I hung my American flag on Memorial Day and plan to keep it waving through the 4th of July. I’m proud to be an American, and yet my citizenship is in heaven. One of the best things (and there are many wonderful things) about heaven is that we will all be united. No factions. No interest groups. No divisions. Every citizen of heaven stands united under the lordship of our Savior, Jesus Christ. I’ve not merely pledged my allegiance to the Most High God, I’ve completely surrendered my life to the King of kings, who has welcomed me into his kingdom and adopted me as one of his own.

I like to read the Bible in a variety of translations because I see new things in different versions. I’m more familiar with the way the NIV puts Philippians 3:14, which says, “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

Pressing on in my pursuit of God’s heavenly call opens my eyes to truth. The cross of Christ has its enemies and its champions. Its enemies are focused on earthly things, but its champions press on toward the goal to win the prize only God offers. As citizens of heaven, we eagerly await our promised Savior, and we keep our minds set on things above. We align ourselves with the cross of Christ and trust he will lead us in victory. I am a citizen of heaven. Therefore, I’ve pledged allegiance to the Most High God, I’ve surrendered my life to the King of kings, and I’ve stood firm in the knowledge that the Sovereign God has welcomed me into his kingdom and adopted me as one of his own.

I want to invite those of you in the Fresno/Clovis area to a long-awaited book release party. My book, Longing to Belong, released during the lockdown, which kept people from assembling and kept bookstores from operating. I never got the chance to celebrate, but now I finally get to have my party! And I get to multiply the fun! Two of my friends recently launched their books, and so we’re throwing a Book Release Party x 3.

My friend Penny has written a memoir for a woman whose daughter battled Lyme disease. My friend Carrie has released a romance novel with delightful characters. My book is based on an in-depth study of Psalm 139. Mark your calendar for Friday, June 24 at 7 p.m. to gather in my lovely backyard with the authors of three very different books and our book-loving friends.

Send me an email at info@shawnamarie.com to learn the location of the Book Release Party x3, and please spread the word!

This week’s scripture: Philippians 3:14-21