Author Archives: Patricia Ann

A Pastor’s Response

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My Precious Life, my book, has received many positive and promising reviews, and this one, which landed in my Inbox yesterday, is among the most encouraging.

The writer of this message can be found in Chapter 23, page 89, of My Precious Life. He is mentioned in only one sentence, and yet that sentence seems to have moved him to this response.

Lawrence Crews is Senior Pastor at Calvary Community Church in Barrie, Ontario, and has given me permission to share his words.

This then, is a Pastor’s response: 

Today at 10:49 AM
Dear Mrs Boyes,
Thank you so much.
I just finished reading your beautiful book. I am deeply moved. I feel honoured.
I am blessed. I am encouraged. I am chosen.
Tears flow down my face as I write. I am truly amazed at the love and care of our God toward you, toward me, toward each of our loved ones and so many others as well.
God’s grace, peace and kindness have again leapt into my heart – this time from the pages of your book. Thank you.
Your old brown Toyota will always hold a special place of memory in my heart. December 18, 1977. My life changed forever that evening at Scarborough Gospel Temple. Jesus Christ sought me. Thank God I was found by him.
How could I have known the rich heritage of God moving in your life? Thank you for being willing and obedient to write.
I am in awe. I am comforted. If God is for us then who can be against us?
Thank you for sharing your precious life so beautifully with pen and paper. I know you now a thousand times more than ever before. My life is that much the richer.
You will be delighted to know…
I woke early this morning and was able to get a good start on the day. I treated myself to breakfast and your book at a quiet, local greasy spoon. It’s a great way for me to read without interruption.
Out of the blue the waitress asked, “What book are you reading?”
Instantly I knew God was at work-again. I shared with her about December 18 and how my life changed that night forever.
She curiously asked me some more questions about the book. I asked her if she would like to read it. 🙂
I’m leaving it with her now.
Thirty-seven years later, I’m humbled and thankful to know that God still speaks to us and through us even today.
With deepest respect, honour and thanks,

Lawrence 😎

It is with a thankful heart that I share this glowing tribute to My Precious Life, the book, which, through Jeremiah 30:2, God prompted me to write.

What are you not sharing?

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A young lady known as “Mamasongs” posted this today and I believe it is too meaningful not to share. How many of us are hiding our lights under bushels? Thank you, Mamasongs aka Love One Another. I hope this encourages more and more people to share their God given gifts.

Here and Gone

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People are dropping out of my life at a rapid rate.

Three  days ago a friend went for her morning walk, and instead of returning home, she went to heaven….via a bus. I’m having a difficult time comprehending that.

The absence of others is not so dramatic, but just as incomprehensible.

Different instances giving different meaning to three little words…here and gone.

I cannot lean on my own understanding.

Before They Call

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Yesterday I wrote about seeing God, and that we’d been told that no one has ever seen Him.

Today I found out where I had heard (or seen) that phrase.

1 John 4:12 says No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. (NIV)

Is it any wonder I saw God on Saturday? Love was everywhere that day!

Today’s title is from Isaiah 65:24

Until tomorrow….or whenever   🙂

Have You Seen God?

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We have been told that no one has ever seen God.

Well, I’m here to tell you that I saw Him on Saturday at My Precious Life’s successful book launch!

I saw Him in the faces of my church family who worked for hours setting up tables and chairs, food and drink, and nourished me with the gifts of flowers, words of encouragement, and a cuppa tea and a plate of goodies after the books were signed and sold.

I saw Him in the faces of my dear and lovely family, rearranging their day to come to my launch; and in the faces of three of my little great-grandchildren who gave up their play time for GG.

I saw Him in the faces of friends who came from far and near; friends from bygone days who nourished me with warm hugs and loving memories.

I saw Him in the faces of those who lined up to buy copies of My Precious Life.

Have you seen God?

Look closely at those whose lives touch yours in any wonderful way, and like me, you will say, “I saw God today.“

 

Today is the Day

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No more counting…today is the day!

My Precious Life is on its way!

Two scriptures come to mind: This is the day The Lord has made..(Ps.118:24)

Surely The Lord is in this place…(Gen.28:16)

Happy Saturday! Happy Book Launch!

(Can you guess what Monday’s post will be?)

 

 

Counting the Days (One)

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Today’s the day I tie up all the loose ends of the long awaited book launch of My Precious Life.

I don’t know how many people to expect but I do know that a wonderful group of friends is going to feed the people who do come.

These friends are going to arrive early enough to set up tables, chairs, food platters, tea, coffee, and cold drinks.

How wonderful they are, and how blessed I am.

Some of my family members are also contributing and helping in other ways as well. Again, how blessed I am.

Thank you to those bloggers who have supported this effort with their “likes” and prayers.

And now I’m counting the hours….

 

 

Counting the Days (Two)

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The book launch for My Precious Life is happening in two days.

Someone asked me, “What do you do at a book launch?”

I said, “I don’t know, I’ve never done one before!”

To all who are in the vicinity of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, 115 St. Andrews Road, Scarborough, on Saturday, September 6, do come and help launch My Precious Life from 1 p.m to 3 p.m.

To all who are not, please do send your prayers and click “like” to lend your support.

I’m counting the days!

Up For the Challenge – Part II

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As promised, here is my response to a young man’s thoughts on the Book of Job, and Christianity in general:

First of all, let me direct you to Biblica.com and the links Biblica/Home and Bible FAQs. It explains the writing of the Bible.

My core belief is that God is the author of the Bible, writing through all the people who chose to record the happenings of the day as they were inspired by him. (Just as I have been inspired by him to write my book.) This is borne out in the Dead Sea Scrolls, discovered within a ten year period between 1946 and 1956. The Bible is also a wonderful history book, crammed full of hisorical events and happenings. And yes, it certainly is subject to interpretation, and many translations. But at the core, when you sort the grain from the chaff, is God’s basic love for mankind, which only comes to light fully in the New Testament when he stopped being mad at us for being such a bunch of dunderheads.

Christianity survived in spite of political leaders, even though those leaders had an innocent man put to death because he was a threat to their governing, and the god they believed in. Christianity still survives in spite of political agendas because of that murdered man.

God does not “hold it all together”. We are all given free will to choose how to behave, what to believe, and how to live our lives. This is why you believe what you believe and I believe what I believe. And that’s okay, providing we are open to learning everything we can in the short time alloted to us on this planet. It is why we are here.

I suggested reading the Book of Job because of Satan. Most people think it was God who dumped on Job, but as you read, it was Satan’s aim to cause as much harm in the world as possible, both way back then and to this day.

Life is a battlefield of Good and Evil (take an “o” out of good and add a “d” to evil). You can see that in our day to day life, and we all wage our own battles every day.

Please don’t make the mistake of not believing in the devil, because that is just what he waits for. (Aha, I just got another one!)

A little humility is good, and a little less ego is even better.

I’m not here to tell you what to believe or not, but please don’t shut the door on the possibility that there is a God, and that he loves you more than you’ll ever know, and waits for you to give him the chance to tell you so. He is telling you now, through me!

I trust you are intelligent enough to not let “intelligence” get in the way of a great learning experience.

These are my thoughts on your thoughts, and my opinions/beliefs on the matter.

P.S. Have you figured out why you celebrate Christmas yet? It is because of that murdered Man. It’s all in the history book!  🙂

And may I add here that it is my hope that we have continued conversations when circumstances and time allow.

Up For the Challenge, Part I

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The following is a result of challenging a young man to read the book of Job, after a lengthy discussion about God, Jesus, Satan and the Bible in general. Because of  his claim to atheism, we agreed to disagree on a number of things, but he did agree to read Job and here are his thoughts, posted with his permission.

Above all else the Book of Job is an allegory for people to appreciate what it is that they have, and to persevere when times get tough. This, in my opinion, can be understood by believers and non-believers alike, since the main message is quite clear. However, I don’t think that you need God in order to use this story in every-day life. Every person goes through trials and tribulations, some that are more challenging than others, but in the end one has to persevere and continue to work hard to make those hard times pass. For me, a deity is not the main source of either good or bad times, and it is only through what we do during those hard times that shapes and influences us as a person. Ultimately, I believe that we as humans must accept all that happens as our own responsibility and not blame or praise any one or any thing else since we can only control what is in our power to control.

There are many things from the Bible and the Scriptures that we can take and make good use of, since the main message is to be a moral and contributing member of society. However, that message was passed down from mankind for centuries since it helps to serve our own needs and our own purposes, and we do not need a God to tell us not to hurt other people since we fully understand that hurting people leads to a dysfunctional community. When the Bible was written some 1800 years ago (and as early as 1500 years ago), society was quite primative in that clearly defined laws were still rudimentary and people were still trying to figure things out. Societies around the world rose and collapsed as they tried to codify laws that worked for their civilization. Christianity survived because the main political leaders found utility in it (yes, I know that makes me sound like a cynic) and that’s how it was able to spread. But the message, the essence of the Bible, to be a good person is something that should be instilled, but I do not think that an omnipresent and omnipotent God is needed to hold it all together. To give praise to a supreme being for when things go well, and to accept full “blame” for when things go bad is in complete contradiction to human nature and human ego. You are right in that humility is something that all people need to practice–to know one’s limitations and to accept one’s shortcomings–but, again, for me, God does not factor into that.

There are many things in this world that I will never understand, and there are things that humans cannot understand, and may never understand, but thats OK since the fact that we live on this floating rock orbiting a giant star is the most random occurrence out there (in my humble opinion).

I am curious to hear what you have to say about this, and look forward to reading what your opinions/beliefs are on the matter.

My responsive thoughts will appear tomorrow. (God willing).