Through the Fire - Notre Dame by Belle Calhoune

The post I intended to write was always meant to be about Notre Dame, but it wasn't supposed to be like this.  Never like this.  As we all know by now, Notre Dame suffered tremendous damage on Monday when a fiery blaze broke out in the upper portion of the cathedral.  Although Notre Dame suffered catastrophic damages, many parts of the cathedral, along with religious artifacts and symbols, were spared. God is good!

Three weeks ago I visited the sacred cathedral with my husband and two daughters on our epic London-Paris trip.  Having dealt with fear of flying that hindered my ability to get excited about the trip prior to it, I was awestruck by the presence of God on my trip.  It was most evident on my trip to Notre Dame.  The moment one walks into the cathedral, you know you are in the presence of God.  You feel Him surrounding you. You see Him all around you.

First, let me say that this was my third and most poignant visit to Notre Dame. The first time I was sixteen years old, and although I enjoyed the beauty and solemnity of it, I really was too young to fully comprehend what I was experiencing.  This most recent trip was special and my husband and I truly were awestruck by the beauty of the French gothic masterpiece.  Having studied French for ten years and traveled throughout France extensively, I am a Francophile.  I feel such a connection to the French people and I have ever since I took my first French lesson as a child. As a Catholic, there are few places as sacred and awe inspiring as Notre Dame.  Visually, I was mesmerized by the beautiful stained glass windows.  And how amazing that they survived the heat and flames!

We took a moment to light a candle and offer up prayers.  It was a serene and comforting experience.

The beautiful interior of the cathedtral.  A mass was being held as we visited.  Even though the priest spoke in French, you saw people of all nationalities worshiping and listening to his every word.

Priceless religious artifacts were on full display.  Irreplaceable artwork, ornate and intricate in their details.

I thought these two pieces were simply stunning in their beauty.

Notre Dame is still standing.  It survived, much as it has carried on through wars and revolutions. And the French people, and the entire world, will assist in the renovation of Notre Dame.  It is a symbol of hope and of God's love for all of us.  The glowing cross that was shown in the rubble is a powerful reminder of HOPE.

God was there when Notre Dame was consumed by flames.  He was there in the aftermath when people were outside singing and praying. He protected the pompiers (firemen) as they raced to extinguish the blaze.  He aided the French chaplain, Jean-Marc Fournier, as he entered the burning cathedral to salvage priceless religious artifacts. He was there, making sure all wasn't lost.

Sadly, Notre Dame won't be open to the public for six long years.  I feel humbled and grateful that we were able to make this visit.  I am thankful to God for guiding me on this journey.  There are no accidents in life, and I truly feel that God was showing me that something wonderful awaits you if you push past your fears and embrace all the world has to offer.

Blessings! Happy Easter!

When Thanksgiving Doesn't Feel Right

Last weekend I was involved in a horrific accident. I walked away physically unscathed. The other person did not. Right now a young man is in ICU in serious condition.

I'm very thankful for my family, my friends, my health, but I can't help but wonder how this young man's family is feeling this Thanksgiving.

If you would, please pray for my emotions and for this young man (Larry), that he'd fully recover.

For those of you on a mountain peak, may your Thanksgiving be wonderful and merry and full of good food. And to those of you in the valley right now, I feel you and hope you'll see a sunny spot where you can rest awhile. Perhaps finding a blessing to hold close until your journey brings you back to the mountain top.

Where are you right now? Have you ever been in a dark spot on a holiday? How did you end up leaving that place?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Facing Your Challenges, your skeptics and your difficult loved ones

At a recent Christian Educators' conference, the following thoughts were presented. I read them and what a light bulb moment for me! Recently, I've had struggles. I have published an ebook, an inspirational romantic suspense entitled Souvenirs and it's been difficult to reinvent that part of my writing life, to garner interest and give people the hope I showcased in that story.

But I also found myself at odds with several other people. Loved ones or not, people with whom you bump noses can still hurt you. So this short workshop really spoke to me, especially as I explain my difficulties to non-believers.

"Some people find it unreasonable to think that challenges and struggles might be a regular part of God's plan for our lives," The writer of this workshop explains. Romans 5:3,4 says "…tribulation worketh patience, and patience, experience, and experience, hope."

We tend to blame others, but really, in most situations, there is no one to blame. The mature response to tough situations is to affirm by faith God's purposes for us. These hardships give us a story to tell, allowing us to showcase the reality of God and that we don't have freedom from troubles just because we believe in Him.

But rather, Christ sustains us during those dark times.

I like how the Romans 5:3,4 in the NIV is for me more direct and clear. Suffering -> perseverance. Perseverance -> character. Character -> hope. Hope is what we get because we know we can handle tough things.

When you're struggling with a difficult loved one, remember first and foremost to love them. Your love will motivate you. Love them!! Ask them about their goals and concerns. Share your own failings. But focus on them.

Be energetic. At that conference, one writer put it well. "So often evil is portrayed as high energy and creative, while Good is portrayed as solemn and passive." Read Revelation for proof at how 'Good' really is!

Remember that we all have a touch of immaturity. We rush though easy work, but when it comes to something challenging, we hit a wall and become discouraged. Our loved one who are facing and causing challenges more than likely is facing the same. Remember that your loved one is not the enemy. Walk away if you have to, for a time, to prevent offending someone and being offended yourself. Proverbs 18:19 warns that 'an offended brother is more unyielding than a fortified city.'.

God is at work when a believer is struggling with a challenge. And when the worst of the worst happens, He's at His busiest, because He's building hope, character and joy, and allowing the believer to tell others about the tough time they had. How can the believer witness if they haven't struggled themselves?

And as I work on my independently stories, as I promote them and show that they, like the Love Inspired books, are designed to inspire, I must remember that hope comes from tribulations. It's really only a few steps away.

Next time you're dealing with a tough loved one, or work is especially difficult, as it has been for me, remember that God isn't making it easy for us. He's showing us we can "Do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

I encourage you to pick up a Love Inspired book today. And consider, also, Souvenirs – a story of hope, forgiveness, and redemption.

Souvenirs

Having been accused of murder, Anna LaBonte has no one to turn to but her mysterious neighbor, Brent Stirling. Brent knows the only reason he's helping her is to ease the guilt within him. But unless Brent can fully forgive himself, and Anna learn to trust, they will both end up dead.

Souvenirs is available at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005AX7Z64

Thank you for stopping by today, and I pray that God is strengthening you to the fullest. And I thank the Christian Educators' Convention, (part of Accelerated Christian Education) for their inspiring words.

Barbara Phinney

www.barbaraphinney.com

Sometimes words are hard to find--Lenora Worth

This is my fourth blog in the last two weeks. I'd like to post something pithy and profound but all I can think about today is the horrible tragedy in Arizona. A Congress woman has been shot and six others have died. When such events happen, it tends to paralyze us. The news is constant and always updating. If we sit and watch, we have to relive this tragedy over and over. I can't imagine how the family members must feel.

But in times such as this, writers need to remember that our words can help people escape for a little while. Sometimes, we might think what we do is frivilous but our stories have a place, even in times of national tragedy. We saw this with the horrors of 9/11. I remember a lot of us in the tight-knit writing community found it hard to get back to our stories. What was the point?

The point of course is that we have to keep moving. We have to continue with our work, great or small. Because if we give into the pain, then the bad guys win. We can't let them win. Our job is to give our readers a means to get away from all the ugliest in the world for just a little while. Right now, words are hard to find. How can we express our pain, our sympathy and our sadness. It's not easy. But we all get those letters that tell us what we do matters. Our readers depend on us to deliver our stories. And that has to be the focus during these times of sadness and disbelief. My heart goes out to all those who lost loved ones in this tragedy. And we will not forget. As much as we believe in happy endings, we know that is not alway the case in real life. And yet, we will not give up hope. Ever.

I think Spring is here--Lenora Worth

Hello. I think spring is finally here. I have a big back yard full of trees and all sorts of blooming greenery, but this winter just about took care of all of my flowers and shrubs. Our saga palms are now bald and without fronds. We had to cut them back to scratch and hope they'd sprout wings again. My jasmine bush died on the vine. The Confederate jasmine survived and seems to be thriving. It has the most wonderful smelling yellow blossoms. My gardenias took a direct hit but we managed to cut away the dead leaves and find green underneath. Most of my hibiscus and parlor ferns died underneath the protective plastic we thought was saving them. I had ferns that had been growing for years and now they are gone.

But ... I'm blessed. Our yard didn't flood; our house is still intact. We didn't suffer an earthquake or a flood. We just had a harsh winter. I often wonder if God made sure we'd have spring after winter so we could rejoice in the rebirth of our world and see the hope of that rebirth in our own lives. One of the blessings of Easter is that after death comes triumph, after sorrow comes joy. This is our hope. When bad things happen in the world, we have the hope of Christ to guide us through the darkest of winters. I pray for all those hurting out there, that you may see the hope of a fresh new spring just around the corner. Hope springs eternal.

This hope is why we write our stories. We are blessed to write what we call the three-cord plot--with a faith element and with all the joy and conflict of falling in love. We have external conflicts, internal emotions and a strong faith element in our stories. And for that reason, each time we start a new book, it's like spring blossoming all over again. Happy Spring. Look for a flower bud today. If you look closely you'll find one I'm sure.