Betty Smith - Beyond the Happy Ending

Betty Smith, in Beyond the Happy Ending, once again succeeds in taking us with her on an amazing journey, interspersing anecdote with instruction as she uses her own life as a testimony to the enduring and inestimable love of God. Having been blessed by her friendship, I encourage you to sit back and let her fill your heart with the profound peace and joy of knowing Jesus Christ as Savior. Lordand best Friend.

Betty speaks to new seekers of faith along with veteran believers with her loving and encouraging message that throughout all, we have a God who loves us deeply, Who keeps his promises to us, opens doors and sustains us, comforts us, delights us, and sends us angels along with laughter and joy. In all, numerous passages of scripture reinforce the powerful lessons offered here. I often found myself stopping to pray as I read certain passages, remembering to give thanks for a wonderful time or to lift up a friend in need of prayeror even to be reminded of a favorite passage I had not thought of in a while. In between, we get to share vicariously with Betty and her family as they experience ups and downs (and a lot of laughs) on mission in Mexico and a wonderful trip to Italy.

If you have been fortunate enough to hear Betty speak, you will hear her voice in the words on the page. Betty writes as she speaks, with gentleness, clarity, humor, and an unmistakable love for Jesus. You may shed tears as she touches your heart or laugh out loud at her comments, but when you finish her narrative, you will feel just fine about being a cracked pot because more of Gods love can shine through. Reader, may you be blessed!

CASSANDRA RACE, PHD
SOUTHERN POLYTECHNIC STATE UNIVERSITY
MARIETTA, GEORGIA

Nestled among Betty Smiths wonderful testimony and various life experiences are found deep, insightful Bible lessons. This book is inspiring, educational, entertaining, and touching. I was truly blessed and encouraged by Bettys book, and I plan to recommend it to all my friends and family.

EVELYN WELLS
ST. PAUL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
GAINESVILLE, GEORGIA

Betty Smiths wonderful new book, Beyond the Happy Ending, is a winning combination that offers an opportunity to build a foundation of challenging passages from Genesis to Revelation. It gives a relevant and rich devotional Gospel resource for any individual.

REVEREND ROOSEVELT WINFREY, JR.
SENIOR PASTOR
EAST POINT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
EAST POINT, GEORGIA

T HE LORD OPENED another door for me as a part of my beyond process. This one took me way beyond my comfort zone. I believe He delights in seeing us stretch and grow, just as parents delight in seeing the progress of their children as new vistas open in their lives. For example, my granddaughter Maddie is an excellent runnereveryone knows it; she even looks like a runnertall and lean. But Maddie discovered a talent she didnt know she had. Maddie is a dynamite swimmer. What a delight to see her develop that surprise gift!

I received a call from my dear friend Walt concerning the United Methodist Mens annual retreat to be held in April 2010 at Jefferson United Methodist Church in Jefferson, Georgia. He was asking me to serve as a co-speaker with my dear friend, Pastor James. James is dynamic; he has a powerful testimony of being a former member of the Mafia and being saved in prison. Now he is an ordained Methodist preacher.

Youre asking me?

This was mind-blowing. However, the Word says that our Lord does delight in choosing the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty (1 Cor. 1:27, NKJV). That way He gets all the glory!

I didnt just fall off the turnip truck, so I gladly accepted the invitation. My Lord had never failed me, and I saw this as another door of opportunity. He had promised podiums, places, and people.

We were asked for our thoughts on a theme for the retreat, and the phrase that kept coming to my mind was Because God Said So! In my youth, my parents would give me orders, and I would rebel, asking Why? The answer was, Because I said so; thats why! That was the end of the matter.

We need to take Gods Word today as the end of the matter. There was a popular saying for years: God said so, I believe it, and that settles it. Whether we believe it or not, God said so; that settles it!

We also wanted to emphasize Jesus as being the Rock that does not roll, our solid foundation, and we wanted everyone to come, not just the Methodist men, but women, singles, and couples. Therefore, the broad invitation was to Come to the RockBecause God Says So!

This was an all day event, with James opening, me following him (Lord, have mercy), then the men and women separating into sessions after lunch. James was with the men, of course, and I was with the women. (Wonder how that would shake things up if we ever switched?) When we returned to the main session, I spoke, and then James closed with an altar call. We tend to overuse the word special, but it really was special. Thank You, Lord!

And now, dear reader, I want to share with you the messages I delivered on that red letter day in my life. Just imagine yourself in the sanctuary in the Rock Church at Jefferson. There are stained glass windows that catch the sun, reminding you of the grand cathedrals in Europe. The walls are a dark wood, reaching high to the ceiling, like Noahs ark, and the carpet is rich red. I think it is one of Gods favorite places. Come with me as we go beyond.

T HIS IS THE first session and I am very nervous. This is not a bad thing, because if I were confident, I would not be leaning on the Holy Spirit. The Bible says that when we are weak, we are dynamite (2 Cor. 12:10). I have my visuals: my Friendship Bread starter in a plastic bag, along with the recipe. I didnt realize the starter would be so pungent, but it is what it is, and I must glow with the flow. I start with my gratitude for the invitation, which is always a good place to start.

The Message

Ive got some bad news and Ive got some good news! Which do you want first? (Their response is mixed.)

The bad news is that everything in our world that can be shaken will be shaken.

The good news is that we have received a kingdom that cannot be shaken (Hag. 2:67; Heb. 12:28).

It doesnt take a rocket scientist to see that we are living today in a shaking world. Would you have ever thought that our government would be in the car business and in the banking business, or that we would have same sex marriages, prayer would be ruled unconstitutional, and the things we read about in Sodom and Gomorrah would be acceptable and even celebrated in our very own nation?

We got trouble, folks, right here in River City Trouble with a great big capital T. But why are we surprised? Jesus said we would have Ttribulation, but to cheer up, for He has overcome the world (John 16:33).

When we are in Christ, and He is in us, we also are overcomers. We overcome by the blood of the Lamb (what Jesus accomplished for us through His crucifixion and resurrection), and by the word of our testimony (Rev. 12:11). Testimony is a statement under oath, a declaration of what you believe is the truth; it is evidence. Boiled down, it is your faith.

Faith is the anchor of our soul. Faith will hold us steady in the midst of the storm.

When my husband announced to me that he was leaving after twenty-six years of marriage, his words came at me like the winds, the waves, and the waters. I was being hit from every side, but I had that knowing in my soul; I was not going under. My house was on the Rock, not on shifting sand. Your knower knows, in spite of the circumstances.

A gospel singer shared his experience of going through a hurricane. He was living on a houseboat tied to the dock in a fishing village. The storm raged all night, tossing his boat up and down, slamming it against the dock. At last the hurricane moved on, and it was calm again. In the morning he went for breakfast at the local restaurant, and he said to the folks gathered there, If I had known I was coming through it, I would have enjoyed it more!