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Elizabeth George Bible Studies

Published on by Amanda TeroLeave a comment

This year, I have been doing some Bible studies by Elizabeth George. I do not read all of the Bible studies out there, because one has to be careful and discerning. Going through Mrs. George’s studies though, I have found them to line up with Scripture plus be challenging and encouraging in my Christian walk. Here’s my review for two of them.

31381Experiencing God’s Peace
My Review
This is the second Elizabeth George devotional book that I have worked through, and I greatly appreciated them both!

Each lesson usually takes about 10-15 minutes to read through and provides soul-searching questions based on the text. Also included are eye-opening testimonies of men and women who faithfully followed God as He led.

I personally prefer KJV, which this book does not use, but it was not an issue to simply pull out my Bible and read the texts.









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Cultivating a Life of Character
My Review

I thoroughly enjoyed going through this study! It was probably the most depth I have gotten into Judges–as I usually try to make heads and tails of this time when man did that which was right in his own eyes. Mrs. George identified patterns throughout the book of Judges, brought out strong points in the judges–or how, in their weakness, God made them strong.


Verses from the NT were used to encourage in developing a godly character. (I appreciated by the verses from the New Testament he used, which reminded me of the Lord’s strength for my everyday life)

I especially appreciated how Mrs. George viewed the life of Deborah in comparison with the other Scriptures. She did not use it as an opportunity to promote feminism, but used Titus and 1 Timothy to remind women of their duty to their husbands and home.

Just one of the quotes I found helpful:
“The ultimate test of character is not where you start, but where you finish.”

Word Wednesday #96

Published on by Amanda TeroLeave a comment
And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, 
Acts 4:29
They did not pray for their fears to be calmed, the trial to ease, the persecutors to disappear–they prayed for boldness to obey. What would happen in my life if, instead of praying for my comfort, I simply prayed for boldness to obey–no matter the circumstances?
God granted their request and gave them great power and great grace, “And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.” Acts 4:33
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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! Did you post on your blog? I’d love to see — share your link in a comment!

 
 

New and Improved…

Published on by Amanda TeroLeave a comment
There have been a lot of projects I’ve been working on…but here are just two.
I now have an official author website: amandatero.com. If any of you like to get crazy writing updates (which may come five in a day or one in five days), I now have a Street Team Blog (since I know a lot of people aren’t on FaceBook).

And then, I just reworked our family website a little. The “About Us” is still sorely in need of updated pictures, but we don’t have those yet. If you’d like to find out a little more about my wonderful family, then check out our “new lookin'” blog! 🙂

Biblically Speaking – Sacrifices of the Wicked

Published on by Amanda TeroLeave a comment
Part 17 in my study on what is abomination in the sight of God.
Recap:
Many believers have fallen into accepting that which is abomination in the sight of God. Unless we study God’s Word to learn His Mind on what is abominable, how will we know to purge ourselves from abomination? Lord willing, I will be posting the fruits of my study on the word “abomination,” but feel free to leap ahead of me and study it for yourself. What is an abomination to God?

Sacrifice of Wicked
Proverbs 15:8 – The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord: but the prayer of the upright is his delight.
Proverbs 21:27 – The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind?
God will not accept sacrifices by wicked men. As shown in His Word, it is not actions that God desires but a heart condition.
Psalm 51:17 – The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Hosea 6:6 – For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

Artistic Eye | Photography

Published on by Amanda Tero5 Comments
I never thought of myself artistic when it came to photography. I didn’t have that “natural eye”–at least not when I saw others’ photographs. I would look at a tree and say, “Okay…so it’s a tree…” My brother would look at a tree, take one picture (ONE!) and I would be dumbfounded. It was a piece of art.
Fast forward a few years. I did photography as a hobby, then people actually began to hire me. And one of the things they mentioned? I had a good “eye.” (Wait. When did this happen?)
Maybe I did have it naturally, but I just needed to practice, practice, practice.
When I first started photography, using my brother’s digital camera, I would snap twenty pictures of the same object, with almost the same angle. Did that really give me much practice? Since I was using auto-focus, no it didn’t.
One photographer suggested experimenting with three different angles on a subject (keeping the subject in the same pose). I didn’t know this when I was practicing, but on my own, I began narrowing my picture-taking to only 2-3 shots of the same angle. You know what? It made a difference! As I practiced, I learned what worked and what didn’t–when to take the picture and when to avoid pressing that button.
Here are a couple of angles from the same subject. Taken in St. Charles, MO, in 2011.

Photographers – What tips have helped your “photography eye?”

Photographers-in-training – What do you plan on practicing this week with photography?

If you have a photography blog, comment with the link below and I’ll visit! 🙂

God’s Smuggler | Book Review

Published on by Amanda Tero5 Comments

824062Another book I wasn’t “required” to read, God’s Smuggler has been on my list to read for probably five years. My older sister has had the book for years…and I finally got around to it. Why did I wait so long?!

About the Book
As a boy he dreamed of being a spy undercover behind enemy lines. As a man he found himself undercover for God. Brother Andrew was his name and for decades his life story, recounted in God’s Smuggler, has awed and inspired millions. The bestseller tells of the young Dutch factory worker’s incredible efforts to transport Bibles across closed borders-and the miraculous ways in which God provided for him every step of the way. Revell and Chosen now reintroduce this powerful story with two new releases: a 35th anniversary edition and The Narrow Road, an expanded youth edition. Both contain a new foreword and afterword. The youth edition also features information about ministry to the persecuted church today, including country profiles, quotes from Christians in underground churches, “what if” scenarios based on real-life threats they face, and stories from others who have participated in Brother Andrew’s Bible-smuggling work. Brother Andrew’s story remains as inspiring today as it was thirty-five years ago, and with these new releases it will motivate a whole new generation to risk everything to follow God’s call.

My Review
Wow! This is an amazing book! There are really no words to describe it other than Brother Andrew simply living in obedience to God. But how encouraging and faith-building it is to follow years of his ministry! Some people think of doing grand things for Christ, but often, Brother Andrew was just THERE…giving hope to the persecuted Christians that there is someone else in the body praying for them. Reading this book will raise your awareness of persecuted Christians and the struggles they face. It is not graphic at all (not even close to “Tortured for Christ”), but shows the seriousness and struggles of believers in closed countries.

A quote that really stood out to me;
“You can’t use strong-arm tactics against the Church without strengthening it. It’s always been that way. Under persecution a man looks to his faith to see if it’s worth fighting for, and this is a scrutiny Christianity can always withstand. The real danger comes with an indirect attack, where a person is lured away from the Church before he has a chance to become strong.”

Buy on Amazon: God’s Smuggler

Word Wednesday #95

Published on by Amanda TeroLeave a comment
And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river…Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh. 
Genesis 41:1, 14
Those two silent years. In them, Joseph stayed faithful to God–while waiting, never knowing if he would be released from prison. Am I faithful to God while waiting? Am I faithful despite my circumstances?
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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! Did you post on your blog? I’d love to see — share your link in a comment!