Disney’s animated film, Toy Story, made Randy Newman’s song, You’ve Got a Friend in Me, famous. The catchy lyrics croon traits we long for in a friendship. When the road is rough, and we are far from home, we want a friend. We want someone who understands our troubles, has our best interests in mind, and who will support us forever.
Paul was that kind of friend to the Philippian Church. He was a friend who sharpened others. He was a friend who said hard things and refused to tickle itching ears. His love stirred actions empowered by the Holy Spirit, and heavy burdens were lifted together proving two are better than one.
There is nothing like the encouraging words of a #friend to lift a weary heart and remind you of God’s goodness. It is a gift. Download your #FREE short study: You’ve Got a Friend in Me at staceyweeks.com
I am blessed with friends who admonish, encourage, and help me. I am blessed with friends filled with patience and kindness. I want to be like them because they want to be like Jesus, and more than anything, I want to be like Jesus.
Maybe you don’t yet have a friend like that. Perhaps you are praying for the Lord to bring that kind of friend into your life. While you wait, be that friend to someone else. Be the friend who rejoices in the Lord in good and hard times. Be a friend who speaks life and sees God’s mighty hand at work even in the trial. What does that look like? Download my free short study on Philippians 1:1-18 and learn from Paul’s example.
She was raised in the hills of Virginia and spent years exploring abandoned houses and reading the scariest books she could find. She married young and enjoys an exciting fast-paced life with her hubby that sometimes rivals the suspense in her books (thanks to all her mostly grown children and a couple grandkids). Welcome, Erin!
I love how God can speak through writers to the readers. Sometimes writers aren’t even aware of the messages they are putting in their novels, but God loves to work in wondrous ways through books. It’s always been important to me to show how my characters learn and grow spiritually in every story. I love to put a biblical message in every book, and Fateful Fall is no different.
The main character, Ava Worthington, is facing uncertain times where she thinks she can work to prove her worth. It’s a trap into which we often fall, and it can be deadly to our spiritual growth.
It’s interesting how we try to work our way to get everything—including God’s blessings and favor. It happens so fast we often don’t even realize it. One minute we’re trusting our heavenly Father and the next we’re off on our own trying to prove to everyone that we are valuable—that what we do matters. But the harder we work, the further away our goal seems to drift.
God is good at reminding us we have to look to Him for our true worth. No number of people, metals, or commendations removes our feelings of inadequacy. Christ removes those feelings when we turn to Him, and He makes it clear how valuable we are to Him
“We have to look to God for our true worth. No number of people, metals, or commendations removes our feelings of inadequacy.” – Erin Unger
Luke 12:7, “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” Luke 12:24, “Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the bird?”
New King James Version
I love how God gives me a gentle prod when I head down the road of works. He turns me back around and reminds me that I don’t need to do this or that to feel worthy. He has called me worthwhile.
I hope reading Fateful Fall encourages you to stop trying to work your way to favor, and instead, I hope it reminds you to put your focus on Christ. Let Him show you just how much worth you have in His eyes. When He does, an amazing peace will replace all feelings of inadequacy.
Order your copy through Pelican Book Group or through Amazon. After reading, be sure to leave a review!
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Answer the question below to be entered into a giveaway to receive an eBook copy of Fateful Fall, a Worthington Investigations Romantic Suspense.
What works do you find yourself falling into to gain worth?
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Contest opens on Wednesday, August 14, 2019 and closes Wednesday, August 21st, 2019 at midnight.
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About Fateful Fall:
Private Investigator Ava Worthington and her partners head to the mountains to solve the death of a farmer owner’s son who was discovered murdered in an outhouse on the property. Without local cowboy Cory’s protection, Ava won’t get the chance to follow leads as the killer tries to stop her investigation. But Ava’s falling for Cory against her better judgment. She should be working and not pining after a cowboy. And Cory doesn’t want a relationship. His successful career was destroyed by a woman he trusted, and he won’t make the same mistake twice.
One suspect after another is cleared from Ava’s list until she’s sure she has the real killer targeted in her sights, but he’s hunting her, too. How will Ava and Cory find the killer and admit their love before they are buried under a mountain of secrets?
You can find Erin online at: www.erinungerwrites.com or on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter under the handle: ErinUngerWrites
My dad once offered me this advice. He said, “Don’t dress for the job you have, dress for the job you want.”
I hit the work force dressed in attire that reflected who I wanted to become. This motivated me to act like the person I hoped to one day be. I went above and beyond entry-level responsibilities, working my way into a desired position.
This also applies to my life as a ministry partner and as child of God. As I dress like the woman God’s longs for me to become, I make a decision to put on habits that please Him. Despite not feeling like opening the Word and allowing it to correct me, despite wanting to wallow in self-pity, despite longing to nurse a festering wound, I have everything I need in Christ to put on the things of the Lord.
I decide if I will exercise discipline and maturity and learn how to rightly handle the Word of God. I decide if I will take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ. I decide if I will move beyond past hurts and pursue forgiveness and restoration. That’s my choice.
No one can open my bible and seek the Lord for me. No one can fill my mind with memorized Scripture, or worship for me in crisis moments. No one can offer forgiveness from me to a person who has wounded me. No one can do these things for me, and no one can do these things for you. You decide every day whether you will dress for the future as part of the bride of Christ or choose attire that suits a sinner.
As God’s chosen daughters, holy and beloved, we can take off anger, wrath, and malice and put on compassion, kindness and meekness. We can take off slander, lies, and obscene talk and put on humility, honesty and patience. We can put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of our creator.
We can put on endurance, bearing with one another, forgiving as the Lord has forgiven us. And above all this, we can put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. By the power of the Spirit alive in us, and through surrendering our willing hearts, we can choose to put on the things of the Lord.
To help women develop the habits and disciplines needed to become who God had called them to be, the #FREE short #bible #study: Putting on Love is available for download.
Visit Free Shortsand download your copy today and begin seeking the things that are above, letting the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing you in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your heart to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
*This blog pot first appeared on the Women-Together Leadership blog.
One year, for our daughter’s birthday, we hid envelopes of cash around our house, but we didn’t tell her where they were. She had to solve increasingly difficult riddles to find them. It didn’t matter how long she had to hunt and it didn’t matter how difficult the puzzle, she was determined to persevere because the reward was worth it. As we watched her, my husband and I took tremendous pleasure in her delight as she completed each challenge.
Joy can be like those prizes hidden in envelopes. It can linger just beyond reach camouflaged by increasingly difficult and puzzling circumstances. But once we learn that there is a prize hidden behind each trial, it changes everything. In James 1:1-18, James challenges his fellow believers to consider it pure joy when they face trials. He encourages them to be diligent because the reward is worth it.
Joy can be like prizes hidden in envelopes. It can linger just beyond reach camouflaged by increasingly difficult and puzzling circumstances. But once we learn that there is a prize hidden behind each trial, it changes everything.
Life holds many certainties for every person. For example:
Every person has a birth date.
Every person needs oxygen to breathe.
Every person will consume food for nourishment.
James adds our experiences with trials to this list of certainties.
Every person will face trials.
James writes in verse 2, “whenever they face trials” (NASB) or “when they face trials” (ESV). Trials are not an if; they are a when.
On the surface, James’ instruction to count trials and the testing of our faith as joy makes little sense until James’ explains. He writes in verse 3 that the testing of faith, the developing of perseverance, and perseverance finishing its work will make us mature and complete lacking in nothing, enabling us to receive the prize.
Winning the Prize (v5-12)
Like our daughter needed wisdom to solve her riddles, we need God’s wisdom to persevere in trials. James writes that we are to ask in faith for wisdom. In faith means believing that God will provide what we need, understanding that may not be what we want.
Had our daughter complained the riddles were too hard and given up after finding one or two envelopes, she would have missed out on the complete prize. Similarly, without godly wisdom, we might survive our trials, but it might be with an inward focus, full of complainants, causing bitterness to grow. I need wisdom from God because I don’t merely desire to survive my trial, I want to endure my suffering in such a way that I earn the prize that matters: the crown of life (v12).
If you’re reading this, you have a birth date. Like trials, physical birth is a certainty for every living person. But there is another kind of birth that leads to life.
James describes two births in verse 15-18. Temptation is the origin of birth one. We are tempted by our evil desires, dragged away, and enticed. After desire is conceived, this temptation gives birth to sin, and this sin, when it is full gown, gives birth to death (v15)—our sin births death.
The second birth is the new life God grants a person when they are born again (v18). This birth comes through the word of truth and leads to life everlasting, but it is impossible to muster up the strength and wisdom within you to cause your rebirth. You need the power of the Holy Spirit to work in you. Heed James’ advice in verse 5 and confidently ask your generous God for the faith to believe His Word. He is the source of every good and perfect gift (17), and the very source of spiritual life brought forth from His Word (18).
Trials are camouflaged gifts that produce the character traits of a faithful Christ follower. Always remember that Jesus is not just walking with you through trials, but he has prepared the way and suffered on your behalf, so you do not grow weary as you depend on Him. Proverbs 2 encourages the believer to accept God’s Word, to store up His commands, to call out for wisdom and understanding and search for it as if it were a hidden treasure of silver. Only then, do we find the knowledge of God. Search for His wisdom and the supernatural fruit of the Holy Spirit will align your heart with God’s purpose and plan for His glory.
If you’d like to study this passage in more depth, be sure to subscribe to my newsletter and you’ll receive a FREE download to the short study on James 1:1-18: Finding Joy: a surprising treasure hidden in trials. Already a subscriber? The most recent newsletter contained the password for the EXTRAS page when you can find your downloadable copy.
Keep a lookout for a new page coming soon to my website called Free Shorts. There, you’ll be able to access free short studies and free short stories. Free shorts are always free.
We all chase something. It might be a degree, career, or academic recognition. It might be a spouse, a family, a cultural perception of success, or the approval of man. We long to pursue the things that matter, we long to chase the Lord, but we are weary from our other pursuits.
What if we directed all that energy spent rushing after lesser pursuits toward developing the character traits and disciplines Christ calls us to pursue? Would we feel less overwhelmed? What if, instead of seeking to simplify our life, we explored ways to increase our endurance and strengthen our body and mind? What if we cut things we enjoyed from our schedule to make room for things we need? What if we stopped aimlessly running, and instead, chased the disciplines that would earn the prize that mattered? Can we train for godliness and righteousness? Can we train our powers of discernment through constant practice? Can we present ourselves to the Lord as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly handling the Word of God?
I believe that we can. We can teach stubborn hearts through the discipline of seeking God to remain focused on Him. We can live as if we believe God when He calls us his child, chosen, holy, and redeemed. We can learn to live by the power of God rather than by our fledging strength and become so overwhelmed by God and the great length to which He has gone to save us that it changes everything in life.
We all chase something. It might be a degree, a career, a spouse, a family, a cultural perception of success, or the approval of man. We long to pursue the things that matter, we long to chase the Lord, but we are just so weary.
Exploring this idea is the premise for my second non-fiction book (which I just finished writing!). I will share all the exciting details as soon as I am able!
Photo credit: Jordan Steranka. Used with permission. Unsplash.
Did you miss my first non-fiction title?
Glorious Surrender won the 2016 Women’s Journey of Faith award. Do you long for the joy of complete dependence on God, yet fear the cost of full surrender? Do you long for unconditional acceptance and love, but fear exposing your heart? Do you long for solid peace, absolute trust, and contentment amidst alarming circumstances, but fear those circumstances might shatter your soul? Some of God’s greatest blessings are hiding behind those parts of our lives that are most difficult to surrender.
What others are saying about Glorious Surrender:
Glorious Surrender is full of insights and wisdom that women of all ages will find deeply relevant. No doubt, you’ll be nodding your heads as you go through each chapter. Glorious Surrender will renew your mind and touch your heart… It is a privilege and a pleasure for me to recommend this book as a powerful tool of discipleship on a subject of critical importance in our day.” ~Robbie Symons, pastor, and author of Passion Cry
“Stacey Weeks writes with transparency about the tension and transformation that her role as a pastor’s wife played in bringing her to the place of ultimate freedom – one who seeks God’s glory above all else. ~Andrea Thom, author of Ruth: Redeeming the Darkness
Glorious Surrender struck a chord deep within me. Stacey Weeks beautifully encourages her readers to keep a soft heart for Jesus! Margaret Gibb, Executive Director, Women Together
In Too Deep recently released in Germany!!! Crazy, eh? Maybe I should Google how to write that in German. It also releases on March 13th in hardcover!!!! Whoo hooo! To celebrate, I have a few posts that relate to the themes of In Too Deep. Today’s reflection is by Marie Joynt from Monday Morning Moments. Welcome, Marie!
BUT GOD …ohhhh don’t you love those words? Doesn’t your heart leap with hope in reading those words? Our pastor made the “but God” point in a message on Sunday. Yet my thoughts and words many times in this journey have been focused on:
Why God?
When God?
How God?
Praise God for the BUT GOD in our lives.
This same Pastor, three years ago stood by our daughter’s hospital bed in the ICU. Then, he went down to the NICU to see our little grandson born at 27 weeks. He prayed and wept with us that day. We cried out and called out to God. I looked at him in such a fog, struggling with fear. My main question was HOW GOD? I remember saying, “We need so many miracles here, how can we even ask God? They were both dying. How God are you going to do this?”
If we camp out on the WHY, WHEN and HOW, it can drag us down so quickly. That doesn’t mean that we can’t be transparent when we go before the Lord, “Oh, Lord, how long? Oh, Lord, why?” Look at David in the Psalms. Over and over again he cries out in transparency exposing his heart. Yet David didn’t camp in the WHY, WHEN and HOW. He camped in the BUT.
But I will trust you (Psalm 55).
But God has surely listened and has heard my prayer (Psalm 66).
In the novel, In Too Deep, Grace Stone must learn to move past the why and cling to God. Her heart is submerged in the past, drowning in guilt BUT GOD intervenes. He sends Kye Campton to join the fight for Camp Moshe and save Grace from a saboteur determined to see the camp close at any cost.
Camping in the WHEN, WHY and HOW takes our focus off the BUT …… BUT GOD.
Friend, I’m not sure where you are on this day. I’m not aware of the burdens and troubles that are weighing you down. I have no idea whether you are waiting for a prodigal to return or an assessment from a Doctor, but I do know that in those times we can cry out to God like King Jehoshaphat did ( like we did on behalf of our daughter and grandson).
King Jehoshaphat said, “We don’t know what to do, BUT our eyes are fixed on YOU (2 Chronicles 20:12).
Our precious grandson Matthew, is our constant and forever reminder of “BUT GOD .“
You might find it amusing to know that my name is spelled wrong on the advertisement for hardcover edition AND they have the incorrect back cover copy on Amazon. I’ve been assured these mistakes will be corrected online and that the publisher has the right information even if Amazon is slow correcting it on their end 🙂 Sure keeps a writer humble!!!!!
In Too Deep is available at