Shannon Taylor Vannatter – Devotional – Part 1 of 2

Shannon here: I’ve written maybe 3 devotions in my life. Why? I’m much better at making stuff up for fiction than with truth. But sometimes God just gives me insight I feel the need to share. And my scheduled guest had an emergency, so you get me. Comment or answer the question on any post dated Dec 29th – Jan 2nd to enter the drawing for my 2 in 1 including Hill Country Redemption and Heidi McCahan’s The Bull Rider’s Fresh Start. Deadline: Jan 13th, 11:59 pm central time.

For a few years now, I’ve wanted our porch screened in. I don’t like bugs. I don’t like grit. And I don’t like birds dropping dirt, moss, worms, and poo on my wicker furniture. I love birds and they can build wherever they want. Just not on my porch. 

So finally, this fall, we did it. My very own hero screened in the porch for me. He put a door on each end, the old style wooden screen doors that make that wonderful clap sound. I stretched screen, handed him screws, and painted the framing.

We got it all enclosed, except for a three inch gap at the top where the frame meets the roof. My husband planned to close it off, but we figured we were safe for a while, since it finally got cold enough the bugs are gone. 

The day we put up the final section of screening, I swept it clean and loudly declared it a bug free, grit free, leaf free, bird free zone. No more sweeping grit and leaves. No more bird droppings on my wicker furniture. No more dirt. No more bugs.

We’ve loved sitting outside, even at night.  It’s our new spot. Our early Christmas present to each other was an outdoor pellet heater to keep the chill off during colder months. We cozy up in quilts, scoot close in our wicker rockers, and watch the flame. We drink coffee. Talk about church, since my husband is a pastor. Talk about our kids (son and his wife) and granddaughter coming in early May. 

But a few days ago, I stepped outside to find a bird in my screened porch. She found the three inch gap. I went to the door she was closest to. Of course, she flew away from me and went the other way. I went outside to open the door she was closest to. And of course she flew the other way. I fastened both doors open and she flew out.

I closed both doors and set about reclaiming my bird free, grit free, bug free, leaf free zone. Except, we’d tracked leaves in. On a windy day, the wooden doors had blown open and allowed leaves in. When I swept them, there was dirt too. Even though we put a foot of siding around the bottom of the concrete floor, grit had still blown through the screen above. The frightened bird had pooed and dropped moss and dirt. 

The only thing I was free of, was bugs. But come spring, even though we used the tightest woven screen recommended for no see ‘ums, when the wind blows or we open the doors, bugs will come in with us. We’ll still need our citronella candles.

Yesterday, my husband closed off the gap, so at least we’ll be bird free now. Yes the porch is so much cleaner and nicer than before it was screened. I love it and we thoroughly enjoy sitting out there together. But it’s not the pristine space I envisioned.

It hit me, that nonbelievers and even Christians sometimes run from God, the same way that bird flew away from me. He tries to help and we refuse His help. I tried to help the bird, but she was too afraid to let me.

As long as we live in this world, there will be dirt and poo and leaves and grit. All we can do is hold on to God and trust Him to get us through the filth of this world.

So if you’re a non-believer, stop running. He’s trying to help you. And if you’ve got the nastiness of this world on you, turn your life over to Him. He can clean you up.

Romans 10:9 – That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

If you’re a Christian and you’ve gotten bogged down or backslidden and aren’t as close to Him as you were, stop running from Him. He’s trying to help you. Read His word. Get back in church.

1 Peter 5:10 – But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

So, I hope this helps someone. You didn’t know I could be so profound, did you? 

Question for Readers: What are your plans for New Year’s Eve?

About Shannon: Award winning author, Shannon Taylor Vannatter writes contemporary Christian cowboy romance and has over a dozen published titles. A romance reader since her teens, she hopes to entertain Christian women and plant seeds in the non-believer’s heart as she demonstrates that love doesn’t conquer all—Jesus does.

She gleans fodder for her fiction in rural Arkansas where she spent her teenage summers working the concession stand with her rodeo announcing dad and married a Texan who morphed into a pastor. Shannon is Scrivenings Press Acquisitions/Content Editor for Contemporary titles. In her spare time, she loves hanging out with her husband and adult son, flea marketing, and doing craft projects. Learn more & connect:

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About the 2 in 1:

The Bull Rider’s Fresh Start – Heidi McCahan

This cowboy can charm almost anyone… except the mother of his surprise baby girl. Ex-bull rider Landon Chambers has made mistakes. Big ones . But discovering that he’s the father of a sweet little girl might be the best thing ever. Now Landon just has to convince her mother, Navy diver Kelsey Sinclair, that his wild, troubled cowboy days are over. But Kelsey’s not quite sure she can trust Landon with her little girl…or her cautious heart.

Hill Country Redemption – Shannon Taylor Vannatter

He already lost her once… now he’s fighting for her — and their daughter. When Rance Shepherd takes a job stocking cattle for a local rodeo, he’s shocked that his new client is his ex-sweetheart, Larae Collins. Now he’s determined to prove to the single mother that he isn’t the restless cowboy she remembers. But when he discovers her little girl is his , they both must forgive past mistakes for a second shot at a future together.

Happy New Year!

Come back Jan 2nd for a lineup of  guest authors in the new year

with lots of book giveaways!