Febuary was the month of Valentines...I hope you felt loved. 

"Behold what manner of love the Father has given unto us that we should be called the sons of God." - 1 John 3:1

Phil and I said we wouldn't exchange gifts this year, but he changed his mind! He surprised me with some aroma therapy goodies! Because I am a little fidgety at night, he gave me a bottle of Sleep Pillow Mist: Lavender Chamomile. Lavender Essential Oil soothes and calms so you can relax and Chamomile Essential Oil has a lulling effect to enhance sleep.  I just love the fragrance!

He also gave me a little bottle of roll-on Instant Aromatherapy to keep by my computer while I write! It contains Eucalyptus essential oil to clear the mind and Spearmint essential oil to ease mental fatigue. Whew!

Once rested and de-stressed, I focused on Pride and Prejudice - my book for the month! I was drawn in by the imperfect yet perfectly portrayed characters and the high resolution picture of an oppressively class-bound culture. Of course, I love the strong woman at the center, Elizabeth, who navigated her way through all the genteel perils.

Two other women who struck me as particularly interesting were Mrs. Bennett and Mrs.Gardiner.
 

Mrs. Bennet was foolish and frivolous. She lacked decorum and virtue and had no interest in the moral or intellectual instruction of her daughters.  All she cared about was getting them married off, or married-up I should say!

Mrs. Gardiner, on the other hand, was intelligent, caring and sensible.  She acted as a mother to Elizabeth and Jane, filling in the gaps left by Mrs. Bennet.  Her honorable character reminded me of another intelligent caring and sensible woman I know, - my Mom!

Judith Jolly is one of the brightest, most beautiful and benevolent women I know.  And I'm not the only one who thinks so.  Check out this article from the Pensacola News Journal from the 20th of this month.  It features my Mom's volunteer service to the Santa Rosa genealogical section of the Milton Library and a fitting send off as she and my Dad retire to Dade City, Florida to live closer to family.  Way to go Mom!

Now for my coffee-loving friends, put down your cup for a moment. This is shocking news and I fear you might spill out of sheer empathy...my coffee grinder broke! Yes. I cannot breathe in enough lavender, spearmint or chamomile to calm me down about this!

I have lots of beans and no way to grind.  Panicking at the prospect of having to drink less than satisfying coffee until I replace my grinder, my assistant Kathryn recommended I try Folgers' Black Silk Coffee.  Big surprise! It is absolutely fabulous and I love it!

I ended the month with a visit to St. Leo University where, while there, I got to see family.  What a special time.  And I am winding up the month with a warm cup of wassail in hand from my fabulous Correspondence Assistant, Becky.  It's her family recipe and she brought some into the office to share.  Now lest you think wassail is only for Christmas, the drink originated in England as a way to say "be in good health."

Wassail, while classically shared at Christmas, is also still served at weddings, ministry offices in February, and other gatherings where community and family are celebrated. So I lift my cup of Black Silk and warm Wassail to you...may you drink in the truth that you are loved.  

So give these things a taste test:

1.  Aromatherapy from Bath & Body Works

2.  Pride and Prejudice

3.  Black Silk Coffee

4.   Wassail
 

What God Has Been Teaching Me Lately 

February marks the month I begin writing again!  After I turned in my Self Talk, Soul Talk manuscript last spring, I vowed I would not write for the remainder of 2007.  I wasn't worn out, bummed out or burned out; I was just trying to be wise. 

My reason was simple.  After writing six books, I've learned the hard way that burnout begins long before I smell the smoke.  In the past, by the time I detected burnout, it was like an incinerator, and I was lost in the flames.  I am finally figuring out that rest must be a discipline, and sometimes discipline is hard!

Hebrews 3:19 says, "So we see that they (the Children of Israel) could not enter it (His rest) because of unbelief." What God has shown me is that when I can't or am unwilling to rest (which means to trust fully in Him rather than in me), it is an act of unbelief.  Does unbelief keep you from the rest God intended? 

My burnout in the past found its roots in my belief that I had to help God accomplish His will.  I felt that if I didn't strive, He wouldn't succeed.  That can make a girl tired!  Do you realize that helping God be God is a lofty responsibility?  He doesn't need our assistance; He desires our obedience.  Jesus tells us,  "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."  (Matthew 11:29 nasb)

Many of us assume the responsibility of "burning out for God," and wonder why we grow so weary in our well-doing.  God calls us to rest.  He calls us to discipline our souls to find rest in Him, not in our accomplishments on His behalf. 

Would you drive your car if the gas tank was empty? Of course not.  But how often do you keep on driving yourself even when you are empty?

Benjamin Franklin once said, "He who can take rest is greater than he that can take cities." 

Do you know why he compares the ability to rest with world domination? I think it is because both require discipline.  We must discipline ourselves to rest-emotionally, mentally, and physically.   To really rest means we submit our control to God's calendar, surrender our plans to His direction, and yield our time to His Schedule. 

God made time in His busy creation project to rest! So for you to do the same is a way of following His example.  Disciplining yourself to rest is an act of good stewardship. 

There is freedom in the discipline of rest that doesn't exist in the ashes of burnout.  When we allow ourselves to burn out, we are rendered ineffective to all the goals and tasks that were once our priorities.  It is far easier to discipline ourselves to rest than it is to dig ourselves out of the fire pit our burnout has created. 
 

God commanded the ancient Israelites to observe the Sabbath every seven days. They were even instructed to give their land a rest every seven years. My friends, if the dirt needs a rest so that it can continue to be fruitful, so do you! 

Question:

In the introductory video of Fingerprints of God, you quote some verses regarding the healing of the blind.  How do you resolve those verses with your current situation?  Is it hard to read those verses? 

My daughter died two months ago and it is hard for me to read verses about healing (especially the story of Jairus' daughter).  I can't just skip over the verses I have a hard time with.  I have to come to terms with the fact that Jesus CAN heal, but He doesn't.  Can you share your experience in this area?

- Mary S.

Answer: 

To my Java readers, I changed this precious questioner's name before I published this.  She knows who she is, but I want to protect her privacy. 

To Mary: Oh, my deepest sympathy for the loss of your precious daughter.  I know all my Java friends feel the same.  May God continue to heal your heart. 

I understand the tension you feel when you read those verses. Sometimes, there are no clear answers.  I wrote about this very mystery of faith recently in an article that will appear in Home Life Magazine late this Spring.  I decided to copy the sidebar of the article below to articulate what I have learned to do. 

What to do when you feel disappointed...

1.  Cry when you hurt.

Jesus wept (John 11:35) and so should you.  When life hurts, admit your pain and cry. Not only is the physical act of shedding tears healthy, but having an honest response of sorrow or grief is also important in processing disappointment.

Abandon pride and reservation, and humbly admit your disillusionment to God.  Honesty leads to intimacy, but repression leads to isolation and depression.

So cry when it hurts; Jesus did.

2.  Trust God more than your feelings.

Feelings are real, but not always based in reality.  Feel your emotions, but don't think with them or base your faith on them.  Feelings change, but God never does.  Let your feelings serve as an intuitive detective that lead you to truth.  The truth is that God is love, God is faithful and you can trust Him even when you don't understand His ways.

3.  Choose loyalty over logic.

Choose to loyally love and faithfully follow no matter what. Be more devoted to the revealed nature of God than the reason of your natural mind.  Admit that your logic sometimes just doesn't cut it.  What God says about Himself is more dependable than what you "think" during a time of trial.  God has been and will be faithful to you; choose to remain faithful to Him.

And now, the beans are officially spilled!

1. I am still working on a Bible study to be published by LifeWay in early '09.  Filming  for the study begins in September.  Whoo! Hoo!  The purpose will be to help women speak Truth to their souls.  Pray for me to be creative and fresh, and to meet felt needs of women through God's Word.

2. Thank you for praying for our first Fresh Grounded Faith Conference in Waco.  It was amazing. God did more than we could have asked.  Please continue praying for the future FGF Conferences.  The next one is in Richmond, VA on April 18-19.  I sense God is working through this new offering.

Thanks a buzzillion!

- Jennifer
 

Is your name Wendy, Carlos, Don, Shannon or Nichole?

This is fun! We have five signed Lessons I Learned in the Dark books in our bookstore that never made into the hands of their original namesakes! Our mistake is your gain. If your name matches one from the list above, send us your address and we'll mail the book to you at no cost.

The first people to reply will win the give-away. Please email us your mailing address.

Each month we give away something from the JenniferRothschild.com Store. All you have to do is click on the link below to let us know you were here. Your name will automatically be added to a random drawing to win. Then read the next month's email to see if your name was picked!
 

I hope you'll consider being one of my faith-walkin' Sole Sisters. I covet your prayers and appreciate so much the things you do to spread the word about my message.

Here are just a few of the small things you can do to make a big impact:

Here are some Quick Links you might find helpful:
 

• Fresh Grounded Faith Conferences
• Jennifer's NEW Self Talk, Soul Talk Blog
• About Jennifer Rothschild
• Video: My Story
• Jennifer Rothschild Store
• Subscribe to WomensMinistry.NET weekly eNewsletter
• Email Jennifer