A Different Kind of Overwhelmed ~ Alexis A. Goring ~ Faithful Friday

Welcome to another Faithful Friday, devotional post from Alexis A. Goring, always a welcome guest here on Whispers in Purple.

That being said, I have to apologize. My computer has lost its mind and gone beyond naughty. For some odd, maddening reason, I cannot upload any images to this post. If I try, everything freezes and I have to do a force shutdown and reboot.

So, dear readers, and Alexis, this is what might be called "bare bones" "plain Jane" "no frills," "just vanilla" ... but the message is here. Enjoy what Alexis has to share from her heart.

~ ~ ~

A Different Kind of Overwhelmed

A devotional by Alexis A. Goring

“Have you ever felt overwhelmed and all-consumed with love for someone? Maybe a spouse or a child? God wants you to be overwhelmed with His love for you.” –Pastor Rick of K-LOVE

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary definition for the word “overwhelmed” that we’re going to focus on for this devotional is that it means to “to cover over completely.”

Have you ever felt covered over completely by life’s problems, trials, and tribulations? Have you ever felt like you were sinking deep into a metaphorical ocean and almost drowning beneath the weight of it all?

If you answered, “Yes” to either of those questions then today’s devotional is for you!

I want to put a positive spin on the definition of overwhelmed today. I want to teach you about a different kind of “overwhelmed.” The kind where you are covered completely by God’s Love.

Lately, I’ve been feeling overwhelmed by the worries of this world and personal issues in my own life. However, after reading this blog post by Pastor Rick on K-LOVE, I realized that God wants me to experience a different kind of overwhelming—the kind where I feel completely covered by His love for me! This truth put everything in perspective for me.

Why?

Because I realized that when I take time to meditate on God’s Word (The Holy Bible), it causes me to remember how much He loves me which then causes my problems and the worries of this world start to slowly but surely fade away. As the worries fade, God’s Goodness, Grace, Love, Mercy, and Majesty flood in, making me acutely aware of who He is (Lord over ALL, according to Psalm 97:9) and showing me that He wants to help me survive the trials of life. When this happens, no longer do I worry about the troubles of today or have anxiety about tomorrow because I know that God is in control.

It’s in those moments that God’s Love overwhelms me. It’s a beautiful place to be, wrapped in the center of love from the heart of the Sovereign King who created me, you, our planet Earth, and the entire universe!

When you spend time meditating on God’s Word (The Holy Bible) and applying His Truth to your everyday life, it’s hard to not feel the sheer magnitude of how good God is and it’s hard to not experience the steadfast, fierce, grace-filled, forever love that He has for you!

And when you’re in those moments, completely basking in God’s love, you realize that this is a different kind of overwhelmed…a very good one that produces the peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7) and gives you hope for tomorrow.

There is joy found in God’s presence! There is peace, hope and happiness!

God won’t force you to experience His Love because He gives us all the free will to choose Him or deny Him. The Bible says in Revelation 3:20 that He stands at the door and knocks, waiting for us to invite Him in. However, He is patient with us because He wants us all to experience His Love and be saved in His Kingdom that is not of this world.  

When you allow yourself to experience the overwhelming love of God, it transforms you from the inside out! After that experience, it’s almost impossible for you to not love others after you see how much God loves you! His Love for you creates hope in your heart that whatever you’re worried about will be resolved in His perfect time and it also creates deep empathy for everyone else created by God.

Part of experiencing this “different kind of overwhelmed” is not being able to put your experience with God into words. I think I tried my best in this devotional but in closing, I’d like to share a song by Jasmine Murray that really drives my point home. The song is called “Into Words” and you can listen to it here.

It is impossible for me to put God “into words” because He is beyond words! His goodness is forever, just like His love for humankind withstands the test of time. He loves you with ALL of His Heart and wants you to choose Him.

It’s overwhelming but in a very good way!

Alexis A. Goring is a passionate writer with a degree in Print Journalism and an MFA in Creative Writing. She loves the art of storytelling and hopes that her stories will connect readers with the enduring, forever love of Jesus Christ. 

Alexis A. Goring ~ God's Not Going Anywhere ~ Faithful Friday ~ Devotions

God’s Not Going Anywhere

A devotional by Alexis A. Goring

Hi, Whispers in Purple readers. I'm so pleased to welcome author Alexis A. Goring for another delightful Faithful Friday devotional to take you into the weekend. 

Also, I'm sure you're all aware that today is the Summer Solstice ... the first day of Summer, and the longest day of the year. Unless, of course, you live "Down Under" ... in which case it's the first day of Winter, and the shortest day of the year.

Welcome back, Alexis. I love that you're so generous and willing to share your deepest thoughts with us.

Lately, I’ve been thinking about a close friend who I love and trust but hadn’t heard from in a while. I was worried that I might be losing that friend and I thought to myself that all I need to hear from them is, “I love you” and “Don’t worry. I’m not going anywhere.”

For me, that would reassure me that though they’ve been silent for a while, they still care about me and I’m not losing my connection or friendship with them. As this has been on my mind a lot, God impressed me with a spiritual lesson related to it. He spoke to my heart saying, “But Alexis. I love you and I am not going anywhere!” God reminded me that even if people let me down, He wouldn’t. God taught me years ago that though He may be silent at times, He’s not going anywhere meaning He’s promised to be there for me throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity.

When God imparted this lesson to me in my spirit one night when I was wide-awake with worry about losing friends, His words encouraged my soul.

He also reminded me that His connection with me is the only connection that I should always keep alive and never worry about losing because He loves me and all of His children around the world, way too much to ever let us go.

God is in a relationship with us for the long haul.

He knows us better than our closest friend or even our Mamas. He sees our flaws. He hears our heart and He loves us no matter what! We can trust Him with everything, including our very life! His love for us will never fail.

Only God is completely capable of being there for us at any time and in any situation. We can rely on Him better than we could ever depend on any human. God wants us to seek Him first, not earthly friends. Now earthly friends are important to have and we should cultivate healthy relationships with people but at the same time, we should never lose sight of staying connected to the truest, Best Friend we could ever have (God).

And if a friendship here on Earth is keeping us from bettering our relationship with God or moving us to lose sight of Jesus Christ, our Savior, then we should pray about it and if God tells us to let it go, we should obey.

The best thing about being friends with God is that not only does He always have our best interest at heart, but there’s also nothing we can do to make Him love us less or love us more. He loves us because He created us. We are His.

God’s love for you and me is fierce and forever! The Bible says that He will be with us until the “end of the age” (Matthew 28:20 NIV). This proves that God will be with us until the very end of human history (also known as the end of the world). But for those of us who believe in Him, our life story doesn’t stop there.

God will usher His faithful followers into an eternity spent with Him where we will live in healthy, immortal bodies forever!

Finally there will be no more death, sorrow, pain, destruction or natural disasters; there will only be joy, freedom, happiness, and hope that will last forever! We will grow into all God originally intended us to be! We will live completely free of sin and all of the mass destruction it causes.

I hope that this devotional has encouraged you to build a friendship with God first and ask Him to help you build healthy friendships here on Earth with your fellow humans too! I also hope that you will always remember to maintain your relationship with Jesus Christ and trust Him enough to give Him your life and watch Him work to help prepare your heart for Heaven.

Remember, even if our human friendships fail, we have a Friend in Jesus and His friendship with us is forever!

Amen, Alexis. Thank you!

Alexis A. Goring is a passionate writer with a degree in Print Journalism and an MFA in Creative Writing. She loves the art of storytelling and hopes that her stories will connect readers with the enduring, forever love of Jesus Christ. 

Wahoo Wednesday ~ All My Tears ~ #giveaway ~ Interview with Kathy McKinsey

 

Hi, everybody! Welcome to Wahoo Wednesday, with my guest author Kathy McKinsey, who was gracious enough to answer some interview questions. Kathy is also generously offering to give away an eBook copy of today's featured book: All My Tears. See below for details about that.

Welcome, Kathy! I trust you're all nice and comfy, so let's get started.

What sparks your creative juices when feeling drained?

I’ve always found that music energizes my sense of creativity, as well as giving me ideas for stories.

What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how did/do you overcome it?

For me, the hardest part is convincing myself to sit down and write. Once I’m in the middle of writing a story, I love it. I get excited and more and new thoughts keep coming in. This is an ongoing problem for me, and I have no answer except to keep pushing myself, plugging along, finding more ways to help myself set goals and stick to them.

Besides writing, what other hobbies do you enjoy?

I love reading, and I usually have at least three books going at the same time. I also love crocheting and knitting and spending time with my family and our cat and dogs.

How similar are you to your hero/heroines?

I write women’s fiction, and there is probably a lot of me in my main characters. None of my stories are autobiographical, and I work to create different and interesting people. But my daughter Rebecca, after reading one of my stories, often tells me, “It sounds like you.”

If you could travel to any time or place, where/when would it be? Why?

I would love to go to Hawaii. But I don’t want to do it as a tourist. I’d love if I had friends who lived there. I could spend a couple weeks with them and move around the islands like a resident, seeing and experiencing places and things they have discovered.

Is research something you enjoy? To what extent do you go to find answers?

Research is something I’m learning more about all the time. Of course, I use the internet, but I’m learning to seek out real people to question their know-how and experiences.

What takeaway value do you want readers to gain from your novel?

I want readers to know God is our loving father, watching for us, seeking us. He will come running to meet us as soon as we take one step toward Him.

What can we expect to see from you in the future?

I have a children’s story coming out later this year, and it might be fun to do more of that, but women’s fiction is what I’m most interested in. I look forward to finding new women, in a variety of home situations, with interesting jobs and surprising family mixes.

About "All My Tears" 

Five women search for God’s hope through sorrow and deep troubles.

Meet five women who struggle with life’s deep sorrows. 

Beth fights to recover from alcoholism and to mend her relationships with her family. 
Ann doesn’t believe God will forgive her. 
Kathleen wrestles with a years-old fear and with saving her marriage. 
Cassie needs to learn to deal with chronic depression. Martie finds herself the single parent of the eight-year-old niece she barely knows when the child’s parents die in a car wreck.

See how God gives them the gifts of hope, healing, and love.

About Kathy McKinsey:

Kathy McKinsey grew up on a pig farm in Missouri, and although she’s lived in cities for nearly 40 years, she still considers herself a farm girl.

She’s been married to Murray for 31 years, and they have five adult children.

She’s had two careers before writing—stay-at-home-Mom and rehabilitation teacher for the blind.

Now she lives in Lakewood, Ohio with her husband and two of her children. Besides writing, she enjoys activities with her church, editing for other writers, braille transcribing, crocheting, knitting, and playing with the cat and dogs.

Below are some places where you can connect with Kathy:

• Kathy.mckinsey@gmail.com
•  http://kathymckinseyauthor.blogspot.com/
•  https://www.facebook.com/kathy.brinkmann.mckinsey
•  https://twitter.com/kathymckinsey
•  http://kathymckinseyauthor.blogspot.com/
•  https://www.facebook.com/kathy.brinkmann.mckinsey
•  https://twitter.com/kathymckinsey
•  https://www.amazon.com/All-My-Tears-Kathy-McKinsey-ebook/dp/B07P92QZPJ

About the Giveaway:

It's easy, really! For your chance to win an eBook copy of "All My Tears" as highlighted above. just leave a comment below with your name and email (so we can contact you if you're our winner) ... to make it even more fun, add your profile picture to those already showing on the 'Followers' box on the right sidebar and you'll get a second chance to win. Sound good? We thought so, too. Giveaway will run for one week from today, ending Wednesday, June 26, at Midnight, Central Time. Can't wait to hear from you and to see your smiling face as one of the Whispers in Purple's followers.

The Greatest Countdown ~ Alexis A. Goring ~ Devotional ~ Faithful Friday

The Greatest Countdown

A devotional by Alexis A. Goring

My friend Abby always does a “Countdown to Spring” every year starting on the first day of the winter season. It helps her hold onto hope of better, warmer weather especially given how brutally cold winters are in the Midwest where she lives.

One night this June 2019, the idea for this devotional struck me as I thought of a spiritual parallel to this weather-related countdown.

I realized that just as when winter approaches, some of us like Abby, start a countdown to warmer spring weather, we as Christians should be “counting down” to The Second Coming of Jesus Christ!

According to Adventist.org, “The second coming of Christ is the blessed hope of the church, the grand climax of the gospel. The Saviour’s coming will be literal, personal, visible, and worldwide. When He returns, the righteous dead will be resurrected, and together with the righteous living will be glorified and taken to heaven, but the unrighteous will die. The almost complete fulfillment of most lines of prophecy, together with the present condition of the world, indicates that Christ’s coming is near. The time of that event has not been revealed, and we are therefore exhorted to be ready at all times.”

The difference is that while we can literally count down the days until Spring on our man-made calendars, we cannot count down the exact days before Christ’s Second Coming because The Bible says that “no man knows the hour” (Matthew 24:29-36) of Christ’s return to Earth. Only God knows when He is sending His Son (Jesus Christ) to wake up His faithful followers and take them Home to Heaven.

Since no one but God knows the day and the hour of Christ’s soon return, we need to be vigilant and stay sober (1 Peter 5:8). We need to live for God every day by spending time with His Son Jesus Christ (Revelation 3:20) via talking to Him through prayer and studying His Word (The Holy Bible). We need to daily renew our mind (Romans 12:2) so that we can focus on what truly matters and know God’s will for our life. Finally, we need to tell the world about Jesus (Matthew 28:16-20) and treat people with kindness (Ephesians 4:32) as we speak the gospel truth in love (Ephesians 4:15).

Just because we cannot do a literal, tangible countdown to Christ’s Second Coming does not mean that we cannot live for Him as if every day were the day that He is coming back to take us home.

This countdown concept reminds me of the church hymn, “We Have This Hope.” Wayne Hooper, the musical composer, wrote the lyrics for this hymn.

The hymn shares a message about the importance of having hope in your heart that looks forward to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. It emphasizes how important keeping your faith in God is as you journey through this life. The song is a reminder of greater things to come when Christ returns and takes His faithful followers home to Heaven! It is a reminder that Christ is our Savior, Lord and King. He loves all of His children from around the world and He has great things in store for us in Heaven!

The Bible says, “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9 KJV)

Closing thoughts:

Keep praying. Keep believing. Keep hope alive!

God will send His Son Jesus Christ to rescue us from the woes of this world, right on time!

Author Bio (short): 

Alexis A. Goring is a passionate writer with a degree in Print Journalism and an MFA in Creative Writing. She loves the art of storytelling and hopes that her stories will connect readers with the enduring, forever love of Jesus Christ.

God bless you! Love, Alexis A. Goring

Wahoo Wednesday ~ Carol Nemeth ~ Ocean of Fear

Hello everyone. My name is Carol Nemeth. It’s a pleasure to be here on Whispers in Purple with Peggy to share my newest release, Ocean of Fear, Faith in the Parks, Book 3. All the books in this series are set in national parks and this one, in particular, takes place at Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse from Pixabay.com

 My husband and I visited the Cape two Septembers ago to do the research for this book as well as for A Beacon of Love: Prequel to Ocean of Fear, which takes place in 1928 during prohibition.

As we traveled toward the Cape in our RV, hurricane Maria came storming in from the South Atlantic. We were forced to wait a few hours inland while she battered the island and tossed sand everywhere. Four days later and well into my husband’s vacation time from work, they finally opened the Oregon Inlet bridge, and we headed to Cape Hatteras. They were still sweeping up sand but we made our way to the campground and hit the ground running to begin research. Our eight days at the Cape turned into four days. I had researched places ahead of time online, but not everything worked out for us. However, the Lord had a better plan. We went to the Hatteras Village Library and the librarian there gave us a couple places to go, and those places told us of other places, and we met this person who told us of another person, etc. etc. Before we knew it, I had more information than I could use in both books.

I’m one of those authors who likes to use family member’s or pet’s names in my books. I’ve done both. Several times. In A Beacon of Love: Prequel to Ocean of Fear, the sheriff and his sister, the heroine, are named after my oldest grandchildren, Martin and Ava who are brother and sister. In Ocean of Fear, I named the hero after their younger brother, Gage.

The reason I decided to write these NPS stories is two-fold. A few years before I met my husband, I worked for the National Park Service at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The best job ever (until I got published, that is). I loved my job. Through the years I’ve traveled to various parks, and I’m thankful for the vision of those who set aside land to protect it so that generations of people can enjoy it. Secondly, I want to share my love of those parks, and the God who created the beauty that we see around us. Not only that beauty but the love He has for us and the salvation that His precious Son died on the cross to secure for us so we can spend eternity with Him.

Another interesting bit of “family” info, on book 2 in the series, Canyon of Death, my daughter, Jennifer, appears on the cover and is dressed in my old uniform. I love having her on the cover. She’s beautiful and it’s very personal. On the cover of Ocean of Fear, the young lady is a friend of my daughter and my son-in-law, and she serves in the West Virginia Air National Guard. She is also wearing my old uniform. (I’m glad to say, I can also still wear it, too.)

The Faith in the Parks series are all romantic suspense and there are still more to come. I’m currently working on Book 4 which takes place in Denali National Park in Alaska. Book 5 will take place at Gettysburg National Battlefield. I hope you’ll look for Book 1, Mountain of Peril, and start at the beginning.

You just never know where you might see me. Or which park you might spot me at. I’m headed to Denali for my second research trip at the end of June. I can’t wait!

About the Book:

 Back cover blurb:

National Park Service biologist Ruth Campbell discovers a body on the beach near Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. Her life shifts out of her comfort zone, but not nearly as much as when the newest park policeman, attractive Gage Hampton, arrives to take her statement. She’s determined to stay as far from him as possible. Scarred by her past, Ruth attempts to avoid young men, but she realizes that avoiding Gage Hampton will be harder than she thought. 

Another body washes up with the surf, and Gage is intent on discovering who the killer is. When Ruth’s uncle, Owen Lawrence, arrives searching for a long-lost treasure, both Gage and Ruth find themselves pulled into the search, and things become sinister as the killer grows desperate. Can they find the treasure before the killer does? Or will he silence them and sail away with the treasure too?

About the Author:

A native North Carolinian, J. Carol Nemeth has always loved reading and enjoyed making up stories ever since junior high school, most based in the places she has lived or traveled to. She worked in the National Park Service as a Park Aid and served in the US Army where she was stationed in Italy, traveling to over thirteen countries while there. She met the love of her life, Mark Nemeth, also an Army veteran, while stationed in Italy. After they married, they lived in various locations, including North Yorkshire, England. They now live in West Virginia, where, in their spare time, Carol and Mark enjoy RVing, sightseeing and are active in their church. They have a son, Matt, who is Army Special Forces and a daughter, Jennifer, her husband Flint, who serves in the Air Force, and three grandchildren, Martin, Ava and Gage. Their four-footed kid is pretty special too. Holly, a black Lab loves traveling in their RV, and when they pack up to go, she’s waiting inside for them to head out.

·       Ocean of Fear, Faith in the Parks Book 3 Buy Link goo.gl/GdKAy4

·       Amazon Author Central – goo.gl/SHnk5H

·       www.JCarolNemeth.com

·       www.facebook.com/J.CarolNemeth

·       https://twitter.com/nemeth_jcarol

·       https://www.goodreads.com/author/dashboard

·       https://www.pinterest.com/WingedPublications/j-carol-nemeth/

·       https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnUhQR2avhaC3Pb-2nbozZg/videos

·       https://www.bookbub.com/authors/j-carol-nemeth

·       Monthly newsletter signup through my webpage or my Facebook Author page

Thanks for stopping by Whispers in Purple! And thank you, Peggy, for allowing me to spend time with you today! To God be the glory!

Spirit of the Living God ~ Lucy Adams ~ Pentecost

Image by Peggy Blann Phifer

Spirit of the Living God, a Hymn Story Devotional from Lucy Adams

     Reading God's Word can be a blessing when we are spiritually fed with His revelations.  In John 16:16 one of the most essential parts of the Christian faith guides us.  But when Jesus spoke these words, the disciples were confused:  "A little while and you will no longer see me and again in a  

little while, you will see me."  But we are thankful to understand His message as we continue to read in Acts 1:8 and following, about the coming of the 

Holy Spirit at Pentecost. 

Pentecost Dove from Pixabay.com

    
The glory of God's presence has also been captured in a short hymn of praise and thanksgiving.  It is a short and simple hymn but very powerful, as we sing in expectation:         

             "Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me.  Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on me." 

    The composer, Daniel Iverson was born in Brunswick, Georgia, on  September 26, 1890.  When he was called into the ministry, he was ordained into

the Presbyterian denomination in 1914 and started his own church which was named Shenandoah Presbyterian Church in Miami, Fla.  After many years of preaching and teaching, he retired in 1962 and moved to Asheville, NC. where he continued his ministry and died in 1982.

    When this hymn was written, Rev. Iverson was attending an evangelistic crusade in 1926 lead by the George Stephens Team of Orlando.  He was  

inspired by the scripture from Acts 11:15 which  reads, "The Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning."  With these thoughts, his heart was stirred for his own rebirth and renewal.

     As soon as the morning service ended, he went alone to the nearby First Presbyterian church.  And with the great teaching still fresh in his ears and heart, he sat at the piano and prayed.  Soon he began to express in music, his desire to be filled with the Holy Spirit of God.  The words and music came quickly as he simply asked God to melt him, mold him, fill him and use him in ministry, forever.

    The song leader for the Stephens Team was touched by the deep meaning of the simple hymn.  It was taught to the congregation that evening and was sung throughout the revival.

    As we read Acts 1:8, we see that Jesus told his disciples to wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit.  This was essential in order for those dejected disciples to shout out the good news of the Risen Christ.  "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. And you will be my 

witnesses in Jerusalem, in all of Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth."

    Praise God!  After more than 2,000 years, Christians continue to ask for the power of God's Holy Spirit.  And with this simple but profound hymn, we can joyfully sing:  "Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on me."

             Lucy Adams     (May 2019)

www.52hymns.com

What is the meaning of the day of Pentecost? The Christian holy day of Pentecost, which is celebrated on the seventh Sunday after Easter, commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and other followers of Jesus Christ while they were in Jerusalem celebrating the Feast of Weeks, as described in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 2:1–31).