Write These Words: Speaking God’s Love and Truth into a Broken World

By Linda Stender

It was a cold Michigan winter night when Linda Stender was woken from a sound sleep. She felt compelled to write a message that she knew was from God. She wrote as fast as she could, and then suddenly, there was no more to write. As she scanned through the barely-legible words, she recognized many biblical truths, partial scripture verses, and promises familiar to her as a follower of Christ. Linda had no idea what God wanted her to do with this message. And so began an unforgettable spiritual journey that carried her through many trials, encounters with those who brought clarity to the words, and years of seeking God’s wisdom.
In an uplifting recounting of the message that God placed on her heart, Stender shares real-life stories and experiences that bring His scriptures and words to life and encourages believers to see the depth of His love for them. Through her inspirational writings, she reminds believers that every new sunrise offers a chance to live life to the fullest, that God created each of us to fulfill a special purpose, that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us even during the most difficult times, and much more.
Write These Words details an inspirational message from God to uplift believers, encourage spiritual growth, and to trust that He is always beside us.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: May 15, 2024
• ISBN: 9798385023028

Linda Stender

Linda Stender is a wife, mother of four, and grandmother of seven. After three and a half decades of serving her community as an occupational therapist, Linda pursued her love of writing and published her first book, The Trail Within, detailing the adventures she and her husband experienced while hiking the Appalachian Trail. Today, Linda and her husband continue to be thankful that they can enjoy the outdoors, spend time with family and, most importantly, share God’s love to all those around them.

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Copyright © 2024 Linda Stender.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

WestBow Press

A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.westbowpress.com

844-714-3454

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. Used by permission. NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION® and NIV® are registered trademarks of Biblica, Inc. Use of either trademark for the offering of goods or services requires the prior written consent of Biblica US, Inc.

ISBN: 979-8-3850-2300-4 (sc)

ISBN: 979-8-3850-2301-1 (hc)

ISBN: 979-8-3850-2302-8 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2024907087

WestBow Press rev. date: 05/14/2024

This book is dedicated to my husband and best friend,

Mark, for his unwavering support and love

through this long writing process.

Introduction

I suddenly woke up out of a sound sleep around three in the morning. My brain was still in a fog, but I felt compelled to write something down. I fumbled through the drawer of my bedside stand to find pen and paper, and then wrote as fast as I could. I knew that this was coming from God as my pen flew over the paper, but I had no idea what it was about. This had never happened to me before; I had received messages from God in the past, but never in the middle of the night when I was sound asleep. I kept writing until, suddenly, it was done; there were no more words to write. I scanned through the barely legible writing and wondered who or what this was meant for. What I had been given to write were biblical truths, some partial scripture verses, and some promises that were familiar to me as a follower of Christ. I still had no idea what this was about. When I asked God what He wanted me to do with this, all He told me was Write these words. So started the twelve-year journey that brought me through various trials, encounters with people that unexpectedly brought clarity to some of these words, and years of seeking God’s wisdom.

The following words in the box below are exactly what God gave me that night. As I studied and prayed about this, I realized that each line had its own message and needed to be expounded upon. Each chapter of this book was taken directly from what God had given me that night:

Each day is a new beginning. God created you for a special and unique purpose. Seek out that purpose. Live each day to the fullest and be ever aware of the blessings around you, for they are bountiful. If you stumble and fall, get up, brush yourself off, and move on. Persevere, but learn from your mistakes. Remember that you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. Love fully and completely. Seek God with all your heart, for He is love. Let your relationships be based on that love, free of conditions and expectations, and focused on the joy and expectancy of how that relationship will grow. There are hurting people all around you; be prayerful and mindful of this. Treat each person as a treasure, someone important enough for your time and attention. Let your yes mean yes and your no mean no. Let your word be your bond and your handshake mean something. Do not borrow troubles from tomorrow; God is already there and is preparing it for you. He did not promise an easy life, but He will provide the strength to endure. Trust God with all your heart, He will never let you down. Don’t let the sun go down on your anger. Forgive freely and quickly as God has forgiven you. Be so thankful for each breath you’ve been given. Pray for wisdom and let the Holy Spirit be your guide. May God’s peace dwell in you and surround your life. Remember that this life will be passed on. Leave a legacy that reflects what Christ came on this earth to do: lead people to the Kingdom of Heaven. That is where forever is.

I am not a scholar or a theologian, I do not have a literary degree, and I certainly do not claim to have all the answers. I am still bewildered why God would choose someone like me to write this book. As I finished writing all the chapters and sat staring at the blank Introduction page, my mind started going down that road of doubt. I was plagued with the question of Who am I to think that I could write something profound enough to change people’s lives? I kept thinking about how Moses tried to tell God that He had chosen the wrong person to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. They wandered the desert for forty years before reaching the land God had promised them. Well, this has only been a twelve-year journey for me, and I am certainly no Moses, but I questioned God that same way. God was patient with me and impressed upon me that sometimes it’s the simple and ordinary people He wants to use to reach others. He also reminded me that many of His children in today’s world are searching for hope, still wandering in their own dry and barren deserts, and need to hear these words.

With an obedient heart, I am honored to share these writings with you. I pray that they not only bless you, but also challenge you to dig a little deeper into the messages that God may be wanting you to receive.

Table of Contents

1.Each Day Is a New Beginning

2.God Created You for a Special andUnique Purpose; Seek That Purpose

3.Live Each Day to the Fullest and BeEver Aware of the Blessings aroundYou, for They Are Bountiful

4.If You Stumble and Fall, Get Up, BrushYourself off, and Move On. Persevere,but Learn from Your Mistakes

5.Remember That You Can Do All Thingsthrough Christ Who Strengthens You

6.Love Fully and Completely

7.Seek God with All YourHeart, for He Is Love

8.Let Your Relationships Be Basedon That Love, Free of Conditionsand Expectations, and Focusedon the Joy and Expectancy of HowThat Relationship Will Grow

9.There Are Hurting People All aroundYou. Be Prayerful and Mindful of This

10.Treat Each Person as a Treasure,Someone Important Enough forYour Time and Attention

11.Let Your Yes Mean Yes and Your NoMean No. Let Your Word Be Your Bondand Your Handshake Mean Something

12.Do Not Borrow Troubles fromTomorrow. God Is Already Thereand Is Preparing It for You

13.God Did Not Promise an Easy Life, butHe Will Provide the Strength to Endure

14.Trust God with All Your Heart.He Will Never Let You Down

15.Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on YourAnger. Forgive Freely and Quickly,as God Has Forgiven You

16.Be So Thankful for Each BreathYou’ve Been Given

17.Pray for Wisdom and Let theHoly Spirit Be Your Guide

18.May God’s Peace Dwell in Youand Surround Your Life

19.Remember That This Life Will Be PassedOn. Leave a Legacy That ReflectsWhat Christ Came on This Earth toDo: Lead People to the Kingdom ofHeaven. That Is Where Forever Is

Chapter 1

Each Day Is a New Beginning

This is the day the Lord has