Are we REALLY Ever Ready to Give Up What Annoys Us?

I've been on a reading frenzy since New Years and one of the books I devoured was a book I read 16 years ago, a little known fiction book from CS Lewis called THE GREAT DIVORCE. This book tells a tale of ghosts who venture out on a field trip which offers them a choice of heaven or hell...all they have to do is choose...and give up what annoys them anyway. Will they choose heaven or hell? I got so many new things out of it this time around and saw so many things in ME that needed reflection, pondering and yes, giving up. The Great Divorce is a quick, easy read with great rewards. Here's my take on it http://hhvx.com/CSLewis. I heard my friend Ken Wales is exploring making a movie out of it...ooh that would be so cool. Hope it happens and wouldn't it be perfect to have Anthony Hopkins in the CS Lewis role again.

Could you be like Heidi Montag?

I saw that reality star Heidi Montag, at just 23, had 10 plastic surgeries in one day back in November and made it clear this will be far from her last. Married to fellow reality star Spencer Pratt, People magazine claims he was not for the surgeries as he thinks she's perfect as is, rather it was Heidi's personal obsession. Ladies, I don't have a problem with plastic surgery in general. I am saddened when it is clearly an addiction, because when it is an addiction, there is much more going on internally and emotionally. Heidi is empty inside and feels that physical perfection is going to fill that void, it's not. And besides physical perfection is an illusion. She was a beautiful girl before her first surgery in 2007 (if that was indeed her first) and yet that didn't fulfill her. I dive into the topic of if, when and how how often to indulge in cosmestic procedures in both my relationship books FINDING A MAN WORTH KEEPING and THE AUTOMATIC 2nd DATE. Check them out if you want insight on how to decide if it's for you. In the meantime, if you are contemplating going under the knife journal about it ahead of time to get to the bottom of the real reason you want the surgery. Is it to feel more love? Is it to be accepted? It it to feel worthy? What happens if you don't get those results? What are other ways to feel these results? Improving bad teeth, a crooked nose or other perceived flaws can do wonders IF you already love YOU and are emotionally healthy the way you are before the change. As you read this, if you find that you, like Heidi, feel empty inside and think that more beauty, more money, more something will fill your void inside, check out this link!

The Mystery of God's Will for your Life is finally revealed--Thanks TD Jakes!

Can't stop pondering the incredible message from TD Jakes last night as he was the guest speaker at Gateway Church's annual FIRST conference. TD Jakes dared to tackle the mystery of God's Will for our lives...and not just God's first will for every human (knowing God personally) but the specific, personal will for every individual person. In other words, what in the world are you here for? And how can you know what you're supposed to do? So many dynamic and profound insights given. For example, Jakes compared God's will to the will drafted by a loving parent for his children. He also pointed out how crucial discernment is for you to know when you've been given direction. And how if you really want something you have to ask, and God is not offend if you ask over and over. I so highly recommend everyone order the DVD or CD of this talk from Gateway. I could not do it justice to summarize it for you. Just know that it touched me deeply.

If He Can Change the World....Why Don't We?

Every once in a while you come upon an writer who is so gifted, eloquent and generous with his use of words and language that you literally can’t put the book down, nor cease from pondering the powerful message his words convey. Eric Metaxas, author of Amazing Grace: William Wilberforce and the Heroic Campaign to End Slavery is one such writer. His biography of William Wilberforce brought the famous eighteenth century abolitionist to life once again to a generation who never knew him. For those of you who don’t know the name Wilberforce, he was a British man of privilege who rose to power in Parliament at the young age of 24, met God, and passionately fought a twenty year battle to abolish slavery and a fifty year battle to win the emancipation of slavery throughout Europe (which finally happened just one day before his death in 1833). Not only that but Wilberforce also fought many other social injustice battles throughout his life and is credited for bring social conscious into existence. Eric Metaxas seemlessly pulls the reader into Wilberforce’s world as though you were actually there. He smashes the myth that the era was sweet and romantic and exposes a world of utter moral corruption and lawlessness along with the shocking truth that 25% of all women in Europe were prostitutes during that time, alcoholism was a way of life for the privileged and poor alike, public slayings were condoned, and religion was tolerated but frowned upon. In the midst of this, Wilberforce chose to make his life count and make a difference, never giving up despite unthinkable opposition. As we devour the pages before us, Metaxas pierces the heart of his readers to ponder not only Wilberforce’s impact on this world, but also to stop and ponder our own lives and to pray for guidance on what we were put here for, how we can make a lasting difference during our short time we’ve been given on this earth. Thank you Eric...and keep writing. I can’t wait to read your biography on Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

It's All Turned Around When I Accepted Me

It’s the end of 2009 and the end of a DECADE. It went fast, didn’t it? As the year and decade comes to the end I’ve been doing a lot of reading and pondering about what has been and what is to come. Guess what? The next decade is going to be great! One book I came across is an inspiring small little book filled with affirmations that we can all benefit from--especially any woman who is going through an unexpected life transition be it a breakup, divorce, or loss or any type. Just one minute a day with Sonja Samuel’s little book WHEN I ACCEPTED ME can help you push through the pain and jump into hope and happiness. Here’s an interview with Sonja about this fun book:

Victorya: Sonja, Why write about accepting yourself and self-esteem and what are you meaning?

Sonja: Self esteem is the extent to which we like, respect and accept ourselves. It encompasses our beliefs, emotions and behavior. It has been said that 2 out of 3 people at any given time suffers from low self esteem, and low self esteem can negatively affect every part of our lives. The way we think is essential to winning over negativity and boosting self esteem.

Victorya: I agree we all have negative self-talk going on that can be very defeating. Why is self-esteem important to you?

Sonja: Self esteem is important to me because after dealing with a difficult separation and divorce, I found myself struggling to rebuild my self esteem. That whole experience had taken me down a road of despair and depression like I had never experienced before. High self esteem had never been a problem for me so when life became difficult and it challenged me to question myself, I was completely thrown for a loop. It caused me to question my self- worth and value, and in the end I really struggled with accepting myself. I started thinking something must be wrong with me. I had gotten lost in my emotions when it really was about what was going on in my head. High self esteem starts with what we think! Sometimes we suffer from ‘thinking stinking’ and that can present a different set of issues; overall, I learned that to develop high self esteem we must examine what we think because that is what shapes our perspective and allows us to accept ourselves along with the challenges of life from a more positive perspective than negative one. That’s why I focused my book on positive affirmations for accepting me.

Victorya: What are some things we can do each day to help build our self esteem?

Sonja: Here are seven simple steps that we all can do to help our self-esteem: 1) Smile often to yourself and to others. Greet others when you see them and ask how they are and how their day is going. This helps build positive relationships with others. 2) Eliminate the negative. When a negative thought enters your mind, stop and immediately counter it with a positive thought about the same subject. 3) Be nice to others and be nice to yourself. Conversely, don't degrade others and don't degrade yourself. 4) Face your fears and forget your failures (after learning from them). Focus on your achievements and successes. Reward yourself when you succeed. 5) Quit thinking about trying to be perfect. No one is, so just accept that as it is. Don't be too competitive and don't compare yourself with others. 6) Don't worry about what others think of you. Just be the best you that you can be. And 7) Hang out with positive and optimistic people who also have high self esteem and self confidence. But when you are around negative people, try to direct your positive and optimistic thoughts in their direction. Don't let them pull down your level of self confidence or self esteem.

Victorya: This all sounds great....plus I've read your book! How can my readers get their hands on their own copy of your fun book of affirmations?

Sonja: WHEN I ACCEPTED ME can be ordered from my website at www.sonjasamuel.com. It would be a great way to start the year and to recharge for the coming year. We are extending it at our special introduction offer of $14.95 because we want to get the book out into as many hands as possible. For me it is a tool for empowering others which is my personal mission in life.

Snow on Christmas Eve!

We had beautiful 70 degree weather yesterday in Dallas/Fort Worth and today it's snowing! Yea! Isn't that how life is. One day is one extreme and the next is another. I find hope in that--especially on days that are really the pits. Next time your day brings you more than you can bear remember Scarlet O'Hare's famous words "After all, tomorrow is another day." And hold on to hope. Just know God has a personal plan for your life and it is for you to win! My favorite passage of scripture is Psalm 139. Read it this Christmas Eve along with Luke 2--the ultimate gift for all.

Merry Christmas 2009 and may 2010 be filled with blessings for you and yours!

Victorya

Choose to Change Your Thoughts!

I was given this CD series Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life over a year ago after appearing as a guest on Jennifer Crow's show HER VICTORY. It sat on my shelf until two days ago when I cleaned out my office and the title intrigued me. I've completed 2 of the 5 CDs. Wow, it was really great. Our negative habitual thought patterns (which we all have) really keep us from being all we can be! If you aren't exactly where you want to be and have ever felt like you "self-sabotage"--hello that's me!, you'll want to order this series. It can change your life! Way to go Jennifer Crow. Thanks!

Is Carrie Prejean Stupid or Vilified?

I just watched the entire interview with ousted beauty queen Carrie Prejean about the latest scandal about her alleged "sex tape" and this is another case of her being blasted in the media because of her being a conservative Christian speaking out on her beliefs. When I heard the rumor of the new scandal I was obviously annoyed thing "Girl, how dumb can you be, especially if you knew you had a tape out there!" Let's just say it is worth watching the interview on The Today Show (November 10, People section). Her "sex tape" was not her having sex with herself or anyone else. Actually if was a dumb choice of hers to do what is now commonly known as "sexting"-- a one time text of a short video she took of herself only on her phone for her boyfriend when she was 17. The lesson she says is really for all teens across America and that is everything you do affects you for the rest of your life and can come back to haunt you. She was not proud of her actions, tho' she never thought it would come out or that her ex even had the clip still on his phone. But she feels it only enhances the message she shares in her new book Still Standing. Though the media will continue to try and vilify her because she is a conservative, her message is worth hearing, girls, please think before you grab your camera -- there is NO privacy these days with the access to Facebook, MySpace and Twitter. What you do is out there for the world to see and you to regret! And I can't end this blog without sharing my agreement with her on her point that if she were a liberal non of this would be in the press. It's interesting, isn't it, that there is free of speech for a liberal point of view, but when it is a conservative point of view the media goes on a mission to discredit and destroy. It has become politically correct to be everything anti-Christian but for those who speak up for Jesus, you will be vilified in the media....hmmm, doesn't the Bible tell us that will happen? Sad but happening. Check out the link below for the full interview at the Today Show (November 10, People Section)

Man do I have a story!?!

Great post by Chip MacGregor today. He's a top literary agent in the publishing world. As you may or may not know the publishing world changes constantly and in this economic downturn it is one of the hardest hit industries. .As a published author who fills my how-to books with my stories (by focusing on my readers' needs), I so get what Chip Macgregor is talking about here! Great wisdom offered for free here! If you're not already famous and you dream of publishing your life story, read MacGregor's entire post. Chip Macgregor tells it like it is! But don't let that discourage you, rather read to the end and get his wisdom on how you can STILL reach your dream--make YOUR story useful for other's struggles by helping THEM conquer what you already conquered rather than making it all about you.

My favorite game of all time

Cleaning out my office and just came across my ticket stubs from Aug 2, 1997 Anaheim Angels vs Chicago White Sox at Anaheim Stadium...always one of my favorite games of all time...didn't remember who won, but I do know it was the night my man proposed. Aw....never has the national anthem brought such tears...or was it the ring on my finger.

Just looked up the score that game and the

Angels prevailed over the White Sox 5-2

Up until that night my favorite rendition of the national anthem was Whitney Houston's at the Super Bowl.

Wild Things too dangerous for Kids under 12

Okay, so if your kids are having a lot of nightmares parents, please consider what you're allowing them to watch simply because all the kids are watching it. Read these silly parent comments from parents who carelessly let their kids go to any movie that comes out (PG, R, whatever). I bet they wonder why their kids don't sleep well! I won't be taking my 7 & 8 year old. USA TODAY REVIEW And let me finish my rant by saying how irritated I am when I go to an adult comedy, like a Will Ferrell or Adam Sandler movie and see many families with young kids in the audience. Come on parents, do you all talk like that at home? Sad if you do.

The Perfect Gift for Every American

I just finished reading THE AMERICAN PATRIOT'S BIBLE "the Word of God and the Shaping of America". I didn't know what to expect and at first I was skeptical thinking "hey, are they going to try and analyze every prophecy in the Bible and trying and say it's all about America. But that IS NOT what this book is about at all. Instead it is a prolific Study Bible that includes history and notes throughout every page revealing our spiritual heritage in AMERICA and how the Bible openly and unapologetically formed our American values and uniqueness among nations. I was blown away by how often our Presidents throughout our history have not only acknowledged the necessity of the Bible but also quoted from it often! If you are an American, rush out and get this Bible and see what America really used to be about instead of what it has become in the last few years. Every student, parent, soldier and citizen should read the inspiring TRUE, FACTUAL and TRACEABLE accounts of our spiritual heritage and editor Dr. Richard G. Lee has passionately put it in one volume within the pages of this special Study Bible with authentic quotes straight from our history pages. As you can see, I truly LOVED THIS BOOK!

Shia LaBeouf and the God-sized hole

Pray for 23 year old mega star Shia LaBeouf. The star of both Transformers movies plus Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is on the cover of PARADE magazine for June 14 and confesses he is mixed-up and doesn't have a clue what to do. "I don't handle fame well...." LeBeouf says. I have no idea where this insecurity comes from, but it's a God-sized hole. If I knew, I'd fill it, and I'd be on my way."

Like so many Hollywood stars, LaBeouf appears to have the the world at his feet with everything anyone could dream of and yet this self confessed alchoholic says he has no idea what life is about.

Pray that God will bring an authentic Christian into LaBeouf's life to share hope and Truth with him and that LaBeouf will be open to bring Christ into his life to fill that "God-sized hole".

Prayer changes things. Be part of the change for LaBeouf's life!

Need a Lttle Hope Right Now?

This is my new favorite book! WHAT TO DO ON THE WORST DAY OF YOUR LIFE shows you how to handle your crisis right now. Inspired by King David (1 Samuel 30) and his worst day--he returned from a 3 day battle to find his wife and kids kidnapped, his home burned to the ground and financially bankrupt all in ONE day. Now that's a bad day. To make matters worse, by the end of the day his army wanted to kill him for it because they were in the same boat. King David did TEN things to survive this terrible day and his wisdom and insight is exactly what so many of us need during our current crisis! This is a PERFECT gift and must read for anyone going through a terrible time--be it financially, relationally or physically. My only hope is that Brian Zahnd expands this book (the size of THE PRAYER OF JABEZ) into a full on Bible Study so we can dive into this insight even more.

Okay, Donald...the Right Move

Wow, Donald Trump made a smart move amidst "politically incorrect" unrest. He just chose NOT to remove Carrie Prejean as Miss California amidst the controversy of her no-gay-marriage stance. Good for you Donald. I mean I expected him to follow suit of the attack on Prejean, an attack that was only waged because of her conservative Christian views, no matter what the media tries to say. Yes, it is a shame that she succombed to pressure and did photos in her underware last year...something EVERY single model is pressured to do in their career. I will tell you though the ONLY reason those pictures were tracked down and published was because they had a smear campaign on this young girl after she was ambushed with a loaded question and answered it according to her Christian views...this was/is a spiritual battle this young girl is under.

Reaction to Celebrity Apprentice Finale

Did you catch the season finale Sunday night of this season's Celebrity Apprentice ? Trump's pompus attitude is rather unappealing at best. I mean he acts all put out when someone shows some dislike for someone, yet seems to forget his embarassing tirade he had with Rosie O'Donnell last year. Melissa Rivers and Jesse James were cut down by Trump in the middle of their response during the finale when he asked them questions. Melissa had gotten very offended when she was cut from the show weeks before and had a minor temper tantrum--which as a female I've been guilty of a similar scene I must admit. Trump wouldn't let it die ...hello Trump...you were significantly MORE immature during your Rosie O'Donnell tantrums, now come on! Trump was the one who ended up looking bad on Sunday's finale. Then there was Trump's attack on Jesse James (married to Sandra Bullock & brilliant entreprenuer in his own right) about how he had confronted Dennis Rodman on the show to do an "intervention" to help him get sober. Jesse acted as a hero and in the best interest of Dennis, yet Trump, again, tried to cut down Jesse and say his was wrong to talk to him like that. If Trump would have only listened to what others were saying he'd see that Jesse was being a great guy and caring about his fellow person! Joan Rivers (the WINNER), Melissa Rivers and Jesse James were the ones who shined this year as having character.

To All The Moms--You're Appreciated!

Happy Mothers Day! I heard a fabulous Mom's Day message. You can see & hear it LIVE at 9, 10 & 12:45 (CT) today, Sunday at http://www.gatewaypeople.tv/ or during the week you can hear it during the week at http://www.gatewaypeople.com/.

I also noticed that Dr. Laura just came out with a book "In Praise of Stay-At-Home Moms." Sounds like a great book. If that describes you, check it out. Too often stay-at-home moms don't get credit for all their precious work!

Depth in Unlikely Places

I was already a huge fan of the book Same Kind of Different as Me. That book shocked, convicted, inspired and moved me. If you haven't read it yet, go out today and pick up a copy. You will fall in love with "Ms. Debbie" and you will be utterly inspired at the depth of Denver and impressed with the honesty and human-ness of Ron.

Yesterday Ron Hall and Denver Moore came and spoke live at First Friday to about 2000 ladies. Ron is a humorous, honest, engaging, & dynamic speaker who had us at the edge of our seats the entire time. He brought Denver up at the end of his talk to sing for us and share for a few moments. Though his speech at times mumbles together and is hard to understand, every single word is such incredible depth & wisdom it is shocking that he has never been able to read or write and has never spent a day in school. Clearly this man hears from God--he speaks truth.

Okay so if you know nothing about the book, here's my review I wrote when I first read it, so some of the above will make more sense.

You must read this book. You will be humbled, encouraged, challenged and heart broken as you read this gripping true story of three very different people with more in common that you can imagine. Have you ever felt worthless? Ever wrestled with prejudice or apathy? Or have you felt you were better than someone? Come on now, haven't we all at some level felt all of these feelings at one time or other? Read SAME KIND OF DIFFERENT AS ME. It will show you the world from another's eyes. You'll see how we lose out for judging others so quickly, no matter their race, social status or gender! SAME KIND OF DIFFERENT AS ME is the true story of Ron Hall, a wealthy art dealer, his precious wife Debbie Hall and Denver Moore, a homeless man who never had a chance in life--not even a chance to go to school. They meet up when Ron's wife Debbie begs him to join her in volunteering at a homeless shelter. My oh my, we all have so much to learn. Ever think God was a respecter of persons? Then read this book and think again. If you ever wondered how God can use you, even if you feel you are worthless or unimportant, then read this book. Denver Moore may have been an uneducated homeless man, but God loves him and has/had a specific plan for his life from the day he was born...a plan bigger than he could have ever dreamed! God has used him to change me. Thank you Denver and Ron for sharing your story. Thank you Debbie for living your life free from regrets! May I take your challenge and live every day of my life as though it was my last, no matter the circumstance. Read the story of Ron, Debbie and Denver and change your life today!

Notice the NOTICER!

Every once in a while a book comes along that is so empowering you have to read it in small doses, yet keep finding yourself coming back to it often until you’ve finished every word. The Noticer is one of those gems. A follow up to Andy Andrew’s The Travelor’s Gift which I also enjoyed, this new one is his best yet, offering a depth comparable to C.S. Lewis’ The Great Divorce and Till We Have Faces. What is this book even about? Jones (not Mr. Jones), an old drifter comes through Orange Beach, Alabama and transforms lives by paying attention and simply noticing what is really going on in their lives. One by one he offers them a fresh perspective—something we ALL can use. It is a book of common wisdom pulled together through an amazing, moving tale that grips you from the opening page. You will find profound statements throughout this book that you will underline and ponder over and over. I am confident the wisdom shared will find relevance in your own life, such as page 13 “whatever you focus on increases;” of page 65 “It takes a truly wise person to discern that oh-so-thin line between good and best;” Page 110 “Change is immediate! Instantaneous! It may take a long time to decide to change…but change happens in a heartbeat;” Page 111 “Have you ever considered how often we judge ourselves by our intentions while we judge others by their actions?” And these are just the tip of the iceberg. Pick up The Noticer and dive into the adventure of a new perspective!

The Secret to Being Prepared for the Crisis

Just got the news today that there was a MAJOR shakeup at my favorite publishing house and all but one of my friends are gone from there, just like that, in an instant. Some had been there over 20 years! Changes....we don't always like them, do we? And this is not exactly the easiest time for even the most talented people to be looking for work. It is, however, the time to put into practice all the stuff we have been writing about in Christian publishing these past few years and stand tall during our hard times. I heard Heather Mercer speak last week (she was the missionary who was held prisoner in Afghanistan during 9-11). One of the profound insights she shared was that ONCE a crisis hits you no longer have preparation time, you are just THERE stuck with whatever you put into your head up to that moment. And it was at that moment when she realized that it was the Scriptures, yes those simple memory verses she learned throughout Vacation Bible School and morning devotions over the years, that she had chosen to memorize throughout her life that came flooding back to carry her through her life threatening crisis.

Don't you get it? It was what she had ALREADY prepared for that came back to save her. What are we doing to be prepared for the unexpected in our own lives? None of us knew 9-11 was coming, but it did. No one REALLY thought our economy would collapse, but it did. My friends didn't think the new president of the publishing house would really let everyone go in less than a month, but he did.

Get ready. Prepare by absorbing the Bible each and every day. It never grows old and you get something new out of it each and every day. Pastor Robert Morris gave the most profound Easter sermon I've every heard in my life thus far (check it out at Gatewaypeople.com). We aren't perfect and we never will be, but we serve a God who was and is and is to come. He is our covering and he is right here to carry us through ANY unexpected moment of life. Are you prepared? Do you have a relationship with him?

We may never find ourself in a foreign prison facing the death penalty for talking about Jesus like Heather Mercer, but we WILL face circumstances that will be tragic and in those moments, will you be prepared by knowing God's word by heart? I challenge you to begin today to memorize Scripture and hide it in your heart. Those words will flood your mind when you need them most!