Category: Uncategorized

Sweet Book Deal!

Published on by Amanda Tero4 Comments
I’m joining several other Indie authors for a quick book sale this week! I wanted to be sure you all had a chance to get them!

Don’t just hoard them–share this post with some reader friends so they can get the deals too!

Free eBooks
Poison Kiss by Kendra Ardnek
Forget Not by Rebekah Morris
The Dressmaker’s Secret by Kellyn Roth
The Lady of the Vineyard by Kellyn Roth
Coffee Cake Days by Amanda Tero

$0.99 eBooks

Water Princess, Fire Princess by Kendra Arnek 
Finding Joy by Rebekah Morris
Gift from the Storm by Rebekah Morris
The Fragrance of Geraniumsby Alicia Ruggieri
Befriending the Beast by Amanda Tero
Journey to Love by Amanda Tero      
A Question of Honor by Jesseca Wheaton

Beyond the Horizon by Jesseca Wheaton 

$1.99 eBooks
Lady Dragon, Tela Du by Kendra Ardnek
All Our Empty Places by Alicia Ruggieri
A Love to Come Home To by Alicia Ruggieri
The House of Mercy by Alicia Ruggieri
The Secret Slipper by Amanda Tero

$2.99 eBooks
Finding Mera by Elizabeth Marie

$3.99 eBooks
A Time of Grace 3-in-1 by Alicia Ruggieri

25% off paperback
Dandelion Dust by Faith Potts

Hey, it’s me…

Published on by Amanda Tero2 Comments
I know… I skipped a week of writing updates. The sick bug has hit our house yet again and last Monday/Tuesday I was quite out of commission. Is anyone else having a hard time staying well this winter? 
This week, I’m once again trying to get back into routine (how many times have I said that this year??). I had big plans of announcing my WIP… but I shall have to wait and see if I can get to that next week. 😉
First off… tomorrow!
Several of my eBooks will be on sale, so come back tomorrow for information on that.
Secondly… updates…
Since the last writing post, I have managed to…
    – write 2,636 words
    – read 40 pages of The Bowyer’s Bible
    – read about half a book on the writing craft
    – edit Leviathan and get it in the hands of my proof reader
This week, I’m really hesitant to put out goals. Not only am I hoping to teach (for the first time this month!), I also want to be available for whatever help the family needs, since I’ve kind of been out of commission and half of them are down sick now. BUT… we all know how it goes with no goals. So, I will attempt to…
  • Write 500 words
  • Read 10 pages in Bowyer’s Bible
  • Read 20 pages in Short Story Writing
Do you have goals for February?
Are you nearing the conclusion of any projects?
Did you get any great Valentine’s Day sales (whether books or chocolate 😉 )?

Scripture Graphics #78

Published on by Amanda Tero2 Comments


Here, the love of Christ is brought out in how He gave Himself. In John 3:16, God’s love was manifested by Him giving His Son. True love gives sacrificially. And this is the type of love we are to have.


How does this apply to me when I read, research, write, or watch movies? When I think of sinful examples from Scriptures, it clearly shows sin as sin. Sin *is* mentioned, but not expounded upon or detailed. It is not the main plot, per se, of the story. This should be my guide more than anything that is popular or well-written or well-presented.

Share a verse that you read today.

A Place at our Table | FLF and Book Review

Published on by Amanda Tero9 Comments
Who is a fan of Amish fiction? I’ve read several Beverly Lewis books, but so far, she has been the extent of my Amish fiction reading. So, when I saw Amy Clipston up for review (and heard several other reader friends who read her), I decided to give her a try!
Who is your favorite Amish fiction author?
First Line:
A long, shrill tone blared through the loud speaker, 
jarring Jamie Riehl from sleep.

This definitely began with excitement! I enjoy books that grip me from line one. 😉

Share a first line from the book you’re reading!

My Review
Amish fiction intrigues me. I realize it’s a super popular genre, which is probably why I’ve been hesitant to read it. I enjoy reading about life, not a romanticized version of life. And I do think that Amy Clipston captured this well in her novel. Her characters felt very real, and were definitely all very human with their ups and downs.
There didn’t seem to be a lot of Amish doctrine in here—Amish life, yes, but it didn’t go a ton into what they believe apart from everyday conversation about having faith in God, God’s will being done, and praying to him. Those were all a very strong thread. There wasn’t anything about the Gospel or salvation, but that’s not to say it didn’t have a message threaded through the pages. If anything, the message that stood out strongest to me was how to accept heartache and cling to God in grief.
I’d consider this book primarily a romance. There were, of course, other things that happened, but the primary plot and characters’ goals were obviously romance. And, as I must always put as a disclaimer, I’m just not a huge romance fan. It’s probably just my perspective but I thought that Kayla was kind of a selfish jerk. There was a ton about her hurt… and though her change of heart kind of was mentioned in the epilogue, I guess I just didn’t find it satisfying—which, could be me being just nit-picky. She pretty much just regretted her actions because of what she would lose (which, for me, is selfish). I’ll stop before I beat her up more, it just was maybe a little shallow there for me?
Back to the romance in general, while there were a lot of thoughts about getting married and finding a wife/husband, a lot of family teasing to “grab them before they slip by,” it really didn’t go into more than emotions with the romance. A couple of quick kisses were mentioned, but the presentation of the romance was fairly chaste (just… threading through the entire book, which isn’t my preference, but is what many people enjoy).
There was a ton of drama and loss—for some people, this one will be a real tear-jerker. All in all, it wasn’t a disappointing read.
*I received this book from Book Look Bloggers and happily provided my honest review*



 Connecting with Hoarding Books for First Line Friday! Hop over and connect with your first line!


Scripture Graphics #77

Published on by Amanda Tero2 Comments

Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him. But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries. (Exodus 23:20-22)
The Holy Spirit for the New Testament believer is very much like this angel. The Holy Spirit keeps us and brings us to the inheritance God has promised us (Eph 1:13-14). We are to obey and not grieve or quench the Spirit (Eph 4:30, 1 Thes 5:19). Jesus has sent the Holy Ghost in His Name, Who will teach us all things (John 14:26).

Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed. (Exodus 31:16-17)
Since Christ’s resurrection, we worship on Sunday, not the Sabbath. But even then, many people today try to take away any day of rest. Something our generation is rapidly losing is the reminders of history—whether Biblically or nationally. If we stuck to worshipping one day a week and teaching that we do so as a picture of Creation, then would our world be seeping with so many evolutionists?


When we ask God to show us His way, what reasoning do we use behind it? So that we can better know Him? So that we find grace in His sight? Or are our reasons more fleshly, temporal, or worldly?


Some preachers give the impression that they are “something,” because they’ve been called to preach. Paul always saw himself as “the least of all.” His calling was viewed in humility and he was fully aware of the grace of God needed for him to be faithful to that calling.

What book are you reading through this week?

A Song Unheard | FLF

Published on by Amanda Tero5 Comments
Finally! It has been a long time since I have anticipated a book coming in my mail as much as I anticipated A Song Unheard. Especially as it seemed like ALL of my Facebook, Instagram, and Blogger friends had it in and were devouring it. 

I may or may not have been extra-excited to stage my own picture, because honestly, this cover is so gorgeous! And it’s music. Okay… I’ll get on with my review.



But first… the first line!

The music seeped into her soul like fog over the Thames.


I mean, a first line like that!!!
Okay, I said I was getting to my review. Warning: the rave continues. I tried to be cohesive. It just didn’t quite come out that way. My apologies (not really).

My Review

There were so many aspects of this book that I loved. The thief family (yeah, I do like them even though they’re unlawful…the family aspect is wonderfully sweet!). The music (oh my, the music! Yeah, the music really sold me on this book.) The WWI era. The characters. The math. I think this just may be my favorite of Roseanna’s books (maybe it’s the music… it just may be the music…).


Okay, now for cohesiveness.
Willa was me written all over the pages. She’s a violinist, very confident, not so much into the romance, doesn’t appreciate change, etc. She wasn’t all me, though, because she starts out in the book pretty much doubting God’s existence—which was a fun journey to read. I am always interested to know how Christian authors will lead their main characters into salvation. Willa’s story was a powerful one, with a clear gospel message.
Lukas was a very good character, as far as character development goes. At the start of the book, he wasn’t especially a moral character (references to him thinking nothing of lovely ladies slipping him their room key—though I will note that that was pretty much the extent given, no details added). But he had a very clear turning point.
And Margot! I loved pretty much every portion of Margot’s POV. Her mathematical mind was crazy but super interesting. And the German officer in her story…I’ll not give spoilers, but there are times when I like my assumptions to be correct, and his story was one instance of that.
The music. I just have to make a mention of the music. Because, obviously, this book was very much into the musical side (have I mentioned that already?). I really liked how Roseanna wove music into many of the pages of this story. Being a musician, I’m always a little wary about music in books—I don’t see it often, and sometimes when I do, it doesn’t feel real. But I applaud Roseanna on her inclusion of musical phraseology and expression. It added such a deep richness to this story! At the same time, it made the various characters really stand out, because I noticed their various personalities reflected in how they viewed life (Margot with mathematics, Lukas and Willa with music). The writer in me loved this story.
Romance was in this book, for sure. Usually, Roseanna has a lot more romance than I particularly care for. This book was not over-the-top for me. Like I already mentioned, Lukas’ former loose morals are mentioned and there are a few allusions to immoral activity, but it was very minimal compared to Roseanna’s other books.
As always, there was a strong spiritual thread through this book and a clear Gospel message. Some people may fault that not all of the Christians were not evangelical (there were priests and mass as well as Methodist), but Roseanna seemed to make it a point to bring out the salvation message according to the Bible, which I definitely cannot fault her for.
Sometimes, Roseanna’s books are a little dark with the lack of good morality of her characters (which gives it a very real-world sense, it’s just a little dark for me). I finished this book and realized that I didn’t notice that same timbre running through the story—which, for me, is a definite plus.
I’m going to give this a 5 star review and am holding my breath until Barclay’s story. After this book, he so needs his own story!
*I received this book from Bethany House and happily provided my honest review* 
Comment with a first line from your current read!
How many of you have read this book?!
Have you read a book that explores your area of expertise? Which book and subject was it?



 Connecting with Hoarding Books for First Line Friday! Hop over and connect with your first line!


1/12 Writing Update

Published on by Amanda Tero2 Comments
Has the first month of 2018 passed already? (okay, almost passed… one day left) It went by in a haze for me! January did not go at all how I had hoped or planned, but it was still a good month in which the Lord taught me many lessons.
Goals from January
Before the whole month’s update, let’s see what was done last week.
  • Goal: Write 1,000 words
    • 275 words
  • Goal: Edit Leviathan
    • made about halfway progress in editing
  • Goal: Read 20 pages in The Bowyer’s Bible
    • Read 21 pages (ha! 😉 )
  • Goal: Start another research book
    • Eh… not really
So yeah, this last week was not a very productive week in the writing realm. Life had other things in store (like teaching 2 1/2 days, attending a Piano Festival, an out-of-state day trip, and being wiped out for 2 days), so I’m really okay with not having accomplished as much. Considering the week I had, I am truly grateful for what I did accomplish!
I’m once again hesitant to put out goals for this coming week, but let’s try same goals as last week.
  • Edit Leviathan
  • Write 1,000 words
  • Read 20 pages in Bowyer’s Bible
We shall see what the Lord allows to happen. 🙂
Now, the fun part. What was I able to do in the month of January?
  • Finished rough drafts for two short stories
    • “Quest for Leviathan”
    • “Finding Christmas Joy”
  • Got  “Quest for Leviathan” out to beta readers and received their feedback!
  • Wrote 7,355 words total
    • Which makes a bit over 200/words-a-day average!
  • Finished reading one book on the writing craft
  • Finished reading one research book
  • Kept regularly updated on social media
    • For the most part. 😉 This makes four consecutive Tuesdays in a row posting writing updates on the blog, so yay! And my FaceBook and Instagram have been more active…maybe not consistent, but better than last month, so that counts for something!
Honestly, considering that I operated at about 50% energy level the entire month (HUGE praise: this past Sunday, I was able to play piano with wonderful energy!!! I have really missed my piano! as well as pretty much every other aspect of life that takes energy to live 😉 ), I really am thankful for this progress–and appreciate so many people praying for me!

Now for the extra-fun part: 
What did the Lord enable you to do this month? How many goals did you reach?
I know that it may seem a bit monotonous to have goals posted weekly, but it has really helped me to accomplish much more than I would have been inclined to do otherwise. So thanks for bearing with me in the goals!
From my Feed
I wasn’t as active on social media (for reasons given above), but here’s a glimpse!
From Monday:

From Friday:

Me: getting on Leviathan to resolve to “just two” of these comments.
Also me: hoping I’ll just get caught up in editing 
and will have energy to finish it all tonight.

Who else edits best at night?

From Saturday:

Also on Saturday (that night)

True story: my sister and I have both been reading
 paperbacks by Kindle-light tonight. 
Please tell me we’re not alone here!

Becoming a Writing Student Again | Wordquill article

Published on by Amanda TeroLeave a comment
Posting over at Wordquill today!
Writing is one of my passions. Another passion is teaching. Primarily, I teach piano and violin lessons. Throughout the years, I have had students that were difficult to teach. It was not because they didn’t have talent or ability—many of these students had a great potential they could have reached. But they would struggle in the same area for months—not because I didn’t give them solutions or didn’t work with them through problems, but because they never applied the solutions to themselves. They enjoyed where they were as a musician and didn’t really aspire to be much more than where they were.
So why am I mentioning this to a group of writers? Because recently, I have found myself exhibit the tendencies that I’ve seen in my students: an unteachable spirit. This one thing is powerful enough to keep us back from reaching our full potential, no matter what subject we are trying to learn.


Lately, I have been pondering a few questions in my writing life.

Continue reading…

Sonrise Stable | First Lines and Author Interview!

Published on by Amanda Tero10 Comments
Last fall, I virtually met author Vicki Watson. Since then, I’ve been able to read and review her entire Sonrise Stable series. I’m in my mid-twenties, but I still love reading a good, solid Christian children’s series. And that is exactly what the Sonrise Stable books were for me. I loved that I could hand them over to my younger sisters without any worries about a bad influence coming across the pages.
All of that being said, I’ve got a whole herd of first lines for y’all today, as we’re going to flip open the first pages of each book in this series!! 🙂 But don’t stop there. Continue reading for a thoughtful interview with Vicki!

“There’s Grandma’s house!” Rosie’s mother was the 
only other person in the car,
 so there was no need for this announcement.

Add book one to your Goodreads here. Find my review here.
Get your own eBook for free here!


As the pickup truck traveled down the freeway, 
Carrie turned and searched for Bandit’s 
head through the small window in 
the stock trailer behind them.

Add book two to your Goodreads here. Find my review here.


“Eohippus was the first horse. He lived 
sixty million years ago.” Emily paused and 
smiled broadly as she pointed to a small 
creature on her 4-H poster.

Add book three to your Goodreads here. Find my review here.
Note for those concerned: this book features discussions about evolution and refuting its common claims.

The straw felt soft beneath me as I lay 
on my side and stretched my legs.

Add book four to your Goodreads here. Find my review here.

Rosie beamed with pride as she led her 
brown-and-white foal out of the back of the trailer.

Add book five to your Goodreads here. Find my review here.

“Help! He’s running away with me!” 
Rosie’s arms flapped wildly.
Add book six to your Goodreads here. Find my review here.

Rosie leaned over the side of the bed 
and pressed one hand against the hardwood floor.
Add book seven to your Goodreads here. Find my review here.
“How about this one?” Rosie led the way 
to the next pen at the livestock auction barn.

Add book eight to your Goodreads here. Find my review here.

I encourage you all to keep reading through Vicki’s testimony. It blessed me to read her answers!
Before I share the interview though, wanted to slip in a mention of the lovely other bloggers I do First Line Fridays with over at Hoarding Books! Hop over and connect with your first line!

Also, feel free to comment here!
What is your favorite animal to see featured in a book?
What is a first line from your current read (or the book closest to you)?
How do you identify with Vicki?




Interview with Vicki
(follow Vicki on Goodreads!)


Me: When did you decide to write the Sonrise Stable books?
Vicki: When my mother died in 2006, I began to contemplate what kind of long-term impact our lives have – whether anything we do lives on after us – here or in eternity. At that time, I was approaching fifty. Suddenly, the brevity of life filled me with a sense of urgency to accomplish something worthwhile. I wasn’t sure what that “something” might be. It had never been a life-long dream to write a book. 

An idea came to me one day about a girl and her pony, and how I could use a story about them to make the Gospel message real to kids. I immediately rejected it, reasoning that I didn’t know how to write a book, and even if I did write the story, no one would read it. The problem was, the idea would not leave me alone! For months, I couldn’t get it out of my mind. Finally, to relieve myself of that mental torment, I sat down and wrote what I thought would be a short story for a picture book. The funny thing was, after writing those thoughts, I got another idea, and then another. It quickly turned into a chapter book, which became Rosie and Scamper, the first in the Sonrise Stable series.

Me: What was your inspiration for this series?
I homeschooled my daughters through high school. One of my most satisfying experiences was teaching them each how to read. As they became voracious readers, it was important to me to monitor what they were putting into their hearts and minds. I scrutinized the books they selected and was often dismayed at the content, even sometimes from Christian publishers. What I found particularly troublesome was the increasingly child-centric focus that often depicted children as smarter than the parents and able to function relatively independently from them. The books frequently had one or both parents missing, children disrespecting their elders, and siblings not getting along with each other. I really wasn’t interested in having my daughters read such warped representations of family life.

I guess that was a negative inspiration, however, once I started writing, I was determined not to write books that followed that trend. I’ve often thought of my books as a mixture of Black Beauty, The Waltons, and a bit of Grandma’s Attic, with me being the grandmother. God set up the family structure for a reason. I think kids today would be comforted in knowing that they don’t have to solve all their problems on their own. That doesn’t mean that adults dominate the Sonrise Stable series. The main characters are children, but they manage to get along with their siblings and respect their parents and grandmother – at least most of the time – as did my own daughters.

Me: Which Sonrise Stable book is closest to your heart? Why?
Vicki: There are parts of each book that stick out to me, but if I had to pick one, it would be Operation Christmas Spirit. Although there are many picture books about Christmas, there are few chapter books, and not many of those have a spiritual focus. After resolving to write a Christmas book, I felt a terrible weight descend on me. To write a meaningful and accurate story about the birth of our Savior seemed like such a daunting task, that my mind went blank for a long time. Then one day I read a short story by Pearl S. Buck, Christmas Day in the Morning. I cried at the emotions it stirred in me. And with that as a jumpstart, I began to write. 

Me: I loved how you included so many details in the family’s life–like ASL, horse rescue, and camp life. When (and how) did you decide to add these into your series?
Vicki: As I look back, it’s interesting to see how God prepared me over the years to write these books. I was painfully shy when I was younger. I did a lot of thinking and very little talking. I had extensive conversations in my head, with me coming up with the words everyone said. Not surprisingly, dialog is one of the easiest things for me to write!

As a horse lover from as far back as I can remember, horses have been an important part of my life. Some of my happiest childhood memories involved horses. My daughters and I share many memories of 4-H, county fairs, horse shows, and trail rides together. Many of those experiences found their way into the books. My oldest daughter is in fact a nurse. And my middle daughter is an ASL interpreter. My youngest, who was only about thirteen when the first book was written, did stay involved with horses longer than the other two. She did not become a horse trainer – however she would make a good one. She is currently studying engineering in college and still owns the horse Scamper was based on.

Years ago, I attended a Sermon on the Mount presentation by horse trainer and counselor, Lew Sterrett. He demonstrated how the relationship between a horse and its master is similar to our relationship with God. That opened my eyes to seeing spiritual lessons in my own dealings with horses. Sterrett’s presentations was aimed at an adult audience. I realized that I could use my own experiences with horses to bring similar lessons down to a level that young people could understand. At that time, writing a book hadn’t occurred to me, but my daughters and I started the Christian Cowgirl Club, a day camp for neighborhood girls.  In those camps, the girls learned to ride and take care of horses, and I passed on some of the spiritual lessons connected to horses, that I was learning myself.

Me: I’d love for my readers to “get to know you” a little better. What are three of your favorite things to do?
Vicki: I am down to one pony, Toby, which my eight-year-old foster daughter and I purchased at an Amish auction this summer. We enjoy driving him around in the pony cart. I enjoy having children over to help take care of the pony and learn how to harness him for driving.

I used to be a jogger, but now enjoy walking, hiking, and biking. I work as a freelance web designer and computer programmer. I love that combination of logic and creativity, and it allows me to work from home on my own schedule. I wouldn’t call myself a nerd though. I definitely view the computer as a creative tool rather than an entertainment device. My mind is like an idea factory. Sometimes I feel bombarded with all the ideas I have for projects – more than I’ll ever be able to accomplish in this lifetime.

Me: Would you please share your salvation testimony with us?
Vicki: I grew up in the 70’s, when the women’s liberation movement was really taking off. It all sounded great to me at the time. In a class of about one hundred at the public high school I attended, there was only one student that I would have identified as a Christian. She never witnessed to me, but the fact that she was willing to be different stuck in my mind. It was an atmosphere where what was wrong was made to seem good, and what was good was made to seem wrong.

I attended a liberal, mainline denominational church – because my mom made me, but the gospel was never clearly or strongly presented. I didn’t see anything different in the lives of the people who attended there. I went through the membership class at age eleven or twelve because that was the thing to do in that church. I thought I would feel something different after joining the church, but I didn’t. If anyone had asked whether I was a Christian, I would have said yes, but there was no certainty. That experience left me feeling empty and confused. Was that all there was to Christianity? 

Ironically, the few people in my life who I was reasonably sure were Christians, never spoke to me about it. Outwardly, I was a kind, sensitive person, so I guess they equated that with Christianity. Inside, however, I felt lost and unloved. I floundered my way through my early to mid-twenties, half-heartedly seeking God, but never fully committing to him. Looking back, I realize that God had His hand on me from a young age, and it was His steering and nudging that kept me from going too far astray. 

At twenty-seven, I was married and expecting my first child. In the months before her birth, I resolved to read all the way through the Bible, for the first time in my life. I didn’t understand most of it, but I made it all the way through Revelation before she arrived. God used that baby girl to finally break down the barrier that surrounded my heart. That might sound strange, but it makes sense. After all, He showed His love for all of us in a similar way – by sending a baby Boy to Bethlehem. 

Suddenly, my whole world was different. Things that had seemed right to me before, I knew were wrong. I had a fire and passion for God and His word. I began reading my Bible, not because of some resolution I had made, but because I wanted to – and it was beginning to make sense!

Soon after that, I went back to the church I’d grown up in, excited to tell those people that there was more to Christianity. I begged the pastor to start a Bible study, but he refused. He actually told me that my experience was just emotion and it would pass. Thirty years later, that fire for God and His word has only grown stronger.

I’ve often wondered why no one witnessed to me when I was younger. I was a lost and lonely girl, seeking a true relationship with God. If someone had reached out to me then, it might have kept me from making some costly mistakes in my life. That’s part of the reason why the books in the Sonrise Stable series have explicitly Christian messages. As a young person, I was aching to know truth, and no one would share it with me. I don’t want to make that same mistake. As an author, I don’t have anything better to offer young readers than the eternal truths found in God’s word.

Me: Who is your favorite author to read?
Vicki: After I became a Christian, since I attended a church that oddly enough, didn’t have Bible studies, I began studying on my own. For the next fifteen years, I devoured commentary after commentary. During that time, I read very little fiction, other than what I read to my daughters. I remember, in particular, reading  The Genesis Record by Henry Morris. That book opened my eyes to the truth of creation versus evolution. 

After fifteen years, I finally commentaried myself out. The problem then was that I couldn’t find many good Christian fiction writers. I think there’s a huge need in this area. I remember scaring myself silly, late one night, reading Frank Peretti’s, This Present Darkness. Many people criticize the Left Behind series, however those books were a huge influence on me. They may or may not be correct in their interpretation of end-time events, and their literary quality can be debated, however the series filled me with a sense of urgency to witness to people.

These days my reading consists primarily of weighty tomes on php, javascript, html, css, and other equally exciting topics!

Me: Thank you so much, Vicki! I loved reading the answers to your questions and get to know you better! Your books have been a blessing, and I pray that God will continue to use them in the lives of many young readers!

Decisions and Following God (Part 2)

Published on by Amanda TeroLeave a comment

Yesterday, I shared about some of the first steps in making decisions and following God (read part 1). As I wrote down my thoughts, I realize that there are also some things we need to remember in this time of life.

Remember: Not all Decisions are Life-Changing
When I was stressing out over some “big for me” decisions recently, one of my friends pointed out, “This isn’t getting married. It’s not like you’re deciding this for life.”That perspective released a lot of stress and tension, because it was true. While all decisions affect our lives, there are many decisions that are not completely life-changing. There have been several times in my life when I was praying about a decision and came back with a frustrated, “I don’t get an answer! I don’t have a peace about a ‘no’—so does that mean I should accept this as a ‘yes’?”
I am not saying that it’s impossible to know God’s will in every situation—I personally believe that God is intimately interested in every miniscule decision of our lives. How do I know this? Verses such as Psalm 37:23-24: “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with His hand.”
 However, if you look at God’s Word, you will not find, “Thou shalt not work at Walmart, thou shalt be a bank teller.” Yeah. If only it were that easy, right? But we do find principles. Read Proverbs and you’ll find plenty of direction with ways to take or to avoid (Two quick examples: “Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase.” [Proverbs 13:11] and “He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance, he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor.” [Proverbs 28:8]).

Remember: Don’t Solo It
Part of God’s way to give us direction and guidance is through counselors. We can be foolish if we try to make rash decisions. It really doesn’t matter what age we are: going to others who are living active Christian lives is a wise decision. Don’t believe me? Here are just a few verses to clarify:
“Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.” (Proverbs 11:14)
“The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.” (Proverbs 12:15)
“Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established.”
(Proverbs 15:22)
Oh, and one more:
“Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors.” (Psalms 119:24)
Yes, that goes back to a point earlier: seek God’s Word in these decisions. It is impossible to follow God and disobey God’s Word.


Remember: Life Goes by in Seasons
“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:” (Ecclesiastes 3:1)
This passage is a familiar one, outlining the many opposites of life: birth and death, planting and plucking up, killing and healing, breaking down and building up, weeping and laughing, mourning and dancing, casting away and gathering together…
No matter where we are in life, we’ll find ourselves in this list of “seasons.” It is easy to get hung up in the “here and now” that we forget that life is made up of many seasons. There are seasons of busyness and seasons of relaxation, seasons of ministry and seasons of meditation, seasons of singleness and seasons of marriage. Guess what? We’re in a season right now. How we’re living today very likely won’t be how we’re living 365 days from now. You know what else? One special passage applies to every single season of life: “This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:21-23)
It may be a fantastic season. It may be a puzzling season. It may be a sorrowful season. But no matter the season, God’s mercy is with us, His faithfulness surrounds us, and He will never leave us nor forsake us.

Remember: Keep a Proper Perspective
One of the struggles I’ve had in this whole “making decisions” is my focus. It is so easy to become consumed in temporal things—making ends meet, in climbing the ladder, in making more money, getting better things, accomplishing more, saving more—that we’ll forget one very important thing. Let me direct you back to the first point I covered with this verse: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:33)
Sure, we can make plans and take steps, but ultimately, our focus should never waver from following God and seeking Him first. Sometimes, He’ll lead us to do some scary things that may seem contradictory to where we feel He is leading us (“If I give this money to missions, then how will I have enough for _______?”). This is where my favorite passage comes in: “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.” (Proverbs 3:5-7)
Remember Abraham? God had promised him that Isaac His covenant would be established (Genesis 17:21, “But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.”). Yet just a few years later—before Isaac was married and had children of his own—God told Abraham to offer Isaac as a burnt offering! (Genesis 22:2) We know the end of the story, how God provided a substitution sacrifice—yet many times, our lives feel like Abraham’s in that moment between the promise and command.

If our focus gets off any of these points, our steps will be angled toward paths of destruction.
Sure, we can get excited about where God is leading us. Sure, we can take the steps He has lined out for us. And sure, we can make some plans. But, in doing so, let us not forget to keep seeking God. Let us remind our hearts to trust in Him. And, in whatever we do, may our desire be to “do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31)
I’d love to hear…
What are some ways the Lord has helped you in decision-making?