‘Book review, recommendation: Abiding in Him: A Life Together in Ministry by Bettie and Barry Gilbert

I was so blessed by my dear friend Lisa Howeler’s review of our book on her blog. Join me over at her site:

When you deal with chronic illness, it isn’t easy to always stay upbeat or hopeful.

You feel as if God can not use you because you struggle to even leave your house, let alone go out into the world and preach the gospel.

Bettie Gilbert and her husband Barry learned over the years that not even chronic illness, various attacks on their joy, and heartache could stop God from using them to further his kingdom.

That’s the story that is written in Bettie and Barry’s new book Abiding in Him: A Life Together in Ministry.

This beautiful book which can also be used as a devotional was written in the past year by Bettie and Barry and is published by Chronic Joy, a wonderful organization that Bettie is a part of. The organization helps support those who struggle with chronic illnesses.

The book is full of inspiring stories, poems, Bible…

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A Continuing Story: Abiding in Him

Many have asked me if there is a significant meaning in the cover photo of our new book. My answer has been yes, but once again it's a story begging to be told. ☺️ In answer to those who have asked, here today is another gift of God's choosing . . . ~~~~~~ I was … Continue reading A Continuing Story: Abiding in Him →

A Surprise: “Abiding in Him”

The swelling had begun in earnest as the tears rolled down my puffy cheeks. Another medication reaction from a medicine that was not supposed to cause reactions. Surely, God, You saw ahead of time that this would happen? ... It was the launch week of our new book, after all! Just days before the reaction, … Continue reading A Surprise: “Abiding in Him” →

New Seasons: “Our Story, Chapter 11”

The Stillness of the first Snow ushers in the Pause, The Pause of Advent, When waiting hovers all around And Mystery calls out to me. And the Ancient Words flutter down through time, words we memorize as children become so familiar that we miss the meaning lose the mystery. And there were shepherds living out … Continue reading New Seasons: “Our Story, Chapter 11” →

Part 7: Chapter 3 – Day 5: A Thrill of Hope

I have come to see every drop of sharing as such a grace gift from our Father. And so I would love to invite you to join me, with my friend Anna, for the next Freewill Offering in our book, “Arise and Shine: Beloved You are Mine.”

Shalom Aleh

Welcome toDay 5 ofPart 7′sChapter 3ofArise and Shine. Today, Bettie is bringing forward the fifth free will offering of Holy Hands.

Song of Songs 4:8

The Passion Translation

Now you are ready, my bride,

tocome with meas we climb the highest peaks together.

Come with me through the archway of trust.[a]

We will look[b]down

from the crest of the glistening mounts

and from the summit of our sublime sanctuary,

from the lion’s den and the leopard’s lair.

Footnotes

4:8[a] This phrase is translated from the Septuagint. The Hebrew is “the crest of Amana.”Amanacomes from a Hebrew root word from which we get the English word “amen.” This is also one of the Hebrew words for “faith.” The crest of Amana is the realm where all God’s promises are kept and realized. Amana can also be…

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Part 7: Chapter 3 – Day 2: Where Faith Becomes Sight

When my dear friend Anna asked me to consider sharing my art journal page for our latest chapter in our book, “Arise and Shine, Beloved You Are Mine,” I was surprised when the Lord reminded me of an older post from my blog also. He continues to hold onto our hands, all these years later. I am so blessed to be able to share today:

Shalom Aleh

Welcome toDay 2 ofPart 7′sChapter 3ofArise and Shine. Today, Bettie is bringing forward the second free will offering of Holy Hands.

Several years ago, not long into my journey with chronic illness, I wrote a piece that seems to ask for re-examination. I long to share those words here, and a journal page God birthed in my heart all these years later:

There it was again, that old familiar wake-up call: a wave of nausea followed by a jolt of pain and then the rush of anxiety. The journey through RA/Fibromyalgia had left me well acquainted with the Night Watches of Anxiety. But this time, a word followed closely on the heels of the normal rush: HANDS, and it came so insistently that I felt there must be something my Lord wanted to uncover inside of my thoughts.

And then it all came back…

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His Burden is Light: “Our Story, Chapter 10”

I woke up with a song echoing in my head today. Imagine my surprise when I opened my Bible app to find those very words: The grass withers, the flower fades,But the word of our God stands forever.Isaiah 40:8 NASB https://youtu.be/9gXrJtvpJXM Seasons change, and our lives may move to different rhythms. But our Living Word, Jesus … Continue reading His Burden is Light: “Our Story, Chapter 10” →

Part 7: Chapter 2 – Day 3: Fellowship Restored

The Lord is so gracious and compassionate to us, as He calls us to remember and to believe His Word spoken to us. I invite you to join me and my dear friend, Anna, as I share the conviction and poem the Lord led me in, and the beautiful prayer response from Anna, for today’s offering in the chapter on the Showbread of the Tabernacle in our book, “Arise and Shine, Beloved You are Mine:”

Shalom Aleh

Welcome toDay 3 ofPart 7′sChapter 2ofArise and Shine. Today, Bettie is bringing forward the third free will offering of the table of theshowbread.

Have you looked around at the darkness of this world and become overwhelmed? Maybe you’ve heard dark things uttered over your own life and you’ve succumbed to the hopelessness invoked?

One night not long ago, I felt the darkness impenetrable for the children of this age. I cried out to God in my weariness and asked Him to somehow protect His little ones. I expected to lie awake for hours, as was usually the case for me. Once a soul-pain begins in me, then my chronic-illness-filled body will often times join in the struggle. Instead, on this night God placed me into a deep sleep until early morning, when I woke up suddenly with the very words from a…

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Part 7: Chapter 1 – Onyx Stones and Other Gem Stones

What a joy to share this post with my daughter today, as Anna and I begin Part 7, Chapter 1 of “Onyx Stones and Precious Jewels” in our book “Arise and Shine: Beloved You are Mine.” Join us at Anna’s site as the Lord joined our hearts together there:

Shalom Aleh

Welcome to Chapter 1 of Part 7 of Arise and Shine. Today, Bettie (with the help of her daughter Becky) is introducing us to the free will offering of onyx stones and other gem stones.

Take a sacred offering for the Lord. Let those with generous hearts present the following gifts to the Lord:
9onyx stones, and other gemstones to be set in the ephod and the priest’s chestpiece.Exodus 35:5,9

-Fashion a breastpiece for making decisions—the work of skilled hands. Make it like the ephod: of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen. 16 It is to be square—a span[a] long and a span wide—and folded double. 17 Then mount four rows of precious stones on it. The first row shall be carnelian, chrysolite and beryl; 18 the second row shall be turquoise, lapis lazuli and emerald; 19 the third row shall be jacinth…

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Part 7: The Blood of Christ and the Doorway of God’s Heart for Us All

What a blessing the Lord has been bringing as my friend Anna and I are sharing this last Part, The Blood of Christ and The Doorway to God’s Heart, in our book “Arise and Shine: Beloved You are Mine.” We both have been amazed at the way He is weaving our thoughts together and writing His Word upon our hearts. I invite you to join me at Anna’s site:

Shalom Aleh

Welcome to Part 7 of Arise and Shine. Today, Bettie and Anna are together introducing the final part of this book that God has been writing on our hearts. In these final weeks, we look forward to sharing the final 5 free will offerings with you all.

Sharing this book with you all has been an adventure in trust and surrender, as God has continually led us to lay down our plans to pick up His. He has changed the order of posts, the content of posts and the direction of posts as we prayed our way through sharing this book with you. Beautifully, He continues to awe us with His leading, as He establishes our steps.

As Anna asked Bettie to sit with a string of words she and Anna had written in the past year, and to pen a free will offering for ram skins dyed…

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