Tiny Angel by Nancy Carty Lepri

In a day and age when chapter books for tweens can sometimes be more hype than substance, Nancy Carty Lepri's Tiny Angel is a breath of fresh air. When ten-year-old Macy Carver's dad is transferred to a new town, Macy leaves behind everything she knew even her best friend. Suddenly she is the new kid on the block and is the recipient of cruel bullying. Then, she receives an unexpectant heavenly visitor - her guardian angel Jody.

There are numerous positive lessons children can learn from Tiny Angel.

1. The gift of compassion - Macy's keen discernment helps her look beyond herself and extend friendship to Tommy, a needy boy in her school.

2. Another perspective - Macy gives readers another view from her pew. She is able, through the help of her guardian angel Jody, to see beyond herself.

3. Generosity - Macy could have been selfish and kept the award money she won from the spelling bee competition, but instead she sees a need greater than herself and donates her money to help those in need.

4. Convictions - Macy's life reflects her heart of mercy for the underdog while continuing to stand up for what you believe in even if it means being rejected.

5. Educational - Children will hone their spelling skills when they attend the spelling bees with Macy and her friends.

6. Faith - Little hearts will grow in their faith when they fall in love with Macy's guardian angel Jody and learn that only faith can devour fear.

Macy isn't some goody-two-shoes. Ms. Lepri pulls back the curtain and allows us to see Macy's struggles.

I think Tiny Angel should be read in elementary schools everywhere. It would open up dialogue about bullying and how devastating it can be to an individual and teach students the lost art of compassion.

If you want a great book with some character building lessons tucked in every chapter for the children in your life, you will want to get a copy of Tiny Angel.

You can purchase Tiny Angel by Nancy Carti Lepri at http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/tiny-angel.htm. While you are there, you may want to look around at some of their other amazing books.

George Fox

Because the economy was drastically unstable, the villagers turned inward, caring little about the affairs outside their own town. Little did that sleepy town realize there was one among them who would shake all of England. (quote about the boy George Fox)

I always enjoy reading about the lives of people who have laid down their lives for the Cause of Christ. Today I read about George Fox, the founder of the Quakers, who lived through persecution after persecution yet humbly shared his faith in Jesus with everyone God brought across his path.

As a boy, George struggled socially. He was a misfit and a loner. I'm not quite sure why I was so moved by learning of his disposition and then years later see how God used him, but I was.

For twenty-one years now my husband Paul and I have invested in the lives of children and young people. Lighthouse Academy, a Christian school in the church where my husband pastors, was started in August 1988. Monday through Friday, Paul stands before the students in Opening and shares truths from God's Word. The students come in every flavor. We have our extroverts and introverts, too, like they did in George Fox's day. I guess the word that continues to resonant in my soul about our precious students is POTENTIALITY! We don't know how God may choose to use each one of them, but we can be sure He will.

I pray each child whether gifted or not will sense God's love for them through our lives. I never want to be guilty of prejudging a child and thinking God cannot use him or her. The Spirit of the Lord uses ordinary people to perform extraordinary feats!

I wonder if you or I are mentoring a future George Fox. A child that through our eyes doesn't appear to be of use in God's vineyard, but through God's eyes can shake the world. God sees things differently than we do. As the old saying goes... He doesn't look for ability, but availability.

George Fox's story has left a deep impression on my soul this New Year. I hope I am not guilty of being "sleepy" and not realizing what God is doing in the midst of my community. I pray every child the Lord sends through our doors will feel loved and come to know God has a Divine destiny for their life. After reading about George Fox, I don't think I will look at a child the same ever again.

There's a Beetle in my Bed by Bill Kirk

If you want a fun, yet educational, read for the little ones in your life, you've got to get Bill Kirk's newest book There's a Beetle in my Bed. Mr. Kirk has delivered a grand slam with this amusing story. Who would think a gentle nudge from an imaginary beetle hiding in your bed could make learning so much fun? After reading this story, you will be giggling and chanting together with your children:

"There's a beetle in my bed.
I just saw him duck his head."

The rhyming story is guaranteed to tickle the funny bones of children of all ages and the neatest part about the book are the "Factoids" on each page. So while the children are enjoying the story of the little boy who is afraid of the growing beetle in his bed, they are expanding their scienctific knowledge, too.

Bill Kirk's text coupled with Suzy Brown's colorful illustrations are a match made in "Picture Book Heaven."

For more information on how you can purchase There's a Beetle in my Bed go to http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/beetle-bed.htm

While you are there, check out some more great books published by Guardian Angel Publishing. You won't be disappointed.

Mirror Mirror Off the Wall

Bezalel made the bronze washbasin and its bronze stand from bronze mirrors donated by the women who served at the entrance of the Tabernacle. Exodus 38:8 NLT

It must have been a great sacrifice for these women to give their bronze mirrors to Bezalel. For some, it possibly meant never being able to see their reflection again.

There are days that I feel Jesus is asking me to give my mirror to Him. There seems to be a “Call” from Heaven that is pleading to look at myself less and to fasten my eyes upon my Savior more. It’s not as easy as it seems. Giving my mirror to Jesus means that I can’t always be looking out for “me”.

There are days I fail. I clutch my mirror like a toddler clinging to his favorite blanket and insist on keeping it. On those days I am most miserable.

But there are other days that I take the mirror off my wall and give it to Jesus and a miracle takes place. I see life so much clearer. I begin singing a wonderful timeless hymn:

Since my eyes were fixed on Jesus.
I've lost sight of all beside.
So enchained my Spirit's vision.
Looking at the crucified.

I will begin this new year by taking my mirror off the wall and giving it to my King. Maybe there is someone I can love for Jesus today.

"Mirror, mirror off the wall.
Help me resemble the Fairest of them all!”

Camel Lot

Today, December 30, 2009, our only son John Drake proposed to Natasha Stamman and she accepted. They took a sleigh ride in a restored antique cutter which was used years ago by another young couple in their courting days. The wedding is scheduled to be in early spring 2010. As I watched the excitement on John and Natasha's face I couldn't help but reflect back on this past two years. So much history has happened to our family during this time, we can hardly catch our breath. On June 12, 2008, John gave his daddy the gift of life when he gave Paul a kidney on Father's Day weekend. Then, one month to the day later, our firstborn Rachel Michelle wed Mr. Wilmer Nolt. You can imagine the emotions we all felt when Paul walked our daughter down the church aisle. Then, on August 9, 2008, our second daughter Rebekah married Mr. Zacariah Fox. Our eyes filled with tears again when Paul walked Beka down that same aisle. Our baby daughter Libby married Mr. Isaac Wendland on June 27, 2009. By this time Paul had three hospitalizations since his transplant. So, once again when he appeared at the back of the church to walk our baby girl down that familiar aisle.... we were swirling with so many emotions. On September 5th, Zach and Beka had their first child... a darling baby boy - Tristan Micaiah. Rachel and Wil are expecting our second grandson in March. If all this good news wasn't enough, now our only son will marry his sweetheart. God is sooooo good!

Life can be difficult, but God has been sooo kind to always allow joys to be on their way to us. The kidney transplant wasn't part of our plan for our lives, but just like Joseph in the Bible who found himself sold to a caravan of Midianites. He probably felt forsaken when he was thrown in that pit by his brothers, but God was directing the caravan. Whether they realized it or not they were being controlled by Divine providence. I hope I can always remember this. God knows where we are and He has perfect timing for our precise provision. Months ago He set the caravan in motion for us.

Get ready..... the caravans are coming......... and we will all be living in our own "Camel Lot." ;-)

Playmakers

My entire life I have been impressed by playmakers. You know who they are in your life. The ones who you can count on when the going gets tough. They say or do something that changes the whole atmosphere in a room. You can be in a volatile situation and these people show up or speak up and can diffuse the situation. They never become part of the problem, but very quickly are part of the solution. They may have a critical eye and can access a situation pretty quick, but they also have a keen sense of discovering solutions to offer to those "sticky" situations. Most playmakers are unsung heroes in our lives. We take them for granted in our early years, but as time goes by you find you cannot live without them. For all the playmakers in my life, I want to say THANK YOU! I hope each of you will take the time to thank the playmakers in your life. They make the journey here much sweeter and help you win at the game of life according to biblical principles.

Jiminy Crickett

In 1981, my husband Paul was youth pastor at a church in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. We had two beautiful children then and had just moved into a lovely three bedroom apartment, but then we felt the Lord was calling us to move to Floyd, Iowa, to pastor a struggling country church. We sat down and counted the cost. There would be a tremendous cut in salary. The tiny church could only pay $75 a week and the parsonage was nothing to be desired. In the natural, we would never have chosen to move to Floyd, but whenever we prayed, we both sensed a call from Heaven.

During one Wednesday evening service in Arkansas the Holy Spirit began to draw our hearts. I distinctly remember the Lord speaking in the depths of my soul and asking, "Will you go?"

I remember weeping and surrendering to His call. "Here am I, Lord, send me!"

The next day Paul and I sat down and had a heart-to-heart chat. He, too, had felt the same call. We prayed together and surrendered our lives to whatever God wanted. We would let Him choose the vineyard where He wanted us to labor in.

A few months later we were headed to the little village of Floyd, Iowa. Paul accepted the pastorate of the Gospel Lighthouse Church. We arrived on the last Sunday in August 1981. (Our oldest child Rachel was nearly three and our second child was nine months old. Our two youngest daughters hadn't even been born yet.)

The first Sunday morning Paul preached we had an attendance of 16. (Four of which were the Paul Phillips' family.) We were excited when a farmer and his wife responded to the altar call and gave their hearts to the Lord that first Sunday.

Every year the little flock grew, but there were financial challenges. I remember us praying for shoes for our little ones' feet and Jesus was so faithful to provide. We were learning to walk by faith and not by sight.

The Christmas of 1985, our oldest daughter Rachel had just turned seven. She had asked for a Crickett doll for Christmas. I went and priced one and was devastated when I realized there was no way we could buy the expensive doll. I remember crying and wondering if we should move to a bigger church, but when I knelt to pray I knew we were supposed to stay and be faithful in the lean years.

That Christmas there was no Crickett doll, but another dolly under the tree. Rachel seemed thrilled with her new doll, but I knew deep in her heart she really wanted the special Crickett doll.

Fast foward to this Christmas, twenty-four years later, God has been good to us during our 28 years of service. He has blessed the church above and beyond our wildest dreams and we no longer live in the old parsonage. God blessed us with another home. It was in this house, the home the Lord provided for us, where our family gathered tonight to celebrate our Lord's birth.

It was a full circle moment when Rachel opened her Christmas gift tonight. We bought her a Cricut machine. For all of you who scrapbook, you know the amazing designs this machine can make. Letters of beautiful fonts and adorable diecuts for special occasions. Rachel's eyes danced when she opened her gift and saw it was a Cricut machine. My heart skipped a beat, too, when I thought about how faithful the Lord has been to our little family. Rachel finally got her Cricut and after I thanked the Lord for His goodness all I could say was.... Jiminy Crickett!