Our first devotion of the New Year! It’s hard to believe it’s already time for a new devotion and a new theme word to center it upon. But here we are, ready for a new lesson and a new challenge, or so I hope. Without further ado, let’s begin!

Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.
Proverbs 29:18
King James Bible

What is a Vision?

In modern times, we do not have “visions” or dreams sent to us by God to teach us lessons. But we should all still have a vision. I think of a vision as a combination of a dream, desire and a goal. A dream of an idea, something you would love to see happen. A desire to actually accomplish that dream. A goal or multiple goals, set and met to bring that dream to pass.

What is Your Vision?

We all have one (or two or three!) in our lives. It could be to become a published author, learn a new instrument or get more organized. Maybe you want to learn how to sew, or research a topic of personal interest. And if you are a gentleman, you are probably gathering the skills you need for your career of choice.

Where is Your Vision?

Now here is the clincher. There is nothing wrong with having dreams and desires for the future. But what is the purpose behind your vision? Stop and check up: Is this something God wants me to do? Is this something that will only benefit me, or is it something I can use to honor God and Bless others? Is this something that will point others to me or to God?

Here is a vision that should be in every Christian’s heart: the Vision of Reaching the World for Christ. In fact, we are commanded to take a personal interest in this endeavor. And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. (Mark 16:15, King James Version)

Missions is the heartbeat of God. Have you considered your place in fulfilling the Great Commission? What has God called you to do, or have you even asked Him? Have you surrendered your life to serve God in whatever capacity He brings your way? Have you considered the fact that you may be called to be a missionary? Are you witnessing to those around you? Have you started giving monthly to your church’s missions program?

And that other vision of yours. It’s so perfect, so in line with what you want to do in life. But is it what God has for you? A dear friend of ours wanted to be a pharmacist. He went to a University and began his studies. And he failed a class. His dream, the one he wanted and had planned for, not even a bad plan, had come crashing down around him. He at last sought God, giving his plans over to Him. And God called him to be an English teacher. He has taught in Public and Christian Schools, teaching English and literature, even getting to teach the Bible in Public School, because it is literature!

Does God want you to go to college or is that just your own desire you hope He’s okay with? Does God want you to pursue that career or does He have something different in mind for you? Does God want you to serve Him on the missionfield or serve here at home? Is your current path His choice for you or your own desire?

It’s time for some soul searching. Where is your Vision? On Christ or yourself?

A brand-new year is before us! What a fantastic opportunity to make it the best year yet, with the Help of Jesus Christ! Don’t know Him personally? Check out my testimony. Having a personal relationship with Christ is the very best way to begin the New Year!

2020.

So different, but it sounds so right, too. It’s a clean slate "with no mistakes in it yet." (Anne of Green Gables, probably my favorite quote from that story!)

Very quickly, I’d like to share a few things to expect here on the blog; then, we will dive right into my word of the year (click here for 2019’s word of the year!)

I am a ministry kid (well, I’m technically an adult, but I still live at home, so “kid”!), and that means that sometimes, I cannot adhere to a schedule. I try to post on Saturdays (changing from Friday). But if something comes up and my posts are not there, you know what happened 😉. I post devotions, writing advice, historical articles and bookish posts! I also post reviews of books that I’ve read, fiction and non-fiction, traditionally published and Self-Published. But a new feature that I’m adding this year is a special post on the first Monday of each month (Lord Willing!) and that I shall share with you after our Word of the Year.

Word of the Year is very special to me, even though this is only my second year doing it. I learned so much from my 2019 word, Stand, and I can’t wait to see what God will show me with this word.

So without further ado…

*Drumroll*

2020’s Word of the Year is…

Now, before you go laughing, thinking this is a pun off of 20-20 Vision, it’s not. When I picked this word (or rather felt God impressing this word on my heart over and over), I hadn’t even thought about the fact that this was 2020.

This verse keeps coming to the forefront of my mind. Since my family travels full-time for the Fundamental Broadcasting Network, I attend multiple missions conferences a year. It has touched my heart in a way hard to express. Though I don’t feel called to overseas missions (but I’m open to that if it’s what God wants for my life), Missions means a lot to me. These people are dying, lost without Christ. And when we turn our backs on the Vision of Missions, not only do they perish, but so does our effectiveness in the Christian life. Missions is the heartbeat of God.

We’ll talk about this more in our upcoming devotion, “Where is Your Vision?”

Now, in keeping with this theme (although there are certainly more aspects to one’s vision beyond missions), I decided to share with you my Monday Blog post theme and a challenge for you.

Every First Monday (as I said, Lord Willing), I will be posting a spotlight on a different country in the world. Basic facts, interesting information, missionaries that serve there if applicable (Have to make sure they are the kind I want to promote!), and a little about the spiritual condition of the country.

Here’s where your part comes in.

Please join me in the Missions Vision Challenge! Will you commit to praying for that country throughout its assigned month? Will you pray for laborers to go to that country to reach it for Christ? Will you give to your church’s missions program, trusting the Lord to send it to the Missionary that needs it most? Will you find out if you have a missionary in that country, and if so, pray for them by name, read their prayer letter, and perhaps send them a card/email of encouragement?

Before we go, I have a few Missions themed Story Prompts for you. And a few Missions book recommendations. Here you go!

Books to Read

Evidence Not Seen by Darlene Diebler Rose (18+ if read independently)
Missionaries with the Millers by Mildred A. Martin
Wounded Tiger by T. Martin Bennett (18+)
David Livingston, Louis Zamperini, Lilian Trasher, Amy Carmichael, and Jacob DeShazer by Janet and Geoff Benge.
 
That’s all I have for you today!
Have a Blessed New Year!
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22

This is the last post of 2019. Hard to believe, even harder to write.

This year, my word of the year was Stand. I had no idea how special this word would be to me.

I was challenged in several ways to stand. I was privileged to stand for life through working with Pregnant Options, attending a Pro-Life Rally, and signing a few petitions that came my way. I have been challenged to stand even firmer in my stance that the King James Bible is the Word of God by seeing the increase of people turning away from it. I’ve been inspired to stand in my Baptist Faith by reading of the mighty work God has done through my spiritual ancestors. And I’ve even be challenged to stand by the fundamental truths of American History 😉 (Try answering the question “What do you think of Abraham Lincoln?” when the one asking is a very kind northern lady and you desperately want to avoid hurting her feelings but be honest as well! Praise the Lord, He gave me a kind answer and we both left the conversation happy!)
 
Now more than ever, we need to take a stand for what we believe in. The devil is fighting hard, and man continues to call evil good and good evil. But we must stand! We have no choice! The gospel depends on it!
 
I’m eager to share my word of the year with you in my next post, and I can’t wait to see how God uses it in my life.
 
Now, my December Favorites!

Bible Verse: Isaiah 9:6-7 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

Don’t ask me why, but even more so than the actual account of Jesus Birth, this passage gives me chills. This is Who He Is! Look at all the promises in these verses, just in the names given to Jesus! What a genuinely mighty God we Serve!

Song: Good Christian Men Rejoice. It’s my official Favorite Christmas Song this Year!

Event: Our After-Christmas-Family-Gathering! Almost everyone made it in for lunch, and it was so nice having all my siblings and their families in at the same time!

Book of the Month: The Christmas Carol Society by Rebekah Jones. She’s a new author to me this year, and while I don’t approve of all her writing (and the scriptures are not King James), this book was incredibly thought-provoking. Didn’t really expect certain of the plot twists. I greatly enjoyed it!

Ministry: We performed a Christmas Play for my former home chirch, among other meetings this month! We had a lovely time acting out “The Greatest Gift” by Majesty Music. (BTW!!!! If you are not acquainted with Patch the Pirate{Put out by Majesty Music| You really need to check it out! Their latest episode was so good…and tear-jerking…)

Writing Update: I’ve been working on some personal revisions for A Song of Home, but stay tuned for the January update…it should be far more satisfying than anything I can tell you right now, Lol!

A Book I am Anticipating for January: Speak Truth in Your Heart by Sarah Mally. It’s her newest book, and I am so excited about this Bible Study! I also hope to put a dent in Jefferson Davis, American and read my Paw-Paw’s copy of Killing Lincoln by Bill O’Reilly in preparation for book 5 rewrites…😉
 
And now for the whole reason you have stayed around this long…to see my list of 2019 Top Books!

Okay, so maybe that’s not why you are reading but, a girl can hope, right?

I specifically chose these books because they touched me personally, and I hope that if you read them, they will move you too.

10. The Real Lincoln by Thomas DiLorenzo.
This book showed me there are still people who know the truth about history, particularly about the War Between the States. The author is from Pennsylvania, giving him more credibility (though the region shouldn’t decide ones’ ability to serve the facts) and a larger platform than the average Joe could hope for. If you want the truth or some hope that real history can still be found, pick up this book.

9. Through the Tunnel by Rebekah A. Morris.
Foster kids have always touched me. Their lives are so sad in general. But this story provides hope. The forever home is out there, if not physically, then certainly spiritually. This is one of my favorite books by Ms. Morris.

8. Freedom by Faith Potts.
Now, this book will need editing for those who do not prefer Romance (like myself), but the message of this story goes far beyond any fictional relationship. This is about PTSD, a very real thing our servicemen go through daily. And it’s about another frightening reality: Suicide. Because of the romance content and suicide, I recommend this for 18+. But this book was so powerful. It was not written to entertain. It was written to educate, encourage and reach out to those in need. And most importantly, this book is about the most essential Relationship you could ever have: A Relationship with Jesus Christ.

7. The Auschwitz Escape by Joel C. Rosenburg.
This one is fiction, but so powerful. The ending wasn’t entirely satisfactory for me, but it was still so eye-opening. I’ll never think of the Holocaust quite the same way again.

6. Three People by Isabella Alden.
This is my favorite book by my favorite author. If you have never read any of her books, and need one to start with, pick this one!

5. Wedding Score by Amanda Tero.
This book was such an encouragement to me, particularly in the Bible Study section of the story. It was profound, compelling, and very touching. I hope to re-read it soon, it was so encouraging in waiting on God’s time in all things.

4. Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand.
I’ve wanted to read this book ever since it came out. And this year, I did. It’s deep, and definitely not for young people without being editing first. But it’s a compelling story and one we can all learn from today.

3. Let’s Roll! by Lisa Beamer.
If you’ve read my testimony, then you know how much 9/11 has impacted my life. This book has only endeared the heroes of that day to me even more. I will never forget. I hope you won’t either. But this book will ensure that you don’t.

2. Worth Dying For by Rorke Denver.
It’s by a Navy SEAL…😊 But Seriously, this book explains some of the core values of the American Spirit. And in teaching us what things are worth dying for…He has shown us some things worth Living for.

And finally...





1. O To Be Like Thee by Kassie Angle.
I know you saw that coming, but this book really did touch me deeply. It’s powerful. Heart-wrenching…and real. For those of you looking for a Clean Military Read not meant to be forgotten…yeah, get this book ASAP.
 
And that, my friends, concludes the blog posts of 2019!
God Bless and Keep Standing!
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22

The New Year is 4 days away. What? How did it all get by so fast? What happened? Well, no use crying over spilt milk. This New Year is a fresh slate with no mistakes in it…yet. As long as mankind remains on the earth, mistakes will be made and sins will be committed, though we should be doing our part to keep the number down! Today, I thought it would be fun to share with you some resolutions, since that’s what we are “supposed to do” at the end of a year. These are for writers, and hopefully, these will be attainable. Let’s dive “write” in!

Keep Priorities Straight.

Don’t ever let your writing come in place of your Bible study, Prayer life, or family responsibilities. Believe me, every writer has struggled with at least one of these at some time or another. Purpose in your heart to keep your priorities in line. Remember JOY: Jesus first, Others second, Yourself last. And yes, writing is in the “Yourself” category.
 
Read a Book on Writing Craft.

These can be so helpful! As in anything in life, if you are a writer, you need to keep growing in your craft. My favorite writing book is Did God Put a Book in You? By Jerry Ross. Another good one is 5 Basic Points of Plot Structure by K. M. Weiland.
 
Read the Writings of the Master Author.

I borrowed this title for our Lord from Amanda Tero. He wrote the best Book in all History and none can be compared to it. And our efforts in any area of life will amount to nothing without Him. So study the Bible (the King James is the proper translation for English speakers), apply it to your life. And as for your writing? Find verses that apply to your story. Use the lessons God teaches you through His Word in your writing. I got an idea for a battle scene from reading the book of Joshua. I also applied something God taught me through Ruth in a Camp Fire Story. You never know what God has in mind for your writing until you submit to being His student.
 
Write a Short Story.

It has been said that if a preacher can’t preach a message in 5-10 minutes, he’s not a real preacher. Well, the same might be said for a writer. Writing short stories is a good exercise for authors, teaching them to keep out all unnecessary dialogue, details and backstory. You’ve got a minimum of space to tell your story. Challenge yourself to cut the chatter and write a story with a convincing plot and character in 1,000 words or less. See if it doesn’t teach you a lot about writing in the process.
 
Keep an Inspiration Notebook.

I keep one in my purse as I travel to jot down story ideas, tidbits I want to research, songs I want to use, quotes or even whole scenes that come to me. You never know when Inspiration will hit: in the car, at the store, in the middle of the night, etc. so buy a little notebook and let the thoughts flow.

That's all I have for Now!
Have A Blessed Day!
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22

Merry Christmas, dear Reader! May your day be filled with Love and Joy as you and your loved ones celebrate the reason for Life itself: The Birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ! Born to Die that we Might live…what a wonderful thought! In the words of Isaiah 9:6-7:

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

Merry Christmas from Life of Heritage!