The Screwtape Letters

C.S.Lewis was brilliant.  I mean who doesn't like Narnia and has/had wished at least once in your life that you could have been Peter, Edmond, Susan or Lucy. Am I right!   If I could go back in time, Or like even in the imagination Station  (for those who don't know what an imagination Station is please listen to Adventures in Odyssey) anyway what was i talking about? Time travel? oh yes that's right... sometimes I get a bit distracted.. SO If I could go back in time and meet someone it would be C.S.Lewis or L.M.Montgomery.  actually I would meet both of  them. I could never chose between the two... like they are literally my FAVORITE authors ever, hands down. Ok  back to gushing about C.S.Lewis. Honestly this man had so much wisdom and passion for Christ! Every time I read one of his books I feel as though I am soaking up words of wisdom. *side note I think I just about used all the ink up from my pen, underlining my favorite lines in the Screw Tape Letters * (Scratch that I  think i underlined something on just about every page)

Anddd even though I adore all of his books, today I only want to talk about one in particular.(Note I said today because you can believe me I will be writing more about him. Probably in the near future) One that changed my perspective on life and the way I view it. This is a book that EVERYONE  should read at least once in their life (scratch that you should read it many times) and what book am I talking about??? I bet you guessed it all ready. Its not like I mentioned it at all *insert sarcasm*
Yes I am going to talk about the Screw Tape Letters.

The following excerpt from The Screwtape Letters is, I think, one of C.S. Lewis’ most sublime arguments. The senior demon, Screwtape, is trying to help his new tempting nephew, Wormwood, keep the new Christian sliding away from his faith. Within this part of Letter XII are several brilliant quotations and key points of subtle spiritual struggles.

As this condition becomes more fully established, you will be gradually freed from the tiresome business of providing Pleasures as temptations. As the uneasiness and his reluctance to face it cut him off more and more from all real happiness, and as habit renders the pleasures of vanity and excitement and flippancy at once less pleasant and harder to forgo (for that is what habit fortunately does to a pleasure) you will find that anything or nothing is sufficient to attract his wandering attention. You no longer need a good book, which he really likes, to keep him from his prayers or his work or his sleep; a column of advertisements in yesterday’s paper will do. You can make him waste his time not only in conversation he enjoys with people whom he likes, but in conversations with those he cares nothing about on subjects that bore him. You can make him do nothing at all for long periods. You can keep him up late at night, not roistering, but staring at a dead fire in a cold room. All the healthy and outgoing activities which we want him to avoid can be inhibited and nothing given in return, so that at last he may say, as one of my own patients said on his arrival down here, “I now see that I spent most of my life in doing neither what I ought nor what I liked”. The Christians describe the Enemy as one “without whom Nothing is strong”. And Nothing is very strong: strong enough to steal away a man’s best years not in sweet sins but in a dreary flickering of the mind over it knows not what and knows not why, in the gratification of curiosities so feeble that the man is only half aware of them, in drumming of fingers and kicking of heels, in whistling tunes that he does not like, or in the long, dim labyrinth of reveries that have not even lust or ambition to give them a relish, but which, once chance association has started them, the creature is too weak and fuddled to shake off.

You will say that these are very small sins; and doubtless, like all young tempters, you are anxious to be able to report spectacular wickedness. But do remember, the only thing that matters is the extent to which you separate the man from the Enemy. It does not matter how small the sins are provided that their cumulative effect is to edge the man away from the Light and out into the Nothing. Murder is no better than cards if cards can do the trick. Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one—the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts,

Your affectionate uncle

SCREWTAPE

Yeahhhhhh. intense right! so this is what I learned from reading this book.

(I'm not trying to preach and you or make it sound as though I have it all together, cause believe me. I don't. But Honestly I just want to share with you what stuck out to me because I want to proclaim the FREEDOM that is found in Jesus.) 

1. We fight a battle against the Spirit World every second that we live.

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 

Ephesians 6:12

And the next verses go onto say that we need not be afraid if we have the armor of God. Truth. The breastplate of righteousness. the gospel of peace( I love that) The shield of Faith. The helmet of salvation. The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 

Isn't that astounding. God has provided a way for us to protect and fight back the enemy. 

 2.There is NO such thing as 'little' sin in our lives .

EVERYTHING we do effects our spiritual walk with Christ. There is no 'standing still' or comfortable when it comes to our relationship with Yahweh. The more we sin and compromise our standards the farther away we go from God. It is a constant battle to resist temptation. And lets be real, all of us have failed. But the beauty of that is God's Amazing grace. His grace is enough. Period. No more. No less. Just enough.

3. Recognize what we are actually fighting against.

So often when someone  hurts  or mistreats us  its easy to become angry or bitter against said person. But I think that in doing that we let Satan control that part of our life and so let him get a hold on us. Its so easy to carry grudges against people. BUT I challenge you to talk to God (and the person you are having issues with)  and let go of what you have been holding onto, even though you may have a perfect reason to feel the way you do. I promise you that if you give it to God you will feel so free. and that is really what being a Christian is all about. Freedom to forgive. To love.

4. Pray and Read my Bible DAILY.

God didn't leave is high and dry so to speak and let Satan torment us. NO its just the opposite. God is his great wisdom gave us a weapon. actually he gave us two. 1. The Bible. It's our life support its what keeps us alive (And yes I think we need to be alive to stand up and fight) to be on fire for Truth.   #2. Prayer. Now prayer is our weapon. James 5:16 says that The effective fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth  much. We don't have to stand back in defeat and fear, on the contrary lets rise up and Fight! Fight because w are on the winning side! 

5. Fear NO Evil.

There is a line in one of my favorite songs that goes like this. 

If Were gonna Fear we fear No evil.

The thing is when Jesus died on the Cross He concurred Fear, Death, and the Grave. We have absolutely nothing to be afraid of. Nothing. So then why are we afraid (and I don't mean a fear of stuff like snakes and mice ) I'm talking about a Fear so strong that it grips you and keeps you in its terrible hold. That kind of fear. And I am here to tell you that We can shake off those chains of fear sand bondage and stand bold In the light and protection of Jesus. 

So that I may boldly say, the Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

Hebrews 13:6

All that God desire for you is that you live a fearless life, committed to Him. 

So lets look our fears in the eye and say, NO MORE. No more will you have power over me. We have been liberated. We are the children of Christ .So let us proclaim our Freedom. 

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

This is one of My favorite songs. And you have probably heard it but just in case you haven't  here it is. I love it, and Its awesome. *side note if you are looking for powerful worship songs I highly recommend anything and everything by Bethel*

NO Longer Slaves

Also Another of my favorites... Honestly I have no words for this  song. Just listen.

Lions

And dears that is all the wisdom that I have to share with you today. I hope I didn't bore you to much. And maybe just maybe you got something out of my ramblings.

I would absolutely LOVE to know If and what your favorite C.S.Lewis book is.

-Janelle

I Pray because I can't help myself. I pray because I'm helpless. I pray because the need flows out of me all the time - walking and sleeping. It does not change God -it changes me. 

C.S.Lewis  

Lets talk Authors

So as the title suggest this post is going to be about (you'll never guess) an Author. But not just any author. This Author is amazing, *BE Warned* once you pick up her books you will not be able to put them down. Full of heartbreak, and trials her stories will bring tears to your eyes, or if your like me, its more like a river of tears. But don't worry its not all sad. There are moments where you will be laughing along side of the characters, smiling when they smile, rejoicing when they rejoice, crying when they cry, exc. Actully pretty much every emotion that you've ever felt. SO whose ready to see who this fantastic Author is??? (Oh wait quick side note. Once a month I'm going to write a blog post focusing on one author in particular) And now back to this months author.
(Drum roll please) Andddd the Author of this weeks post is........




MILDRED D TAYLOR
(My Shortish bio of her works)
⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️

Mildred DeLois Taylor is an African-American writer known for her works exploring the struggle faced by African-American families in the Deep South.

Taylor was born in Jackson, Mississippi, but lived there only a short amount of time, then moved to Toledo, Ohio, where she spent most of her childhood. She now lives in Colorado with her daughter. 

Many of her works are based on stories of her family that she heard while growing up. She has stated that these anecdotes became very clear in her mind, and in fact, once she realized that adults talked about the past, "I began to visualize all the family who had once known the land, and I felt as if I knew them, too ..." Taylor has talked about how much history was in the stories; some stories took place during times of slavery and some post-slavery.
Taylor's most famous book is Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. In 1977, the book won the Newbery Medal. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry is the middle book, chronologically, in the Logans series that also includes titles such as The Land, Song of the Trees, Let the Circle Be Unbroken, and The Road to Memphis. Her collective contributions to children's literature resulted in her being awarded the inaugural NSK Neustadt Prize for Children's Literature in 2003.

The Land

Paul-Edward Logan, the son of a white, plantation-owner father and a slave mother, is our narrator, bound and determined to buy his own land and shape his own future at whatever cost. Caught between black and white worlds and not fitting into either one is devastating for him, but his powerful, engaging tales of the love of family, the strength of friendship, and growing up will inspire anyone to dare to persevere despite terrible odds







                                                                                                                             

Roll of Thunder Hear my Cry                                                                              Set in Mississippi in the heart of the great depression, this story is of one family's struggle to keep their integrity and pride in the face of social racism aqnd injustice
Nine-year-old Cassie Logan, growing up protected by her loving family, has never had reason to suspect that any white person could consider her inferior or wish her harm. But during the course of one devastating year when her community begins to be ripped apart by angry night riders threatening African Americans, she and her three brothers come to understand why the land they own means so much to their Papa. "Look out there, Cassie girl. All that belongs to you. You ain't never had to live on nobody's place but your own and long as I live and the family survives, you'll never have to. That's important. You may not understand that now but one day you will. then you'll see."



Let the Circle be Unbroken

It is a frightening and turbulent time for the Logan family. First, their friend T.J. must go on trial for murder--and confront an all-white jury. Then, Cousin Suzella tries to pass for white, with humiliating consequences. And when Cassie's neighbor, Mrs. Lee Annie, stands up for her right to vote, she and her family are driven from their home. Other neighbors are destroyed and shattered by the greed of landowners. But through it all, Cassie and the Logans stand together and stand proud--proving that courage, love, and understanding can defy even the deepest prejudice. 

The Road to Memphis 

As America hovers on the brink of war, seventeen year-old Cassie Logan fights a battle closer to home. She dreams of college and law school. But no amount of schooling can prepare her for the violent explosion that takes place when her friend Moe lashes out at his white tormentors--an action unheard of in Mississippi as the country prepares for World War II. Moe will be in even greater danger if he stays in town, so it is up to Cassie, her brother, and their friends to accompany Moe on the road to Memphis--and to safety. 






These books break my heart. Hurt. Fear. Heartache. Pain.
These were the lives that they lived.The tears they cried. You know we think that Slavery ended with the Civil War, that blacks and whites became best friends right? In all reality on the past 60 years or so have things become better. but I wonder why there is  such a thing as ' race'  why people have to look down on other people simply because their skin is darker. perhaps we will never know the reason behind the hate and hurt, but we can rise above that and love. Love because Jesus loved. Because love castes out all fear. let us not have it said that in our generation there was racism. NO let it be said, when the world looks back on this time. Right here right now. Let it be said that that we stood up for equality. For truth. For our nation. For our People. For LOVE. (John 3:16)

 

                                         "Darkness cannot drive out darkness;                                                                                       only light can do that.                                                                                                            hate cannot drive out hate;                                                                                                    only love can do that."                                                                                                             - Martin Luther King Jr. 

Goodbye July...... Hello August

Do any of you get the feeling as though the warm, lazy days of summer are nearing to a close!? I mean how is that even possible? I don't know about you but I'm not ready to give up my flip flops for socks and shoes  quite yet. Or the amazing summer days for cold snowy ones. And should I mention ALL the fresh fruit that I've been stuffing my face with.
OK in all honesty, I do love winter and all of the hot coffee and skating parties that come with it. But when you live in a state that has -40° half of the winter it starts to feel a little bit as though summer will never come again.  But we shall not dwell on that right now because the sun is shining and its a beautiful day.
So finally we come to the part where I stop complaining about the end of summer and instead give you some of my favorite summer reads.
Are you ready?? *claps hands together excitedly*
but first a quote that I want to share with you.

"The best moments in reading are when you come across something- a thought, a feeling, a way of looking at things - that you'd  thought special, particular to you. And here it is, set down by someone else, a person that you've never met, maybe even someone long dead. And its as if a hand has come out and taken yours."

- The History Boys

Ok so YES. *sighs in contentment* Right, who hasn't felt like this when they are  reading an awesome book?!?!? if you haven't then I really do not know what to say except, honey you have been missing out on a whole (and i mean Huge) world of wonder and excitement. (Side note I feel like I sounded like the beginning Theme for Adventures In Odyssey when Whit says and I quote "Welcome to Odyssey a place of  wonder and discovery" OK so maybe it didn't sound like that to you but Adventures in Odyssey was like my favorite show on the radio when I was a kid:) OK, back to the subject on hand....

1.  Once Upon a Summer by Janette Oke
Ages 12+

Josh knows his family isn't typical, but when Grandpa and Uncle Charlie begin to look for a husband for Auntie Lou  he knows something has to be done.  How can Josh find his way in the world when his whole world is threatens to come apart?

This is probably my favorite Janette Oke book/series since there are three more books following this one . YAY! Its not nearly as popular as her Love Comes Softy series, or When Calls the Heart *smiles to herself* but it brings you this irresistible story. True it might be a Simple one but you find yourself relating to the characters, feeling their joy and pain, laughing  and crying with them. And most important you see God in the midst of it all and how silly it is of us to try and figure things out on our own when He is right their hoping that we would just ask, so that He could give it to us. So If you are looking for a summer read, this book is just the right one for you!


2. The Christy Miller collection  volume 1 by, Robin Jones Gunn  

Book 1
Summer Promise
Reading level 12+
Christy Miller is thrilled to spend the summer with her aunt and uncle in Newport Beach, California. But Christy doesn't fit in. Her skin is pale and her swimsuit is old and green. Aunt Marti gives her a makeover that includes a new hairstyle and wardrobe. Christy's hair is so short, now, and the clothes might not be her favorite styles, but she does feel older and sophisticated. She decides that she likes her new look.
Christy also likes a cute surfer named Todd, but she isn't sure he likes her back. She's invited to a get-together one night and hopes that Todd will be there. Instead, she discovers a wild party with deadly consequences. Christy struggles to understand what's happened and how to move forward. Can Christy find her true self without breaking her summer promise?

Book 2
A Whisper and a Wish
Christy's life is changing. Her family is moving to California, but before Christy can get too excited, she discovers that her family won't live in Newport Beach like Aunt Marti and Uncle Bob. Christy's dad gets a job in Escondido, an hour and a half away from the beach and Christy's friends. Christy has to start over making new friends. She doesn't have as much freedom with her parents as she had with Aunt Marti and Uncle Bob. There are a lot more rules to follow at home. And a brush with the law on a trip to Palm Springs won't help prove to her parents that she's growing up. Can Christy do what's right and still obey her parents?

Book 3
Yours Forever
Christy can't wait to spend Christmas in Newport Beach. Not only will she see all her beach friends, but Todd has moved to Newport Beach permanently! Christy is confused about her relationship with Todd. He never says anything to help her understand how he feels. Her friend, Heather, talks Christy into flirting with Doug to make Todd jealous, but this only seems to make everyone mad at her. Why are relationships so hard? Even Aunt Marti isn't speaking to Christ

Please please, please buy these books!!!! They are amazing. Plus you can buy this 3-in-1 set for literally 3 dollars at thriftbooks! Awesome right. Listen to me you will be doing yourself a huge favor by buying these books ;) Its beautiful to see how God works in the characters lives, just like he works in our own hearts. 

So since technically this would be book number 5 this is going to be my last suggestion for today. 

3. Wild Thing (Book One) Winnie the Horse Gentler Series by Dandie Mackall
(Ages 8-12) or really for anybody that loves horses :)
 Winnie Willis used to work with horses with her mother before the accident. The accident that killed her mother. Winnie blames herself. Now she, her dad and her younger sister Lizzy spend their time moving—a few months here and a few months there. Winnie is so desperate to be around horses that she mucks the stalls at Spidell’s stable where she learns a beautiful new Arabian horse has arrived. It is love at first sight for Winnie, but nobody seems to be able to handle the wild horse. Winnie buys the Arabian at an auction and using everything her mother taught her, Winnie slowly befriends the horse. Then she gets ready to sell the horse she has become so fond of at a sale because her family could really use the money.
 TO all the Horse crazy girls (Me included) this was/is still one of my favorite horse series. It reminds me a little of the TV show Heartland but from a Christian POV. If you want a book about a horse crazy girl, this story is perfect for you.


So enjoy and get busy reading!
As always I would LOVE to know what you thought of this post (only if its nice) *Just kidding*  but seriously though  let me know what you think:)

Janelle