Have you ever felt like you’re in the stands, watching all the major-league Christians down on the field? Are you convinced that God must be a little happier with super-Christians than he is with you? The better I understand the Bible, the more I see that’s a lie from the enemy, puffing up a few Christians and deflating the rest. 

You are not a subpar Christian; you are not condemned to be a spectator. 

“I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.” Jeremiah 31:3b (ɴɪᴠ)

We’d been looking forward to this evening all summer. First, dinner with Kathi and Roger. And then…drum roll…Tim Hawkins in concert!

But now as we drove toward San Jose, we could hardly keep our eyes open, let alone muster excitement.

Having just returned from an overseas trip, our jet-lagged bodies had no idea where we were or what time it was. They just demanded sleep. Now.

“Do you think Kathi and Roger will mind if I rest on their couch for a few minutes?” Daniel asked.  

I hesitated. I knew that Kathi and Roger had made reservations to take us out to dinner. I feared spoiling the perfect evening they’d been planning. 

But I also knew that Daniel needed a nap more than anything. Otherwise, he’d fall asleep in his soup. Which would certainly put a damper on the evening’s festivities.

When you wake up in the middle of the night, what do you think about? For me—and I’m sure I’m not alone here—I think about all the things I need to get done. My mind launches into Wonder Woman worry mode, and of course I can’t get back to sleep because the cares of the world are running through my brain. It’s then, while I’m staring at the ceiling, that it becomes evident that I need to change my thought pattern in order to catch some desperately needed sleep before sunrise. Been there?

How does a person change her thinking at 2:00 in the morning? I’ve found a “secret weapon” for resting in the Lord, dispelling my worries, and turning my heart heavenward

What comes to mind when you think of "perfection"?

• The moment of glory when you present a beautiful finished product to the world?
• The feeling of satisfaction when you impress your friends with your incredible baking skills?
• The flawless swirl of pink icing on a fluffy golden cupcake?

Often, the culprit behind perfectionism isn't the legitimate desire to put your best effort out there. It's the insatiable need to never mess up or "look bad"—that inner urge to situate a cupcake dead center on the plate and never, ever let the frosting get smudged before your Bible study group or MOPS friends see it.

But that striving for perfection is a disease that eats at you, with side effects that include insomnia, nausea, and severe stress.

Surrender. It is a word that conjures up thoughts of giving up and giving in. I picture soldiers on the battlefield, rifles above their heads, allowing all their hard-fought efforts to dissipate, all they’ve fought for coming to nothing. It is no wonder then that the idea of surrendering is not an idea I naturally embrace—even surrendering to God. I have to talk myself into it. I have to remind myself of the wisdom of surrender.

Every roller coaster I have ever been on, I’ve regretted, immediately.

While others live for the adrenaline rush of sweeping ups and downs, thrilling wind-in-the-hair speeds, dips and loops, I sit, clutching colored metal handles, sweating above my upper lip, praying for the whole thing just to end.

I love my roller-coaster loving friends.  I just don’t relate to their adoring endorsement of this particular type of entertainment.

But though I have many friends who love these entertaining rides, the one ride I’ve never known anyone to love is the up and down of roller-coaster Christianity– being on a high with God one minute, just to wind up the next minute pulled down by life to a spiritual low.

On Saturday afternoon, August 30, Harvest House Publishers received the bittersweet news that author John Weldon, after a lengthy battle with cancer, had gone to be in the arms of his beloved Savior.

Get to Know God Better

God is good all the time, and you can trust that—even when bad things happen. We all know bad things happen to good people, but all of us are really only good to the degree that we allow God’s goodness to flow into us. We keep that from happening when we resist the flow of His goodness and love to us in some way.

That’s why it is important to grow daily in our knowledge of God. 

1. Does your child spend more time texting with friends than talking to you?  Even when you are in the same room, at the same table, or in the same car?

2. Do you get one-word answers to most of your questions—words like “fine,” “okay,” “later,” “no,” or “whatever”?  

3. When your kids come home, do they go their separate ways?  Hiding in their room?  Buried in video games, smartphones, or other digital technology? 

4. Do you know what your kid has planned for this weekend?  This summer?

5. Do you know what your kid is considering for college or a career?  

6. Can you name your child’s best friend?  Worst enemy?

As an acquisitions editor at Harvest House Publishers, I have the opportunity to meet with many successful authors. I also meet with many aspiring writers—some of whom are just beginning their first book, and others who have written several as yet unpublished manuscripts. Often, the latter have been met with rejection by various publishing houses and have become discouraged on their quest to getting published.