July 2008

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A Note from Susie

Greetings, Dear Friends!

I pray this note finds you full of faith and hope and joy!

Summer is in full swing and calls us to a different pace than the other seasons. Yes, we’re still busy, but the very idea of early sunrises, beautiful sunsets, and singing birds begs us to slow down and enjoy the scenery. I hope you are embracing some Sabbath moments amidst your busy days.

I’m really talking to myself here, but maybe you need the reminder too.

As life speeds up Jesus calls us to cease striving and to KNOW that He is God. His yoke is fashioned for us perfectly. He knows us intimately and loves us fully. He longs for us to trust Him, especially when we’re tempted not to.

Read this powerful verse: "Those who know Your name will trust in You. For You have never forsaken those who seek You ." (Psalm 9:10).

And here’s another verse: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge HIM and He will direct your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Many people have expressed to me the sense that change is coming; things are stirring; and refining times are upon us. In fact I blogged recently about this very thing (see the post “Shaken” if you’re interested).

God’s Word says this:

"The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life, of whom shall I be afraid? Though an army encamps against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arises against me, yet I will be confident. For He will hide me in His shelter in the day of trouble; He will conceal me under the cover of His tent; He will lift me high upon a rock." (Psalm 27: 1, 3, 5).

How do we live there? I believe the answer is found in verses 4, 13, and 14 of this same chapter:

"One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in His temple. I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord"

Oh, my goodness, I love God’s Word!

Are these turbulent times? Yes.

And yet, do we have a faithful, protective Father on our side? YES!!!

Look again at what He’s promised us:

  • Our light ~ He’ll show us the way and lead us to freedom
     
  • Our Salvation ~ He offers forgiveness and the promise of Eternity to those who will trust Him for it
     
  •  Our Stronghold ~ He holds us and protects us
     
  • He Hides Us ~ He embraces us in His shelter. There’s a limit to what the enemy can do to us
     
  • He Conceals Us ~ He covers us when the elements rage
     
  • Hi Lifts Us ~ He places us high above our circumstances and gives us a renewed perspective
    •

    Let’s look a little closer at what’s required of us:

  • To Seek After ~ We have a choice here. We are made for this glorious pursuit!
     
  • To Dwell in His Presence ~ Our fullness of joy is found here (Psalm 16:11)
     
  • To Gaze Upon Him ~ Our hearts are at rest when we look past our circumstances and fix our eyes on Him
     
  • To Inquire of Him ~ He confides in those who fear Him; He has things to teach us!
     
  • To Believe ~ We will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living!
     
  • To Wait for Him ~ He blesses those who wait for Him; He works for those who wait for Him
     
  • To Be Strong ~ We take our stand because His Word is true!
     
  • To Take Courage ~ We don’t lose heart because His Promises are true!
     
  • To Wait for Him ~ He works best when we’re at rest (that’s why this passage tells us a second time to wait for Him).
    •

    Now is the time to shift all of our hopes and assurances onto the Rock of our Salvation. Our hope is not in the economy, or the gas prices, or that next big break we’re pining for. Our hope, our help, is in the Name of the Lord!

    Know and rely on the love God has for you (1 John 4:16).

    Be filled with faith and courage right here, right now. Then the world will know that God is alive and active in your life! As a Believer, you get to participate in the Divine Nature of Christ.

    And if you get off track and find yourself full of doubt, discouragement, or even anxiety, stop in your tracks, turn around, and seek after, dwell with Him, gaze upon Him, inquire of Him, believe Him, wait for Him, and be strong and courageous!

    He will not fail you!

    Bless the day, my friend.

    Susie Larson


                                                  

    Amazing Giveaways:

         I’m doing something different for the giveaways this time.

    As many of you know, I give away a $10.00 Caribou gift card each month to someone who posts on my weekly blog. Post in July, you may be a winner!

    In August we’re doing something special. In honor of my new release, The Uncommon Woman: Making an Ordinary Life Extraordinary, I’m giving away a $50.00 VISA gift card to someone who posts on my blog in August.

    I’m also giving away a handful of free copies of my new book.

    Each week in August, I’ll post on what it means to be uncommon. Stop by, be encouraged, and leave me a note. You may be a winner!

    Also in honor of my new release, everyone who posts a review of Uncommon Woman on Amazon will go into a drawing for a $50.00 VISA gift card. That gift card will be awarded in my next E-zine (October issue). *This is a ‘members only’ offer. If you do post a review on Amazon, send me an email and your name will go into the drawing.

    And now for the book giveaways!

    I’m a member of two different Christian authors groups. Thanks to the generosity of my author friends, I am able to give away a stack of books in each issue of my E-zine.

    I do have a little string attached…These wonderful authors are sending their books free of charge. They will also be sending you some of their promo material for your women’s ministry director. Will you help promote these beautiful women by giving their material to your women’s ministry person?

    Normally, I announce the winners of each book, but this time, I’m putting the books out there for you to claim! First come first serve (one per member, please).

    If you want one of the books below, and you’re willing to hand the author’s promo material to your women’s ministry director, then email me at: info@susielarson.com with “Ezine Book Giveaway” in the subject line. Let me know which book you want.

    The first email I receive for each book, will determine who wins each book.

    You’ve got some GREAT books to choose from. Here they are:

    Building the Christian Family You Never Had: A Practical Guide for Pioneer ParentsBuilding the Christian Family You Never Had, by Mary DeMuth
    Waterbrook Press
         www.marydemuth.com

     

    Cow Crimes and the Mustang Menace
    by Sharon Dunn
    Kregel Publications
    www.sharondunnbooks.com


    Running Barefoot on Holy Ground: Childlike Intimacy with God, by Jeanne Dennis
     Publisher: Kregel Publications
         www.jeannedennis.com



     Want More? Joy (Brio Devotional)Want More? Joy
    by Jeanette Hanscome
    Tyndale (Focus on the Family)
         www.jeanettehanscome.com
    Reluctant Runaway (To Catch a Thief Series #2)Reluctant Runaway
     by Jill Elizabeth Nelson
    Publisher:  Multnomah Books
    www.jillelizabethnelson.com



    With This Ring    , by Joanna Weaver
    WaterBrook Press http://joannaweaver.blogspot.com

    Finding Stefanie
     by Susan May Warren
    Tyndale
     www.susanmaywarren.com 


    Beyond Me: Living a You-First Life in a Me-First World

    Beyond Me: Living a You-First Life in a Me-First World,
    by Kathi Macias
    New Hope Publishers
    : www.kathimacias.com
     

    Stuck in the Middle, Book 1 in the Sister-to-Sister Series, by Virginia Smith
    Revell Books
    www.VirginiaSmith.org

     

    If you’re a winner, email me privately and I’ll connect you with your author!

         

     

         

    Ministry UpdatesThe Uncommon Woman: Making an Ordinary Life Extraordinary

    I have a NEW RELEASE to tell you about! Every author has a signature book; a book of her heart; and this one is mine. Here’s a little excerpt from The Uncommon Woman: Making an Ordinary Life Extraordinary:

    Deep within our souls is a longing to be an uncommon woman. We are noble creatures with a great capacity for honor, conviction, and compassion. We have within us a strength that can weather storms, a courage that compels us to make a difference, and the living Christ who daily works in us to make us more like Him. We’re all different but the same. We all hurt on occasion. We’ve all thrown a spear and we’ve been hit a few times. We’ve said one thing and done another. And we’ve had our heroic moments when no one was watching.

    Do you long to rise up the petty behaviors that are familiar to most women?

    The uncommon woman believes the wonderful truth about herself. Moreover, she has the capacity to view others from this same heavenly perspective. Bursting from her heart is the conviction to do something about the injustices in her world. She walks with a purity that allows her to see God everywhere. And the Kingdom of God is so strong in her life that everywhere she places her feet suddenly becomes an uncommon and holy place – because she’s there.

    You can be that woman. You were meant to be that woman.

    Make my day and pick up a copy, tell your friends to pick up a copy, and post a review!

    In celebration of becoming an Uncommon Woman, we’ve planned a few opportunities to gather together and be inspired. If you live in the area, please join me for one or more of the following events:
     

    Saturday, July 26th, (noon – 2:00) Book Signing and interview with Kim Ketola at Northwestern Book Store, Maple Grove, MN
     

     

     

     

     

    • Thursday, August 7th (7:00-8:30) A Women’s Night Out, Meadow Creek Church, Andover, MN
       
  • Thursday, August 21st, (7:00-8:30) An Evening with the Author, Bridgewood Community Church, Blaine, MN (see website for details)
    •

    I continue to enjoy frequent appearances on my local radio station KTIS.  More recently I’ve served as a co-host with Kim Ketola on “Along the Way”. This past week I stepped in as a guest host. I had a great time! Listen in if you’re interested: http://www.kimjeffries.com/newsite/?p

      

    Great Tips for a Powerful Life

  • Seek After Him ~ Get up a few minutes early each day this week. Earnestly pray with a passion that’s not normally comfortable for you (It’s like running at a pace you’re not used to. It’s like kissing your husband in the middle of the grocery store). Even if you’re not comfortable, do it anyway.
     
  •  Dwell With Him ~ He’s with you, every step of the way. Be aware of His presence every minute of every day (and if that’s too tall of an order, then acknowledge Him every hour). Be aware of the fact that He’s with you and He loves you,
     
  • Gaze Upon Him~ Use a portion of your prayer time to sit in silence and ponder the majesty of God. Think about the mountains and the oceans and consider that He holds these in the palm of His hand. His understanding is infinite and His mercy abounds in us. Let that in.
     
  • Inquire of Him~ Ask God a question and listen for His answer. Don’t be too quick to give up and walk away. Keep after Him. Look for Him. Listen for Him. He reveals Himself to those who earnestly seek after Him (He rewards them too).
     
  • Wait for Him ~ The Bible is clear when it comes to the benefits and blessings of waiting on God. Are you weary? Wait on the Lord and He’ll renew your strength. Need a breakthrough? He works for those who wait for Him. Need an answer? He blesses those who wait for Him. Learn to wait with a trusting heart.
    • Be Strong & Courageous ~ The opposite is to be weak and discouraged. We’re called to “be” strong and courageous. We have a choice here! Even when we feel weak and are tempted to move away from courage (dis-courage), we must stand strong. Times call for courageous Believers. Be strong in the Lord. He’ll come through for you.

     

         

    Great Products for a Deeper Impact

    In every Ezine issue I like to draw your attention to books or CD’s that have nurtured me towards a more powerful life in Christ.

    Here are my choices this time:

    CD – Worship

    Gateway Worship – Living for You
    I     love, love this CD! My favorite song of all is, “The More I seek You.” You’ll be instantly ushered into God’s presence as you listen to this song.

    Hillsong LIVE – Mighty to Save
    I love this album too. My two favorite songs on this CD are, “Oceans will Part” and “At the Cross.” Your knees will buckle when you listen to these worshipful songs.

    Book

    Psalm 91: God’s Shield of Protection
     by Peggy Joyce Ruth
     Creation House
     For the past couple of years I’ve been quite drawn to the 91st Psalm. I read it several times a week; sometimes every day for many days in a row. This Psalm is packed with promises of protection and provision. The more often I read it, the more assured I am that God is faithful, powerful, and mighty. He is One who will not fail us!

    This spring my husband and I were on our way to Missouri to attend our son’s college graduation. We stopped at a truck stop to use the rest room and buy some snacks. I found a bin of books on sale and so I naturally stopped and looked for a good book.

    To my utter joy and surprise, I found “Psalm 91: God’s Shield of Protection”! I love this book! The author takes Psalm 91 verse by verse and teaches us just what God has made available to those who will take Him at His word. At the end of the book are many stories of military families and regular civilians who found miraculous protection through God’s faithfulness expressed in this passage.

    Here’s an excerpt from the book:

           “Faith is not a tool to manipulate God into giving
            you something you want. Faith is simply the means
            by which we accept what God has already made
            available. Our goal needs to be the renewal of our
            minds, to such an extent that we have more faith in
           God’s Word than in what we see. God does not
           make promises that are our of our reach.” (p.49)

     

                                                   

    Great Quotes to Nourish Your Soul

    “God is the sunshine that warms us, the rain that melts the frost and waters the young plants. The presence of God is a climate of strong, bracing love, always there.”

                                                                        --Joan Arnold

    “Love the beautiful, Seek out the true, wish for the good, and the best do.”

                                                                      --Moses Mendelssohn

     

                                                     

    A Quick Prayer to Send You on Your Way...

    Faithful Father,

    You are all that I need. Your Word is true and Your promises are backed by all of the honor of Your Name. I will rest secure in You. I will spend time in Your presence. I will slow down long enough to behold Your handiwork. Your fingerprints are everywhere! Thank you for trees and birds and flowers and white, fluffy clouds. Thank you for morning mercies and for faithfulness at night. Keep me from the things that would keep me from You. Help me to love what You love. Help me to believe what You say. More than anything I want to be known as someone who knows You well. Draw me close to You. In Jesus’ Name, I pray, Amen.
     

          

    I hope you enjoyed my Ezine. The next edition will be out in October 2008.   Please send along any questions or comments. If you know of others who would benefit from this Ezine, please send them my way. You are free to unsubscribe at any time.

    May the richness of God be your reality, this day and always.

    ~Susie

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