The Mediterranean Love Plan - Book Review

Are you at a point in your marriage when you feel like the spark has left, never to return? Before you think about heading to the divorce court, you should take a look at The Mediterranean Love Plan by Stephen & Misty Arterburn. But this book is not just for marriages that are in need of saving. I believe every marriage can benefit from Stephen & Misty's practical and God-ordained principles for preserving marriage.

Using examples from Mediterranean countries known for being the most romantic in the world - Italy, France, Greece - the couple discloses secrets that have helped them maintain the passion in their own marriage and which can do the same for yours.

Here in a nutshell are the secrets:

1. The Secret of Attunement - Connecting with and focusing on each other every day, from the heart. 
2. The Secret of Playfulness - Laughter and fun in marriage.. 
3. The Secret of Savoring Food - Cooking, serving and savoring food together 
4. The Secret of Enjoying Beauty - in nature, culture and in each other
5. The Secret of Creativity - working on projects together
6. The Secret of Health and Longevity - getting enough rest, exercise and healthy food and growing in faith.
7. The Secret of blending the Sacred and the Sexual - enjoying sex the way God intended 

I highly recommend that married couples and those about to be married read this book together. You will be so glad you did. And right now there's an exciting giveaway that will make it even easier to get your hands on a copy of this book.

Here's the link: http://www.blessedfreebies.com/themediterraneanloveplan.html

Darkness Over Light

If you read last week's post, you may notice that it is a reversal of this post. This is one of the things that never cease to amaze me about the craft of writing. Sometimes things just seem to fall into place with no help from the author and at other times, nothing seems to work. But let me stop rambling and get right to the point. Tomorrow, Aug. 21 is the Great American Eclipse of 2017.

What’s going to happen?

According to weather forecasters, scientists and other experts, the moon’s shadow will block out the sun completely for less than three minutes. When I read that, I was immediately reminded of this post where I wrote about the sun being darkened for three hours. 

I don’t know exactly what a solar eclipse will look like, but the idea of the sun, that blazing ball of gas which God created to sustain life on this earth, being shut out for any length of time is unimaginable. This is not going to be like a cloudy day or a rainy day. The light of the sun will be blocked out for a period of time as the moon’s shadow makes it’s way from one coast of the United States to the other. 

Some may tie this to Bible prophecy, as it might very well be, but since I know very little about the subject, I will leave it up to those who know to throw some light on it (no pun intended). But call it what you will - a scientific phenomenon, Bible prophecy or a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence - I think it’s the hand of God at work. And if He’s issuing a warning, let us pray that the Holy Spirit will help us heed that warning. 

The psalmist says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.

They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them.

 Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.

 It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, like a champion rejoicing to run his course.

 It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is deprived of its warmth.

If you are fortunate to be in the path of the total eclipse, or you plan on traveling to see it, I trust that you will reflect on the magnificence and greatness of the One who created this great light for our benefit and for His glory. Be sure to wear your glasses and drop me a line to let me know what it was like. 

Just in case you have not come across any predictions concerning the eclipse, here's a video I picked up on You Tube. As you watch it, please ask the Holy Spirit for His guidance.

Light Over Darkness

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.  John 1: 5


In light of what transpired in Virginia this past weekend, I have decided to use bits of a past post and quotes to show how relevant the above verse is. People who came out to show hate and divisiveness reacted violently to the peaceful protests from the opposite side. As a result, Heather Heyer, a young woman who stood up against this divisiveness, lost her life and many people were injured.

This should never have happened.

Despite the torches used on Friday night and the bright sunshine on Saturday, there was darkness in the hearts of many. But God's word says, "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it"  (John 1: 5).

Here's an excerpt from an earlier post:

 According to Dylann Roof, his goal was to see the races separated. He wanted us to return to the days of segregation. And that's Satan's goal. He is all for division. He hates to see people, especially Christians, united. He divides families, friends, relatives, even nations. But instead of division, we saw on television people of all races and backgrounds hugging each other and mourning the senseless murder of the saints. This tragedy has brought unity in a way that has even crossed political lines.

 Many people have spoken and demonstrated their abhorrence of what took place this weekend. As happened in Orlando and South Carolina and Ferguson and other parts of the United States, whenever evil forces try to divide us, people come together in a greater show of love and solidarity. 

This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.  John 3: 19. 

There will always be those who will choose darkness over light, hate over love and division over unity, but thank God, they are in the minority. 

Paul says, " But where sin increased, grace increased all the more" (Romans 5: 20).

Let's thank God for His grace and for sending His light into the world, a light that the darkness can never overcome. God bless. 

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My book In the Wilderness will be released tomorrow at the same preorder price of 99c. Get your copy and read about what happens when the light of Jesus Christ transforms a person's life.

What can you do for others?

Do you sometimes wish you could do more for others? Some people seem to have a knack for doing for others. I'm proud to say my daughter is one of those. She is always picking up someone from somewhere, taking an elderly person grocery shopping or just visiting them to see how they are doing. And she thinks nothing of it. She does it cheerfully and willingly, despite having a busy schedule of her own and a home and family to look after. Karon lives what Jesus instructed his disciples to do when he spoke about His second coming. He said the King (referring to Himself) will say to the people on his right:

"I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me." (Matthew 25 : 36)

And the people will answer Him, "When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?" (v 39)

Jesus continued, "And The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’" ( v 40).

Jesus went on to teach that He will say to those on His left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels' (41).

This is a serious thing. You can get thrown into hell for not looking after the sick, or visiting those in prison or feeding the hungry? According to Jesus, you can because it shows you do not have love. 

The apostle John put it this way:  "We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death" (1 John 3: 14). 

He continues,  "Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth" (v 18). 

Is there someone you can show love to today? God bless.

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Do you love to read but find that the most of the books out there contain graphic sex, violence or material that goes against your Christian beliefs? I have written a series of books called the "Egypt" series which strongly bear out the redemption story while providing all the emotion and suspense of a gripping novel. The first book Coming Out of Egypt is available here and the second book In The Wilderness is now on preorder here. Not sure if you're ready to buy? Then click the popup form to receive a free copy of the first chapter so you can decide if you want to read the book. And please share this post with others by clicking on the buttons below. God bless.