Laura J. Davis

Are You a Doubter?

Wed, 16 May 2012 21:05:00 +0000

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6 But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt,because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. - James 1:5-8

Does God mind when we ask Him questions? No. Can we ask Him anything? Yes, He wants you to! This verse clearly states that God gives generously to all without finding fault. There is no question that is stupid in God's eyes. If you want clarification on a matter - ask. If you need a definite answer on something that is troubling you - ask. If you are wondering what He expects of you - ask. But as the verse continues - if you ask, do not doubt that God will answer. Believe you will hear from Him! But, don't expect Him to answer your questions in the way you want them answered. God doesn't work the same way we do.

When God answers prayer He will almost certainly give you more than you asked for. Either a lesson to learn or a blessing, but the key is to wait on Him and not doubt that He will answer. If you do doubt, the scripture goes on to say that you should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. So, if you've been wondering why God has been silent lately, it may just be that you didn't really expect an answer. Or, if you did expect an answer you doubt whether or not it's from God. Never forget that Satan likes to play mind games with us. Doubt is one of his biggest success stories. Look at Adam and Eve. He actually got Eve to doubt God!

Don't doubt that God hears your prayers - He does. He hears all of them. Be patient, trust that He will answer in His time and you then you can put all your doubts away and rest in Him.

Write! Canada

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 21:55:00 +0000

This year will be my first year to miss Write! Canada and while I will miss the great workshops and speakers, the thing I will miss most is connecting with my friends. It is the one time of year that I see everyone face to face - it's like a huge family reunion!

From June 14-16, hundreds of writers from across Canada will descend on Guelph Bible Conference Centre to be inspired through workshops, continuing classes and plenary speakers. They will be challenged by agents, publishers and fellow authors to accept critiques of their work (without taking it personally) and instead use that information to grow in their craft. They will rejoice with fellow author's over selling a manuscript, getting an agent or winning an award at The Canadian Christian Writing Awards Gala that kicks off the whole week. They will indulge in fabulous meals, good conversation, an awesome bookstore and beautiful surroundings that beg to be enjoyed during those moments of "free time".

But most of all they will enjoy being with people who are of the same mind. Writers. Better yet - Christian Writers, who take the time to pray with you, rejoice with you and encourage you in your craft. There is nothing more inspiring than a writer's conference. In fact, if you don't bring your laptop you'll likely go crazy from the itch to get at your next project.

Which brings to mind something else that happens at conferences - exhaustion! Pace yourself. Take a break when you need it and get some alone time with God, or you may need a writer's retreat when you come back! Registration begins here. Have fun!

The Power of Prayer

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 19:45:00 +0000

It has been a long three weeks! My last post would suggest everything went swimmingly in regards to my surgery, unfortunately shortly after I posted that, everything went down hill.

If you follow me on Facebook then you will be aware of all the problems I had, so I'm not going to go into too much here. Suffice it to say that if something could go wrong it did. I ended up back in the hospital for another five days with a serious infection (cellulitis) and while there caught some kind of super bug. My legs were so badly burned from the cellulitis that I was wrapped and treated like a burn victim. After the doctors got everything under control I was released and one week later ended up back in the ER because my stitches split open! Unfortunately, because of my infection they couldn't stitch me back up for fear of sealing the infection in, so I was given a time frame of five months before my legs would be fully healed and the incision closed.

Now, you might be wondering how I was feeling during all of this. I'm not ashamed to admit that I cried - alot. In fact, tears seemed to come all too frequently. At times I felt that God had abandoned me and it was during one of those times when I lay in my hospital bed that I truly understood Jesus' cry on the cross of, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"--which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" When you are going through something that seems like it will never end, you start to feel despair. Jesus was acquainted with that feeling. There comes a point when your spirit is so low that you simply can't take anymore and you wonder if God is even there.

Jesus felt that way too. His struggle was a continuous torture, from the early morning hours, until 3:00 pm the next day when He died. He did not have the benefit of morphine like I did, to decrease his pain and put him to sleep. He had to endure it all. From each lash of the whip, which tore away his flesh, to the nails that were driven through his feet. Did he think God had abandoned him...really? Or was he simply emotionally and spiritually spent?

I cried out to God and wondered where He was. I thought He had abandoned me too. But, He had never left me and was instead making it so that He would be glorified. Two days ago, I ended up in the ER because my incision split wide open, so that you could see the tissue inside my leg. Today, my surgeon, who did not see me in the ER (his residents did), looked at my legs and said, "I thought you said your stitches split open? These look exactly the same as the last time I saw you."

The ER doc's told me I also had another infection and that is why the incision split open. My surgeon added, "You also don't have an infection. This is just imflammation of the wound. You are doing great! I'll see you in a week." A miracle? I like to think so. How can an incision that was split open 7cm long and 4cm apart close back up so rapidly? The ER doc's said it would take at least 5 months before the incision closed. While it is still open and draining, it is no longer a gaping wound. How is that possible?

Prayer.

I have had a team of people praying for me at church and from The Word Guild. They prayed for me when I couldn't. I am so thankful for them. I have family and friends and even people as far away as Australia, people I don't know, storming the gates of heaven for me and today God glorified Himself to the point where I actually had to convince the doctor that, "Yes, it really was open. Your residents saw it!"

So if you are at that point, where you wonder if God has abandoned you, when everything seems hopeless and your despair is great - know this - God will never leave you, nor forsake you. He hears your cries and is working to glorify Himself through you and your troubles. Be warned, it may get worse before it gets better. But, know that God is aware of what is going on and He has a plan for it all. When Jesus hung on that horrible cross and felt that He had been forsaken by God, he had reached his darkest moment. But, what happened on the third day? A miracle! He rose again and God was glorified.There is light at the end of the tunnel. Don't give up.

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all (2 Cor. 4:17).

Post-Op News

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 05:45:00 +0000

Some of you know that I was in the hospital on February 29 for surgery on both of my legs. Everything went well and I am home now. Aside from the pain that comes from an operation I think I am okay. I kinda walk funny though. :D Picture someone who just got off a horse after sitting in the saddle for a very long ride and that is what I look like when I'm walking. For now I am sleeping on my couch in the livingroom as I can't get up the stairs yet, but hopefully by next week that will change.

God was present before, during and after my surgery and can you believe I even gave away a copy of Come to Me to one of the porters? LOL! I think my pastor thought I was setting up a kiosk in my room. But the porter and I got to talking about books and well...one thing led to another and I had my husband bring a book in for him. I hope he is blessed by it.

Speaking of blessings - congratulations to Darrell Elverum, the winner of the Learning from the Master Gift Pack. Darrell will receive a $25 gift card from Christianbook.com, a signed copy of Come to Me and a copy of The Star of Bethlehem DVD. When Learning from the Master comes out next month, he will be all set to get into the study, which will be available wherever Christian books are sold!

In the coming weeks as I try to get movement back in my legs I look forward to warm weather and the promise of spring. Perhaps all the snow will be gone by the time I am healed and I will be able to tackle walking outside. For now, I am making use of my LazyBoy sofa and looking foward to getting back into the swing of things. May God bless you all as you continue on in your journey through life!

Are You a Mary or a Martha?

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 19:40:00 +0000

38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

When you read the above verse what is your first impression of Martha? Do you think of her as a complainer, a worrier, or both?

Have you ever considered that Martha's worry and fret was something more? Jesus said she was "worried and upset about many things." Let's think about this for a moment. Martha cared about the same things we do. If Jesus was coming to your house for dinner what would run through your head? Would it be, "What shall I make? What would He like? Is the house clean? Does He prefer fish over chicken? Should I get a place setting for the table?" Or would it be, "I can't wait till Jesus gets here. I'm going to sit at His feet all night and listen adoringly to every word He speaks. If He gets hungry we'll deal with that when it comes up. But tonight - I'm taking a break from the cooking and welcoming my honoured guest by giving Him my full attention."

Be honest now, which person are you? If you chose Martha, it really wouldn't be a bad thing. Her way of caring for the Lord, of showing her love for Him, was in her service to Him and she falsely believed that Mary's act of love should be the same as hers. So she complained. But Jesus wanted Martha to know that He wasn't the type of person who demanded a lot of fuss. In fact, I'm willing to bet that if He did come to my house today, or yours, he would be content to order from Pizza Hut and carry on with the evening.

Yes, Mary knew what was better and while Jesus appreciated all she was doing, He wanted her to know that it wasn't necessary. Sometimes, we just need to stop doing "things" for the Lord and sit back and rest in Him.

Today, spend time with your Saviour. Put on some worship music, pray, read your bible. Think about how you can honour Him. Most of all be still and know that He is the better choice.

Why Do We Give Things Up At Lent?

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 15:35:00 +0000

"In many churches, the Lenten season is observed for forty days. Promises or “sacrifices” are made by the people of various congregations to give up something for Lent. This sacrifice is meant to draw the person closer to Christ in contemplation of the great sacrifice He made for us.

When I was younger, I remember the priest at my church reminding me at confirmation that whatever I chose to give up at Lent should be something I would really miss. It had to hurt me to be without it. Why? Because then I could understand what Jesus did for me by giving up His life. Unfortunately, my attempts at sacrifice amounted to going on a diet for forty days or giving up chewing gum. Lent became, for me at least, a competition with my friends to see who could make it through the full forty days.

Sadly, I missed the entire point: to draw closer to God and to identify with Christ and the sacrifice He had made for me. Sacrifice should hurt, or it isn’t a sacrifice at all. It cost Jesus everything to lay down His life for you and me." - Excerpt from Learning From the Master: Living a Life of Surrender.

Today marks the beginning of the Lenten season. Some will observe this day as Ash Wednesday and go to church to receive the mark of the cross on their forehead made with the ashes of palm fronds. They do this to acknowledge their brokenness - their sin - with the certain hope of complete healing through Jesus Christ our Lord. Today, marks a day of repentance in the Christian church. A time for you and me to take up our cross and remember the One who died on it to save us for all eternity. The next 40 days will bring you closer to God, in ashes and repentance - this is your sacrifice for Him. To live each day for Him and Him alone. Lent is not about giving up silly things like cigarettes or going on a diet. It is about drawing closer to God and offering Him your sacrifice of praise, your thanks for all that He has done for you.

For the next 40 days contemplate this - How will you offer your life back to God?

Learning from the Master

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 02:55:00 +0000

My, but I have been silent haven't I? I have good reasons. I've been working frantically to finish Learning from the Master: Living a Surrendered Life (see picture on the sidebar).This study guide is based on my novel Come to Me. Like the book, we look at the events in Jesus' life, but this time we dig a little deeper and learn from our Lord's example (and His mother's) on how to live a surrendered life. This study is ideal for personal use, but is designed to be used in a group setting as well. Unfortunately guys, it is a study suited for women. :(

The use of Come to Me is to give you a sense of Jesus' day to day life. How he interacted with his family and friends, his sense of humour, his concerns, etc. Then, using Learning from the Master and your bible you will discover how Jesus was able to willingly lay aside his own desires for the Kingdom of God. I hope by the end of the study women will easily be able to recognize those areas of their lives where changes need to occur and how they can make those changes to live a fully surrendered life.

Since the study follows Jesus life, birth, death and resurrection a study on The Star of Bethlehem is included and I'm pleased to announce that Rick Larson, the creator of that wonderful DVD, is allowing me to make The Star of Bethlehem available through my website. I have set aside one week in the study just for you to watch the DVD. Of course you don't have to, but honestly you will miss so much if you don't. You will be amazed at how the Lord orchestrated the heavens the day of Jesus' birth (even before his birth) and in particular, you will be in awe of how the stars were aligned when he died and rose again. The heavens are indeed God's handiwork and have much to reveal.

So, if you are looking for something to dig into with your ladies group this year (or for your own personal use) Learning from the Master will be out soon!

New Year, New Beginnings

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 03:35:00 +0000

Happy New Year! I hope that everyone had a great time with their families over the holidays. Our Christmas and New Year's was rather subdued. We spent Christmas Day with our kids, Sarah (27) and Andrew (24). The following day we drove to Toronto to spend time with my husband Jim's family. It was bittersweet as we knew it would be our last time with Jim's mom who was dying of pancreatic cancer. She amazed us all with her uncomplaining attitude as she lay on the couch in the livingroom, watching her grandchildren open their last presents from her. We all suspected that Mom was hanging on until she could spend Christmas with us and we were right. On December 30, we got the call that she had gone home to be with the Lord.

In 2009, Jim's dad died December 22, and while that was hard, today seemed even harder. I'm sure those of you who have lost both parents understand what we are going through. It seems so final. No more going to grandma's house. No more long conversations on the couch. No more card games (she loved to play games). So, a New Year has begun with an empty spot in our family, yet while we mourn her loss we rejoice that she is with her Saviour. We cry tears of joy knowing that she is with her husband of 64 years again. In fact, her 64th wedding anniversary was New Year's Day. We all smiled when we thought about her spending her anniversary in heaven. How great would that be?

As we look at the year before us, it is with the knowledge that our parents are safe in the hands of the Saviour that they loved so much. Both Dad and Mom were shining examples to their children of how one lives a committed life to God. Mom's greatest concern before she died was that we would all see her again. She wanted to make sure each child and grandchild would be safely escorted through the gates of heaven when their time came. She knew we each needed to have a relationship with the Lord Jesus in order for that to happen. Her dying wish was for all to receive Jesus as Lord and Saviour.

It is also my wish. If you do not know Jesus as your Saviour, may this be the year you realize how much He loves you and wants to have a relationship with you. May 2012 be a year of new beginnings for you. If you know the Lord already, I pray that 2012 will be a year that will draw you closer to your Saviour as He draws closer to you.

God bless you all as you begin a new year full of possibilities!

An Angelic Visitor

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 05:40:00 +0000

She was frightened by the appearance of the angel. One moment she was alone and the next words she heard changed her life forever, "Greetings you who are highly favoured!" She turned around and there stood an angel of God and he was telling her that God favoured her. I can feel Mary's heart beating fast can't you? Imagine what was going through her mind - the emotions that must have been swirling through her. I'd think fear, anxiety and confusion would be top on her list. But then the angel goes on.

"You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”

Say what now?

Can you see her eyes blinking rapidly trying to take it all in? Her face is flushing too. Her heart is going a mile a minute! New emotions are tumbling in and building to a fever pitch. She is no more than 14 or 15 years old. Some scholars suggest she may have been as young as 12! She is a young Jewess. Deeply devoted to God and His laws. Getting pregnant outside of marriage would result in a stoning, according to those laws. So, we have no doubt that this is not very good news for Mary. That fear is clutching at her throat right now waiting for release. Yet, at the same time, she experiences peace and joy at the angel's words. Why? She has just been told that she would have the honour of bringing the Messiah into the world! She is no doubt flabbergasted at such an honour.She has so many questions to ask - but only one comes forth. "How will this be since I am a virgin?"

A logical question considering all the other ones that were probably going through her head like - why me? When will it happen? Will it hurt? What will I tell my fiancee Joseph? How will I explain this to my parents? And oh...yeah...how will I avoid a stoning?

After the angel explains to her how it will be done, he tells her about her cousin Elizabeth so that she might know she wasn't imagining everything.

"The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God.”

And after all that, this lovely young teenager says, "I am the Lord's Servant. May it be to me as you have said."

Mary obediently surrendered to God’s desires for her life. God was pleased to honour her by using her for His good purposes. Mary knew she was about to face a world full of trouble and hurt when her friends and family discovered her pregnant. Yet, she said “yes” to God. How do you react when God asks something of you that you fear is way out of your comfort zone? Do you automatically question God? Say no? Stall for time? The next time God asks something of you, take a lesson from Mary and say yes. He might just use you to change the world.

Learning From the Master

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 04:05:00 +0000

Several months ago it was put into my head by several well meaning souls that I needed to write a bible study on the life of Christ, to go with my novel Come to Me. At first it was suggested that I write something geared to a book club, but as I started writing I felt myself drawn to exploring the faith of Christ, his mother and the events of their lives that changed the course of history. In all honesty, I was in the middle of writing another book in a totally different genre, when this "idea" for an accompaniment studyguide to Come to Me took over my days and nights.

I am happy to report that Learning from the Master is almost ready for print and it is good for book clubs and bible study groups. It isn't until you sit at the feet of the Rabbi from Galilee and meditate on his words that you start to see patterns in his life and his faith. This study will, I hope, help young and old believers alike to discover the true meaning of surrendering to God. In addition, I will have the privilege of making the DVD The Star of Bethlehem available with this study. The two books - Come to Me and Learning from the Master will be available as a package with the DVD. Or you can order each book and the DVD separately. I am over the moon that the creator of The Bethlehem Star has blessed me with this opportunity. It is one of the best videos I've ever seen on the Bethlehem Star and it will blow your mind!

You can purchase the DVD from my web-store in time for Christmas for $10.00 plus shipping. I have limited quantities so get your orders in fast (if you are interested). Or, you can pre-order Learning from the Master and I will include a copy of the DVD for a reduced price, (but you won't get it until after Christmas). In the meantime, enjoy the trailer below.