E-book Version of On To The Prize available on smashwords.com

If you did the free download for my book, On To The Prize, you may want to re-download the updated, corrected version.

Many of my previous posts have been revamped and put in my new book: On To The Prize. The book is out as of March 18,2015 as an e-book through smashwords.com and will be available for purchase as a paperback through lulu.com in April. This book is a valuable tool for spiritual growth. We all go through such hard times, but God's Word stands true through it all. I share His Word in a very personal way to help you apply His principles to your own lives through everyday things and situations. My hope is that you will be blessed, encouraged, strengthened, and comforted by these words I share.

"On To The Prize" Foreword

FOREWORD

If you are reading this book, you are probably a Christian. And you’re probably running hard on the track, reaching out your hands for that bottle of water in the middle of the race to the finish line. This book is one of those bottles. It’s a refreshing dose of encouragement for tired and thirsty runners. And it’s written in an easy, friendly, conversational style—as if you’re sharing a cappuccino and a Krispy Kreme doughnut with your best friend.

Renee Hibma is an encourager, an exhorter—a coach. And she is able to “…comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God” (I Corinthians 1:4). She gets this ability by the Spirit—it’s the result of a life laid down in death to self. That kind of crucified life results in a subsequent resurrection—and not just in the hereafter. It renders a new view of life’s present circumstances, a way of seeing things so that we grow by it in knowledge and character and trust in God. It’s a playing out of Romans 5: “…tribulation worketh patience; And patience, [results in] experience; and experience, [results in] hope…”

And that resultant hope is a new approach to all of life. It is the love of God—a new love FOR God—because we know He’s faithful to bring things around for our good. This love is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us when we receive it! We have to LET patience have her perfect work, that we may be perfect and entire. (James 1:4) This is what Renee has done, and she submits the same opportunity to her readers.

I’ve known Renee since we were 13. We went to the same church. We were both gifted musicians, able to pick out vocal harmonies on virtually any song; playing piano by ear…We were really unusual kids, I guess! Our unpopular faith caused us to endure some hardness at school, having been baptized by fire during the “Jesus Movement” revival days, and having forsaken all for the sake of the call; taking our Bibles to school, organizing and attending early morning Bible studies… We found refuge in friends of like mind, and in music.

But the years following our high school graduation would prove us. Music and friendships were not enough, because God was exacting greater things of us. He taught us that nothing satisfies if you’re still viewing the world by the world. Even music—Christian music—can feed the flesh; and Christian friendships can usurp the Lordship of Jesus in decision-making, devotion.

In the confusing world mix of secularism, religion, truth, tradition, temptation and ego, we would find ourselves weighed, but wanting. Over several decades, she and I both learned that the anchor of our souls was not a church, or a gifting, music, or even Christian friends. It was rather the person of Jesus! It took afflictions, persecutions, temptations and adversities to prove our mettle—to try our faith; to pursue our own designs or to pursue the Will of God; to learn to forsake ambition and let God lead. We lived a thousand miles apart, yet both of us were in the same crucible of life, designed to reveal our respective lack, and spur us on a quest for deeper truth. We have both overcome the allure of this world with our faith intact. The empowerment that has emerged from those victories is a way of seeing ordinary things from a spiritual perspective. Renee sees life in this way, and shares these nuggets of wisdom beautifully in this refreshing, unpretentious and practical book.

On To The Prize will help take you to the finish! It’s a compilation of life-lessons rooted in simple observations—things you’ve seen yourself, like bird wings and broken vases, pressure washers and roadsigns. Out of each observation comes unexpected insight to help the reader learn to think differently—it’s not the stuff of this world; it’s a spiritual perspective.

This almost reads like a devotional book, but the chapters run longer and deeper. Safely interwoven with relevant Scriptural references, this book has a solid foundation, and Renee’s personal experiences and insights are well worth sharing. In fact, this book would make a terrific tool for group Bible study and discussion or personal reading.

As you read this book, receive it as a modern epistle from one of the most personable women in ministry today. I know that her heart is set toward empowering the runners in the race, cheering them on, letting them know they can make it to the finish—and, of course, handing them that bottle of Living Water. Take it!

--Susan Parsons Sumner

I Know a Loving Father

I know a loving father.  His son is now 31.  He has been blind since birth, and is severely developmentally delayed at about age 2.  It was his son's birthday, so the father brought pizza, cake, ice cream and balloons to the residence where they care for his son.  The staff told him that it was his birthday, so they were going to have a party to celebrate him. Here's the rub.  The father could not make his presence known.  If he did, the son would get excited and anticipate going home with him for the day and possibly even the night.  It wasn't the proper time, so he didn't want to disappoint his son.  He wanted to protect his son from his own desires and wants, so he wouldn't be hurt.  So, all the father could do was watch the party from a distance and take pictures.  

My heart broke when I heard this true story.  The reason I was overwhelmed is because I could immediately see such a beautiful picture of our Heavenly Father:  His love, His patience, His compassion, His desire for His children, His faithfulness, His mercy, His grace, and, yes, God's protection.  All of that wrapped up in this picture of a man's love for his son. 

The Holy Spirit stirred my heart with this story in a very personal way, because He has been trying my whole life to show me how much He loves me. Something I can't comprehend many times. Since I've heard this story, the Holy Spirit continues to show me God's love for me in a deeper and richer way.  I am forever grateful.

His father was there, in the very room.  His father was fully present, very close to his son, but did not speak or get close enough for his son to recognize his presence or sense his presence in any way.  The father was the one who planned the party, paid for the party, and brought the party to his son.  He was the father who watched his son enjoying his celebrations with loving eyes and a loving heart in silence.

We have to understand that God wants to bless us with good gifts (Matthew 7:11; Luke 11:13).  God wants us to enjoy His gifts.  God wants us to enjoy what He brings into our lives. There are no accidental meetings or accidental happenings.  God is in control.  He knows how to maneuver everything for our good and His glory.  He will work ALL things out (Romans 8:28).  He is present in the moment, and we need to be present in the moment, accepting and appreciating what has been brought before us. Sometimes it's a lesson we need to learn.  Sometimes it's just for our pleasure.  He enjoys bringing us pleasure just because He loves us.

I think about the son's developmental delay.  He cannot understand a lot of things.  His loving father met him where he was in his understanding of life: cake, ice cream, balloons, pizza.  God knows that about us too.  We have our own spiritual developmental delays. God, our Father, knows right where we are in our development.  He knows who to bring into our lives and what circumstances to bring us into and through. The more we develop by reading His Word, communing with Him in prayer, and fellowship with His people, the closer we draw to our Father and the more we will comprehend His presence even in the smallest things.  

I think of the son's developmental delay causing his senses to not be fully developed. Some are probably stronger than others.  But, because of the distractions of the smells of pizza, cake, ice cream, he couldn't smell his father.  In another circumstance, same room, same time of day, same quiet father, without all the party food and activity, he may have sensed and smelled his father's presence. 

The more our senses are developed, as the Bible says, by reason of use, we will have more discernment.  Our senses will be more developed, and we will sense our Father's presence in the midst of distractions, chaos or quiet.  We will sense His presence, but not necessarily understand all we want to understand.

There are times that the Father chooses to be silent.  He chooses to keep information from us, because He knows more than we do.  He is protecting us from ourselves many times. If we get too much information, sometimes we tend to run with that information, leaving the Holy Spirit's guidance out of the scenario and create circumstances that end up being beyond our control. God gives us information as needed. I believe that is called walking by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).  The Word says we know "in part" (1 Corinthians 13:9).  That's a good thing many times.  We don't need to be on information overload.  Only the Father knows what will overload us.  We don't. We have to leave it in God's hands.

I will forever have the picture of this story in my heart and mind.  It has been such a strong spiritual lesson for me.  I hope in some way, this blesses others in their struggles to understand.