by Barb Roose | Feb 6, 2022 | Uncategorized
Have you seen the theatrical release of “Redeeming Love” based on the best-selling book by Francine Rivers? My friend, Elaine and I saw the movie last weekend.
If you’ve been on social media, you may have seen a wide range of opinions, out-right enthusiasm, or objections for this adaptation of River’s work to the big screen. I’ll include a link to the Facebook review that I posted at the bottom of this post. But, I don’t want to use our precious time together to debate the controversy. Instead, I want to revisit the basis for River’s original novel in the book of Hosea. This book of the Bible shares the heartbreaking and incredible message that God conveyed through his prophet, Hosea, who endured his own heartache in order to reach God’s people.
This short, prophetic book of the Bible shares the heartbreaking and incredible message that God conveyed through his prophet, Hosea, who endured his own heartache in order to reach God’s people.
Let me highlight four things that you should know about the book of Hosea and the major themes in this story about God’s redeeming love when we run away from Him and instead choose to sell ourselves for what the world has to offer, whether it’s money, comfort, fear, status, etc.
1. Hosea’s name means “salvation.” His name is an adaptation of Joshua and Jesus. If you’ve done my Joshua Bible study, you know that Joshua was a savior symbol for the Israelites as he led them into the Promised Land, and Jesus is our Savior.
2. As a prophet, Hosea was God’s spokesperson. However, God’s instruction to Hosea was to marry a prostitute named Gomer, who would symbolize the Israelites who were unfaithful to God by selling themselves to other leaders and gods. Not only would Hosea bring a prophetic message to stubborn and rebellious Israelites, but he would live through personal heartache at home each day (Hosea 1:2-3).
3. The book of Hosea paints a graphic and uncomfortable message that reminds us of just how badly it hurts God when we run away from Him or fall in love with anything and everything other than Him. The overt sexual imagery in Hosea, both in Gomer as a prostitute as well as other verses illustrating the sexual intimacy between a man and a woman, are all symbols of how much God values an intimate, close connection with us (Hosea 3:1-2).
4. The overwhelming message of Hosea is that God’s love for His people always prevails over their sin. There may be hard seasons and consequences for our unfaithfulness, but His love and redemption are always a part of His plan (Hosea 2:14-20).
Again, I encourage you to read the book of Hosea with these thoughts in mind. Here are two powerful verses.
The first verse is God’s message about what He wants for you.
“I want to show you love, not offer sacrifices. I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings.” -Hosea 6:6 NLT
God wants to love you, and He isn’t looking for you to try to earn His love or favor. Remember from my Breakthrough: Finding Freedom in Christ Bible study, Breakthrough Principle #1: God’s love is based on His perfect promises and never your performance.
In this second verse, Hosea calls the people to repentance. He implores them to turn from whatever they’re selling their souls to and turn back to God. As you read this verse, perhaps it can be your declaration and prayer today:
Oh, that we might know the LORD! Let us press on to know him. He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn or the coming of rains in early spring. -Hosea 6:3 NLT
I’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU: Have you read the book Redeeming Love or seen the movie? Also, as you read today’s verses from Hosea 6:6 and Hosea 6:3, which one resonates more with you today? Hit “reply” and tell me about it.
by Barb Roose | Feb 3, 2022 | Uncategorized
From the top of our head to the tips of our toes, every woman wants to know that she is beautiful. Author, Dorena Williamson, dreams of teaching brown-skinned little girls that they are beautiful in a world that doesn’t always tell them that.
In this episode of the Better Together Podcast, you’re invited into a precious and tender conversation about the battle for beauty as a black woman, and how we can teach young girls, especially black girls, God’s beautiful truth about them. We’re also going to spill the tea on the secrets of black hair!
RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE
dorenawilliamson.com
The Celebration Place
Crowned with Glory
ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST
Dorena Williamson loves the power of a good story and writes children’s books that adults need too. She is the author of ColorFull, ThoughtFull, and GraceFull, and forthcoming books include A Celebration Place (IVPKids) and Crowned with Glory (WaterBrook Multnomah). She and her husband Dr. Chris Williamson planted multiethnic Strong Tower Bible Church in 1995 and they have four teenage and adult children.
Check out this episode!
by Barb Roose | Jan 23, 2022 | Uncategorized
Recently, I drove to Columbus to record the audiobook for my Winning the Worry Battle book. That experience reminded me of the importance of serving God today because we have no idea what will happen in our lives tomorrow.
Narrating the Winning the Worry Battle audiobook triggered an avalanche of memories. I was married at the time that I wrote tradebook. There were a number of serious situations with my kids that hadn't happened yet. If you were praying for me, I appreciated it because there were a lot of emotional triggers to navigate while I narrated the book.
In one chapter of the book, I narrated a story about hiding under a bed in Honduras after a women’s event because a violent gang fight broke out in the neighborhood where I was staying. Eight people laid dead in the streets that day after the automatic weapons stopped firing. One of those killed was the church’s worship leader, 24-year old Brian Rosales. He was walking to music practice when the gun fire broke out and was an innocent victim. I talked with Brian the night before he was killed. Less than 48 hours later, I was standing at his funeral.
As I narrated that section, I realized that the devastating event happened exactly ten years ago that week. Yet, I also celebrated that what was meant for evil, God used for eternal good. Brian’s faith was shared all over Honduras. Even as the gangs caused more trouble for the church for a season, the church grew tremendously. A few years ago, built a new location to minister to even more people. Praise God!
On the third day, I was nearing the end of the book. As I flipped over to the final chapter, I asked Chris, my sound engineer, if we could just get right to it. This was the chapter that I wrote while sitting in the palliative care unit at the hospital. The doctors explained that my dad had end stage lung cancer and five days later, my dad passed away peacefully at home. I asked God for strength to narrate that final chapter. As I voiced the narration, a special blessing and challenge bloomed again. One that I’d like to share with you.
The final chapter of Joshua includes his personal resolution to the Israelites: “But for as me and my family, we will serve the LORD (Joshua 24:15 NLT).”
Chances are, you’ve heard this verse before. As I narrated that section, Joshua’s words clung to me. His words felt like a beacon of light on a dark night. At the time, he was casting a vision for the future and while he didn’t know what would lie ahead, Joshua already decided that he would put his faith in God.
As I reflect on my experience of recording the audiobook, I was encouraged to know that I’d been living that same declaration the last few years during some long dark stretches of my life. And God has blessed me for it!
I didn’t know that I would go through a divorce, moving out of my home, navigating a child’s gender transition and other difficult moments, BUT, I did know that I would trust God and His goodness. I promised myself that I would live for God’s glory no matter the outcome of my personal story. But as for me, I will serve the LORD.
What about you? Who will you serve? None of us know the future. In this increasingly chaotic world, you can’t predict the future, but you can decide who will lead your future. Just like in Joshua’s time, there are a lot of gods that you can serve. You can serve the god of politics, money, fear, false religion or success or you can serve a God who will always be faithful. If you’ve heard my message on Joshua, you know that Joshua 1:5 is one of my favorite verses:
“No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live.
For I will be with you …I will not fail you or abandon you.”
-Joshua 1:5 NLT
Today, point your eyes to heaven. Stop worrying and obsessing about the future because God is faithful to His promises. Challenge yourself to live faithful to Him!
by Barb Roose | Jan 17, 2022 | Uncategorized
Everything on social media screams that we are not good enough. We are not young enough, skinny enough, popular enough, or wealthy enough. But it’s all lies! You are God’s beloved daughter and made in His magnificent image.
On this episode of The Better Together Podcast, Barb’s guest, Aubrey Sampson, talks about her new book “Known” and how we can let go of the false labels that leave us feeling ashamed. Aubrey shows us how to let go of self-doubt and embrace God’s best!
RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE
Main
Known
ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST
Aubrey Sampson serves on the teaching and preaching team at
Renewal Church in West Chicago, which she co-planted with her
husband, Kevin. Aubrey writes regularly for Christine Caine’s Propel Women and has contributed to Proverbs 31, Ann Voskamp’s A Holy Experience, Christianity Today, and more. She also speaks at churches and events around the country. Aubrey has her master’s degree in Evangelism and Leadership from Wheaton College and is the co-host of The Common Good daily talk show and the Nothing is Wasted podcast. Deeply passionate about helping hurting Christians find healing so that they can fully embrace their God-given identities and purposes, she has authored three books, Overcomer, The Louder Song, and her latest, Known. You can connect with Aubrey on Instagram @aubsamp.
Check out this episode!
by Barb Roose | Jan 16, 2022 | Reflections
On this Martin Luther King Day, I’m reflecting today on these four quotes from Dr. King. His words still challenge me today and in our world where hate feels like it is winning over love, Dr. King reminds us to never lose hope.
Here’s Dr. King’s most well-known quote. The power imagery of his vision creates a thirst deep in my soul. The following words have become MORE, not less powerful over the years:
Here’s another quote from Dr. King. Inspired by his strong faith, Dr. King’s following quote wasn’t an aspirational pursuit. As a man mistreated, judged and jailed, these words represent his conviction. In fact, these words show us the secret source of replenishing power that Dr. King tapped into in order for his message to catch fire in individual hearts:
I remember watching the news when nine African-American people were killed in a church in Charleston. I watched a news reporter get choked up as he watched the community publicly express their forgiveness and sing songs of hope. He was stunned. It breaks my heart that people are shocked and amazed that Christians, who should be known for extending forgiveness, would actually forgive – and really mean it.
Is the shock because normal, rationale folk couldn’t see themselves offering such grace? Or, is it because we feel the prick of conviction? If the families of the shooting victims could forgive the murder of their loved ones, then do we have the right to hold onto our anger or our grudges?
When I was in junior high, my father won an award through his bowling league. But, he was denied entry into the building where the award ceremony was being held. He was denied entry because of his skin color. In the days that followed, I remember our phone ringing off the hook. Local authorities, news media and a few phone calls from higher-ups in the government. I don’t remember how the situation resolved, I just remember that my father made the life-giving decision to forgive and move on. While the incident left a mark, he refused to let it take over his life. That moment had a huge impression on my life. I remember my father’s example when I experience racism and prejudice.
Forgiveness allows me to move on and fight forward rather than getting stuck with my fists pounding the same ground.
When do you speak up?
Dr. King didn’t speak up just because he wanted to be heard. He spoke up so that people could live. There was no hatred in his speech. And for those who may want to highlight his human failings, go right ahead. We can speak up without being perfect. You don’t have to be perfect to stand up for what is right.
What is the cost of your silence? What is the cost of being polite and letting your friends continue to say ignorant, prejudicial or racists things? No one ever makes a difference in this world by keeping silent. A.M. Rosenthal says this: “When something important is going on, silence is a lie.”
When we hate another, we diminish ourselves.
When we judge another, we condemn ourselves.
When we love another, we sustain ourselves.
We’re all in this together. As long as we stand under the banner of the US flag, we share this homeland together. We’re going to rise and fall together.
LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW: Which Dr. King quote inspires you the most?
NEXT STEP: If you’d like to honor Dr. King’s work in our world by learning more about race, grace and the gospel, you can check out my (G)race Project. This is a specially curated page of content that I’ve written about race and the gospel. Click here to check it out.
