Secrets of Shiloh, a storybook

"You will be able to tell wonderful stories to your children and grandchildren about the marvelous things I am doing." (Ex. 10:2)


       "Lord Jesus, what do You want to tell the nations today through wonderful family storybooks blog?" I asked.
       "Tell people I love them deeply," I believe He answered.
       "But Lord, don't You think I need to tell folks that Secrets of Shiloh is now on the market?" I questioned.
       For the hundredth time He reminded me, "Never forget that the most important part of these storybooks is the people they influence." 

       So true! In God's economy, the most important part of The Schoolhouse and Secrets of Shiloh is you, the reader. I believe that He designed these little books as tools to draw you, whom He loves very much, nearer to Him.
       I pray that children, teens, moms, dads, grandparents, young adults, senior adults and everyone in-between will read Secrets of Shiloh and discover that the Lord is chasing after you with His love and goodness!

Secrets of Shiloh, now available at:

• Amazon.com  (books and e-books)
• Barnesandnoble.com
• Double Oak Mountain Pharmacy 280 - Birmingham, AL
• Cowboys 280 - Birmingham, AL
• Church of the Highlands: Grants Mill and Greystone
• The Book Shelf - Fort Payne, AL

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A Work-in-Progress

Our river cabin: a work-in-progress

"...being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."
(Phil. 1:6)




       Almost every evening, Phillip and I drive down to the farm to see the progress made on our river cabin. Then, in the swing beside the river bank, we dream of good times ahead (when there will actually be a working "toilette" on the property!). 

        At 21 days of prayer this morning, Pastor Hamp encouraged us to be confident in God, who always finishes what He starts.

       Do you belong to Father God through faith in Jesus Christ? If YES, then you are God's marvelous work-in-progress! Just envision the good times ahead for you!

"After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen!" (1 John 5:10-11)

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God is great, God is good, let us thank Him

My Rebecca, Dan, Ben, and Champ, 1987
(Look at their hair. Can you tell they just woke up?)

"...let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name." (Heb. 13:15)


            Although, as parents, Phillip and I made many mistakes; something we did right was teach our children about Jesus and talking to Him through prayer. Dan's prayer as a two-year-old will forever be imprinted on my mind and heart:
          "Tank You for da 'tees', 'burds', 'shunshine'. Maymen."

           Sarah Young once said that thankfulness opens the door to God's PRESENCE. Have you told God thank You, today?

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Bam!

My Uncle Frank, brother Mark, and me with the head bandage, 1962

"See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the desert." 
(Isa. 43:19)



       At six, my plans to sneak up on my brother who was was throwing rocks off a bluff backfired when BAM! one of those rocks snuck up on me! (This picture was taken after the doctor visit and stitches.)
      This week, I was following at a good clip the marketing-strategy to move Secrets of Shiloh from point A to point B, when BAM, I suddenly hit an unforeseen barrier.

       What's one to do when life hits a wall? Look to the One who is able to make a way when there seems to be no way! Then trust and obey Lord Jesus!

"He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens!" (Rev. 3:8)
         

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His Keys

"Key Necklace" by Donny Finley
Illustration from soon-to-be-released
Secrets of Shiloh

Jesus said, "I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it! I will give you the keys of the kingdom..." (Matt. 16:18-19)


            The Lord and my Phillip play a wonderful game at Christmas time, birthday time, anniversary time, and any time that merits my sweet husband giving me a gift.

            Game rules:
            #1: Phillip goes to the jewelry store.
            #2: God shows him what to buy.
            #3: I search for the Scripture that goes with 
                  that piece of jewelry.

            (Ladies, isn't that a marvelous game!!!)

         Two "game prizes" hang on a golden chain about my neck today: an onyx cross reminding me that I was once a "treasure" in darkness rescued by Jesus's death on the cross and a gilded key urging me to take His keys of the kingdom and go help rescue others.

        Has Jesus rescued you from the darkness of your sins? Then get up, go forth, and be God's minister and witness to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Jesus! (Acts 26:16-17)

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Face to Face

My brother, Mark, (father of the groom)
our friend, Louise, (age 91!), and
me at the reception

"...I have seen God face to face..."
(Gen. 32:30)




       Wedding bells rang at the old Roswell Mill nestled beside the rushing Chattahoochee River Saturday evening as family and friends gathered to celebrate the nuptial union of my nephew, Daniel, and his bride, Ashlea. Oh what joy to visit with loved ones face to face!

        Every August, Church of the Highlands enters a season of 21 days of prayer to seek the face of God who invites, "Seek Me while I may be found; call upon Me while I am near!" (Isa. 55:6)

                   Please join thousands of believers in Jesus Christ 
                                   for 21 days of prayer!

                                       August 4th-24th.
                                       Monday-Fridays - 6 a.m. CST
                                       Saturdays - 9 a.m. CST
                   Watch prayer/worship services live at:               
                                      www.churchofthehighlands.com

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Fishing

"Going Fishing"
My Dan, 1988

"(Jesus) said to them, 'Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." (Matt. 4:19)




        In last Sunday's message, Pastor Chris Hodges said, "Followers fish!" In other words, followers of Jesus Christ seek to catch other souls for God by sharing their side of His story.
       Sam Williams once explained that "evangelism is just helping people discover how God is already at work in their lives."


                                Love Jesus? Go fishing! 
                                       It's so much fun!

"I tell you, there is JOY in the presence of angels of God over one sinner who repents." (Luke 15:10)

"Goldfish" by Donny Finley
Illustration from soon-to-be-released
Secrets of Shiloh

To hear Chris Hodges' message: 
      "One Person at a Time" 
from the "Change Your World" series, visit:

     www.churchofthehighlands.com 

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It's a Bird, It's a Plane, No, It's....

My grandson: SUPERMAN!!!

"Gathering (His disciples) together, (Jesus) commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, 'Which,' He said, 'you heard from Me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.'" (Acts 1:4-5)

       In the wee hours of the morning, I scribbled in my journal, "Lord, please teach me what it means to be baptized with the Holy Spirit." Then the lights went out - literally no electricity in my house!

       His still, gentle voice said, "Jill, I'm your power Source. I wired you and equipped you. Without Me, however, you can do nothing (John 15:5), but through My power in you, you can do mighty things (Phil. 4:13).

       It's true! Last December, I was asked to speak to 700 ladies at a Christmas Tea in Charlotte, NC. I found it hard to sleep the night before as my mind spun round and round with thoughts like what have you gotten yourself into! I reached for my superman and said, "Phillip, please pray for me!" When I stepped up to the podium the next day, God took over. Thank You, Lord Jesus!!!

What duties are set before you today? Plug into the Power Source! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!

"His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness..." (2 Peter 1:3)

"Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen!" (Heb. 13:20-21)

    

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Fireflies

"Fireflies" by Donny Finley
An illustration from soon-to-be-released:
Secrets of Shiloh

Jesus said, "I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the Light of life."  (John 8:12)




       One of my favorite things about summertime is the presence of fireflies. In evening's twilight between sunset and velvet darkness, lightning bugs add a twinkle to the cricket serenade. Glory!
       In Phil. 2:14-16a, God instructs His kids, "Do all things without complaining and arguing; so that you may become blameless and pure, 'children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.' Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life!"

Today, "let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father, which is in heaven!" (Matt. 5:16)

This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine! Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!1


Snippet from soon-to-be-released Secrets of Shiloh:

When the children reached Shiloh, they saw Col. Hamilton standing near the gates holding a flashlight and three Mason jars with holes punched in the lids. The sun had already dropped below the horizon, and a waxing moon glowed in the eastern sky. Crickets and July flies played a moonlight concerto under the trees while bullfrogs croaked in perfect cadence beside the fishpond. Tiny lights blinked on and off, on and off, in all directions.

1 THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE, Harry Dixon Loes, 1920.

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Is this, Jill?

My precious, little friend, Lauren

"The voice of the Lord is powerful, the voice of the Lord is majestic...and in His temple everything says, 'Glory!'"  

(Psalm 29:4,9b)

       One of our favorite restaurants in the whole world is Old Town Grille in Childersburg, Alabama. They have the best hot wings ever! And one of our favorite waitresses in the whole world is Lauren.

       A few days ago, when I called in a to-go order, the sweet voice on the other end of the line (now that shows my age! should I say the other end of the cell tower?) said, "Is this, Jill?"

      How did she know it was me? She knew because, beyond our server/customer relationship, we're friends. And because we talk a lot, my friend knows my voice.

     Jesus said, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand" (John 10:27-28). "And I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you" (John 15:15b).

     
Spend time with your Friend, Jesus, everyday and learn to know His voice!

Snippet from soon-to-be-released Secrets of Shiloh:

“Rachel, I’ve shared many things with you over the years, but I regret that I’ve failed to share the most valuable part of my life – my relationship with God. Tough, old birds from my generation keep our faith to ourselves, and that’s not good. Well, I want to change that today...I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that He died in my place to take the punishment for my many sins. I’ve gotten to know Him over the years the same way you get to know anybody – by spending time together. Everyday, I hear His voice through the Bible, and I talk to Him through prayer.”  

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God and Granddaddy

Granddaddy (my sweet hubby) and our grandsons


"Like the finest apple tree in the orchard is my love among other young men."        (Song of Solomon 2:3)

              Our youngest grandson recently asked, "Mom, is God and Granddaddy da biggest mans in da world?"
I told my daughter, "Tell him Memaw says YES! God and his granddaddy are indeed this world's finest!"


Today, sing praises to our great Lord, 
and then encourage the one you love and build each other up!


A snippet from soon-to-be-released Secrets of Shiloh - 
a Christian storybook for families:

Over time, the Colonel became more like Rachel’s grandfather than a mere friend. Weeks rolled into months and months stretched into years. The old gentleman walked more gingerly nowadays and seemed to have a harder time keeping up the grounds of Shiloh. However, he never abandoned his three o’clock post near the iron gates to see Rachel when 
she got off the school bus. 

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