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July 13, 2012 by Tricia Goyer 2 Comments

Get to Know Tricia | My Prayer Time

For another “Get to Know Tricia” post, click here.

Do you have a set time for prayer? What is your prayer time like?

I pray when I first wake up and during my quiet time, but I really try to talk to God throughout the day and turn to him often.

Do you have specific prayers you pray on a daily basis? Or do you speak from the heart?

I speak to God from my heart, and sometimes I’ll pray scripture. For example, if I’m feeling discontent with life, I’ll pray, “Lord, your Word says to seek first the kingdom of God. Show me how to do that today. I want to seek your kingdom above all else. Help me to do it.”

How has prayer changed your life?

Prayer has great affected my fiction writing. For example, for my novel Arms of Deliverance, I’d read books about the underground resistance in Belgium, and I wanted to include that in this novel, too. So, I set my novel in a Lebensborn home in Belgium. However, only one of these birthing homes existed in all of Belgium, so I could find very little information about it from books or the Internet.

One day I was praying about how to get information, and God reminded me I knew someone from Belgium. I’d met a historian, Roger Marquet, at a World War II reunion. I e-mailed Roger and asked if he knew how I could find information on this home. “Oh, yes, I grew up in that town, and I know the woman who manages the castle where the home used to be.” Imagine that! I knew only one person in Belgium—someone I had met two years earlier—who had the exact information I needed. Is that another God thing or what?!

When have you prayed in an unlikely situation?

One of the most amazing times in my life was when I cared for my grandfather the last five months of his life. My grandpa had cancer, and he didn’t want to do chemotherapy; we knew that he wouldn’t live long. During that time we talked and prayed together, and God came close! Even though I knew I was losing my grandpa, it was as if heaven neared. I felt God’s presence so strongly, and when I walked into my grandfather’s room, it felt full of peace. I was sad at my loss but excited about what Grandpa was going to experience!

Is your prayer time different from devotional time?

My best prayer time is when I write my prayers in my journal during my devotional time. Through the day I pray in my mind. Sometimes when I’m driving and I’m the only one in the car, I just have a conversation with God!

July 10, 2012 by Tricia Goyer 9 Comments

The Truth about Being a Child of Divorce | It Hurts

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I remember the first time I heard a friend’s parents were divorcing. I must have been seven at the time, and I didn’t understand. Was that possible? I mean people were allowed to do that? It didn’t seem right. More than that, it seemed wrong.

Growing up I didn’t know my biological dad, and my mom married my stepdad when I was four, so I remember little before him. They had a fine marriage, but there were always issues. Even as a kid I was aware of that. Money, church, friends, attitudes, other attractions, the chore of children—these things weighed on my parents. I thought their marriage was over at times, but then they’d come back together again—until the time they didn’t.

I remember the moment my stepdad told me that he’d filed divorce papers. My parent’s divorce wasn’t unexpected, but my heart ached all the same. He’d been waiting to tell me because I’d had a lot on my mind. You see, I’d been planning my own wedding. And the day he chose to tell me was my wedding day. Yes, my wedding day. He didn’t want me to be surprised that when I returned from my honeymoon, he’d be living someplace else.

I can picture your dropped jaw . . . and I felt the same shock and disbelief as I drove away with my new husband. I was eighteen years old and newly married, but something still felt wrong about my parents getting a divorce. I felt like a hurt kid inside.

Another truth is that after divorce, things never seem “right” again. Seeing my mom without my dad at home was weird. To have to go to two Christmases and two Thanksgivings was weird, as well. Affections are split, and it’s the most unnatural thing in the world.

Speaking of truths, no matter how old you are, the divorce still seems partly your fault. I had very rocky teen years and caused my parents stress. During my junior year of high school when my mom wondered if she should get her own apartment, I told her I thought she should. Even though my input had very little effect on their decision, the guilt is still there. It’ll always be there. I always feel that if I’d been a better kid, it would have been easier for my parents to work it out (even though as someone who’s been married for twenty-three years, I know that their decision was their decision).

Yes, during my growing up years, many parents divorced, but the statistics don’t matter. Having my parents make that choice hurt. I would hurt the same if I was the only one on the planet or if it was common (like it was). Just because a million other kids were feeling the same pain didn’t lessen it for me.

The truth about being a child of divorce is that it hurts no matter how old you are. This is not how God created things. A commitment is a commitment, especially one made before God.I’ve been thinking about this lately because if my generation has anything in common, it is our universal exposure to divorce—not only with our parents, but in our marriages. If you’re alive today, divorce has had a profound effect on you financially, emotionally, morally, and spiritually. Our lives are different because of what happened in our country’s marriages.

And where does that leave us? As people who understand the pain and struggle, our job is to help strengthen marriages—those around us and our own. Sure, you might think your friend has a good excuse for divorce, but don’t encourage it. Encourage forgiveness, grace, and reconciliation. Pray. Pray hard.

Pray for the couples out there, and pray for their children. We’ve seen enough hurting kids grow into hurting adults.

And if you’re considering a divorce yourself, I beg you to reconsider. The grass is not greener. Happiness is not found in someone else. Love can be rekindled.

The best thing you can do for yourself and for your children is to give your marriage a second chance. Don’t think that walking away from your commitment will come without consequences. Don’t think you’re not going to break your children’s hearts.

If you don’t want to try again, take your hurt and pain to God. Tell Him that the love is gone and seek His help. Love can sprout where you think only dead, dry ground exists. God can do miracles, and He wants to start in your heart.

I promise.

God promises.
The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion, to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor. Instead of their shame my people will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace they will rejoice in their inheritance; and so they will inherit a double portion in their land, and everlasting joy will be theirs. Isaiah 61:1-3,7 (NIV)

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10 (NIV)

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1 (KJV)

July 9, 2012 by Tricia Goyer 2 Comments

Being Available to God | Part 5

Read parts one, two, three, and four of this blog series! Of course, I’ve shared how being available to God works in the big stuff, like moving a thousand miles or starting a crisis pregnancy center. But even harder than that is being available in the small stuff.

Years ago, a book became popular, titled Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff. Actually, my advice is just the opposite: To be available to God, you have to be available in the small stuff.

The minutes make up our years. And the tiny decisions make our life’s mission.

But of course, we’d be crazy if we had to focus on every little detail and wonder if it’s God’s plan . . . so you don’t have to.

We need to focus on one things—the next thing.

One writing teacher named Anne Lamott gives this advice to other writers when it comes to how she works best:

“All I have to do is to write down as much as I can see through a one-inch picture frame,” writes Lamott in the book Bird by Bird. “This is all I have to bite off for the time being . . . just what I can see through the one-inch picture frame, just one paragraph describing this woman, in the town where I grew up, the first time we encounter her.”

Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life

The same one-inch picture frame can be used, not only for writing, but for our lives. The only thing we need to focus on is the one thing God desires for us to do next.

To be available, you must be available for that one thing. Don’t worry about what’s after that. Just focus on what God’s calling you to do now. Don’t think about the future. Don’t fret about the path ahead. God will take care of it. He’s good at that.

He’s good at directing you now, in this day, exactly where you’re at . . . but you have to be available. You have to pray and ask for wisdom. You have to be open to that gentle stirring in your soul.

Isaiah 30:21 (ESV) says, “And your ears will hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.”

Isn’t that awesome, to have God’s Spirit telling us whether to walk to the right or the left?

Sometimes I imagine what it would have been like to walk with Jesus on earth, to hear his words, to see the joy on his eyes when someone trusted him—to hold his hand as he walked along.

Find out more in next week’s conclusion about what I imagine walking with Jesus was like and recap how to be available to God.

July 6, 2012 by Tricia Goyer 4 Comments

Get to Know Tricia | My Quiet Time with God

On the heels of yesterday’s post, I thought it was only appropriate to answer some frequently asked questions I receive so you can get to know me better. This first post is about my quiet time with God. Interacting with readers is one of the best parts of being an author, so please connect with me here. I’d love to hear from you!

How do you keep your quiet time fresh?

I have a large pile of devotional books, prayer books, journals and Bibles. As I pray I ask God to lead me to the one I need to read that morning, and I’m amazed by how the book I pick up speaks to me perfectly for whatever situation is in my life that day.

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

What does your quiet time consist of, and where do you have it?

I wake up before anyone else in the house. Sometimes I read a devotional book while on my exercise bike. Other times I sit on my couch with Bible and journal. I read many types of devotional books (see yesterday’s post for some great ones that I highly recommend). I have many classic books, and I love finding new treasures, too. I often write out Scripture passages, prayers or quotes I like. I have boxes of journals now—a treasure!

Do you have any tips on how to achieve a consistent, meaningful quiet time? Put God first. Don’t turn on e-mail. Don’t turn on the television. Don’t pick up that novel; pick up God’s Word, whether it’s for five minutes or fifty. If you have kids, set your alarm so you wake up early. It may be hard at first, but God will give you the strength for the day through His Word!

July 5, 2012 by Tricia Goyer 4 Comments

The Truth about Understanding the Bible (and Ideas to Help You, Too)

I grew up in church, but I have to say I learned very little about the Bible during those early years. My Sunday school teacher was awesome. I enjoyed the lessons and learned Scripture verses. And while I could tell you that David toppled Goliath and Sarah laughed when she was told she was going to have a child, I didn’t understand how the Bible was put together as one cohesive story. I discovered my lack of understanding a year after I was married. John and I signed up for Bible school classes. Before the class started, we took a quiz to see how much we know. I discovered it was very little. I couldn’t tell you if David lived before Abraham or vice versa. During the months I learned so much. I understood the Bible more, and I fell in love with God more, too. I craved spending time in God’s Word.

The truth about understanding the Bible is that you need to read the Bible. You also need to understand how the parts make the whole.

Here are some amazing books that can help you understand the Bible and understand how to know and do God’s will.

First, What the Bible is All About, which gives gives bite-sized explanations. I went through it during a Bible school class, and it helped so much. I now understand when the books of the Bible were written by whom and what the main message was. Knowing the parts have helped me understand the whole Bible so much better. They also have a What the Bible is All About For Kids.

I also recommend either the NIV (New International Version), God’s Word or NLT (New Living Translation Version) Bible. You can read these for free at www.biblegateway.com. They are easy to understand. I take turns reading from each of these versions. I also recommend the reading plans at Bible Gateway. I’ve read through the Bible at least six times, and I learn more and more every time. Reading plans help to break of the Bible in daily bite-sized pieces.

I also highly recommend Experiencing God (Member Book). It’s a Bible study book, and it had daily homework. It made me see God in a new way. I experienced Him through those pages! Don’t believe me? You can read my true story here.

Of course the best part of knowing God’s Word is the transformation that will happen in you. As Isaaih 55:11 (NLT) says, “It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.”

Isn’t that amazing that God will accomplish all He wants to do in you as you dig into His Word?!

P.S. Don’t forget to listen to my radio show, “Living Inspired,” today at 3 p.m. CDT on the landing page. I’m interviewing Mark DeYmaz, a pastor at a multi-ethnic church!

July 2, 2012 by Tricia Goyer 6 Comments

Being Available to God | Part 4

In case you missed the first parts of this series, check out parts one, two, and three!

Besides trusting God completely (which I talked about in part three), we also need to come to the place where what we want no longer matters. To be available is to be available no matter what—even if we don’t like what God is asking us to do or if we think our plans are better.

In 1999 I’d had some publishing success. I’d written some articles and some curriculum, but what I really wanted was to write books. I wanted to write not just any books, but Christian books and novels that would give glory to God. The only problem is that nobody wanted to buy these Christian books. I had an agent at the time who was shaking her head in disbelief; they looked good to me and to her, so why wasn’t anybody biting?

To make matters worse, finally someone was interested in not just one book, but in a nine-book series . . . only to change their mind. To say I was frustrated and impatient was an understatement.

Then my pastor called and asked me to pray about something. Well, we all know what that means.

My pastor knew about my experiences as a teenage mother. He knew about my past abortion and how I was leading Bible studies for other women, and He asked me if I was interested in helping to start a crisis pregnancy center.

I WAS NOT interested. But I did what all good Christians do: I told him I would pray about it.

The next morning after devotions I prayed, “Oh Lord, you know I can’t start a crisis pregnancy center. I don’t have time. I’m doing your work, writing articles that reach people all around the world.”

As I sat there praying, although I didn’t hear an audible voice, God’s answer was clear. “What about the people in your community? What are you doing to help them?”

Ugh. It wasn’t what I wanted to hear. But I couldn’t argue with God. So I did it. I dragged my feet all the way, but I did it. I was in my mid-twenties, had no idea how to start a non-profit organization, but I did it.

And you know what? God provided. Amazingly. In my weakness His strength was complete. He drew dozens of volunteers. He provided free training. He gave us a Victorian house to use for our center. He provided everything we needed.

Wow! It was another boost to my faith. On a day-to-day basis, as we built the center, the other volunteers and I prayed specifically, and God answered. We prayed for money for carpet; the next day a check was in the mail. We prayed for furniture for the center, and it was provided.

This again showed me what God was all about. He was about reaching people and loving people. He just needed us to be willing to join Him in His work.

And you know what else? I LOVED IT! I loved seeing lives transformed. I loved working with teen mothers. God knew the desires of my heart even more than I knew myself!

I had dreams, desires, and longings in me that I didn’t know existed, but God knew. He always knows.

As Smith Wigglesworth says, “God does not call those who are equipped, He equips those whom He has called.”

God also did something else. He also showed me that when I take care of His work, He’ll take care of mine. Amazingly, He took me on a journey and plopped these World War II stories right on my lap while telling me to write them as fictional books. I wrote, and God provided book contracts and speaking events. My writing exploded in ways I hadn’t dreamed possible.

And . . . then God did the miracle only He knew could happen. He tied them both together. I began writing about my work with pregnancy centers and teenage mothers. My book, Life Interrupted: The Scoop on Being a Young Mom, was also published.

Which is another point of being available to God: We need to pay attention to where we’ve been . . . because it usually ties in to where we’re going.

As Henry Blackaby says in the Experiencing God Bible study, “When God gets ready for you to take a new step or direction in His activity, it will always be I sequence with what He has already been doing in your life. He does not go off on tangents or take meaningless detours. He builds your character in an orderly fashion with a divine purpose in mind.”

And Philippians 1:6 (NIV) says, “. . . he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

God had big plans for my writing. But they were different than what I’d imagined. His healing of my past was used in my future to present hope to those facing the same circumstances. He also had big plansfor so much more that included writing fiction, which I love.

God didn’t see me as a statistic. In fact, He saw me as a person who could help others overcome the same challenges. He saw someone who He could work through—someone who would be an example of what God can do in the weakest of people.

In fact, as 2 Corinthians 1:5 (The Message) says, “[God] comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us.”

Which leads us to another aspect of being available: ninety-nine percent of the time, availability to God means availability to people. Hurting people. Hopeless people. People that God wants to love through you.

June 22, 2012 by Tricia Goyer 12 Comments

The Truth about Breaking out of the Christian Bubble | One Mom’s Opinion

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

When we moved to Little Rock two years ago, I knew it would be easy to slip into the Bible Belt bubble. My husband’s job is with a Christian organization (FamilyLife), so surrounding ourselves with like-minded friends would be easy. Big, beautiful churches are within a few miles of our home, and I knew we could make great friends at church, too.

But is that all life is about—to be surrounding with fellow Christians and enjoy life? Deep inside I felt it wasn’t. How could I raise my child to believe the concept of “giving to the least of these” when I wasn’t making the effort to cross town and reach out?

Bubble-Breaking Church

We started by attending an inner-city church (mosaicchurch.net). We were surrounded by people who weren’t like us in many ways. I also began a support group for teenage mothers, and my town teens helped with it. My son Nathan was our door monitor, letting the young moms in. (Because of the area, we cannot leave the church doors unlocked). My daughter Leslie volunteered to babysit every week, and my toddler daughter, Alyssa, made quick friends with the other kids. Coming from Montana (and a church where most of the people were like us), we felt we were breaking out of the bubble big time . . . but was that enough?

Bubble-Breaking Neighborhood
We were renting a house, and we knew our lease would be up soon. So we started checking out houses closer to the area we served. I could tell a teen mom, “I live right down the street, five minutes away,” instead of, “I live on the west [nice] side of town.” This is our community.

When we go to church or the grocery store, we see homeless people and lower-income people on a daily basis. As we built relationships in this part of town, we realized it’s not about “us helping them”—we realized we’re all the same and Jesus loves us all. Living on this side of town has increased our compassion as we build friendships and discover that we can find amazing people no matter where we live.

But isn’t Our Job as Parents to Help Our Kids Stay Innocent?

Right now our kids at home are twenty, eighteen, and two. The older two have been volunteering to help with teenage moms since they were elementary-school age. I remember when my daughter first started helping to babysit; she was only eight years old and heard all types of things come out of the mouths of the teen moms, like who was sleeping with whom, who had what disease, etc. At first I was horrified . . . my poor, innocent girl! Yet her questions about what she heard opened up amazing conversations about sexual purity, life choices, the way people are raised, economic poverty, etc.

Because of those conversations, my daughter became passionate about purity—after all she saw the consequences of sex outside of marriage. Just today I was talking via Skype to Leslie, who is on a two-month mission trip to the Czech Republic, and she told me she was asked to speak to a church youth group about sexual purity. You’ll never know how God will use your kids and how He’ll prepare them.

That being said, Alyssa is only two years old, and I do try to protect her from conversations with foul language and other things I don’t want her to hear. We do need to protect those little ears at times, especially during the ages when we can’t sit and have a long conversation about what they just heard.

But the Thought of Exposing My Kids Makes Me Nervous

Yes, anxiety comes when we expose our children to the hard things of life. As a parent, we want to protect our children. We want to keep them as innocent as we can, as long as possible. Yet we also must “go yet into the world.” (Isn’t that what Jesus commanded?) Needy, hurting people who need Christ are everywhere. The greatest example we can give our children of obeying Jesus is to show them people (who sometimes make bad choices and live hard lives) are different than us but that those people need to know about Jesus, too. It’s our job to tell them about Him!

As Christian parents, we don’t need to show our kids smut for smut’s sake. Instead, we need to point out people in need and show them that Jesus can transform anyone. Show them we can be the hands and feet of Jesus as we give, love, and serve.

June 18, 2012 by Tricia Goyer Leave a Comment

Being Available to God | Part 3

Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

(If you missed a Being Available to God post, read parts one and two here and here!)

During my time in Montana I really started seeking God. And amazingly, the thing that helped me connect with Him the most was realizing who I was in His eyes.

I attended a Bible study for women who’d had abortions. Through that study I realized that no matter what I’d done in the past, God saw me as forgiven. He saw me as a beautiful child. He had good plans for me—plans to give me a hope and a future.

Through personal Bible study, God showed me the flawed people He used for His glory. For example, King David was a nobody before God made him a somebody. And even when David was a somebody, he committed sins that would make anybody cringe: adultery and murder, just to name two. Yet God called David “the apple of His eye” (Psalm 17:8) and “a man after His own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14). Why? Because King David made himself available to God—to fight God’s enemies and lead God’s people and to worship God no matter what anyone else thought.

Even at the end of his life, David gave God glory for every good thing that had happened to him.

In 2 Samuel 23:5 (NLT), we read, “Is it not my family God has chosen? Yes, he has made an everlasting covenant with me. His agreement is arranged and guaranteed in every detail. He will ensure my safety and success.”

I love that. We need to see God as He sees us: arranged and guaranteed in every detail.

And when we need to trust completely in what He can do (to quote this verse again), “He will ensure my safety and success.”

But these plans aren’t for David alone. In Isaiah 55:3 (The Message) we read, “Pay attention, come close now, listen carefully to my life-giving, life-nourishing words. I’m making a lasting covenant commitment with you, the same that I made with David: sure, solid, enduring love.”

We are only available to God when we trust Him completely, when we trust in His sure, solid, and enduring love.

Can you trust Him like that? Can you know that whatever God asks you to do is the natural outflow from his sure, solid, and enduring love?

We need to know that whatever He asks us to do, He has us covered.

Second Corinthians 12:9 (The Message) reads, “My grace is enough; it’s all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness.”

To be available to God, you must trust Him. Trust He is:

A BIG God with BIG dreams.

A God who has made an agreement with you that is eternal, final, and sealed.

A God who will constantly look after your safety and success.

A God who will be strong in your weakness.

June 15, 2012 by Tricia Goyer Leave a Comment

Being Available to God | Part 2

As I mentioned in the last Being Available to God post (which you can read here), God has been doing BIG things in my life. The key to God doing what He wants in my life is being available to God—making myself available. Of course, I didn’t just wake up one day and say, “Here I am. God use me.” I didn’t just clear my schedule and wait for God to show up.

Rather, the steps toward my availability were a work-in-progress. They started on the day I was six months pregnant and accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Savior. I like to look at that as Day One.

In those nineteen years from then to now, I’ve learned a lot.

#1 The first thing I learned about being available to God is sometimes being available means stepping away from status quo. For me, that meant moving a thousand miles away—seriously, a thousand miles.

You see, after I gave my heart to the Lord, I birthed a beautiful son. Not too long later, God gave me an amazing, Christian husband and two more children. Then He asked us to move . . . (in a roundabout way).

First, God put us into a community of like-minded people. Our friends longed for simple lives away from the hurry and worry in California.

Next, He placed a desire in our hearts to raise our children in a better place—namely, Montana. We’d talked about it with our friends, dreamt about it, and hoped that someday it would come true.

Then we decided to pray. My husband and I got on our knees and prayed that IF it was God’s desire He would make it clear. John had just graduated from college, and I was raising three small children under the age of five.

We knew we’d be leaving our families, leaving our friends, and leaving everything we knew. We had no jobs in Montana and no money to move; in fact we’d never even been there before! Still, we had a desire, one we couldn’t shake.

At the time, my husband sold computers on commission in a small store. He’d usually sell one to two a week. He went to work the next day after our joint prayer and sold eleven computers! It was enough to pay our current bills and enough to move and live on. It was the confirmation we’d been looking for.

So we did it. We packed up our three kids and moved. Our families thought we were crazy. They were sure we were joining a commune or something. We saw Kalispell for the first time as we drove in with our stuff. Within one week we were renting a house. Within three weeks, my husband had a far better job than he had in California. Within six months we’d purchased our first house. Within one year we were plugged into an amazing church and ministering to children in ways we’d always dreamed of.

Kalispell, Montana (image via Kalispell.com)

That was lesson #1. We serve a BIG God with BIG dreams.

You have to believe this. If you don’t believe in a BIG God with BIG dreams, there’s no use being available. But when you trust that fact—trust God completely and trust His dreams—THEN you can also trust Him to lead you to the right path.

Seeing God at work, seeing what He did with our lives when we were available made me hungry for more. I wanted to experience God at work like that again.

Henry and Mel Blackaby say, “Watching the activity of God from a distance can never compare with the thrill of being full involved in the Spirit’s active work.”

You have to want God, not want to work for Him or simply learn about Him. You have to want Him. You have to have a desire to experience Him at work in your life. You have to be hungry for what only He can give—a hope and a future.

June 4, 2012 by Tricia Goyer 2 Comments

Being Available to God | Part 1

Forty years ago a single, young woman was about to give birth. She didn’t know how to afford a child without her parents’ help. She hadn’t talked to her former boyfriend in months. She couldn’t reach him, didn’t know how to tell him she was having his child.

This young woman attended church some, yet her dialogue with God was stilted. How could God let this happen to her? What would her life be like now?

A baby girl was born, and upon holding her child this young lady knew things would be OK. Perhaps this baby was a gift, not a burden as she supposed.

This woman raised her daughter the best she could, and while she wanted to give her child more than she had . . . history has a way of repeating itself. When the daughter became a young woman, she found herself in the same situation — living at home, pregnant and scared.

The daughter knew she could raise this child. After all, her mom had done it. But what would her life be like? How could God let this happen to her?

If you haven’t guessed already, I was the daughter born to a single mom and as a teenager became a single mom myself. At age 17, God gave me a son. My boyfriend was out of the picture, and I faced raising a child alone with little education, no money and, maybe according to the world, little hope for my future.

Now if you take this story at face value, I am nothing more than a statistic. According to government research, most daughters of young mothers will be teen mothers themselves. They face lives of hardship, living on welfare for the most part — becoming a burden rather than an asset to society.

Yet, I am not a statistic. Why? Because God doesn’t do them.

Did you hear that?

God doesn’t do statistics. In fact, He likes to blow them out of the water.

You see, God has a history of seeing something no one else does . . . like seeing a king in a shepherd boy named David, seeing an apostle in a young zealot named Paul and seeing a mighty warrior in a frightened nobody named Gideon.

God’s X-ray eyes see right through any outward characteristics or national statistics. His X-ray eyes scan down to the heart.

And what did God see? He must have seen something worthwhile. Because . . .

At age 40, I’m a multi-published author of magazine articles, Bible study notes, curricula and 15 books. My book for teenage mothers was nominated for a prestigious award. I’m a national speaker, traveling to share God’s good news.

While in my 20s, I helped launch a crisis pregnancy center, started numerous abstinence programs and began support groups for teen moms.

Now, if I were not a believer, I could really tout these things. But honestly, I can say it doesn’t have to do with me at all.

It’s about:

A BIG God with BIG dreams.

A God who has made an agreement with me that is eternal, final, and sealed.

A God who is constantly look after my safety and success.

A God who is be strong in my weakness.

A God who sees the future, sees the past and has a perfect plan for me.

Well, I guess the whole truth is that I do have something to do with it. It’s only a little something, but I guess it makes a pretty big difference. See, God can be all those things in my life, only if I let Him.

There is one thing I must do . . . and that is be available.

Keep an eye out for continued posts about being available to God.

February 11, 2012 by Tricia Goyer 3 Comments

What’s Up With Church?

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I can still remember being nine-years-old and attending the small, white church on Highway 97 north of Weed, California. New to church, I was impressed with the caring people, fun Sunday School lessons, and new friends. These people were different than others I knew. They smiled, and they were full of joy. Yet as my teen years neared the last thing I wanted was to be around those people. Why? I was sexually active with my boyfriend and was watching the wrong types of movies. Whenever I was around church goers, the guilt was strong. I felt as if they could see right into my soul.

Accountability with believers is one reason why God established church. He wants us to have people in our lives who will show us the right way, and point out areas where we’ve strayed off the path.

Once I rededicated my life to God, church is the first place I returned to, and even though I was a pregnant teen, the people there welcomed me with open arms.

How about you? Do you need the accountability of Christians in your life? We all do. And if that’s not convincing enough, here are seven other reasons why church is important.

1. To connect with God. It’s true we don’t need to be in church to get close to Him, but church helps us step out of our busy lives and focus on God for a moment. Think about a close friend. What if she told you she had something super important to tell you? You’d most likely turn off the Television, set your phone aside, get off the computer and focus on her. Church does the same thing for us. It helps us show God that He’s the priority and we’re paying attention.

2. To understand what you believe better. The purpose of a pastor or youth pastor’s sermon is to explain the Bible and how it applies to real life. I’m amazed that EVERY time I listen to a sermon I learn something about God. As someone who’s been a Christian for 22 years, I know that I’ll continue to learn as I continue to listen.

3. To spend time with close friends. I’m not too ashamed to admit it, there were seasons when my friends were the main reason I went to church–and that’s okay. Even though these friends had struggles of their own, the fact that they were seeking God–and were open to Him–meant something. All these years later my “church friends” are still seeking and serving God. Likewise, most of my “unchurched friends” are still drinking, partying, and trying to find happiness in a broken world. It’s okay to spend time with these friends, and church is a great place to connect.

4. To be inspired. I’m inspired when I see others loving God with passion. When I’m feeling down, going to church and seeing people who love God and are excited about serving him pumps me up.

5. To volunteer. In junior high I volunteered in the church nursery. My teenage son likes to work on the media panel for children’s church. Church is a great place to learn service. Churches need people to join in the work, and working alongside others provides skills and unity.

6. To be mentored. I can still name the people who mentored me and helped me on the right paths. These people are still important to me. Because of their mentoring my life was changed, and I now like to offer the same personal encouragement to others.

7. Because God said so. Hebrews 10:25 says, “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near” (NLT). God designed the church and wants us to be a part of it. He knows the benefits. He knows the greater good. He knows that when we surround ourselves with other believers and seek Him on Sundays, our lives are better for it. God knows!

Now, how about you? Why do you go to church? How does church impact your life?