I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart;
I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.
I will be glad and exult in you;
I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.
(Psalm 9:1-2 ESV)

Honestly I could not come up with just one thing to write about this week for Thankful Thursday. There are just so many things on a daily basis I am thankful for .

In no particular order, here is my ‘random’ list from my thankful heart…

• God’s protection – not only for me, but for my family and friends. I had used the van pool for almost a year, but I had to switch back driving myself to work. I work often later than the hours of the van pool. God has been protecting me on the crazy roads of Arizona (you have no idea how wild these people drive).
• God providing our ‘daily bread’. We have a roof over our head, food to eat, money to pay the bills and help out others when needed.
• My husband’s love for me. You have to understand, I am a little ‘wild’ sometimes – I start dancing or start cracking jokes out of the blue.
• Our son’s independence. Sometimes I can’t believe that he will be 27 this June. He has done well for himself. And he is very smart with money. I just hope he changes his mind moving back to Europe this year. But then again, I just had him as a ‘loan’; God will guide his steps.
• My friends far and near, who don’t mind if I ask for prayers. I try to be a good friend as well as they are. I hope I am.

So, what are you thankful for this week? Please do share with us by leaving your link to your Thankful Thursday post below.

Thank you for stopping by today. Remember: give thanks to the Lord with your whole heart.

Love & peace,
Iris

Current Mood: Thankful

Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;
fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,
over the man who carries out evil devices!
(Psalm 37:7 ESV)

The other night as I was working on portraits for a client, I noticed the orange hue hitting our back window. I knew it was time to grab my camera; I was not disappointed when I stepped out on the back porch.

I love it when God paints the sky like He did the other night. For some reason, it gives me comfort. It reminds me of God’s promise to never give up, but to wait on Him. I have to admit, patience is not my strength. He is teaching me though.

Have you seen God’s beauty this week? Today, I am linking up with my friend Joan to share His Beauty. Click on the image below to read more of His Beauty…

Thank you for stopping by today!

Love and peace,
Iris

Current Mood: Blessed †

“The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” ~ Psalm 18:2 (ESV)

To be perfectly honest with you, I do not like Arizona. Yes, I have been living here for the past 20 years, but I still don’t enjoy the summers. You see, I grew up by the sea and you cannot take the salt water out of my veins…

There is one particular place though that I continue to go back to: the Superstition Mountains. I have photographed the mountain range several times, but every time they look different.

I really cannot explain why this mountain draws me so often. It may has to do with God. Every time I see the mountain (actually every day), I am reminded of God – the SOLID rock in my life. No matter where my path takes me, I can count on God. He is the true constant in my life.

To some, a mountain can be something daunting, but for me it is sheer beauty. Massive, unmovable, solid, beautiful…just like our God.

Have you seen God’s beauty this week? Today, I am linking up with my friend Joan to share His Beauty. Click on the image below to read more of His Beauty…

Thank you for stopping by today…
Love & peace,
Iris

Current Mood: Blessed †

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
(Romans 8:37-39 ESV)

Last week I had shared with my readers that I had ‘A Perfect Day’. Let me share a little more with you how it came to pass and how it ended up a day of unexpected blessings.

You see, since I am not a US Citizen (by choice I keep my German citizenship), I have to renew my ‘green’ card every ten years. Honestly, I was a little nervous; much has changed over the past 10 years. Since 9/11/2001 (the year I renewed last) as you can imagine, applications to stay in this country as a foreigner have become more complicated.

The biggest changes were put in place last year with a new law on how you have to renew your ‘green’ card. You no longer can go to the local office; you have to fill out a form online to receive an appointment for the local office.

On my appointment day I was so nervous, I sent a couple of text messages to some very close friends to pray for me. On the way to Phoenix I thought my husband would have to pull over; I was sick to my stomach. My heart knew that everything would be fine, but I could not get my tummy to follow my heart.

When we got to the USCIS office in Phoenix, I was still nervous.  I noticed that I was not the only one how had butterflies in the tummy …I have to say, the employees at the USCIS office were the nicest people. There were many people with appointments that morning, but I was done within 45 minutes (fingerprints, photo etc). I almost skipped out of the office.

As I mentioned, my husband went with me and we took the opportunity to stay for almost 3 hours in Phoenix. We had a wonderful lunch and took a walk, photographing. I had a smile on my face all afternoon (the weather was perfect too). I told my husband at least a hundred times how much I enjoyed spending the day with him.

By the way, we even found a parking spot we didn’t have to pay for (long story for another day )

You see, sometimes God blesses us unexpectedly. Even if a day does not start out to promising, God will give us something to remember. I sure will remember the day I had to renew my green card for years to come…and will be smiling.

Thanks for stopping by.

Love and peace,
Iris

Current Mood: Blessed †

People of the Book is the fourth and final book in your Extreme Devotion series. Each book is set in a different country, with the theme of first devotion and commitment to Christ above all else running through all four. How is People of the Book different, and who/what inspired you to write this book?

People of the Book was the most difficult of the four Extreme Devotion series books to write, but it is also the strongest when it comes to a call to personal commitment to Christ and to the fulfillment of the Great Commission. With each of the books, I began drafting the manuscripts through Internet research, since I had never lived in any of the four countries and had only visited one of them. After the original draft, I worked with someone who either currently lived in the country or who had recently spent many years there. People of the Book was the toughest because the Saudi women I connected with via the Internet were understandably apprehensive about associating with me. Most, in fact, were terrified to do so. I was therefore quite pleased to meet a young woman named Dolly Dahdal here in the States who, until just a few years ago, had spent the majority of her life in Saudi Arabia and understood perfectly why I had chosen to write this book. We shared a passion to help expose the fallacy of “honor killings,” a horrific crime perpetrated primarily against women and girls who in some way bring “dishonor” on their Muslim families, and Dolly was a major contributor to the authenticity of this book.

Can you give us a brief synopsis of this story?

Eighteen-year-old Farah, who lives in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with her family, wants nothing more than to develop a deeper, more meaningful devotion to her Muslim faith. She sees the month of Ramadan as her chance to draw nearer to Allah, and she pursues that goal throughout the holiday. All goes well until the prophet Isa—Jesus—appears to her in a dream and calls her to Himself. At the same time, her only brother, Kareem, who has never liked Farah, actively seeks an opportunity to expose her for the sham he believes she is.

Meanwhile, Farah’s seventeen-year-old cousin, Nura, has begun to frequent an online chat room where former Muslims gather to discuss their new faith, based on their belief that Isa is much more than a Muslim prophet—He is actually the Son of God. While there, Nura becomes acquainted with an American girl of Muslim ancestry—now a devout Christian named Sara—and a friendship quickly develops. However, Sara has problems of her own due to her fifteen-year-old brother Emir’s involvement with a gang.

The lives of Farah, Nura, and Sara ultimately dovetail until each finds herself at a place where her faith is put to the test. Will they remain faithful to the end? Will God protect and keep them safe in the midst of persecution and treachery? Or will they be required to pay the ultimate price for their faith?

Kathi, how did you get into writing? Has it always been your passion, or is it something you came to later in life?

I’ve always wanted to write, for as long as I can remember. I was an avid reader even before I started kindergarten. I wrote a short story in third grade that the teacher liked so much she showed it to the principal, and they decided to turn it into a play for the entire PTA. I was hooked! One day when I was about 13, I was walking home from school with my then boyfriend (now husband), Al, and I told him I’d be a writer some day. He often reminds me how blessed I am to have been able to do what I dreamed of all my life.

I understand you’re running a special contest that has to do with this book. Can you tell us about it?

Not only are there several opportunities to win a copy of the book on various blog sites included in this tour, but I’m giving away the entire four-book series at the end of the tour to someone who leaves a comment on one of the blogs, so be sure to check them all out and leave comments on each one!

In addition to writing, you are a popular speaker at women’s event, writers’ conferences, and various venues around the country. How can people find out more about you, your writing and speaking, sign up for your weekly devotional newsletter (in English or Spanish), and/or just view your many book videos, etc.?

They can find me at one of my websites (Kathi Macias and Titus2 Women) or on my Easy Writer blog. There is a “contact” button on my Kathi Macias website if they’d like to send me a message. I always respond to all my emails!

I was given a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for posting the author’s interview on my blog. This blog tour is managed by Christian Speaker Services.

Current Mood: Thankful

He is Risen Indeed!!!

Believe that He is Alive. The tomb was empty on the first Easter morning:

“But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” ~ Luke 24:1-7 (ESV)

Happy Easter!!!

Current Mood: Forgiven †

“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.””~ John 11:25-27 (ESV)

There are days when your heart is heavy; you don’t seem to find a grateful heart or thought. Your husband is less then nice to you; your child(ren) live their lives as they please; your friend’s job is eliminated; your friends abandon you; you have to spend money that you had set aside for a specific purpose…Plainly said: your are exhausted from life’s blows.

Over the last several weeks I have found myself crying more often then in previous years. I had feelings of anger and hurt; I don’t understand the whys. Is there really a purpose in all of this? Does God hear my prayers and pleas? I have to trust God that there is a purpose.

Tomorrow we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection; my favorite holiday. Why? No matter what life throws at me, no matter how hard the evil one tries to discourage me, I have hope. A hope of a brighter tomorrow; a hope that God will answer my prayers in His time; a hope for life everlasting in the presence of God. God is faithful to see us through until the end.

“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” ~ Hebrews 10:19-23 (ESV – emphasis mine)

My prayer is that tomorrow we will celebrate His resurrection with a renewed hope.

Have a blessed Easter Sunday,

Photo & Content Copyright © Iris Nelson

Current Mood: Forgiven †

If you have some time this weekend, I would encourage you to check out my friends Lynn’s and Dineen’s brand new website “Winning Him Without Words”. Their first book will be released later this month. The website has wonderful resources and you can even win some prizes . Just click on the image above to get to the website.

Thanks for stopping in today. Have a blessed weekend!!!

Current Mood: Happy

“In you, O Lord, do I take refuge;
let me never be put to shame!
In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me;
incline your ear to me, and save me!
Be to me a rock of refuge,
to which I may continually come;
you have given the command to save me,
for you are my rock and my fortress.
~ Psalm 71:1-3 (ESV)

Do you have a comfort food? I do. No, it is not chocolate (although I do like chocolate – a lot), but mashed potatoes. Mashed potatoes remind me of home; so once in a while I have to make them. Mind you, mine are not nearly as good as my mom’s, but they still taste good…

…read the rest of the short devotion over at Laced with Grace.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Current Mood: Blessed †

I hope to see you on Kathy’s blog; it will be fun to connect with women around the world

Download the intro lesson here: PDF © Kathy Howard

Have a blessed weekend,

Current Mood: Happy