmed the text, you’re about to, because you’re interesting in the pictures. 🙂 After all, a picture’s worth a thousand words, right? 
Just one last word: I am SO very thankful to the Lord for allowing everything to work out for this wedding! Despite a few “technical difficulties” (aka, having less equipment than I thought I would have because I confused when the wedding was, learning how to work with low ceilings), I am so very grateful to Jesus Christ for His grace that sustained me the whole day. I had a lot of my family and friends praying and am so thankful for their interest, support, and help. 🙂 Seeing a half dozen texts on my phone with “Praying for you!” was so special!
Now…for the pictures! I have reserved just my favorites to share here. I think I found “the one” that I just fell in love with.

Runner-up is this one. Danielle and Deven wanted to pray together before the wedding. Keeping with the tradition of “not seeing the bride,” Deven was blindfolded. Wow. No words can describe this moment!
And third…Danielle was a beautiful bride!
And this one is an honorable mention. 😉 I love it when the Lord allows me to take pictures I wasn’t intending. We hadn’t planned for “ring” pictures, but they were sitting in the church office before departing, their hands just like this. No posing, no nothing. Just a click of the button and we had it — a ring picture.
Now I’ll hush and you can enjoy the rest:

~*~*~
“Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.” Matthew 19:6

Shackled

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“Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?” (Galatians 3:3)
I was saved as a young child and as I entered my teens, I desired to grow in the Lord. To know more of His Word. To be holy.
In my pursuit of holiness, set-apartness, and Godliness, I put away many things. My life began to be driven by rules of what I could and couldn’t do. Many times, I would add to this list when a preacher or friend would suggest something that sounded like what a Christian should/shouldn’t do.
“But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?”(Galatians 4:9)
My salvation rests not in the good works that I have done, but in Christ Jesus and faith through Him (Ephesians 2:8-9). Now that I am saved, why would I turn again to good works and rules in my pursuit of holiness? These only bring me into bondage.
“For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.” (Galatians 5:5-6)
I am to live through the Spirit…by faith…by love. Wait. Did I see “good works” in that list? Rules and regulations? This chapter, rather, speaks against works alone for holiness. While we do not circumcise today, there are many areas in which we hope, by our works, to attain the same holiness that the Jews hoped for in circumcision–a holiness that is not attained through faith in Christ Jesus, but a holiness that is attempted by fleshly works.
“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.”(Galatians 5:16)
You see, I had it backwards. I thought that doing things would draw me closer to God. Rather, it is drawing close to God that enables me to live a holy life, spurning the lusts of the flesh. It is drawing nigh to God that comes before we can cleanse our hands and purify our hearts (James 4:8).
As a personal example, I had put away all books that were not by Christian authors when I was a teen–even “Christian” books that did not have a deep, strong spiritual message. I almost felt guilty if someone caught me looking at a cover of another book. Dirty if I read one paragraph. This rule was based on conversations I had with a friend and my personal desire to be holy and cleansed from the dirt of the world. And honestly, I do believe it was best for me in my teen years (when daydreams run rampant and the girl’s heart seeks fairytale stories).
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” (Galatians 5:1)
Now, a few years later, I realize that my motive for shunning these books was incorrect. I did not do it in a desire to please my Lord, but rather because it made me feelcleaner and holier. I realized that there is freedom in Christ. No, I am not saved to do exactly how I please and I know that many Christians sin under the guise of “liberty in Christ.” However, just because I made myself a list of “this is right, this is wrong” did not mean that the Spirit was leading. I did not realize until later that because of the rules Ihad placed on myself, the life I was living was in bondage. I was shackled to regulations of my own making, not of the Spirit’s leading.
Back to the books, I noticed a vivid example of the difference. A few years ago, I would not have touched a book by Jane Austen, based on my rigidity (before I go further, I do not condemn those who read Jane Austen, this is just what the Lord taught me). To do so, I would feel this guilty condemning verdict placed upon me. This year, I started reading Sense and Sensibility. As I read it, I noticed the frivolity of life and the use of the Lord’s Name in vain. As I read, I began to sense a check in my spirit (particularly in “condoning” a book that used my Lord’s Name flippantly) and before long, knew that I could not finish the book. God did not drive me into the dirt because I was reading this book, rather, He gently led me away from it.
“If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:25)
So…I wouldn’t have read this book six years ago, and I couldn’t read it this year, but there was a difference. Before, it was rooted in my set of rules. Now, it was rooted in the Spirit’s rule in my heart.
Where are your rules rooted? What is your walk based in? The flesh only brings bondage, but the Spirit brings freedom and liberty.

Word Wednesday #77

Published on by Amanda TeroLeave a comment
“But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.” Deuteronomy 4:29

So often, we get imprisoned by “how far we’ve gone” that we never stop where we are to seek God. But God promises when we seek Him “from thence” (where we are at that moment) with our whole heart, we will find Him.

Share a verse that God has given you today or copy the button if you’d like to join in Word Wednesdays with your blog!

 
 

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