"Just Like Jesus"
by Nancy Sebastian Meyer
“Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies.” Psalm 34:13
Becky was probably three or four when Steve Green released a collection of songs setting verses to music to help children memorize God’s Word. Becky quickly learned every song by heart, including a tune for the verse: “Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies.”
At a concert in our area, Steve Green came off the platform and into the audience to take requests. After several songs, he spotted little Becky’s raised hand. She quickly scrambled over people to reach the aisle as he got down to her level. When she requested the “Keep Your Tongue” song, he asked if she would...[read more]
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News from hope4hearts...
New business cards, informational packets about Nancy’s ministry, and sample speaking CDs are now available! Please click here to inquire about having Nancy speak to your group. We will be happy to send you additional information.
Click here to go to Nancy's website homepage where you can listen to her new audio welcome. You can click here to see the new arrangement of Nancy's speaking topics. We're so excited about these delightful changes!
Reminder: Nancy’s Focus on the Family interview with Dr. Dobson is scheduled for March 24 and 25. |
Giving God Glory:
Dear Nancy,
I finished reading [Beyond Expectations] and have learned so much—speaking the truth in love, learning [my husband’s] love languages, winning him by Jesus’ love in me, and most of all using a gentle answer to turn away wrath. Thank you for writing such an awesome book!!! I felt it was my life when I read your feelings about your husband. How great is our God to have restored your love. I pray mine will also be a love of second chances. I will remember that God does the impossible so He can be given all honor and praise!
- Thank you so much! Julia
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Be sure to forward this
on to your friends and neighbors!
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Happy New Year...
Dear Friends,
The holidays often provide opportunities for parties and get-togethers. I attended a function where the hostess introduced an ice-breaker called “Two Truths and A Lie.” She explained that each person would take a turn making three statements about themselves. The rest of the participants at the table would guess which of the three was untrue.
For example, I might say:
1) Rich and I won our honeymoon to Bermuda
2) I scored a goal during my first ice hockey game and
3) I went sky-diving on my fortieth birthday.
*Let’s make this fun. Click here to guess which one of these statements is a lie. Out of everyone who guesses correctly, I’ll randomly draw a name on January 15 and mail the winner a free copy of my Heart Hope CD. You'll be contacted by email.
Although I initially felt very uncomfortable with the idea of deceiving anyone, after the party I continued to think about the issue of lying. I consider myself to be very honest. But as I examined my life, I realized I sometimes don’t tell the whole truth (if it will get me into trouble or make someone think less of me). I also began noticing that once in a while I become carried away and exaggerate a story. I confess I am trying to more effectively monitor my mouth!
I hope you enjoy this month’s e-talk content which centers on the concept of honesty. Even more, I hope you, too, are stimulated toward introspection, confession and truth speaking.
Sincerely,
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Speaking the Truth in Love — Part 1 |
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Of your friends and acquaintances, who would you say is the best communicator? What makes them effective? Most likely the qualities that stand out include honesty and sincerity, as well as tact and graciousness—which is what Ephesians 4:15 calls “speaking the truth in love.” The following excerpt from Beyond Expectations: Finding Joy In Your Marriage expounds on the first part of this important phrase—speaking the truth.
. . . Through people, situations, and even our own thinking, Satan lies to us. This crafty devil does not tell us outright, obvious lies. More often his lies take the form of exaggeration and distortion of the truth—mutilated and...[read more]
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Ask Nancy:
Question: What am I supposed to do if my husband is cheating on our income taxes?
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Answer: First, can you find an appropriate time and place to talk with him about your convictions and explain your desire to be honest? Second, might he allow you to file your taxes separately—so you can be honest on your personal tax return? As the head of your home, ultimately your husband is responsible for your (plural) decisions and actions. I encourage you to find a godly mentor who will pray and counsel with you on this matter. |
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A preacher was to preach on honesty and he told everyone to read Joshua 26.
The next Sunday he came and said, “How many read it?” Half the hands in church were raised. He said, “Great. Now you’re the ones I want to talk to. Joshua has only twenty-four chapters, and I am especially concerned about you tonight.”
- Bob Phillips, The World’s Greatest Collection of Heavenly Humor
If you've heard of a funny, clean joke,
send it to us. |
Notable Quotables:
Those who think it is permissible to tell white lies soon grow color-blind.
—Austin O'Malley
If you tell the truth you don't have to remember anything. —Mark Twain
The best measure of a man's honesty isn't his income tax return. It's the zero adjust on his bathroom scale.—Arthur C. Clarke
You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. —Jesus (John 8:32)
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