Wednesday, December 03, 2014

Are You Hungry for God but Starving for Time?



Lori Hatcher has just the thing.
Her new book called, Hungry for God, Starving for Time: 5 Minute Devotionals for Busy Women has just published. And, you can win a Kindle copy. Lori has lots of fun ways to win prizes so be sure to check those out too - including a special link to enter a drawing for a Kindle Fire HD 7. 

You want to connect with God, but in the craziness of life, it’s just not happening. (Click to Tweet) Between the demands of work, relationships, activities, and everything else that crowds your days, you’re hungry for God, but starving for time. You want practical, biblical answers to situations you face every day, but you don’t have hours to pore over Scripture. You need a resource that answers the questions you’re afraid to ask out loud. Questions like:

·        Is my situation hopeless?

·        If God already knows what he’s going to do, why bother to pray?

·        Why have you allowed this to happen to me?

·        No one appreciates what I do. Why shouldn’t I quit? 

Each devotion begins with a Facetime question and ends with a biblical answer wrapped in a modern day parable. Like a spiritual power bar, Hungry for God … Starving forTime is packed with enough scriptural nutrition to get you through the day.

Wherever you are—in break rooms, carpool lines, or wherever you can snatch five minutes of quiet reflection—Hungry for God … Starving for Time, 5-Minute Devotions for Busy Women is for you.
 
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Lori has provided us a taste from her new devotional, Hungry for God, Starving for Time: 5 Minute Devotionals for Busy Women:

Bad Hair Days and the Kingdom of God

Facetime: God, sometimes I don’t feel very attractive. How should I handle these days?

As I prepare for a presentation, I begin praying far in advance. I pray for God to give me the message he wants me to share. I pray for each person who will attend, that God will encourage and equip them. I pray for the event planners, that the Lord will provide everything they need and give them wisdom and creativity. But on the actual morning of the event, I pray for something quite different. I pray for a good hair day.

Sometimes God answers yes, and sometimes no.

If you’re completely honest, you’ve probably done the same thing. Tell the truth. Didn’t you pray to be zit-free on your wedding day? Or bloat-free for your high school reunion? Or 10 pounds lighter for the family photo?

On important days, we often regress into bundles of adolescent insecurity. Having good hair, blemish-free complexions, or flat bellies doesn’t make us into something we’re not, but it does help us feel a little more confident.

So what should we do if, despite our best efforts, we have a bad hair day?

Remember that man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). We can rest in the confidence that we are beloved and beautiful. Knowing that God thinks we’re lovely because of what’s inside our hearts, whether our locks lie down or let loose, should put smiles on our faces that are much more beautiful than our marvelous manes.

Don’t schlump, as Mary Poppins would say. We should raise our chins, put on our best smiles, and look people in the eyes. Chances are, we’re the only ones who are aware of the cowlick that won’t cooperate or the muffin top above our waistlines. If we act as though we wish we could crawl under the rug, however, even those who have no idea that our hair didn’t turn out right are going to sense something’s wrong. We need to put on our game faces and press on!

Concentrate on others. Before long, we’ll forget we had a tussle with our tresses. When we take our eyes off ourselves and place them squarely on someone else, we gain perspective about what truly matters. Another benefit is that if we concentrate on helping others feel comfortable, confident, and cared for, this quality is what they will remember about us, not our crazy coiffure. Poet Maia Angelou agrees: “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Remember that true beauty isn’t determined by what our bodies look like (Click to Tweet), but by what our spirits look like. Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, said Peter, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight (1 Peter 3:3-4).

So tomorrow, whether it’s a good hair day or a bad one, let’s greet the world with a smile.

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Psalm 139:13-14

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What a great gift idea for that busy lady in your life (or yourself).
 
 I can relate to this bad hair days devotional; how about you? You can win a Kindle version of Hungry for God, Starving for Time by answering this question in the comments below:
 
What do you feel is the hardest part about being a woman?
 
Join the conversation and you will be entered to win a Kindle version of Hungry for God, Starving for Time. Winner will be announced next week here at The Stream's Edge.
 
Be sure to visit Lori's Facebook page to enter a drawing for a Kindle Fire HD 7 loaded with ten Christian books.
 
 


Lori Hatcher is an author, blogger, and women’s ministry speaker. She shares an empty nest in Columbia, South Carolina, with her ministry and marriage partner, David, and best dog ever, Winston. Her latest book, Hungry for God . . . Starving for Time, 5-Minute Devotions for Busy Women, helps women connect to God in the craziness of life. You’ll find her pondering the marvelous and the mundane on her blog, Hungry for God. . . Starving for Time 

Be sure to enter the drawing for a Kindle Fire
Join the Facebook Launch Party for more fun and prizes.

You can see more about Lori's book in this You Tube Promo Video

Order your copy of Hungry for God...Starving for Time:


6 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for this post I sooo needed it. It is always a Blessing to read your Blogs Jeanne.
    That book looks like something I need. Merry Christmas Beautiful Friend!

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  2. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Terrie. We can all use something to help with our busyness can't we?! You name is in the hat for a chance to win a Kindle copy of Hungry for God, Starving for Time :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. What do you feel is the hardest part about being a woman?

    I feel like I have to do everything...work and clean and shop and cook, etc. and do it well.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Marybeth, I feel your pain sister!!! I have discovered that I put too much on myself too- as I get older, I am learning to let some things go. But, it's hard sometimes.
    Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Busy women unite but giving one another grace.

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  5. Marybeth,
    Your response is SO typical! When I asked the same question in a Bible study I led a few years ago, the most common response was, "Trying to be all things to all people." It's certainly a challenge we all face. Thanks for chiming in today.

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  6. Terrie,
    I'm glad it was an encouragement to you. Thanks for stopping by.

    ReplyDelete

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