Posted on by Angela

3 Tips for Spending an Hour in Prayer 

 I was privileged to lead the prayer ministry at our church several years ago. Our group learned much about prayer during that time and the principles will be with me for the rest of my life.  

To spend an hour in prayer, I think there are at least three key ingredients you need. These are simple ingredients that you probably already know. Yet they are vital to remaining focused during your hour in prayer when you commit to spending that time alone with God. In no order, you need a Bible with pen and paper or a journal, a prayer list, and a hymnal or listing of worship songs. Now let’s take a look at them in turn. 

Bible and Journal or Notebook

You need to have with your Bible and a pen and some paper. You can use a journal, a 3-ring binder, a spiral notebook, whatever suits your personality and budget. When you spend an hour in prayer, you will not be talking the entire time. You will want to have time when you need to listen. God will speak to you. He will impress things on your heart and mind. As he does, you need to be prepared to write things down.  Don’t assume you will be able to remember everything later. A journal or a notebook will help keep impressions and thoughts together.  

As you are praying, you will also find your mind wandering to all the things you need to do or random thoughts creeping into your mind. If they are important, write them down to deal with them later. If they are not important, acknowledge them then dismiss them and refocus on the task of prayer. Also, realize it is normal for your mind to wander. We are human after all, and our minds are constantly bombarded with thoughts. Some of us more than others. What is more, our enemy, the devil, is not at all eager for us to spend an hour in prayer. So, naturally, he will do everything to distract us and keep us from prayer. Being prepared to write down distractions can help us stay focused and win the battle in the moment. 

Prayer List

Another tool you will need is a prayer list. Don’t assume when you start to pray for an hour that you will remember everything you want to pray about. Our enemy will snatch away those requests by every distraction. Remember, he doesn’t want you to pray. So, write down your prayer list. Have things on your list like your family needs, your nation, your government, those that need salvation, missionaries, those that are sick, people you know that are in difficult situations, difficult situations you might be facing, and so on. Put these items in categories if you like. Put them in order of highest need if that is something you wish. If you remember something while you are praying, add it to your list.  

Prayer is not always asking. It is also about confession. Be sure to confess sins you need forgiveness for and maybe write down any ways you need to make them right if the sin is against another person. Or an action plan if the sin is a habit you need to stop doing.  You might want to start with confession before you begin with your list of needs. Make things right between you and God, then move to needs of self and others.  

Hymnal or Worship List

Another good tool to have during your hour is a hymnal or a listing of worship songs. You can have a playlist ready, but I don’t really recommend it. I prefer just voice during this time. It is easy to get off track with the music and spend far too long on music and not enough on prayer. Having a hymnal or list of worship songs you are very familiar with will limit how much time is spent on music and bring balance to your prayer time. Of course, if you desire to spend the entire time in worship, that is your option. However, we are talking about an hour in prayer, not singing. All you need is two to four songs/hymns at most that you can sing through in worship to get your heart and mind in the right place.  

You can use the hymnal/list at the beginning as a time of worship before you begin to pray and then at the end as another time of worship and thanksgiving. You might also want to come back to a time of worship if you notice your mind continually wandering. A short time of worship would realign your focus on the One you are there to spend time with.  

A lot of churches today use projectors during worship services and have a supply of hymnals no longer in use. You might talk to your pastor or worship leader or music director about how to acquire one if you would like a copy of a hymnal for devotion and worship during your prayer time. You might also be able to find one at a secondhand store or bookstore. Of course, you can always go to Amazon and buy a new copy of your choice there. I checked and there are several copies to choose from.  

Conclusion

So here we have three tips for praying for an hour. Your Bible with pen and paper, prayer list, and a hymnal or listing of worship songs. These are by no means exhaustive. Let me know others you think of or have tried. These three things will help with wandering mind and help you keep your focus on God and what He is saying to you and what you want to say to Him. They will help you with praise and worship and thanksgiving and help you remember that He is a holy God who wants to have fellowship with you.  

I challenge you to look at your calendar the coming week and schedule an hour that you can get alone with your God and relish in who He is and what He wants to say to you. The first try may be difficult like any new practice, it will take discipline but keep at it. You will find a power you never experienced as God numbers you as a prayer warrior. You will not leave the same.  

All for One 

Angela 

Posted on by Angela

Cry of the Banshee by Heather Graham

This was a free download from Net Galley in exchange for a book review.

Heather Graham has written a fun story in Cry of the Banshee.  It is a supernatural mystery that kept me guessing until the end wondering who caused the deaths and why. The supernatural element of the story created interest. The story is 125 pages long digitally which would make it a novella. The story is another in Graham’s Krewe of Hunters series, although it was the first I have read.  

The story is set in Ireland in Castle Darien, ancient home of Angela Hawkins Crow and her second cousin, Moira Hawkins. Moira inherited the home from her grandmother for whom she gave up an acting career to move back to Ireland to take care of.  

Now Moira hears a banshee cry in the night just before tragedy strikes. She knows the legends of the banshee and is convinced one is warning her when a death is near. Following a recent ghost tour Moira was awakened by the wailing banshee and discovers a woman dead in a bathroom. Desperate, she called on her cousin in the FBI to come help sort the situation. Angela and her husband, Jackson, head for Ireland on the next flight. 

At first the death looks like a tragic heart attack until Angela and Jackson begin to dig deeper and suspects begin to emerge. A closer look at the autopsy reveals murder as the cause of death. Soon Angela is talking to the banshee and she and Jackson along with local Inspector Angus McCray are teaming up to catch a killer or killers and discover the motive behind it all.  

I enjoyed Cry of the Banshee. The characters are well developed and the story flows. I did miss some things as I had not followed the character development from the beginning and would like to go back to the beginning of the series to watch their development. This is my personal preference. The story is a good stand alone, and the reader is not missing keys to other stories by not having read previous books. I thought the interaction between the characters was appropriate, and there was no excessive use of language or sexuality. There were occasional uses of language but not to the extent that it interfered with my reading of the story. The sexuality was between a married couple and was not explicit.  

The use of a banshee gave the story a supernatural element and made the story fun. Where banshees in lore were often terrifying harbingers of death of family members, the use of the banshee here is mournful and a warning of a tragic event to come of a death that may affect the hearer. So, its use here lightened the tone and kept the story from becoming too dark.  

I would rate Cry of the Banshee 4 out of 5 stars and would recommend it to anyone over the age of 16 because of the elements of language, sexuality and paranormality. I would certainly read another of Heather Graham’s books and will be on the lookout for more.  

All for One  

Angela 

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Third Verse Devotion: I Am Thine, O Lord

This week’s hymn is “I am Thine, O Lord.” It is one I can still hear my grandfather singing and one of many favorite Fanny Crosby songs. So, let’s explore the third verse,  

O, the pure delight of a single hour 
that before Thy throne I spend, 
when I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God, 
I commune as friend with friend!  

 
There are four stanzas to the hymn, and each seems to have a different theme. However, when you come to the refrain (chorus) they are all bound together.  

Refrain: 
Draw me nearer, nearer, blessed Lord, 
to the cross where Thou hast died; 
draw me nearer, nearer, blessed Lord, 
to Thy precious, bleeding side. 
 

They are all about being drawn closer to Christ. This particular stanza is about drawing deeper in prayer. What does prayer mean to you? How much time do you dedicate to prayer? Can you say you spend a single hour in prayer? I tend to relate more to the disciples when Jesus was in the garden, and He took the disciples with Him. He asked them to watch and pray. What did they do? They fell asleep. He came back and found them sleeping. His response? “Could you not keep watch for one hour?” (Mark 14:37) He asked the question to Simon Peter, but He might as well have asked me. I doubt I could have done much better. This account is found in Matthew 26 and Mark 14 if you need a refresher.  

Crosby calls it a “pure delight” to spend an hour in prayer. Some of us can barely manage fifteen minutes in prayer before our minds start to wander. So how can we spend an hour in prayer? I think it is a learned practice. It is something you build up to. It becomes a spiritual discipline. We begin to delight ourselves in the Lord (Psalm 37:4) and watch as His desires become our desires. At first distractions are everywhere then over time they come to a minimum as we learn to focus on Him and he becomes our heart’s desire.  

It is also important to remember that we are coming before the throne of Almighty God. We are not calling 1-800-I WANT NOW. We often need to change our attitude before we begin our prayer time. Our stanza talks about the delight of spending an hour before His throne. It is Him we are seeking. His presence. When we come with a list of Christmas wants, of course we can’t focus on much more than just those few things. He wants to spend time with us. He wants to commune with us. He wants us to want to commune with Him. Notice the last line, “as friend with friend.” You can’t say that when you meet with a friend you rush in with that friend and say something like, “I can only give fifteen minutes, so much to do, but here is what I need, by the way, I love you. You are my best friend. See you soon. Gotta run. Bye.” Before long that friend won’t want to meet with you and you can hardly call yourself friends. Friends talk and share. They listen to each other. They spend time together. They enjoy each other’s company. This is the relationship described in the hymn, “I commune as friend with friend.” 

I don’t know what your relationship with God is like. You may have a depth that others can only dream about. You may be more like the friend I just described. You may be somewhere in between. I hope wherever you are in your relationship you long to go deeper. You long for an ever-closer relationship with Him. I can say that with confidence because our God is so awesome in scope and power that just when we think we know Him He reveals another layer of His nature and character to us and we are blown away by Him and His greatness. 

I challenge you in this next week to change the way you think about your prayer life. Maybe you need to just begin to pray. So, five minutes is a challenge, and an hour is an eternity. So, start with the five minutes you do have. Maybe you are more like the friend I described earlier. Slow down and focus on Him who sits on the throne. He loves you and gave Himself for you. Leave your list and worship Him. Try something different. It is not too late to begin to draw nearer to God. In fact, He desires a relationship with you. Prayer is a conversation between you and God. He is waiting for you.  

 My prayer for all of us is that we would reach a place where our delight is a single hour in prayer talking with our God as friends.  

“Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord.” 

All for One 

Angela 

Posted on by Angela

Things on the Desk

The desk where I do my writing is actually a small dining table. I have it pushed against a wall. My house has an open floor plan, so I am central to living, kitchen and dining areas. It got me thinking though about the kinds of things we keep on our desk. If you have a desk, take a moment to look at what your desk holds.  

I don’t mean the normal desk things like staplers, pens and pencils, tape dispenser, and the like. Of course, even those things can disclose personality. What I am thinking of is what could a person gather about you with the things on your desk? My home desk looks different from my work desk, but there are similarities. Both have sticky notes on the monitor; things I don’t want to forget or want to have at hand. My home desk has paperweights, an electric pencil sharpener (I use colored pencils for Bible study, and I even have real pencils), I have a large glass candle holder full of pens and pencils and highlighters. There is a Bible and a hymnal. Several journals. I have a few fidget things and stress toys. Right now, I have a menu planner marked for the coming week. It is incomplete. I also have a spiral binder with tabs which contain projects taken from my notebooks or that need to be typed into various folders in my computer. Recipes, writings, etc. There are a few other things crammed in, but this is basically my home workspace. 

My point in this exercise is that who we are is sometimes identified by what we surround ourselves with. By looking at the contents of our desk we can see where our time and energy is focused. It gives us the opportunity to make adjustments to our priorities. If we look at our desk and see an overflow of bills, maybe we need to consider our spending habits or work on budgeting. Sometimes our desk reveals what we enjoy.  An abundance of cards, stamps and pens could reveal you send cards to those you are thinking of or those who are sick or struggling. A desk covered with everything, but desk related items could mean you don’t use a desk at all. It is only a piece of furniture that is now a catch -all for all the clutter you don’t know what to do with.  

What are you surrounding yourself with? When you look at your workspace, home, or work, what stands out as a priority? The Bible tells us the from the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks (see Matthew 12:34). I think this is true not only in our speech, which is a big clue to our heart, but also in our workspace. What is important to us is what we keep close. Pictures of family, bible verses, inspirational quotes, things that build us up and those which visit our space reveal what is inside, what is important. Obscene pictures, insulting language, divisive posters, etc. also reveal what is inside. We are talking about a heart issue more than an organizational problem.  

I know you are probably thinking it is only a workspace but take a moment to look at your space either at home or at work. See if what I am saying is true. What does that space reveal about you? What does your desk or workspace say about you? Does it reveal your identity in Christ? Or does it reveal a life lived for the flesh? Maybe somewhere in between?  

I am not here to condemn; that is not my job. I only want you to think about what you identify yourself with and how you want to align your life. We want to be individuals who give our all for one. Who give everything we have to God. This means we are a work in progress, and it involves every aspect of our life from the company we keep to the insignificant little things like what we keep on our desk at work or home. Everything we say or do reflects who we are in Jesus. The changes may be gradual, such as replacing one item that may be inappropriate with something that is encouraging and uplifting. Maybe your whole workspace needs an overhaul. You decide.   

Maybe the time has come for you to decide for Christ. It’s time to follow Him. Put the things of the world behind and accept His gift of salvation. He loves you so much He died on a cross for your sins, and he alone can change you from the inside out. His identity in you is the only way the things on the desk make any difference.  

All for One 

Angela 

Posted on by Angela

Third Verse Devotion: The Old Rugged Cross

The cherished hymn “The Old Rugged Cross” was written by a Methodist Episcopal minister. He wrote the words in 1913, and it is his best-known hymn.  

For our purposes, we will look at verse three. The hymn is in the public domain, and you can find it as always at www.hymnary.org. Here is the third verse for reference.  

 In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine, 
a wondrous beauty I see, 
for ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died, 
to pardon and sanctify me.  

There is a key word in this beautiful verse that I want us to focus on for a while. Sanctify. The word comes from Latin, and it means, “to make holy”, or “to set apart.” It is first used in the Bible in Genesis chapter 2 and verse 3 where God sanctified the seventh day. He set apart the seventh day and made it holy.  

Yet our hymnal verse is talking about us as being sanctified. Jesus died to “…sanctify me.” We have been sanctified. What does that mean? It means that once we have accepted Jesus’s gift of salvation, we too have been set apart. We have been made holy. When Jesus died on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins, He bought our redemption. So, when we give ourselves to Him, we are set apart from the rest of the world. We are His.  

The first thing we need to understand about sanctification is that it is the work of Christ in us. He is the one who sanctifies. Consider the following verses: 

Hebrews 13:12 

Therefore Jesus also suffered outside the gate, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood. 

Hebrews 10:10 

By this will, we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all time. 

Hebrews 10:14 

For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. 

So, since the blood of Jesus sanctifies us by His sacrifice on the cross what is our response? Since salvation is by grace through faith and we are not saved by works, what are we now to do? We remember we are changed. We are set free from the entanglements of the world. We no longer are slaves to our old selves and the old habits. We have been set apart. The blood of Christ has made us holy. Yes, holy. We have been bought at a great price. The Son of God gave His life on a cross for our sins. The price could not have been greater. He paid that price for you and me. Our acceptance and belief in that singular act set us apart from the rest of the world. It sanctifies us.  

Now we live by new guidelines. The old way of thinking is gone. The old way of talking is gone. Sometimes the old friendships we had are gone. Here are some more verses to consider: 

Romans 6:22 

But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. 

2 Timothy 2:21 

Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be an implement for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work. 

Romans 12: 1-2 

Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. 

Sometimes it happens quickly. Other times it happens slowly. But we begin to change. The way we conduct business changes. Our interaction with family changes. The way we talk changes. The way we dress might even change. Everything about us is new. We are set apart for God’s use. We represent Him to the world.  

Does that mean we always get it right? Of course not. Think about some who were set apart by God yet messed up terribly. Samson, David, Moses, the disciples, Israel, yes, the list could go on. Also add my name to the list, yours too. God set each of these apart for a special work. All of them had a different task. They all knew God and had witnessed his power and majesty. David was a man after God’s own heart. Moses had to wear a veil over his face after being in God’s presence. The disciples walked daily with Jesus for three years.  

It could be assumed that if anyone could get the idea of what God had in mind it would be these individuals, but some of the greatest failures came through them. David slept with Bathsheba and when he learned she was pregnant tried to cover it up, but when that didn’t work had her husband killed. Moses disobeyed God and did what had worked before, striking a rock instead of speaking to it. He didn’t enter the promised land as a result. The disciples were competitive and slow to understand Jesus’s teaching then fled when Jesus needed them most. One betrayed Him. One denied he even knew Him. Israel is still God’s chosen people, the apple of His eye even though they have rebelled time and time again.  

From this we understand once we have been sanctified, God does not rescind that covering. The above examples were still set apart despite their failures. There were consequences certainly. But they were still set apart for God’s purposes. And so are we.  

We have a responsibility once we realize the importance of what it means to be sanctified, to be set apart. We no longer can look like the rest of the world. We still live in the world, but we don’t look like the world. We are supposed to be different. We talk differently. We dress differently. God now convicts us about what we watch on television or at the movies or what we read. Put away the filthy language. Change your clothes. Change the channel. Put down the book. Remember, you are set apart. You are sanctified. Instead, “…cling to the old rugged cross, and exchange it someday for a crown.” 

If you need a little more convincing, let me leave you with a few more scriptures that might help. 

1 Corinthians 6:11 

But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. 

1 Thessalonians 5:23 

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

1 Peter 3:15 

but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, but with gentleness and respect 

Have you stumbled? Have you fallen? Look to the Father. He is waiting to restore you. Jesus died on the cross to pardon and sanctify us. Cling to Him. Remember the Old Rugged Cross today.  

All for One  

Angela 

Posted on by Angela

Third Verse Devotion: Just When I Need Him Most

People today carry great burdens. We carry the wandering of a child. The loss of a parent. The abuse of a spouse. We watch as addiction takes hold of our child or other family member and cannot do anything to help them. We long to break free from our own addiction and burdens but cannot seem to break the chains that tie us down.  

These burdens are sometimes invisible, and we carry them in secret never letting on they are there. But when we are alone, we give full vent to them. The result is high anxiety, high blood pressure, sometimes substance abuse and even worse when we cannot see the end, suicide. Let me assure you this is not what God ever intended for humans. If you are struggling with substance abuse or thoughts of suicide, there is help available. For free 24/7 help call 988 or visit  www.988lifeline.org.  

Our hymn today highlights that we do have Someone to turn to in those dark moments. It was written by a Methodist minister who wrote hymns as recreation. He was to have written over five hundred hymns. Here is the third verse of “Just When I Need Him Most,”   

Just when I need Him, Jesus is strong, 
Bearing my burdens all the day long; 
For all my sorrow giving a song, 
Just when I need Him most. 

https://hymnary.org/text/just_when_i_need_him_jesus_is_near_just

This verse is just as appropriate for us now as when it was written. It assures us that Jesus is strong and gives us a song for our sorrow. No matter what our circumstance or what we are going through Jesus is there waiting for us to come to Him.  

The Bible is replete with those who have gone before us who thought their life was done and there was no other option for them. Remember Jonah, after he preached to the Ninevites and they repented? What did he do? He found a shady leaf and sat under it and pouted. When the leaf was eaten by a worm, he was ready to die until God intervened. What about Elijah? Jezebel was determined to kill him. He was convinced he was the only prophet of God left until God revealed to him there was over 400 prophets who had never bowed the knee to Baal. David? After he sinned with Bathsheba, she gave birth to his child and the child became sick. He prayed for the child’s life and refused food and drink. So much so that his servants were afraid to tell him the child had died. We could continue with many other examples of those who walked in sorrow and grief until God stepped in and changed their thinking. 

Maybe you need some personal verses to get you through your day and situation. Here are a few, as always these are from the New American Standard Version,  

Psalm 46:1 

God is our refuge and strength, 
A very ready help in trouble. 

And, 

Psalm 68:19 

Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burden, The God who is our salvation. 

And still,

Psalm 55:22 

Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you; 
He will never allow the righteous to be shaken. 

And again, 

1 Peter 5:7 

…cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares about you. 

And lastly, 

Isaiah 46:4 

Even to your old age I will be the same, 
And even to your graying years I will carry you! 
I have done it, and I will bear you; 
And I will carry you and I will save you. 

No matter what your age or situation, Jesus is ready and more than able to meet you in the middle of your burden and carry you and bear your burden and give you peace. There are many other instances and verses to support this. The ones I have listed are only a few jumping off points. I encourage you to meditate on these and search out others to meditate on if your burden is heavy and your days are dark. Let me further and more importantly urge you to accept Jesus as your Savior. He paid the price for your sins and is ready to receive you; come to him today.  

Your situation will not immediately change. You will still have to walk through dark days and hard times, but you will have an inner peace and strength that only comes from knowing Jesus. He will bring you through whatever your situation. He is strong and wants to bear your burdens and in the middle of your trial he will give you a song for your sorrow, Just when you need him most.  

All for One 

Angela 

Posted on by Angela

Stuff We Accumulate

If you have ever moved from one home to another, you know we as humans accumulate stuff. In fact, we like our stuff. We build buildings to house our stuff when our houses aren’t big enough to keep our stuff. Then we decide we have too much stuff and we decide to get organized and toss the stuff out. We might sell it in our yard or garage for other people to buy and add to their stuff. But we feel better because the stuff is not in our house anymore.  

Others hold on to their stuff and keep adding increasingly till it overflows and takes over their home and lives. They need help to overcome this problem. Some sadly never overcome this problem. They feel secure with all their belongings around them. We call them hoarders and we pity them and we don’t understand them.  

(Image sourced from the Public Domain Image Archive / Internet Archive / University of Toronto Libraries) 

There are still those that have no stuff at all. They are the poor and destitute. They live among us but we don’t like to look at them. They remind us of all the stuff we have and how little they don’t have. Sure, every once in a while, usually around Christmas we will donate money to some charity or give away some of our stuff to make us feel better. Basically, though we slosh through our stuff content, we have done our part to make the world a better place.  

I am not here to judge or condemn. That is not my job or my point. Goodness knows I have enough stuff of my own. No, I am not here to make any of us feel guilty. We carry enough guilt. I do want us to be mindful of what we already have. We have been blessed in our lives. In our journey to live all for One, part of our understanding involves our possessions in relation to our God and Savior. We can take none of what we have with us when we pass from this life into the next. In fact, the Bible gives a story of a man who had plenty and wanted to hold on to what he had. Take a look. 

 But He said to them, “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one is affluent does his life consist of his possessions.” And He told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man was very productive.  And he began thinking to himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’  And he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and I will store all my grain and my goods there. And I will say to myself, “You have many goods stored up for many years to come; relax, eat, drink, and enjoy yourself!”’  But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is demanded of you; and as for all that you have prepared, who will own it now?’  Such is the one who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich in relation to God.”  Luke 12:15-21 NASB 

This man thought he had it figured out. The land had produced well for him. He had become prosperous. What was he to do with all the extra? He had more than enough for himself and his family. “I’ve got it.” He said with a snap of his fingers. I will tear down all my barns and build bigger barns. That will solve my problem. He forgot about the hungry people he passed from his fields to his home. He never paid attention to the poor who could have shared his wealth had he given away some of his prosperity. Instead, he tried to have as much as he could by building bigger and better barns to hold it all. To what end? God said he would die that very night. Then what would happen to all of his plans and wealth? Who then would reap the benefits? He wouldn’t take it with him. 

In 1922, Howard Carter made an extraordinary discovery. He opened an Egyptian tomb containing abundant wealth. The Egyptians had planned on everything the dead man might need in the next life. Of course, we know that the man was King Tut and all the wealth he was buried with is in a museum. Tourists can go to his tomb and view the painted walls. Archaeologists are still uncovering truths about this young king. All the riches buried with him, he never used. The only reason King Tut’s tomb was so remarkable was that grave robbers had not been able to find the tomb or break into the tomb. So, it sat for centuries untouched until Howard Carter saw “wonderful things” through a small opening.  

(Page  2023 Free-images.com. All images are Public Domain) 

We have the opportunity to see wonderful things as we move from looking at the things around us to the things above. Let us set our eyes on the things of Christ and His Kingdom. When He returns, the things we have saved and collected and hoarded will not matter at all. They are rust and dust compared to Him who sits on the throne. So, before you make the next purchase ask yourself why? Is it just one more thing that you will later toss into the donate box? Or is it something that you can use to help lead someone else on their journey to give their all for One. After all, isn’t that what it is all about? 

All for One 

Angela 

Posted on by Angela

Supermoon Protocol by J. T. Fluhart – book review

The book Supermoon Protocol by J.T. Fluhart seemed to have it all. A CIA cover up, Mexican cartel, prostitution, science experiments gone wrong, car chases, guns, death, murder, the list goes on. I am not sure what else could be crammed into this book of 318 pages, except chickens trying to kill people. Oh, wait that was there too. Yep, you read that right. If you ever raised chicken and had a rooster look at you the wrong way, then be warned the opening scenes are a wild ride of rooster revenge. The wake left behind destroys a family and eventually separates a brother and sister until history threatens to repeat itself fifty years later. 

Supermoon Protocol is set in Northeast Texas around the Dallas Fort Worth metroplex area. Rob Florchett is plagued by nightmares and is about to find himself homeless. He seeks the help of therapist Dr. Maria Sheltie. She helps him unlock his nightmares and helps him uncover and understand more of his family’s wrecked past. She puts him in touch with another individual who knows more about what happened on his family’s farm all those years ago that led to mental instability, broken relationships and resulted in Rob and his sister, Mel, in foster homes. Sheltie helps Rob escape when the CIA shows up, and they are both lucky to escape alive. In the meantime, Rob is desperate to find his sister who has become caught up in the Mexican cartel headed by Jeffe Manuel and has fallen from grace to having to prostitute herself to pay off a debt to stay alive. When they finally meet, they find themself pursued by the CIA and the Mexican Cartel. It is a run to the Mexican border to find their father and the family they thought was lost all before the next supermoon rises and what was started fifty years ago happens all over again.  

J.T. Fluhart has written a fast-paced action thriller. The plot is unique and well-paced. Fluhart has a two-pronged plot in the book and solves one by the end of the book and continues the second in the sequel. There is a great deal of violence in the book, some of which I could have lived without. Fortunately, the author does not spend a great deal of time describing the violence beyond what is necessary. There is mention of rape in the book so readers should be aware if this is a trigger for you. It is not described but mentioned as having already happened. There is foul language as you would expect in this sort of book, but it is kept as a minimum.  

I would rate Supermoon Protocol by J. T. Fluhart four out of five stars. The writing was well done, and the fast-paced action kept the book moving. There was a great deal of violence, and I was not a fan of the ending. I can’t say I liked the book, but I didn’t dislike it either. It certainly was not what I expected. I can only recommend this book to readers ages 18 and over with cautions.  

All for One 

Angela 

Posted on by Angela

What I am Working On

This year is off and running. I have a lot going on behind the scenes and others that should be going on. Here are some things I am working on and others I hope to accomplish.  

BLOG 

Writing here in All for One is my priority. I have an appointment every morning at 4:00 to be at my desk working on what I will say to those of you who drop by.  I have kept up with writing here since May posting once or twice a week. I have learned a lot and still have much more to learn. I have a verse on a sticky note posted on my monitor that reminds me that it is ok to be small.  “Do not despise these small beginnings for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin.” (Zechariah 4:10 NASB) It is one of my key verses for me for writing this blog and for my writing. Yet that doesn’t mean I want to stay there. Even though it is okay to be small, there is always room for growth. I want to grow and reach more. This is where that learning comes in. There is a wealth of information about blogging available. So, my job becomes what is worth my time and what isn’t. Sifting through it all takes time I don’t always have working a full eight hour day.  

BOOK REVIEWS 

You may have noticed more on books this year already. I will be adding more in book reviews. I read digital and paper. I also want to see good books in the hands of readers.  I believe reviews are the way to combine the two. Expect to see more book reviews this year. I hope you will find some books you want to add to your own reading list. There are so many books on the market and not all of them are worth reading. As Christians, we are called to be different. So, immediately some genres are off the table. Erotica and LGBTQ are among them after that you have to judge. For some, horror and true crime are not on their reading lists. I personally don’t read a lot of horror, but I like some true crime. I love mystery and some fantasy. Some of you may not. I used to read romance but now the line is blurry between romance and erotica, so I tend to avoid the genre completely. What I hope to achieve is balance. Some mystery, a little true crime, some history, some thriller, a little fantasy, and a little science fiction. Some Christian fiction. Some Christian nonfiction.  

In my reviews, because we are all about All for One, the books I read are to find the good ones from the bad. So, I hope I will warn you if I come across any that cross the lines. I don’t think a lot of foul language needs to be in a novel, and I will let you know. There are some great indie authors coming up, and I will help you find them.  

SHORT STORIES 

It used to be that if you wanted to break into the writing world you should probably begin by the magazine market through short stories and build a portfolio. I am not sure that is still prevailing wisdom. Have you bought a magazine lately? Wow. They are expensive. Yet, I do think short stories have potential in writing even though the market may be harder to find. Short stories teach writers to write more tightly because there is a smaller word count.  The story must be told quickly, the action rises faster and is resolved sooner. While I haven’t decided if I will post any here, I will be working on a few short stories throughout the year and looking for some markets.  

NOVEL 

Finally, last November I tackled Novel November and began a novel in earnest. I am still working on this though I have hit a block. I will have to figure out how to write my way through it. This is all I will say about the novel right now. I am tackling a dream long held. 

So, there it is. It is February and here is what I hope to achieve in 2026. I have a lot to learn. I always have a lot to learn. I may be in my fifties, but I never want to stop learning. I have some other things in mind that I haven’t shared, but we will keep those on the back burner for now. I hope you will grow with me this year and share some of your own plans for growth. I would love to hear them.  

All for One  

Angela 

Posted on by Angela

The Morning Meeting

Exodus 24:4 

And Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord. Then he got up early in the morning, and built an altar at the foot of the mountain with twelve memorial stones for the twelve tribes of Israel. (NASB) 

The response we have to the Bible indicates our response to God. After all, the Bible is His written word to us. If we neglect His word, it is an indication of neglect in our relationship with Him. If we are hostile to His word, then more than likely we are hostile to Him and do not know Him.  

In our verse, Moses is acting in response to the people. They had agreed that all that the Lord had said they would do. So, Moses wrote down the words of the Lord for the people, then he got up early in the morning and built an altar. The word of the Lord and his interaction with God moved him to worship. If you read chapter 24 of Exodus, which I challenge you to do, you will see that several others had been invited onto the mountain and had a holy experience with God. Here is what the Bible tells us they saw. “…they saw the God of Israel; and under His feet there appeared to be a pavement of sapphire, as clear as the sky itself.  Yet He did not reach out with His hand against the nobles of the sons of Israel; and they saw God, and they ate and drank.” (Exodus 24:10-11 NASB.) 

What an experience! Afterward, Moses was asked to go higher on the mountain. I can’t help but think that He wants something similar with us.  Reading, praying, memorizing, studying, and even writing down His word are all ways we can draw closer into an experience with Him.  Our text says that Moses got up early in the morning and built an altar. We don’t need to build an altar because Jesus is our sacrifice, but we do need a place that is special so that every day we have a time set apart that is ready and waiting. A corner of a room. A desk, a special chair. Maybe your deck or back porch. Someplace that you know is your place to meet with God.  

The Bible talks about meeting with God early in the morning. Why do you think that is? I believe that it is because to meet with Him early in the day before the day begins sets the day. The trouble of the day hasn’t begun. The day is fresh. The work for the day hasn’t begun yet. It makes the ideal time to meet with God to make Him the priority of the day. But I also think that the time is less important than the meeting. Plan daily to meet with God.  

So, the question is where are you? Are you neglecting your Bible interaction and as a result your interaction with God? Does your interaction with God’s word lead you to worship? Or are you fumbling through your day?  

My hope is that we each will write down the word of the Lord and get up early in the morning to build an altar. So, we will interact with the word of the Lord in such a way that we can only worship Him who sits on the throne. 

All for One 

Angela