Regina Walker is a guest blogger and I hope there will be many more to come. I recently finished Regina's novel, We Go On and I was happy to write a 5 star review. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
We Go On was written with sensitivity for the much avoided topic of suicide. The author showed how there are different ways in dealing with the loss of someone who took their own life. Not everyone grieves the same way, nor should they. I cried at the characters' struggles and felt relief when they started to heal. Ms. Walker did an excellent job of capturing the sorrow and pain of those who survived the death of a loved one who killed themselves, but left the reader with the sense of hope, healing and helping others through the love of God. I highly recommend this book.
How often do we forget to ask for what we really need from someone? As I watched my youngest daughter, who is 3 years old, come at her daddy with wrestling fists, head butting, kicking, and tackling, I wondered why she didn’t just curl up in his arms and cuddle him.
I knew that’s what she needed - because sometimes moms just know these things. I knew because for three days she’s told me how much she misses her daddy. For three days she’s crawled into my arms, which are good arms for a mom but are a poor substitute for a daddy.
I tried to suggest that daddy was up for a cuddle, but she wasn’t buying it. I tried to suggest that she could just ask him to hug her, but she wasn’t listening to me. She needed his attention, but in her little mind, to get that attention she needed to come at daddy with all the bravado in the world.
These antics carried on for a while, and I finally left it alone and let her continue to come at her daddy as though she wanted to wrestle. I wish I could say she grew tired of wrestling and finally told her daddy that she needed that cuddle, but she didn’t. She went off to play outside with her big sister.
I told my husband that she needed a cuddle at some point. All that fight was just her way of getting his attention, but she’s really quite cuddly and a lot too stubborn for her own good.
So why am I telling you all this? Especially since I’m not wrapping it up in a “she got her daddy-cuddle” shout for joy? I’m telling you this because I think we often approach God this way.
We need something specific - His reassurance, His vote of confidence, His encouragement. But we don’t come to Him with our request. We either skirt it - covering it up with requests for others, or requests for more tangible things like finances and jobs and provision. But how often do we ask God for just His presence, or for His reassurance? In Captivating by Stasi Eldredge, she suggests asking God to show us how beautiful we are. I was so deeply challenged by this notion. Isn’t that vain? Isn’t that selfish? I can’t come to God focused on myself.
I don’t want to toe any lines or reverse the importance of selflessness, so don’t misunderstand me here. I do believe, however, that we can approach the very throne of our Father and ask for His comfort, His assurance, His guidance, His wisdom, and even ask Him to show us how beautiful we are. I cried the first time I asked God to show me how beautiful I am. He is faithful ad He gave me a vision that rocked my world. You can come to God real, raw, hurting, happy, in need, in plenty. God is authentic and He welcomes your authentic approach.
How are you approaching God? Do you have your guard up? Are you hiding behind a mask? Do you think you have to muster your bravado or attempt to be perfect? Do you think it takes an impossible song and dance to get your Father’s attention?
“So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask Him.” Matthew 7:11 NLT
Until next time,
Find me online:
Regina Walker Website: Here
Regina Walker Facebook Author Page: Here
Regina Walker Instagram: Here
Regina Walker Amazon: Here
Regina Walker released her debut novel, We Go On, this year. She crafts compelling characters facing some of life's hardest challenges. Her heart's desire is to always point toward Jesus through the way her characters face challenges, relationships, and adversity.
Regina is an Oklahoma import, although she was born and raised in the beautiful state of Colorado. She likes to curl up on the couch and binge-watch crime shows with her hard-working husband. When she's not wrestling with a writing project, she can be found wrangling their children, riding their horses, or working around their small hobby farm.