Chiara Talluto

Author, Wife, Busy Mom, A Woman after God's Heart.

Category: Editing (Page 1 of 15)

Living Between the Garden of Eden and The Garden of Gethsemane

February 27, 2025 /

The Bible highlights two distinctive worlds, the earthly world and the eternal. Most Christians will tell you that they’re just passing through here; setting their sights on the “eternal” by living out: Mark 16, Matthew 28, Galatians 5, 1 Corinthians 3:16, and countless other scriptures. The Apostle Paul reminds us we must also bear and carry our crosses while finishing the race set before us. Luke 9:23, 1 Corinthians 15:31, 2 Timothy 4:7-8.

I agree with all of this, realizing in my Bible reading that we, as humans, spend most of our earthly life living between the Garden of Eden and the Garden of Gethsemane. In the beginning, the Garden of Eden was perfect, God wanted Adam and Eve to prosper as described in Genesis 2-3 and Genesis 2:8-9. Throughout the Old Testament, God also says that He is our God and we are his people. See Genesis 17:7, Exodus 6:7, Jeremiah 30:22, etc. The Garden of Eden was a perfect place.

However, we know the devil prowls around devouring and tempting us. 1 Peter 5:8. Look what happened to Adam, and Eve? They fell to temptation by eating the apple from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Genesis 3:2-6. Setting off a life trajectory of toiling and tilling hard labor. Genesis 3:17.

Then, there is the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus is praying to God to remove the “cup” of his impending crucifixion. Jesus also knew that His Father brought Him to earth to fulfill the scriptures. Isaiah 53 and John 3:16.

The devil had also tried tempting Jesus when he was fasting for 40 days. Matthew 4:1-11. Thankfully, Jesus turned him away. Temptation is everywhere, even when things are great like the Garden of Eden, and when we are starving in the spirit like the Garden of Gethsemane.

Our time on earth is like a brave blade of dust. Psalm 103:15 and 1 Peter 1:24. We teeter between good and evil. You have a choice with your life decisions. How do we persevere amid the chaos? Ephesians 6:12 tells us we do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against wickedness and principalities in the air. And so, to prepare for our daily walk, we need to put on the whole armor of God every, single, day! Ephesians 6:10-18.

Walking with the Lord God will not be easy. It will cost you everything to stand for Truth because you will be hated. Matthew 10:22. In the end, sacrifice won’t save you, rather by being obedient to God’s will. 1 Samuel 15:22.

Life is not linear. We need to learn to swerve from temptation and take the road less traveled. Live to get to eternity and not go down as earthly.

 

 

 

Here I am – Hineni

February 23, 2025 /

I’ve been doing a study of Genesis and in Chapter 22 when God calls Abraham to go up to Moriah, Abraham responds, “Here I am.” Well, I paused on those words, it seriously leaped out at me, but then in my flesh, I continued.

Hours later while driving, I heard a song, from Jwlkrs Worship, titled, “Here I am.” A great song that I encourage you to listen. At that point, I was like, Okay, Lord! What do I need to do here?

I was curious and so I looked up what “Here I am” meant in Hebrew. I learned it is “Hineni”. We all know that in 1 Samuel 3:4, the Lord calls Samuel, and he also responds with “Here I am.”

I did a search a found one article that further discusses the word, Hineni. I learned that Hineni also meant “Behold”. And, if you search on “Here I am”, you’ll be surprised to find that there are so many references to those three incredible words.

Here’s the link if you’re interested. https://hebrewwordlessons.com/2020/01/26/hineni-here-i-am/

All this to say, I’ve realized how important the words of the Bible are, truly. And maybe, we should have a heart posture of “Hineni”.

Transparency – Word of the 2025 Year

February 11, 2025 /

Okay, so I know it’s February and the 2025 year has already started, but it’s never too late to begin something. As the Bible says, mercy is new every morning. Ah, but I digress…

Most years, I’ve picked a word of the year to keep me grounded, rooted, and honest about what I am moving toward and becoming. My faith has grown in the Lord Jesus in leaps and bounds through reading of the Word.

I want to live my life and mirror my actions as such. No drama, no fake, no fillers, no crap. Just me. My perspective and ideology are planted in the ONE who gives me the seeds to flourish. Truth is not always easy to digest, but the Truth is not offended, rather it welcomes the challenges.

And so, I’ve committed to live out the Truth that God has created and be the testimony of Him through the workings and relationships that He puts in my path.

My new word for 2025 is TRANSPARENCY

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary says…

Transparency – Noun = the quality or state of being transparent

Transparent – Adj =

  • free from pretense or deceit: frank
  • easily detected or seen through/ obvious
  • readily understood
  • characterized by visibility or accessibility of information especially concerning business practices

What’s your word of the 2025 year? Drop me a line and let me know.

 

Finish and Press On

December 31, 2024 /

It’s New Year’s Eve. The end of the 2024 year. How was your year? I hope you carried out what you set out to do. If you didn’t plan anything, that’s okay too. As humans there are going to be years when nothing happens, or too much happens, or it just is. Whatever it is for you, it’s FOR YOU.

Everyone’s life race is different. I’m not expected to run your race and you aren’t expected to run mine. What’s important is that you run your race that is meant for you.

I think about marathon runners. I admire them. They run for miles and miles, and I admire the stamina it takes to run and finish. The key word is finish.

I used to think it was how you started and NOT how you finished that was more important. I stand corrected. You see as a writer, I’ve often heard about how IMPORTANT the first few sentences of a start of book is because that is the hook. And, it is true to a certain extent. However, like a marathon runner, you have to continue the pace toward the middle and then finish at the end.

It’s not how fast you complete the tale in a novel, it is THE FINISH. The same applies to a marathon runner. Yes, most of them are running against a clock to set a world record, yada, yada, yada. For the runner at heart, he or she wants to finish, and finish strong because of all the time they’ve spent training.

And so, for some people, ending 2024 couldn’t come fast enough to get rid of. For others, it’s a sad ending because whatever goals and accomplishments have been set and completed, will now be missed. Most of us may fall somewhere in between.

Many will start the year with goals: exercise, health, travel, etc. That’s great, nothing wrong with that. Just finish what you start.

I’m reminded of two great scriptures from the Apostle Paul that I want to do. End 2024 with…

2 Timothy 4:7

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

So that I can begin 2025 with…

Philippians 3:13-15

Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you.

Finish the end and press on toward the beginning.

Happy New Year!

 

 

 

References

Photo by Alex Kinkate: https://www.pexels.com/photo/low-angle-photography-man-walking-on-asphalt-road-421160/

 

The Fast of a Fast

December 15, 2024 /

Have you ever fasted? Not a blood-test type of fast, but a spiritual kind of fast. One where you abstain from food or drink and let your body and mind heal.

I’ll admit, growing up Catholic, I’ve never fasted, not even on Good Friday. It’s not good, I know, but I need to be truthful and transparent. As a born-again Christian, I’m learning the value of fasting.

Biblical History of Fasting

In both the Old Testament and New Testament, fasting is abstaining from food or drink to focus on prayer and seeking God, connecting and affirming strength through Him. Below are just a few great scriptures on fasting and prayer.

Matthew 6:16-18 – “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Joel 2:12 – “Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;

Daniel 10:3 – “I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, for the full three weeks.”

Ezra 8:23 – So we fasted and implored our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty.

Isaiah 58:6 – Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?

Acts 13:2 – While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

Psalm 69:10 – When I wept and humbled my soul with fasting, it became my reproach.

Acts 14:23 – And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

Exodus 34:28 – So he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights. He neither ate bread nor drank water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments.

Nehemiah 1:4 – As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven.

Again, these are just a few scriptures. I encourage you to do more research about fasting in the Bible.

The reason for talking about fasting is that my husband and I decided to do a liquid fast the other day. We only drink water, coffee, and broth during a twenty-four hour period. Since this was my first time, I wanted to ease into it as I’m prone to migraines if I don’t eat.

Our Process

We started the morning with hot water and lemon and then black coffee. For lunch, we had beef bone broth and a glass of Apple Cider juice. For dinner, we had beef bone broth mixed with leftover cabbage soup that I had blended into a liquid. The rest of the day we drank Alkaline water mixed with Electrolytes.

What I Learned

I had started the night before, not eating anything past 7 pm, just water. The next day, I was good all morning and through the early afternoon after I had a cup of bone broth. I felt a bit light-headed around four o’clock in the afternoon, but I was okay.

The day moved slowly. I felt paused, not in a bad way, but rather at peace, like I was on vacation. I kept myself busy doing chores, going to the grocery stores, preparing snacks for my kids after school, etc. I read the Bible. I prayed in my secret place and took time to sit quietly.

By evening, I felt more attuned to my body. I had some hunger gurgling and my stomach felt empty. I didn’t keep a countdown of time. The whole fast lasted 36 hours. The next morning when the fast was over, I had half of a banana and hot water with lemon, and then I made scrambled eggs. I ate slowly, and enjoyed my breakfast, appreciating the taste. My senses were heightened and I felt a peace over my body. Jesus was right. One shouldn’t live on bread alone.

For Next Time

My husband and I are considering doing this once or twice a month. Spiritually, I feel alive, connected to the Lord, and grateful to be healthy. This experience has helped me to reflect, look inward, and connect with God.

 

References

Photo by Tara Winstead: https://www.pexels.com/photo/red-round-plate-with-blue-and-white-fork-and-knife-7123097/

https://www.biblestudytools.com/topical-verses/bible-verses-about-fasting/

The Fruit of the Spirit – A Mathematical Study

November 15, 2024 /

As my daughters prepared and studied this week for their Math and Science tests, I couldn’t help doing my own math in the study of the Book of Galatians. specifically chapter 5 (Fruit of the Spirit).  See the table below.

Note: This is just one formula for producing the “Fruit of the Spirit”. There are plenty of other equations and scriptures to get there. I encourage all of you to own up your Bibles and read the Word of God!

Speak life over yourselves and others.

 

 

Election Fatigue – A Letter to Self

October 30, 2024 /

Election fatigue is coming, election fatigue is coming. As the final push to the November 5th  2024 election day is fast approaching, I’m reminded to stay steadfast in fasting and prayer. How would Jesus handle this approaching day?

  • The devil tempted Jesus for 40 days and 40 nights in the wilderness. Every single time, Jesus responded with “It is written…” Mathew 4:1-11.
  • While Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemene, his disciples couldn’t keep watch. Jesus wanted to give up, often asking God to take this cup away. Eventually, He obeyed His Father. He said, “Thy will be done.” Mathew 26:36-46.
  • The walk to the cross. Though Jesus stumbled and fell many times, He continued. He was nailed to splintered wood for all to see. Never once fighting back, but asking God to forgive those who put Him there, and dying for all of us. Luke 23:26-43.

Fellow brothers and sisters, we have a job to do. Don’t grow weary of your rightful duty to vote. Future generations are depending it. Don’t get sidetracked, finish the race! Don’t let the devil take your spirit.

 

Photo Courtesy:

Photo by cottonbro studio: https://www.pexels.com/photo/american-flags-and-pins-on-white-background-4669109/

Photo by Gerd Altmann: https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-holding-his-face-23180/

 

Being in the Wait

October 24, 2024 /

Today I received a text from a sweet friend telling me that she was thinking of me and my family. It was so wonderful to receive this text that it made my morning. It is wonderful to be thought of that you matter to the person who sent you that note, email, text, voicemail message, etc. In these cases, I believe technology is truly grand!

As I pondered what I would reply back, I waited.

Waited…

This word is quite loaded these days. It seems people are in a season of wait.

For me, I keep waiting for inspiration. As a writer, it’s that burst of content free-flowing in my mind that needs to be put down words. In December, it will be one year since the publication of The Rekindler, my fifth book. I don’t know if I’ll write another book, another short story, another essay, another blog; I’m just in the waiting.

Waiting for the election results. I voted early. I pray you will use your civic duty and VOTE. Our country and our freedoms ARE AT STAKE. Whatever happens, God is still on the throne, He and He alone will have the final say.

Waiting in lines. Whether one is in a drive-thru or bank, a cash register at the grocery store, or the notorious driver’s facility, we are always waiting in some sort of line.

Waiting for test results. This time of year, I do my annual physical and blood work, and the anxiety of waiting for decent results always weighs on my mind.

Waiting for the mail. Waiting for an Amazon package, a gift, or the dreadful bills (if in fact, you still receive paper bills).

Waiting for season changes. I love fall and seeing the colors change on the leaves. I also know what’s coming… Winter. So, I wait for the cold and the snow.

Waiting for the good things. An event that you’re looking forward to, a hair appointment, a vacation, all the great things that help pass the day.

There are more “waitings”, but I think you know what I’m getting at.

So, as I sat and thought more about my text response, a scripture verse came to mind instead. I surely don’t know how that happens, and actually, it’s my life-saving scripture verse:

Psalm 27:14

“Wait on the Lord: Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: Wait, I say, on the Lord.”

I’m encouraged that trusting and waiting on the Lord involves the confident expectation of a positive result in which we can place great hope. So, as I wait, as you wait, in the “waitings”, may we not become discouraged, but wait on God’s hopeful provisions for us all.

And now that I’ve written all of this, I’ve received my answer to what I’ll write back to my friend.

The Vision – A Plea for Action!

September 23, 2024 /

Dreams must mean something if they happen often, right? The same one, over and over again. Or maybe I’m hallucinating on too much TV and reading too many things, especially with the impending Presidential Election. But if one dreams, do they mean something sometimes, all the time, or does it really matter?

In any case, take a listen to a dream I had. It’s called The Vision.

Video Player

 

If you prefer to read the original transcript for the story, scroll down…

***

I was standing on the curb when a massive-looking vehicle pulled up. It was a cross between a long stretch limo and an SUV. It was metallic-red with gigantic black-rim tires as high as my kneecaps. In idle position, the engine roared like a rushing waterfall.

The passenger side window rolled down and a voice bellowed, “Get in.”

I just gaped at this beautiful piece of metal. The door opened toward the sky and I slid in. The smell of leather, lavender, and vanilla filled my nostrils. As the door closed in, I turned to look at the voice that had spoken to me. It was dark in the compartment and I couldn’t decipher the being that was sitting next to me. It was a mass of some sort and it seemed to float in the air.

The voice boomed like a loudspeaker, “Welcome. I am the World. Let’s go.”

I shook my head. “Where are we going?”

“For a drive.” And with that, the automobile thrust ahead, my neck jerking to the motion of the vehicle. I swiveled my head back to see the rear of the car, and all I could make out was a darkness, a space, like the universe with stars and planets.

The car was instantly on a two-lane highway. There were other cars in the lanes, lots of cars driving fast one way. Our car zigzagged in between the vehicles.

Sweat trickled down my arm. “Hey, slow down, please. Why are we in a hurry?”

The voice bellowed. “Fast life, fast car. Isn’t that what we do in this realm?”

I blinked. “Realm? What realm are we talking about?”

“THE WORLD. THE WORLD. YOU’RE IN MY WORLD.”

My skin went cold. I looked about me for a buckle to lock me in but there wasn’t one. We were passing cars at lightening speed that all I could see were flashes of tiny headlights. “Stop,” I shouted.

“THE WORLD. I AM THE WORLD. YOU ARE OF THIS WORLD.”

My hands felt clammy. What was going on? I felt like I was on a fast track to an abyss of sorts.

“Well?”

“Well, what?” I blurted. Yes, I was from this world, but the Bible has always taught me that I wasn’t of this world. I was to be separate.

“You want this world?”

We zigzagged to the left and then the right, horns blaring, sending a piercing noise in my ears.

“No, no, no… Now quit this. I want to get out!” My world was Heaven and to live with Jesus in eternity. Wasn’t that right? Live righteously here on earth, do my best, be a beacon of light for others, and on, and on….directing people to Jesus. I was doing that, wasn’t I?

“Hmm… mmm…”

I looked through the windshield, a giant mountain loomed ahead.

“Oh my gosh, there’s a mountain ahead! Don’t you see it?”

A screen appeared on the dash. A timer or stop clock glowed. “Forty seconds till impact.”

My head whipped in the direction of the World who was driving. “We’re going to crash. Stop the car now!”

“What? Are you scared to die? It’s bound to happen, you know.”

I began to shake. “Stop!!”

“… Thirty seconds till impact.”

A seatbelt appeared over my shoulder and I grabbed it, locking myself in. I held onto the strap tight, my knuckles were turning blue.

“… Twenty seconds till impact.”

I squeezed the belt. “Are you crazy! We’re gonna die!”

The vehicle weaved between two semi-trucks sending one off the curb and flipping over.

“You’re gonna die. Not me. Life will go on. You chose this path.”

“Stop,” I screamed.

“… Ten seconds till impact.”

I looked over my shoulder again, space was still there with its glowing stars. I spun back.

“Oh, Lord, help me, please?”

“God isn’t listening.”

“… Five seconds till impact.”

I yanked the seatbelt. “Yes, He does!”

“What are you going to do?”

“… Four… three… two… one…

Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep……

When the World is going against you, do you sit back and just hold on tight, or do you grab the wheel and do something about it? Your decision rests on this Nation’s success.

References:

Romans 1:16-32

Mark 16: 14-18

Mathew 28: 16-20

Luke 10:25-37

Photo by Hassan OUAJBIR: https://www.pexels.com/photo/black-car-instrument-cluster-panel-804129/

 

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