New Year’s resolutions are made every year. My best guess, after going to crowded gyms in January and February, is that working out more and losing weight are at the top of the list. But when March comes around, the gyms are back to normal. I wonder why it’s so hard for us to keep our resolutions?

I received a clear revelation of the answer to my own personal struggle many years ago. When I became a Christian at 26, I wanted to quit smoking cigarettes, a habit I started at 19. I became convicted that ingesting tobacco wasn’t good for me, and I also believed God didn’t want me to smoke. Besides, none of my new Christian friends smoked, and I felt like an outsider. Every New Year’s that followed, I’d quit smoking, only to fail. I would quit and go back. Quit and go back. The quitting usually didn’t last very long.

After many failed attempts over the course of seven years, I couldn’t understand why I failed as a Christian to conquer this addiction. After all, I had prayed about it for years, and even asked others to pray for me. Most of all, as a Christian who believes the Holy Spirit comes to dwell inside of us, I had the power of God living inside of me. I was puzzled that my attempts had been so futile.

One day I asked God why I hadn’t succeeded. I didn’t hear an audible response, but the thought entered my mind, “Because you aren’t really willing to give them up.” I knew that thought wasn’t from me, but from God. And I also knew it was correct.

Ever since I was nineteen, those cigarettes were my crutch. They calmed me down. They were a physiological addiction, an habitual addiction, and an emotional addiction. I changed my prayer. “Dear God, please help me to be willing to give up cigarettes.” The next day I threw out my cigarettes and the detoxification began with success.

Two weeks later, I met the man I would eventually end up marrying after seven years of praying for a spouse. It wasn’t long after we started dating that I found out he never dated women who smoked! We’ve now been married for thirty years.

Had I not quit smoking when I did, my destiny would have not been fulfilled. I still have no desire to smoke, and I can’t even stand the smell of cigarettes.

God says, “For I know the plans I have for you says the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future.” When the Holy Spirit convicts us that we need to give up an addiction, it’s in our own best interest. I’m so glad I listened to that still small voice and asked God to help me be willing. I feel it’s one of my greatest personal accomplishments, achieved with the help of my Heavenly Father.

Years ago I was sitting on a downtown bench after work waiting for a commuter express bus headed towards the interstate.

I was using a new pocketbook with a small handle not large enough to put over my shoulder. I placed the purse beside me so I could read my book. The bus arrived, and I completely forgot about my purse. A few minutes later, I realized it was missing. Panic set in as I looked all around. The purse contained my house and car keys, driver’s license, ATM card, address book with my contact information, a little over $30, and a few other items. My husband was working out of town, and I was home alone. Knowing I was trapped with no way to go back for my purse, I prayed. “Dear Heavenly Father, please put your angels around my pocketbook until I can retrieve it. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”

 “What’s wrong?” one of the female passengers asked. I explained my situation, and she offered to drive me back downtown to look for my purse.

We arrived at the bench, but no purse in sight. We even looked in nearby trash barrels. Now I was going to have to call a locksmith to change all the locks on our house.

The woman brought me to my friend’s who had a spare set of keys to our house, and then to my car after I retrieved my spare set of car keys from our home. Once I returned home again, I found a message on my answering machine from Ernest Jones, a bus driver who said he found my pocketbook on a downtown bench.

Within the hour my friend and I met Ernest at a local ice cream parlor. He returned my purse with everything intact. “Two women boarded the bus at your stop but left the purse on the bench. I started to drive away, but stopped, and retrieved your purse,” he told me.

I expressed my appreciation and gave him a Bible. “There’s a thank you card in there for you to open later,” I told him, not disclosing it contained a $100 check.

The next day I was so grateful, I called the local newspaper to tell them what happened. They interviewed us that very day. The next morning a large photograph of the two of us appeared on the front page above our story: “Bus Driver Takes Honest Route.” We were both interviewed for the local nightly news later that day.

Ernest called me several times to tell me about various gifts he received from strangers after our story was released. Gift certificates for new sneakers, a free weekend at a local beach resort, meals at local restaurants, and more. He told me it wasn’t the first time he found something valuable and returned it, but it was the first time he was rewarded for his honesty. As a teen, he found a pocketbook containing $21,000 from the proceeds of a real estate transaction. He returned it to its rightful owner, but never received a reward.

“God didn’t forget what you did years ago Ernest. You’re just getting rewarded for it now.”

God tells us in Galatians 6:9: “Let us not grow weary in well doing, for in due season we shall reap if we faint not.”

Months ago I was watching a woman named Debbie Macomber being interviewed on The 700 Club Christian television program. Diagnosed as a child with “word blindness,” she shared how she struggled to learn in school.

“Debbie is a nice girl,” her third grade teacher told her mother, “but she’ll never do well in school.” And she didn’t. But, from the time she was a young child, she loved to tell stories and dreamed of becoming a writer. She kept that dream to herself fearing what others might say. She was ten years old by the time she learned to read.

The following year she learned to knit and was quite good at it. This boosted her self-confidence. Through knitting she also learned concentration, comprehension and math. In high school, she shared her dream of becoming a writer with her principal who replied, “think about something you can do.”

Her academic education ended once she finished high school. It wasn’t until after she married and had children that she learned the “word blindness” she had been diagnosed with as a child was actually dyslexia.

Debbie never gave up her dream of becoming a writer and believed that was God’s purpose for her life. She began to pursue her writing career crafting out romance novels. Rejection after rejection came from her submitted manuscripts, but she didn’t give up. Finally, one of her manuscripts was accepted.

Since then, Debbie has had more than 160 books published, been on the New York Times best seller list numerous times and has 170 million copies of her books in print. She’s had some of her books made into Hallmark tv movies and a Hallmark tv series. She currently concentrates on writing inspirational nonfiction but has also written cookbooks and children’s books.

Recognized for her achievement with numerous awards, Debbie’s dreams of becoming a writer were truly inspired by God. He put that dream in her heart, and she never gave up on it, despite what others said.

Throughout the bible there are stories of those who were given a dream by God that seemed impossible. The story of Joseph in Genesis is a prime example. In his dream, he saw sheaves of wheat (representing his ten older brothers) bowing down to him. When he shared his dream with his brothers, they became furious. They ended up kidnapping him and selling him into slavery. Years later, that dream became reality when through a series of events, he became second in power in all of Egypt. Because of a famine in the land, his brothers travelled to Egypt to buy wheat from Pharaoh’s 2^nd in command (not recognizing it was their brother whom they hadn’t seen in years) and ended up bowing down to him. I highly recommend everyone read this incredible story of triumph over tragedy.

Ephesians 3:20 says: “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that is in us.”

What’s your dream?

Several years ago I was sorting through boxes in our garage after a recent move into a much larger home. I stared with dread at the seven old WWII military trunks my husband had kept in storage since his father’s passing eighteen years earlier. They had travelled all over the world during the 1940s-1960s as his father was relocated and held great sentimental value to my husband.

Now what are we going to do with these dirty old trunks? The thought of keeping them in the garage or moving them into the attic for another eighteen years was unappealing.

In the meantime, I searched for economical ways to decorate our new home looking for sales at furniture stores, going to estate sales or consignment shops. One day I saw a beautiful “military” styled trunk in a nearby furniture store with a $700.00 price tag on it. It was displayed as a side table in a family room. It was raised up on legs, black and very much a handsome piece of furniture.

Seven hundred dollars for a military trunk? Wait a minute! We have lots of these in our garage! I can paint some of those trunks. The problem was, how do I get them raised off the floor? I went online and found a pattern to make stands for the trunks and found a woodworker to make them for only $30.00 each.

With my husband’s permission to proceed, I painted one trunk with chalk paint and distressed it to be used at the foot of a bed in a spare bedroom, and painted another black to be used as an end table in the corner of our master bedroom. The trunks now found their new purpose instead of being hidden away. I’ve since added two more to different rooms in our home. This enabled me to honor my husband’s wishes to keep the trunks, but also make good use of them.

The transformation with the trunks reminded me of my own transformation years ago. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” But God didn’t change me just on the outside, he changed me on the inside as well. However, the transformation on my inside was so dramatic, it reflected on my outside. I was reborn to fulfill the purpose and plans God had for me.

Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” When we become a Christian, God repurposes us, just like those dirty old military trunks. He can make us into something completely brand new. I’m so glad God sees the heart of man and doesn’t give up on us. Aren’t you?

(Photos below of before and after trunks, and me before and after I became a Christian.)

For many years my husband and I rented a movie on Friday nights, made popcorn, and curled up on the sofa for two hours of relaxing entertainment after a hard week at work. But those days have long disappeared as I’ve struggled to find a decent film that’s neither violent or vulgar.

“I wish Hollywood understood there are millions of Christians, and non-Christians, who would really enjoy a decent family-friendly film?” I lamented.

In the past few years, I’ve watched all of the God’s Not Dead movies. I’ve also watched some great Hollywood historical films, like The Darkest Hour about Winston Churchill, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood about Mr. Rogers, and other films based on true stories like Hidden Figures and Hacksaw Ridge. But those films are few and far between.

Recently two separate friends told me about a new Christian tv series called The Chosen (created by Dallas Jenkins) about the life of Christ and his disciples that is free by downloading “The Chosen” App (via Google Play or the App Store). I downloaded the free app to my phone and watched the entire eight episodes of Season 1 (from last year) in two days.

I watched in awe at the powerful and emotional performances. Guaranteed to make you cry, it will also make you laugh. It’s the best production about the life of Christ I’ve ever seen. Viewed worldwide more than 60 million times, it’s translated into 50+ languages thus far.

It’s the most successful crowdfunding film project ever with Season 1 being paid for by investors, and Season 2, currently in filming, being paid for via a ‘pay it forward’ method where viewers can, if they choose, ‘pay it forward’ to provide a way for others to watch it for free.

A few days after I watched it, my husband purchased a Fire Stick (for $30.00) which enables streaming on our flat screen. We streamed it to our tv via my phone app and watched it together over the course of that week. “I’d like to watch that again,” he said a few days later. I was certainly amenable to his suggestion. Each time I watch it, I notice something new. Fortunately, they are planning at least seven seasons.

Proverbs 13:12(b) says: “A wish come true fills you with joy.” This show certainly fulfills my wish of long ago (for some decent television entertainment), and fills me with joy. How ingenious of God to use Dallas Jenkins, and everyone else involved in its production, to create such a powerful television series in a day of social media, and also the strange times we’re living in with the pandemic and home confinement.

I highly recommend you download the app. When you do, be prepared to witness the most powerful film production of the greatest story ever told, and be sure to have some tissues nearby. And I’ll continue to re-watch Season 1 until Season 2 is released next Easter. I’m so glad Season 2 won’t be ‘The End.’

I was chatting with the office receptionist about my recent interview on the popular Christian tv program, The 700 Club, when a middle-aged woman walked in.

“My name is Darlene Jones, and I have a one o’clock appointment with Attorney James Henderson.” The receptionist promptly called the attorney’s assistant to inform her his client had arrived. Moments later the assistant arrived at the receptionist’s desk.

“I’m sorry, Ms. Jones, but Mr. Henderson is out of the office. He doesn’t have you scheduled on his calendar.”

Ms. Jones insisted she had an appointment with James Henderson and was told she would be meeting with him at one o’clock regarding her bankruptcy case. Mr. Henderson’s assistant said she would look up her case to see what she could find out.

While we were waiting, the three of us engaged in conversation. I shared with Darlene about my interview on The 700 Club, and how the Lord had dramatically transformed my life.

“My life is a mess,” she shrugged. “Besides filing for bankruptcy, my husband left, and my son is using drugs.” She told us she had been a Christian in her youth but drifted away from the Lord years earlier. “My grandfather and father were pastors.”

“Would you like me to pray with you,” I asked. “Sure,” she replied. I brought her into the nearby conference room and closed the door. We sat side by side as I grabbed her hands and prayed. Once we finished, we returned to the receptionist area.

“Ms. Jones, here is the name and address of the Attorney you were to meet with,” the receptionist said as she handed her a piece of paper. “His name is Steve Smith. He’s located a few blocks from here.”

“Steve Smith? How did I get James Henderson out of Steve Smith?”

“I don’t know, but they’re expecting you,” the receptionist said.

Darlene looked at me with a stunned expression. “How did I get this address?”

“God must have guided you here today,” I said as I looked into her tear-filled eyes.

She was visibly shaken and repeatedly asked how she could have been given the wrong name and address.

Darlene may have turned away from her relationship with the Lord, but he never forgot her. He guided her steps into our office to remind her about his love, willingness to forgive, and ability to transform lives. I often wonder what happened to her. I have a feeling that day was a pivotal moment in turning her life around.

The Lord is a gentleman. When he comes knocking, the decision to let him in is ours. Revelation 3:20 says: “Behold I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in unto him and sup with him, and he with me.” When he came knocking on my door years ago, I didn’t answer for a while. I’m glad I eventually did.

Knock, knock.

Many years ago my Mom was enjoying her weekly visit to her favorite restaurant where she had become friends with the owner and staff. The hundred-year-old family owned and operated upscale restaurant, and local landmark, is located in the downtown area of our hometown in Upstate New York. Elegant, but comfortable, it’s close proximity to the state capital is a warm environment frequented by nearby business professionals and politicians alike. Within walking distance to a large concert arena adds to its popularity.

Mom was seated at her regular table reading the newspaper after a late lunch when in walked the famous baritone Robert Goulet, one of Mom’s favorite performers. He and his guests were seated across the room. She suddenly remembered that he was performing in town.

Mom was gifted with a beautiful soprano voice, although she was never given the opportunity to use it professionally. She did sing on stage during holiday performances when she lived in an orphanage. Over the years she would sing around the house or out with friends. I believe if Mom was given the proper resources and support, she could have had a singing career.

Moments after Mr. Goulet was seated, Mom arose. Looking into his legendary blue eyes, she sang, “Some enchanted evening,” the first lyrics to his famous hit song of the same name from the musical, South Pacific. As if rehearsed, Robert Goulet stood, stretched out his hand towards Mom, and continued with the opening lyrics: “You may see a stranger. You may see a stranger, across a crowded room.”

Tears filled Mom’s eyes as patrons and staff burst into applause. She called me that evening and told me about her adventure. It was an experience we never forgot. Years later after Mom passed away, the local newspaper dedicated a substantial sized article to my Mom who had been such a loyal patron at the locally historic restaurant for decades. In the article, one of the restaurant’s staff recounted the day Mom sang with Robert Goulet.

That little act of kindness on the part of Robert Goulet only took a moment, but it had an impact on Mom, me, and all those in the restaurant that day. I’ve heard many stories of celebrities being annoyed when approached by fans in public places. But Mr. Goulet used the gift God had given him to bring joy to an older woman and others around her.

The bible says in Galatians 6:10: “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.” I have no idea what Robert Goulet’s faith was, but I know that act of kindness was a clear demonstration of what God talks about in Galatians. I pray that as a Christian, I never miss the opportunity to share an act of kindness that will leave a lasting impact.

A global pandemic such as the world hasn’t seen in a hundred years. National civil unrest, violence and destruction spreading throughout the globe. Many are consumed with fear. Others have lost hope our world will recover.

But, 2 Chronicles 13:14-15 says: “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” God is the answer, and repentance and prayer is the key. I know. I experienced it firsthand.

As a child, I was taught about God. After experiencing multiple traumas, I came to the conclusion either God didn’t exist, or he didn’t care. So, I turned away from him. Not long after my life became filled with sin, dysfunction and chaos. Sounds like the condition our world is in right now doesn’t it?

I had no hope that I could “undo” the evil that was done to me. I had no hope that I could feel normal after almost being murdered as a child by a man possessed with the devil. I had no hope of ever having a normal relationship with someone of the opposite sex and being happily married. My world looked dark and hopeless.

But then one night I turned my life over to God, and my life began to turn around. I have been happily married for thirty years, and healed from my childhood traumas as if the events never happened. I am no longer filled with despair and hopelessness. I know God can turn anyone’s life around, and anyone’s situation around, including this world. In John 10:10, God says: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” I have experienced the destruction of the thief (aka the devil), and the blessings of a life lived for God.

We are physical and spiritual beings who live in a physical and spiritual world. What ails our nation and world is not only a physical problem, but also a spiritual one. And the solutions are not only physical, but also spiritual. Ephesians 6:12 says: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm.”

With millions of Christians in our nation, we can turn this situation around by engaging in spiritual warfare. God has given us the power of prayer to use as a weapon. He’s also given us the Bible, which is the Word of God, aka the Sword of the Spirit. Hebrews 4:12(a) says: “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword.”

Let us take up our weapons and turn this nation around. On guard!

Can God bring good out of something bad? My answer is a resounding, “Yes!” I’ve experienced it firsthand. Many times. On many different levels.

By far my worst experience occurred when I was almost murdered as a child. The resulting negative effects lasted for years until I became a Christian and God began the healing process. Not until my thirties did I ask God to bring good out of what happened. In the natural it would seem impossible that anything positive could come out of something so heinous.

Years later, I shared my incredible journey of emotional healing from those childhood traumas on The 700 Club, a popular Christian television program. The episode inspired thousands to call in for prayer seeking their own emotional healing from childhood traumas, and hundreds asked Christ into their lives. My story gave them hope that they too could be freed from their painful pasts, and live normal, happy lives. It’s a story I continue to share when given the opportunity.

Another bad experience I had, though on a much lower level, occurred over twenty years ago. My husband and I were out of town during the winter taking care of a dying relative when our neighbors informed us our upstairs bathroom water pipes had burst. I flew home right away and walked through several inches of water throughout the bottom level. The outdated shag carpeting and older furniture in the den and my husband’s office were unsalvageable.

The lower level held my least favorite decor in our home. It consisted of a mix of furniture from my single days and my husband’s bachelor days and needed a major overhaul. One that never made it to the top of my ‘to do’ list while working full time. Over the next few months, the entire level was replaced with modern carpeting and beautiful new matching furniture, thanks to our insurance coverage. I loved the transformation and thanked God for those burst pipes!

Romans 15:4, says: “For whatsoever things were written aforetime, were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures may have hope.” I believe the same thing is true about our past bad experiences. We can learn by them when we recall how God met our need and then brought good out of what happened. Sometimes the ‘good’ is that our faith is increased. And hopefully the next time we go through a trial, we have more confidence that God will meet our need. Or sometimes the ‘good’ is that we can encourage others through our own deliverance or redemption stories.

Though the current situation is on a much grander scale, I’m praying God will bring good out of the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic as well. I’m looking forward to it.

“I can’t last another week!” I’ve heard that statement more than once since the beginning of the unprecedented home confinements brought on by Covid-19. But, I’m here to tell you, “You can get through this.” I know, because in the past I’ve accomplished what I thought was impossible.

One such instance occurred over twenty years ago when my sister-in-law (who I refer to as Susie in my memoir) was seriously ill fighting an aggressive form of cancer. She was living alone in my father-in-law’s home an hour’s ride outside of Los Angeles, getting treatment at Cedar Sinai Hospital. My husband and I took leaves of absences from our jobs in Virginia to take care of her. What we thought would be a few weeks turned into a few months.

I not only did many of the mundane chores, but I also took Susie to her weekly appointments at Cedar Sinai while my husband was taking care of other matters. To get to Cedar Sinai, I had to take the ‘white knuckle’ drive on one of the nation’s busiest freeways—the 405. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the 405, there’s six or more lanes of traffic going in each direction on parts of that route. In addition, when there’s not a backup, most drivers are speeding along at 80 mph or more, far above the 65 mph speed limit. Clinging to the steering wheel, I prayed silently the entire grueling trip. I thanked God every time we made it to the hospital, and again when we returned home.

Part of Susie’s home treatment plan consisted of receiving three injections of one particular medicine each morning, noon and night. In addition, she needed a fourth injection of a different medication that could only be given by her R.N. during his daily noon home visits. He informed us that someone needed to give Susie her morning and evening injections. I knew my husband wasn’t interested, and I certainly wasn’t since I hated needles with a passion. “I can’t do that,” I told the nurse. But, he assured me I could. I knew I had no choice, and asked God for help. I confess, it wasn’t easy at first. But, the more I did it, the easier it became. And when she left this earth for her heavenly home, I was on the bed beside her, reading scriptures to her about heaven.

In Philippians 4:13, it says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” So, if you think you can’t make it through another day of home confinement due to Covid-19, or can’t make it through another day of whatever you’re going through, God can give you the strength. Just ask Him. And then take it one day at a time.