Her Own Words

Posted on October 31, 2016 by Jennifer Van Allen

Me: Are you relaxing in the sun?

Prodigal: Yep, I am enjoying the feeling of the sun on my skin.

Me: I was just reading about enjoying the “son”. Enjoying Jesus our Savior.

Prodigal: Share with me

This is a poem from Teresa of Avila

Thine am I, I was born for Thee,

What wouldst Thou, Master, make of me?

Give me death or give me life

Give health or give infirmity

Give honor or give obloquy

Give peace profound or daily strife,

Weakness or strength add to my life;

Yes, Lord, my answer still shall be

What wilt Thou, Master, have of me?

Tis Thou alone dost live in me.

What wilt Thou I should do for thee?

2 Corinthians 1:3

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort.

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

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God’s Plan

Posted on October 28, 2016 by Jennifer Van Allen

Me: Wow, what pretty art!

Prodigal: I am right in the center of it!

Me: That reminds me of a saying, “The best place to be is in the center of God’s will”

Prodigal: I like that, but what exactly does it mean?

Me: Let me give you a quote and with God’s help I will try to explain.

Theodore Epp—Once a man is satisfied that he is in the center of God’s plan and God is working out His will through him, that man is invincible.

When we really know God. We understand His power, His love and how he always pays attention to the big picture and the detail. Then when we are alone with God and he shows us that were on this path that He has mapped out. That even though imperfect we are following that road. That for some reason that we cannot grasp, that He has chosen us to walk this path and show His glory to others. We catch our breath, we look to the sky, the world ceases to become a distraction. We stand amazed at how Big and Loving our Father is. We know then in our very soul, without a doubt that we have become invincible. Because no amount of money, or political power can stop God. We know that no matter how many people have conspired with Satan to break God’s plan and bring you down with it. God is still Lord over us all. We know that no matter how tired or discouraged we become on days, that God is even then able to give us a strength that did not come from us.

God I praise you with my lips, and love you with my heart that You, God, Father of us all has taken me to the Center of Your Plan and for this moment before the world distracts me from You, I feel invincible!

If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

Philippians 2:1-2

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

Conversation With An Atheist

Posted on October 27, 2016 by Jennifer Van Allen

Me: Who is your friend, Prodigal?

Prodigal: Just a friend but she says that she does not believe in God.

Me: Well, I was just reading about conversations with Atheist and I would like to share.

Ravi Zacharias speaks on this in his book Beyond Opinion Living the Faith We Defend

Atheist: There is no God!

Christian: Are you sure about that? Can you prove that?

Atheist: I don’t need to! It’s obvious.

Christian: Well, humor me. Prove it!

Atheist: Well, I can’t prove it with total certainty. But it’s the best option.

Christian: I see. So what you are saying is that you can’t prove that there is no God–but that you believe the nonexistence of God is the most likely option.

Atheist: That’s right.

Christian: So atheism is a belief, then. Given that both atheism and Christianity are belief systems, which is better? And how might we go about judging this?

Makes you thing doesn’t it? Well I think that is the purpose! Now seek the answer for yourself.

Ecclesiastes 3:1

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

The Bible Straight

Posted on October 25, 2016 by Jennifer Van Allen

Me: Where are you visiting today?

Prodigal: I am visiting a college that teaches about God and the Bible.

Me: Nice looking school. I am reading about Billy Graham and wanted to share with you what he said about the Bible.

Billy by Sherwood Eliot Wirt

Billy has often repeated that “when I preach the Bible straight–no questions, no doubts, no hesitations–then God gives me a power that’s beyond me. When I say, “The Bible says,” God gives me this incredible power. It’s something I don’t completely understand.” He adds, “When I pick up the Bible, I feel as though I have a rapier in my hands.”

We can choose to try and use our power and our strength or we can turn to the power of the Lord. It seems like Billy figured that out.

Psalm 121:1-2

I will lift up my eyes to the hills–From whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord.

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

I Don’t Fit

Posted on October 22, 2016 by Jennifer Van Allen

Me: Prodigal are you trying to be a duck?

Prodigal: I like these ducks and I thought I would fit right in with them.

Me: Well, you are not a duck, you are a pig. I think it is great that you are a pig!

Prodigal: Thank you, I thought it was bad to be a pig.

Me: Let me encourage you about being you Prodigal.

In Chuck Swinoll’s book Start Where You Are it talks about being ourselves.

One day Chuck was sitting with someone having coffee and the following conversation took place about Chuck.

“You don’t fit. What’s with you? You’ve got the roots of a fundamentalist, but you don’t sound like it. Your theology is narrow, but you’re not rigid. You take God seriously but laugh like there’s no tomorrow. You have definite convictions, but you aren’t legalistic and demanding.

Then he added: “Even though you’re a firm believer in the Bible, you’re still having fun, still enjoying life. You’ve even got some compassion.

God may I always keep my compassion to the children you love!

Psalm 91:1-2

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty, I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

Love of God

Posted on October 19, 2016 by Jennifer Van Allen

Me: Howdy Prodigal!

Prodigal: Fall is here and with that out comes all the pumpkins.

Me: What do you like about fall Prodigal?

Prodigal: Well roasting marshmallows over a fire is always nice.

Me: I have good memories of the fall. Every time of year can be special for different reasons.

Prodigal: That is very true, so what would you like to share today which could be encouraging.

This is from the book You Can Change by Tim Chester

Here’s the shocking truth: without justifying faith people “never do anything out of love of God, but only out of self-love or fear of damnation.” There are acts that look like good works, but in fact they reflect a belief that the best way to get into God’s good books or to prove myself to others is through what I do. I declare myself to be a better a savior than Jesus. We think we must finish off what Christ left undone. That’s why Jesus says, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent” (John 6:29). There’s only one thing God wants us to do: have faith in his Son. Everything else will flow from that.

Today I have faith in Jesus and I know that all else will flow from that. Today my eyes are focused on my savior and my redeemer. Today I know that God’s love me and I love God. Today I know that I am not perfect but I am loved anyway. It might be good for you to say the same too. Jesus didn’t just save me, He saved you too!

1 John 4:18

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts our fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

Our Homes

Posted on October 17, 2016 by Jennifer Van Allen

Me: Howdy Prodigal! Are you coming or going?

Prodigal: I was just about to go inside and take a break after a long day.

Me: Well, as you are relaxing then I will share with you something from Charles Spurgeon in his book Joy In Christ’s Presence

O Lord of our hearts, home is not home without You. Life is not life without You. Heaven itself would not be heaven if You were absent. Abide with us. The world is growing dark, the twilight of time is drawing near. Abide with us, for the evening is coming upon us. We are getting older, and we are nearing the night when the dew falls cold and chill. A future is all around us; the splendors of the last age are descending; and while we wait in solemn, awestruck expectation.

Romans 3:3

What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God?

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

We Don’t Like Waiting

Posted on October 16, 2016 by Jennifer Van Allen

Me: Howdy, Prodigal!

Prodigal: Howdy, Why are you so late? I was getting tired of waiting. I almost left.

Me: Sorry I ran into traffic and then took a wrong turn. I hate being late and having people wait on me. We can start walking and I will share with you from Chuck Swindoll’s book One Nomad’s Amazing Journey of Faith Abraham.

We don’t like waiting, but that’s when God does some of His best work on our souls. When I’m forced to wait on God’s timing, I change. Sometimes I discover that my request was selfish—not part of God’s agenda at all. Other times I find that my level of maturity could not yet bear the blessing God wanted me to enjoy; I had to grow up so I could handle it well. Very often, my circumstances needed to change, or the blessing would have become a burden.

We seem to be getting worse when it comes to patience with waiting in our society. It is not seen as a virtue but an unnecessary burden that we should not have to bare. Learning to wait can be difficult, slow, and sometimes in seems unnecessary. God knows the reason behind the wait. So now it is time to practice that word that God keeps giving you…..wait.

Proverbs 18:10

The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe.

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

Walking

Posted on October 14, 2016 by Jennifer Van Allen

Me: Hold up Prodigal! I want to walk with you!

Prodigal: I would like to have someone to walk with while I get my daily exercise.

Me: I just finished reading Anne Graham Lotz The Magnificent Obsession and I wanted to share.

If we want to walk with God, we must walk in His direction, which means we must surrender the will of our life to Him. We can’t go off in our own direction, deciding our own goals and pursuing our own purposes. And we must walk at His pace, which means step-by-step obedience to His Word. And since we would have no idea what steps He is taking on a particular day, we have to read and apply His Word on a daily basis so we can walk at His pace.

One thing I have discovered is that God won’t adjust His pace or direction to suit me. I have to adjust my pace and direction to His if I want to walk with Him.

You want to speed walk right now. You think how can we every get there at this pace? God wants us to slow down. This is not just about the destination. This is about he journey.

Come near to God and He will come near to you.

James 4:8

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org

Anticipating Hearing From the Lord

Posted on October 11, 2016 by Jennifer Van Allen

Me: Howdy Prodigal! What are you looking for?

Prodigal: I am looking for some seashells to take home. I like to collect at least one.

Me: How do you know which one to take.

Prodigal: I just know after years of hunting seashells

Me: While you are looking then I want to share from a book I was reading.

Above Average for God by Rachel Sinclair

How do I know when I’m hearing God’s voice rather than my own? As a believer, it is important to learn how to discern the voice of God. Many times we hear ideas, or even come up with them on or own, that appear to be the right direction for our lives or would be great ways to serve the Lord and others, but let me caution you. Just because we hear them doesn’t mean they came from the Lord. The fact that they are great ideas and would serve others isn’t necessarily confirmation from the Lord. You want to follow the Lord’s guidance and participate in the things God has planned for your life. When the Father calls you to something, He will be right in the middle of it. He will provide for every need and empower you in supernatural ways to complete it. However, if it is not from the Lord, you likely will not sense His presence and power working within you.

The more time you spend with the Lord alone in worship, His word and in prayer the more you understand what His voice sounds like. It is like learning to discern the cry of a baby that is not your own but a friend or relative. You have to spend time with the baby to really learn there cry. Don’t compare yourself to others right now just spend time listening to God every step of the way!

John 3:36

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.