Book Review - Stellar Stories for Boys of the Future - by Francesca Cavallo - Publication Date: 20 March 2025

 When a reader sets out to read through this book, they first read the introduction; a very good place to start.  I believe it to be very important as it sets the tone and gives explanation to the allegorical stories.  I'd say parents should be encouraged to read it as well as the stories that follow, along with their children.

This book offers a series of short stories with pointed lessons imbedded in the 'fun'.  There are several planets on which differnt sorts of people or creatures feature.  Each one sets up another facet of helping boys in particular but also everyone in general, take another look at the stereotyping way of seeing masculinity.  Additionally, there is mention of LGBTQIA+ issues.

I would have to say I don't fully agree with all the author has had to say but everyone has their right to their own view.  There was, shall we say, 'an afterward' by a Ruth Whippman giving further insight of the message, which I felt was helpful.

I'm of the opinion that many children of today will like these imaginative stories.

                                              ~ Eunice C.,  Reviewer/Blogger ~

                                                             March 2025

Disclaimer:  This is my honest opinion based on the complimentary review copy sent by Net Galley and the publisher.

Read review on Goodreads.

When Routine Gets Upset

 When our daily routines are, well, routine, we may not turn to the Lord very often to seek His guidance.  We may forget to ask, "What do you have to say to me today, Lord?"

When it rains we remember to bring our umbrella.  When a stick gets caught in the bicycle spokes, you may go for a tumble or before that happens, stop and figure out how to get it out.  

Similarly, when the routine gets upset, then we call out to the Lord - hopefully - to seek His direction in time of crisis or the 'what now, Lord?" situations in life'.

This is what King Jehosphaphat of Judah did when he heard the most alarming news of a great multitude of enemies ganging up and coming in to attack.

Naturally, he was afraid.  But this spurred him on in determination to seek the LORD's counsel.  Scripture says,

 "he set his face to seek the LORD" (vs 3).

  He meant business.

On top of this he fasted and 

"proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah" (vs 3).

They were all in the same predicament and all assembled together to 

"seek help from the LORD" (vs 4 ESV).

It was a dire situation and they desparately needed help.  We too, have this avenue of help and grace whether for 'small' or 'big' circumstances.  Our immediate response to trouble can be as Jehoshaphat's to seek the Lord and discern His guidance.

It's interesting to note Jehoshaphats's prayer and how he, the King of Judah, perceived himself.  As a king he could command and his command would be carried out asap.  He had authority and power to do that.

In his prayer though, he acknowledges that it was God who ruled over all nations and that He was the one with the power and might.  He was basically saying God is the ultimate authority.  In fact, he said that he and his people were 

"powerless against the great horde that [was] coming against [them]."

And,

"[they did] not know what to do, but [their] eyes [were] on [Him]."

So King Jehoshaphat saw himself as powerless and in need of God's power and guidance.  If this isn't humility, what is!

Every king of Judah (or Israel, for that matter), was supposed to have written out the then Scriptures and the Law as given to Moses.  These were also to be regularly read aloud.  There's evidence that King Jehosphaphat must have done so.  He makes references in his prayer of God's past help.  So he knew the history of his ancestors and people.

He gives God a mini-history rundown of how He'd helped them at other times of powerlessness,  and now need His intervention once again in similar situation.  

He has his say and then he waits.  All Judah waits with him, expectantly.  

I'm impressed that even the ...

 "little ones, their wives and their children" 

... all await God's guidance.  It's not just a select few who were interested.  No all were in earnest.  Their routine had been drastically upset.  So they wait ...

The answer comes flooding in as the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel a descendant of Asaph, a Levite from among the singer-songwriter worship leaders.  The congregation bows down and worships, singing praise even before they take action.

We'd all love to have such swift, direct guidance, in point form direction.  However, we don't always get that but there are some principles to glean here that I learned may help us in our non-routine situations.

There is, of course, acknowledging in humility, that God has all the power, authority and wisdom.  There is also fasting.  Knowledge of Scripture is important too.  The Holy Spirit can bring to mind specific words to our minds that can give direction.  So routinely read your Bible and pray every day.  The more we read God's Word and meditate upon it, the more the Lord is able to guide us.  We need attentive, obedient ears sensitive to hearing His guidance.

We need to remember that the battle is not ours but God's.  We've sought His help so we ought to let Him.  Give the reigns to Him even when taking action you discern He has shown you.

King Jehoshaphat and all Judah needed to heed the 

"stand firm and hold your position"

order in order to see the Lord work His ambush upon the enemies.  They had donned the armor and were in position, but they still stood firm and watched.

It puts me in mind of putting on the armor of God, for us now.  Often it is a spiritual warfare battle.  Put all the armor on and

 "having done all, to stand ..." (Ephesians 6:10-18 KJV).

We then stand and pray, holding our position and see how the Lord will guide.  That is when we will see 

" the salvation of the Lord on our behalf".

He is with us wherever we go.

Don't forget to worship Him and give Him your thanks.  The inhabitants of Judah gave praise in a "very loud voice."  They did  so even BEFORE they saw the Lord's ambush.  Sing praise now to our almighty God.

Sometimes we may feel God's guidance is too good to be true, or perhaps, not good enough.  It just doesn't seem right.  It should have been like this or like that!  I like that King Jehoshaphat and his people didn't hesitate.  They had sincerely asked and they accepted the LORD's guidance.  

It was an unusual way for them to 'go to war' but God's answer was as it was and it was the right answer for them at that time.  They confidently and with praise went forth to do as guided.  They did not forget to worship, praise and to give their htanks.

What's more, was the strange battle forerunners.  King Jehosphaphat commanded the group of singers to be at the forefront.  They led the army!  They did not have armor or weapons.  They wore "holy attire"!  And they sang!

Most army commanders are all into stealth and camouflage modes.  Here the army moved out being led by singers as opposed to Stingers.  You'd kind of think that they would be announcing their arrival and battle positions.  Strange but true in God's army handbook.  I wonder what Sun Tzu, the renowned ancient Chinese military army strategist who wrote the book The Art of War, would have to say about that.  What a chuckle.  (I haven't read it but who knows, he may have used such tactics too.)  I digress.

In spiritual warfare, let's remember how to fight the enemy of our souls.  Read God's handbook - the Bible - stand firm, pray, fast, obey and sing praise, in the name of Jesus.  He deserves our praise for He is worthy.

There are ways to seek the Lord's guidance and apply them to our respective situations in life especially when the routine gets upset.  

What's happening in your life right now?  Seek His guidance.  He's there for you.

                                                 ~ ERC  February 2025 ~

Based on 2 Chronicles 20:1-30 (ESV) and Christian Disciplines, lesson 9 - Guidance - Life Builders Bible Study, Christian Character.

Sing, Give Thanks With a Grateful Heart, along with Maranatha Singers and Holy Forever, along with CeCe Williams.

The Bottom Line

 Dramas, book reading, language learning, writing, tending to a blog or vlog and doing housework among so many other possible activities and responsibilities compete for a person's time and attention.  How is one to manage them all!

Well, for one, a person could reduce and/or eliminate activities that are more 'false,' those areas of our life that one lifts up their souls and spirits to.  There's no blessing in falseness.  Seek the Lord and His righteousness especially if that activity has become borderline or an actual addiction.

In this journey of life, if we have not already discovered what gifts, talents and skills we have, we can go find out.  Then use them.  We can learn to manage our time, and use our gifts.  Let's be diligent.

It's like the parable where the master gave talents to his servants, expecting them to use them wisely and earn profit.  Five, two, and one talent were dispensed to three different servants.  The first two earned their respective amount more.  The third didn't bother.  He buried his, not using it at all making flimsy excuse.

When Jesus entrusts 'talents' to us His children, and we see Him as our Lord and Master, what will we do with those talents?  Will we use them at home, at work, in our neighborhood and church?

Those first two servants were commended when their master returned.  He said, 

"Well done good and faithful servant."

What wonderful acknowlegement of their service and efforts on His behalf.

We all know what happened to the servant who buried his talent.  The master was none too pleased and had him banished and severely punished.

This is NOT to insinuate at all, that a believer could lose his or her salvation.  NO!  There just won't be any reward.  There will be no blessing.  A wasted life ... That third fellow did not know his master's character at all.  Let us each learn to know our Master and Savior Jesus Christ and be proactive in seeking opportunities to use our 'talents' for the furtherance of the Kingdom of God and to build up our brothers and sisters-in-Christ in their most holy faith.  We need to use them to show love one to another in the family of God and to win souls for Christ.

The bottom line is time management in order to use your 'talent(s)' more effectively.  How will we arrange or rearrange or eliminate activities and responsibilities that rob our time?

Let's give of our best to the Master.

                                                                 ~ERC  February 2025 ~

Based on Matthew 25:14-30 and Christian Disciplines - Lesson 8 - Managing Time and Gifts - Life Builder Bible Study - Christian Character.

Sing, Give of Your Best to the Maser, along with Reflection.

Don't Forget Your Mantle

 When you got dressed this morning did you top off by putting on a mantle of compassion?  As we gird ourselves with empathy and compassion be on the look out for those who especially need it, which, well, could be just about anyone.  We may just encourage someone along the way, showing them the love of Christ.

Jesus is often said to have had compassion on the crowds and individuals among whom He walked and encountered.  He characteristically went out of His way to engage with one here and one there.

Compassion spearheads action.  Look at Matthew 14:14 ESV.

"When He went ashore He saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick".

That's what Jesus did and does.  He seeks and saves the lost (see Luke 19:10).

In Mark 6:34, He again had compassion on a great crowd,

"because they were like sheep without a shepherd."

His compassion then led Him 

"to teach them many things" (Mark 6:34 ESV).

That took a long time because the day waned and the disciples were thinking it's more than time for everyone to go home.  The people would be getting hungry and there were no restaurants nearby in that "desolate place."

Jesus' hospitality was to turn five loaves of bread and two fish into a feast, feeding 5000 men (and likely along with their wives and children).  There were even leftovers to talk about and take home.

When we combine compassionate hearts with kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another, forgving one another and finish off with the love of God, 

"Which binds them all together in perfect harmony"(Colossians 3:12-19 ESV),

our actions for the day ought to indeed show Christ's love, just as Jesus' did.

Don't forget to don your mantle.

                                               ~ ERC  February 2025 ~

Based on Colossians 3:12-14 (ESV) and Our Daily Bread Sept/Oct/Nov 2023 - 24 Sept - by Patricia Raybon.

Sing, The Love of God is Greater Far, along with the Gaithers Vocal Band.

Lord's Day Devotion - Lift Up Your Heads

 Standing at a height, say in a mountain area, the breeze brushing across your face, gently buffeting your hair, and with misty clouds dampening your cheeks, you lift up your head and eyes to the majestic mountain.  This not in worship of the created but in appreciation of the Creator.

Our creator God created such loveliness for His pleasure but He shares it with us.  It is to Him we raise our eyes beyond the scene.  It is to Him, we lift up our faces, souls and spirits.

The imaginery I relate to best when reading Psalm 24 is of a big city of ancient times where they were protected by walls and large fortified gates.  It is these gates I picutre to be opened in grand fanfare, for the Lord of glory to come in with all pomp and glory.

It would be like a king returning from a hunt or a victorious war, "Open the gate, King David, has returned!"  The gate keepers swiftly open, welcoming him.  The citizens line the streets in glad euphoric welcome and greeting.

When Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the donkey, there was similar vibe.  This is letting the king of glory in, in the physical sense.  But what about the spiritual sense?  Yes, brothers and sisters-in-Christ, accepting Jesus as Savior allowed the King in.  However, the psalmist answered his own question, "Who is this king of glory?"  His answer was,

"The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle" (Psalm 24:8 ESV).

LORD, signifies God and Master.  All others are servants.  We may have let our Savior Jesus in through the gates of our hearts but have we allowed the LORD to open all the doors of our hearts?  Have we allowed HIM to actually be Lord and Master?

Flipping back to verse 4, David said those who have clean hands and a pure heart and 

"Who does not lift up his soul to what is false" 

as the ones who ascend the hill of the LORD and stand in His holy place.  These among other wonderful benefits.

Look at that again.  Does it convict?  It does me.  What do you lift up your soul to?  Please, not to falseness.  If our doors and gates are opening to false things, we can repent and seek the Lord's forgiveness.  Then let Him be Lord of your life.

If you are standing on a mountain of falseness and those false breezes and mists you cherish, cherish you, repent.  Close those doors and gates.  Then there will be room for the King of Glory to come in.  There will be, room for you to invite the Lord of glory to come in.  There will be jubilant gladness. There will be the clean hands and pure heart, blessing and 

"righteousness from the God of his salvation. "  

Lift up your heads and face to Him.

Search and examine your hearts this Lord's Day.  Yes, Jesus has made us worthy to remember Him in His death and resurrection by partaking of the symbols of broken bread and drinking of the cup of wine.  Yet, we still need to be responsible for our thoughts, actions and behavior.  There is blessing in repentance from the false and renewal of the true and allowing His righteousness to characterize us.  Lift up your heads to HIM.

Open the gates and doors of your heart to Him.  Let His Spirit entrance.  Seek His face.

It may be that the generation or two before you began to seek the Lord and to open their gates and doors to the Lord.  Or it may have only begun in your generation, with you.  It doesn't matter because each one still can be that one to make Jesus, not only Savior but also the Lord of their life.

Seek the face of God, allow the Lord of hosts, the King of glory to come in.  Open the gates and doors.

Blessed Jesus, thank You for being our Savior and willing to be our Lord.  May we indeed lift up our heads and hearts to you and truly make you our Lord, as well.  May we joyfully shout,

 "Open the gates and doors!  The King of glory's coming in!"

                                                  ~ ERC  February 2025 ~

Based on Psalm 24 ESV.

Sing, Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates (Truro), along with,  First Plymouth Church, Lincoln Nebraska.

Photo taken from my own church bulletin.

The Monarch Butterfly

 

Father, the beauty of Jesus' presence is with me today as I recalled a special happy time spent in an awesome garden crafted by a friend.  We sat among the beauty, basking in it.  Along came a monarch butterfly blending its hues with the garden flowers.

It went about its work of nectar collection, flitting and collecting, back and forth.  Such gems of magnificent splendor.  It put me in mind of what the Garden of Eden must have looked like. There were no monkeys or elephants, thankfully, but the birds and bees and butterflies were great.

Lord Jesus, I really appreciated being able to spend the time there.  It put me in mind of the song, 

"I Come to the Garden Alone while the dew is still on the roses, And the Voice I hear, Falling on my ear, the Son of God discloses.  And He walks with me, and He talks with me .."

Indeed, Jesus, I felt Your presence there and even saw a vision of You standing on the path the other side of the particular flower where the monarch worked.  Thank You for showing yourself to me and walking and talking with me there.

You showed me that I am like that butterfly.  As I move from place to place I can still 'collect nector,' and not be idle.  I can have opportunity to cultivate and allow the beauty of Christ to grow and radiate forth - a bit like Moses' face shining when he came down from Mt. Sinai after spending time with You (see Exodus 34:29-35).

Grow and build strong faith in me, giving me purpose for this move despite the unsettling nature of the situation.  May the aspects of the characteristics of Your Holy Spirit grow in me so I become more like Christ.  I want to live authentically in my Christian life.

Thank You for your reassurance that You will go wherever I go and be with me.  Help me in my relationships too with my husband and may I be mindful that we represent You and Your Church.  May we shine as lights in the darkness of our environment be what it may.

May I enjoy my time there and thank You for Your love, Lord Jesus.  With You in the peaceful garden I need not fear.

Thank You Jesus.  I appreciate You.

                                                     ~ ERC  February 2025 ~

Sing, I Come to the Garden Alone, along with Grace Bible Church.

He Knows All Things

 I've mentioned this before but here it is again in similar thought.  My connection with my mother was that she was my 'go-to' for answers and as a listening, unconditionally loving ear.  When she went to be with Jesus, it felt like an arm and a leg had been cut off.  Or at least how I imagine that would be.

The shock of it all, well, left me bereft.  There is no-one now who really cared to the depth she did, or had such long-suffering willingness to care.

That's when the Lord spoke to me, He said, in His gentle, ever-loving voice, 

"I'm here."

He had not left me comfortless. Those two words, as they filtered through the grief, settling into my mind and heart, were a healing balm.  Definitely, comforting.

This is what we learn in John 14:15-26 and especially verse 26.  Different translations use different words but when you put each together, they give a more holistic understanding.  There's 'Advocate,' 'Helper,' 'Counselor,' and 'Comforter' (See NIV, ESV & KJV) ..  Each of these are referring to the Holy Spirit.  Jesus sent Him to His disciples after He ascended back to Heaven.  His disciples were bereft of Jesus but He sent them His Holy Spirit who taught them "all things" and reminded them

 "of everything [Jesus] had said to them."

We have this same Counselor today.  He still listens and in all facets of translation and more, He is here.  He has the listening ear.  He has the answers.  Talk to Him.  Listen for His guidance.  He'll never leave us and He brings us peace (See vs 22).

What more could we ask?

Jesus, there is no one else like You.  Thank You for always being 'here,' right beside me.  You bring comfort, counsel, and peace, along with Your guidance. 

                                                  ~ ERC  February 2025 ~

Based on John 14:15-26 and Our Daily Bread 2023 - Sept/Oct/Nov - 23 Sept - by Tim Gustafson.

Sing, Holy Spirit, along with Francesca Battistelli.