Book Review - Of Stillness and Storm by Michele Phoenix

Of Stillness and Storm is written by Michele Phoenix and published by Thomas Nelson.

I have finally been getting caught up with my reading lists this month. I know, I know, most people are so busy with the holidays that reading, for them, takes a backseat. However, I need that calm in the mornings and evenings to get me prepped for my busy days. I have been hard at work on a new book by Michele Phoenix.

I had not heard of Michele Phoenix before so I had to do a little investigative work to "get to know her". She was born in France to a Canadian father and an American mother. She worked in Germany as a teacher for 20 years, then joined with Global Outreach Mission. She obviously has a heart for missions.

In Of Stillness and Storm, Phoenix paints what I think is probably a fair picture of missionary families. The husband is called to serve in another part of the world and the wife and child(ren), though they might not feel as called, end up following suit. The husband adjusts well because he is doing what he feels God has led him to do while the wife and child(ren) struggle.

The husband in this book, Sam, is a strong believer who has always known that his desire for world missions is at the heart of God's will for his life. However, his wife, Lauren, is not so sure. She does love the Lord and she's always done "the right thing". However, doing the right thing includes taking their son, Ryan, halfway around the world to Kathmandu, Nepal. Sam is gone for weeks a time, ministering to remote villages in the mountains while Lauren and Ryan stay in a hot, dingy apartment that has basically none of the amenities that they were used to back home.

Ryan struggles and, through his struggles, Lauren struggles as well. That's a lot of struggles. And it makes for an interesting read. Rejoicing, aching, working hard to overcome - it all comes together and we get to come along for the ride.

I enjoyed this book for its rawness and good writing. Phoenix paints a vivid picture of what world missions can be like for those who give up almost everything in order to reach the lost for Christ. It's not as glamarous as some of us might think. It's sacrifice, and that is portrayed very well in this book. I recommend it highly for those who want to read fiction with a boost of realism.

*I received this book in exchange for my honest review. My thoughts are my own.*

Book Review - Lessons from the East by Bob Roberts, Jr.

This is a book written for and to church leaders. I am not a church leader, but I do have a great desire to be involved in ministry, no matter what level that might be. Bob Roberts, Jr. is a pastor from Texas who abandoned his desire to lead a mega-church and instead chose the path of world (including the U.S.) ministry. His church in Texas (and the more global church) is very successful in reaching people for Christ, even those whom we might think are unreachable, such as Muslims and Hindus.

I have enjoyed reading the book as I have gleaned a whole lot out of it. I am from the generation who was taught to "say a prayer" and that became the whole goal - just get people to recite that prayer for salvation and you're good to go! However, those "unreachables" I just mentioned need to be loved into the kingdom rather than bullied into it. Many people on the streets of America are much the same. If you don't genuinely love them, how do you expect to show them the love of God? Why would they want it if His love is just like ours?

I think the general evangelical public could learn a lot from the global church and its outreach. It's different than what we've learned here but it seems to work. We don't all have to be pastors and missionaries in the traditional sense to be ambassadors for Christ. Pastor Roberts does a fair job of imparting that as he teaches pastors in this book. I recommend reading it if you are at all interested in missions.

*I received a copy of Lessons from the East in exchange for my honest review. My opinions are my own.*

Book Review: The Gentle Revolutionaries by Don Lord

The Gentle Revolutionaries is written by Don Lord and published by WestBow Press.

When I first took a glance at this book, I wondered whether it was nonfiction or fiction. I have since figured out, with the help of the description on Amazon.com, that it is historical fiction. That, of course, means a fictional account that might include real people but takes place in history - in times gone by.

The gist of the story is that two real-life American missionaries, Dan and Emelie Bradley, go to Thailand in 1835 with the desire to serve the Lord there by bringing others to Christ. They came from New York, in a district where women were generally accepted as equals to men socially. The couple became friends with a monk who later became king of Thailand (known as Siam at the time).

You might have heard about King Mongkut in Margaret Landon's The King of Siam. According to Don Lord, this story was mostly fabricated. The Gentle Revolutionaries tells the story more of the Bradleys - specifically Emelie - than the King of Thailand and the mission work there. The story moved slowly for me from the beginning. In fact, I never got through the entire book. I gave up somewhere near the middle. I found that Lord spent more time building up Emelie than anything else. While she might have been a very admirable person, the author could have moved things along quicker and showed us what contributions the couple made to Thailand and the king better. And in a more interesting way - with more intrigue or a stronger romance thread or SOMETHING.

Needless to say, I was not thrilled with this book, which is sad. I wanted to be. I think that Dan and Emelie Bradley, King Mongkut, and the historical Thailand deserve better.

*I received The Gentle Revolutionaries in exchange for my honest opinion. My thoughts are my own.*

Help Awang find a Sponsor

This little boy, Awang, is 8 years old. He is in desperate need of a sponsor through Compassion International. As a sponsor of a little boy the same age in Burkina Faso, I can tell you that there are no words to express the joy I receive from this sponsorship. I receive regular letters and drawings from my child. He tells me that he prays for me and my family. I have no reason to doubt this. I receive pictures of him as he grows. The Lord is developing a bond between me and my sponsored child that I feel getting stronger each month that goes by.

Awang is awaiting his sponsor to step up to the plate and say, "I will. I will make a difference in Jesus name." I can send you all the information you need to begin sponsoring Awang now. You can e-mail me at and I will send you his information packet immediately. My goal is to find him a sponsor by January 9. That date is fast approaching.

Go here to watch a video that shares what sponsorship means to a child in need.

Book Review - Discipleship:Living for Christ in the Daily Grind by J. Heinrich Arnold

Discipleship: Living for Christ in the Daily Grind is written by J. Heinrich Arnold with a foreword by Henri J. M. Nouwen. It is published by Plough.

How many of us sort of envy the first disciples of Christ? Wouldn't it have been great to sit at the feet of the Master and learn directly from Him - audibly listening to Him and touching Him? After we think about it for a while, we remember that those disciples were tortured and persecuted for their faith after Jesus was sacrificed on the Cross and, three days later, risen. Would we want to go through that?

Arnold reminds us that living for Christ is not always the easiest thing to do. In fact, although we are not physically with Jesus in the days He walked the earth, we are with Him in Spirit. He talks to us through the Bible and teaches us those tough lessons through experience and His Word - which is always perfect.

This world we live in is a fallen one. We live with pain, suffering, injustice ... and the list goes on. How do we make sense of it all? We want to make everything alright. We want to take away the pain and the suffering. We want to be healers. Sticking close to the Master is tough when life is tough. However, as Mother Theresa said in her review of this book, "He has not called us to be successful, but to be faithful."

I am devouring this book. I think it is for the serious believer who truly wants to keep his/her eyes on Christ. We have faith - He takes care of the rest.

*I received a copy of Discipleship: Living for Christ in the Daily Grind in exchange for my honest opinion.*

Help a Child "in Jesus name"

This is a picture of a new little friend. He is a child living in Indonesia and he is in need of a sponsor through Compassion International. His name is Awang and he just turned 8 years old in October. I am sharing his need with you because I believe that one of you might be the one to sponsor him. You see, Awang's family is poor and they live in what we in the West would call a very depressed area. $38 a month offers medical checkups (which often saves lives), healthy food, health and hygiene training (brushing teeth, bathing, etc.), help with school supplies and lessons, access to special services (like needed surgeries and disaster relief), and, what I consider probably the most important, mentoring to help the kids know how much they mean to Jesus.

Almost three years ago, I decided to sponsor a child who lives in Burkina Faso (Africa). My husband gave his blessing and we have sent $38 a month since to help Nehemie with all of the above. I receive regular letters (and drawings) from Nehemie and, in turn, I send him my letters of love and encouragement. He asks me to pray for certain needs and offers to pray for me and my family. He is turning 8 years old in February. He has been, and continues to be, a great blessing in my life. My prayer is that I can continue to support him until he is grown.

That brings me back to Awang. I am on a mission to find him a sponsor. Can you help? If you are interested in knowing more about Awang or Compassion International, please send me an e-mail. I'd love to hook you up with Awang. I promise that you would be blessed.

Tangible Help in Time of Need

Sometimes we see sad faces but don't realize what's going on behind the sad faces. In April of this year, our 14-year-old son became quite ill with an autoimmune disease. We have been in the Emergency Department of three different hospitals with him 18 times since April 18. He has also had four hospital stays stretching three days each. He's also had two ambulance trips taking 3 1/2 hours one way.

You can guess what our emotional, mental, physical, and financial status is right now. Spiritually speaking, we are trusting God more than ever and feel His presence more than ever.

During these past few months, people have been kind, for the most part. Many offered to pray. Others simply said they were thinking about us. A few sent us some money.

I have compiled a list of things that I have learned (from personal experience) are real ways to tangibly help someone in need. Should I find others needing help, I'll better know able how to do just that. Maybe some of you will glean something from it as well.

• Prayer - I have craved prayer during this difficult time. I pray just about all day and night long. I pray while washing dishes, working my job, reading a book (yes, I can mentally multi-task). Prayer from others has been a true blessing of God. Here's the thing, however. If you won't really pray, don't offer to do so. A well wish or a "thinking of you" really doesn't mean diddly squat in the end. Praying to a living God and interceding for someone else is priceless.
• Take the time to cook a meal and deliver it to the family or individual in need. While we were spending countless time in the hospitals, NOBODY brought over a crumb - except for a good friend who baked cookies. We have a household size of 6 people right now. I worried endlessly about the empty cupboards and refrigerator while I was gone. Yes, I have some older boys, but honestly, they just don't think about that stuff. I was horrified when I'd call home and hear my 11-year-old daughter say she was eating corn chips and salsa for suppers - many of them.
• DO NOT ask, "Is there anything you need?" The vast majority of people will not list their needs for you. We always declined those sorts of offers because, being the kind of people we are, we just weren't comfortable asking for physical needs. We would just say, "No, we're fine." In truth, however, we desperately needed a lot.
• This one is a no brainer, yet I feel the need to list it. VISIT THE SICK IN THE HOSPITAL AND CHEER THEM UP IN PERSON! Can you believe I had to put that one in writing? All of those hospital stays and only once or twice did anyone show up to support us or cheer Ryan. Only once did we receive a visit from one of our pastors, and only because we nearly begged him to come. Tears flowed as he prayed with us, again after I asked. Our oldest son and friends came to visit once. Other than that - just some strangers such as hospital chaplains and social workers. Where were our friends and family? How about church family? Absent.
• Offer to care for younger children in your home. Again, we had to ask for help in this area. There were a couple of angels who did respond to the need. This is so important. Who wants to worry about younger children at home while trying to care for the one who is at the hospital?
• If you are financially able, send or bring money for the family. Outside of my sister, my parents, and three close friends, nobody has offered to help us financially with the tremendous bills that continue to roll in daily. Nobody has asked if we have insurance to pay the bills. We do, but we are still responsible for thousands. This is of extreme concern. We missed hours and hours of work and we don't get paid when we don't work. This caused us to get behind on our house payment and other bills. Now the medical bills? Faith in a God bigger than money is what we are clinging to. Do not assume that someone else will help the struggling family. Real Christians respond in real and tangible ways. If you are not able to help the family financially, that is okay. Just find another way to help them. 
• Responding in love is the most important thing. God will provide with or without His people getting involved. When people don't respond to other people's needs, they themselves will miss the blessings God is ready to bestow upon them.

I hope some of these suggestions and insights will help you as you live in this world and seek to love others with the love of Christ. Remember, Jesus washed His disciples' feet. He is all about loving others and physically meeting their needs.

Thirty Days of Thankfulness - Day 9

Today I am thankful for my job. This winter, when it will look more white than the above photo (we are in the snowbelt of northern Michigan), I will likely have to continue walking to work - the library across the road. I don't mind, though, because it gives me a chance to get out of the house and be with other people for 20 hours a week. I am able to continue homeschooling my two youngest children. They often come to the library with me and work on their stuff there, in the peace and quiet that the library affords.

It is only November 9, but I have nearly finished my Christmas shopping, including sending a gift of money to my sponsored child (through Compassion International), Nehemie, in Africa. Christmas has always been a huge burden due to the fact that my husband makes lower commissions in the winter. With the extra income from my job, we are not only able to pay our bills on time, but we are also able to buy gifts for our family and loved ones.

This is a HUGE blessing! Praising the Lord that I only have a few smaller items and stocking stuffers to come up with.

Book Review - Running for My Life by Lopez Lomong

Running for My Life is written by Lopez Lomong and is published by Thomas Nelson. It's the life story of a professional athlete - an Olympic track star no less - and a lost boy from south Sudan.

Lopepe (Lopez) Lomong was born and raised to the age of six in south Sudan. During the lengthy civil war between south and north Sudan, Lopez found himself dragged from his mother's arms while at a church service. He was thrown into a truck bed along with other boys and girls from his village by rebel soldiers who then took only the boys to a "training camp" for future soldiers. Where the girls went, Lopez did not know.

As boys died in an overcrowded tent, Lopez made friends with his "three angels." Lopez and the three boys escaped one night and ran for three days toward what they thought was their village. They were wrong. They ended up in a refugee camp in Kenya, just over the border. Lopez stayed in that refugee camp for ten years - until he came here, to the United States of America.

Today, Lopez Lomong is an Olympic runner for the United States and a professional athlete whose single goal transcends all that he has accomplished since he was abducted as a boy of six. He wants to help other lost boys and his own village in south Sudan. A portion of every book sold goes toward meeting that goal.

I have to admit that I was completely won over by Lopez's story. I found myself immersed in it and finished reading it quicker than most books I have read. I have come away with my own passion to do something - ANYTHING - for the cause of Christ. How will I run for my life?

**I received a copy of Running for My Life in exchange for my honest opinion. Opinions expressed are my own.**

Romans 12 - Our Response to God's Grace

Our Sunday School Class is studying Romans 12 using Chip Ingram's Living on the Edge videos and study guide. Here's an excerpt:

I am learning a ton about the book of Romans, though I thought I had it all figured out years ago. You know what "confused" me the most? It was a result of jumping from one Christian denomination to another in the earlier years.

I was raised a Roman Catholic and stayed there until I turned 20. What did I know about Romans or any other book of the Bible for that matter? When I was saved by GRACE, I began to read, and devour, the Scriptures. But did I truly understand it? No.

At 20, I left the Catholic church to attend a nondenominational country church. There was plenty of good, solid Biblical teaching there, for a while. It became increasingly charismatic - which I am not saying is wrong or bad. The problem, however, is that the church leaders began to focus completely on tongues, prophecy (personal, not Biblical), and other "stuff." Immorality was beginning to abound amongst the church attenders and members, and nobody was doing a thing about it. It seemed to be "normal." (Sound like a lot of feel good churches today?)

I left that church at age 21 and began to attend a Missionary church, which, if I were still in Indiana today, I would still attend. This church focused on HOLY living - sanctification, if you please. I married my husband at that church. We began to raise our family in that church. We were members and were very active in ministry there. We were truly a part of the family of Christ there. I miss it.

After moving to Michigan, we attended a Church of the Nazarene (great on Holiness). Somewhere during that time, we moved to Florida for a year and attended an Evangelical Free Church. It was good, but we never really got very involved there like we should have. I blame it on busyness and having four young boys who took all of my free time. I say MY free time, because my husband was working a job as well as taking college classes. Ugh. My excuses were invalid. Being involved in church is good for families. Taking it to the extreme to the point where families put church above God or family responsibility, is not good, however. Involvement would have put me back on fire for Christ - the way I should have been.

We moved back to Michigan and attended the Nazarene church again for a while. They were having difficulties with the pastor (bad, bad, bad) and we didn't want to become entrenched in all of the unBiblical stuff this pastor was doing. We ended up going to an independent Baptist church in our neighborhood. This was pretty much a bad move on our part. The church's doctrine was based upon Calvin's Five Points with virtually no holiness and sanctification even discussed. We were ridiculed for believing that God has an intended plan for us to follow, and that the plan includes giving Him ourselves and walking away from the ways of the world. When the pastor's wife had an affair with the head deacon (and everybody looked the other way), we had already left.

The next church was a couple of blocks down the road - a community church, again Evangelical Free. The problem was that the pastor was NOT Evangelical at all. He was another Calvinist Baptist - a hard nosed one at that. Sanctification was not the issue for him. He preached long and hard the Election issue, though not the Election that I believe God is talking about in the Scriptures. This man's view is that God loves some, hates some, and will never save some because He decreed that from the beginning these folks are doomed to Hell forever, simply because God does not want them. You know we had to leave.

We now attend another Evangelical Free Church, a very good one I believe. Evangelicalism (working to bring the news of God's gift of salvation to others) and then discipleship to those who are saved by GRACE (that gift of God). They do believe in eternal security for the believer (that God will never take away that free gift). I personally believe that God won't take it away as long as we still want it. If I choose to throw that gift back in God's face, that's my decision, but I can't expect Him to still allow me into the Kingdom as long as I have given the gift back. That topic can be a huge dividing point among believers - and it is.

Back to the Book of Romans and Romans 12. If you read Romans chapters 1 to 11, you will learn all about that free gift of GRACE, salvation - forgiveness of sin and coming into God's family. Having the opportunity and blessing of living forever with Christ. Eternity in Heaven.

Chapter 12 to the end of the book speaks of HOW to live. It talks about Holiness and Sanctification, separating yourself from the world and living as God intends for you to live. Honoring Him with your life and all that you are. It is our responsibility.

Nobody will be won to Christ when the world sees that we are really no different than they are. Miracles happen when we are committed to a life of righteousness. Imperfect people, sinners, who are forgiven and living a life of victory.

Misc. Doings

This is not a Tackle it Tuesday post, but it does highlight some of the things I've been doing these days. I haven't kept anybody posted as to my weight loss/get healthy venture in a while. The diet has gone well and I still eat more healthy than not. Since June 1, I have lost 22 pounds and am now at a comfortable weight, though not where I would ideally like to be. Still, to be back in the normal body mass ratio is wonderful. The diet I follow is a conglomoration of many diets. I keep bad carbohydrates mostly out of my meals, though I splurge once in a great while. I have one cup of coffee a day (99% of the time) and only in the morning before I eat anything. I wait an hour and then have a simple breakfast, usually a bowl of oatmeal (old-fashioned oats) with berries sprinkled into it. I rarely eat sugar and when I do, I tend to use stevia or raw, unfiltered honey. I limit meat to once or twice a week. I have plenty of green salads, lots of veggies (if you read my menu plans you'll notice I like green beans). When I use milk it's skim. I make my own yogurt and I never sweeten it. I use it often in smoothies, but again, I don't use sugar. I am still gluten-free and have no desire to go back to the gummy, rotten stuff. I have given up soda pop for good. I TRY to get lots of water down, but often forget. I walk a lot for exercise. I stay busy.

I have dropped FOUR sizes and am finding I might have to hunt for smaller jeans. I am not focusing on food - I'm focusing on my love for Jesus. I'm finding that ministry is more important than food and the body. Food and the body are temporal - what we do for Christ is eternal. Get my eyes off of me and things fall into their proper places.

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Something else going on is Small Business Saturday on November 26. America's small businesses are what keeps her going. I have pledged to shop my local small businesses on November 26. Won't you join in? Take the pledge and you might win one of 100 $25 American Express gift cards to use that day.


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I am  the new librarian at our local branch of our county's public library. I work 4 hours a day. It has been a great thing so far. I keep busy there for the most part, meet new people, and get the chance now and then to impart Christian values. Do I preach to them? Of course not. I simply talk to them about whatever subject they bring up. I kid you not, I have been asked to give recommendations for Christian books, talk about my church, and even discuss the Bible. People are hungry for the Truth. I have to conclude that this might be the reason the job fell into my lap. I prayed for a ministry in my village and I'm getting it - plus a little extra cash.

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I am on jury duty for November. I've only had to show up at the court house once so far. I was not chosen for the jury. I know too many people involved with the case, from the defending lawyer to many of the witnesses for the defense. Then there's the fact that my son is a county deputy, which makes me biased for the prosecution as well. I spent 8 hours at the court house on jury selection day and, though I got tired, learned a tremendous amount of legal stuff - fascinating stuff. When you get chosen for jury duty, don't grumble. Rather, consider it your DUTY to serve - and to do so with a good attitude and spirit.

TrashCanKidz

Have you heard of the TrashCanKidz? This is a program - yes, a program - about which I only recently became aware. My daughter has Solo, one of the CarryMeKidz. It's a soft, rag-type doll that she really adores.

In a nutshell, here's what TrashCanKidz is all about:

An "ambassador" (your child and you) buys a CarryMeKidz doll, which is designed to represent an orphaned or vulnerable child. Twenty percent of the money goes toward improving the lives of orphaned or less fortunate children around the world. When you refer others to the program, and they purchase dolls using your ambassador code, you rack up points to earn another doll at no cost to you.

There are far more children living on the streets than most people realize. When my son served with a missions group in Mombasa a couple of years ago, he found there were children living alone on the streets all over the city. Many other parts of the country are the same. Jesus said that, "Whenever you've done it unto the least of these, you've done it unto Me." Matthew 25:40

If we can do something to help those who cannot help themselves, we should. My daughter's ambassador code is: 1318031356. If you're interested in purchasing a CarryMeKidz, you can use that code.

You can also play the free online game, TrashCanKidz, where you can really "clean up" the neighborhood.
**I received a CarryMeKidz in exchange for my honest review.**

Helping Others: It's Part of God's Plan

The Lord asks that we help others with their needs. When we do that, we do it for Jesus. Sometimes it's difficult to help others when we're struggling ourselves. I know and understand that more than you might think. Still, I also know that when God gives a command, it's best to heed it.

Last year I attended a workshop that Dr. Bruce Wilkinson held at our church. The theme was miracles and our part in them. *God Nudge*


This year I read a fantastic book called The Cause Within You by Matthew Barnett. That book blasted me right between the eyes. I'm still looking for my niche in ministry. *Big-time God Nudge*


The fact is, there are many, many ways that we can be a blessing to others - some ways are small and some are large. God knows what you can handle. He doesn't ask for more than that, but He does ask you to dream big.


My friend Jenn from Sunshine of Autumn Quilts is dreaming big to help another. Here's the cause:


Her friend's son has pars planitis in both eyes. "This requires many doctor visits, medications, and other situations in which extra money is needed. She is a Sahm and I would like to help. I felt the Lord speak to me as I traveled the journey of her Blog," Jenn says.


Jenn is selling a custom made quilt (baby) in order to donate the proceeds to her friend for medical bills. Can you help? I'm sure that if you can't purchase the quilt, you would be welcome to donate any amount, small or large, to help this cause that, I believe, God laid upon Jenn's heart. If all you can do is pray, rejoice that you can do so, because that is needed too (and is vital).

What is Your Cause?

I have been reading an excellent book titled, The Cause Within You, by Matthew Barnett with George Barna. The subtitle, "Finding the One Great Thing You Were Created to do in This World", sums up the content. When I first received the book, I thumbed through the pages rather quickly and did what a lot of you probably do when receiving a Christian "self-help" book - looked to see from what denomination Matthew Barnett hails. Before you leave this post to Google it, I'll let you know that it is Assemblies of God.

Pastor Matthew's church denomination affiliation means nothing to the context of this book. What matters is that he found the cause within him - that of radically reaching the homeless, the drug addicts, the alcoholics, and the prostitutes of Los Angeles. He began this remarkable journey at the age of twenty - yes, twenty-years-old.

I am not quite finished reading this story, but I can't wait any longer to share my thoughts about it with you. Pastor Matthew states that God creates within each person a special skill, or talent, which He expects that person to use in helping other people. Call it servanthood. 

The Cause Within You was written to help others find their great cause, then use it. Think it sounds familiar? It's basically the same principle that we learned from Bruce Wilkinson when he came to our church and spoke about miracles. He had said that God uses people to perform miracles by doing the ordinary - meeting other people's needs. 

I am really excited about this book and the practical advice contained within it. If every Christian took God at His promises and used the great gifts that He has blessed him with, our world would be greatly changed. Just think, we would actually be living the Gospel rather than simply preaching it on Sunday mornings.

*I received a copy of The Cause Within You to review. However, the opinions expressed are my own.*

Big Ticket Festival 2010

The Big Ticket Festival in Gaylord takes place this week, beginning tomorrow. It's a huge Christian musical celebration that lasts for three days. I have never gone to it, but my children have volunteered a lot of hours in the past and will do so again this year. My oldest son is working security and he loves that.

This year I decided to volunteer five hours on Saturday working in the parking area. That should be interesting - I hope I get a good suntan without a burn. When I get off duty, Casting Crowns will be beginning their show. I plan to watch them.

This is the last year that the festival will be held in Gaylord. It moves south next year due to lack of space at the current location. Please be in prayer for this outreach to the community and surrounding areas. People come from all over the state of Michigan for this.

Blogging for Jesus

I have read some interesting blog posts this week concerning our online witness and testimonies. It really doesn't matter which forum we are using - blogs, Twitter, Facebook, etc. 

When we are witnessing to others online, we have the same responsibilities concerning that testimony that we do when witnessing in person. We must be sure that what we are saying is the truth. How do we know that it is the truth? We MUST know what the Bible says. We can't know what it says if we aren't reading it - and praying about that which we've read - can we?

Even more essential to our testimony is that we know the Author of the Bible - God Himself. If we do not have a personal and meaningful relationship with God, through His Son, Jesus Christ, we have very little with which to preach and teach to others. Let me urge you to spend as much time reading, studying, praying, and spending time with other Christians as you can. Then get to your computer and share Jesus with the world.

Here are some interesting reads concerning sharing your faith online (and elsewhere):


Tips for Blogging with a Mission


What's a Word from the Lord?

Another Chance to Win a Frigidaire Affinity Washer & Dryer

Do you have a high efficiency washer and dryer yet? I don't but I really do want a set. Those I know who have them say that they have already saved money on electricity (or gas) AND they seem to have cleaner clothes!

Here's your chance to win a Frigidaire Affinity Washer and dryer and help fight poverty at the same time:

Frigidaire and Save the Children are teaming up to fight hunger and poverty with the Spin and Win campaign. What you do is sign up, spin the wheel (no, you do not gamble), and your name gets put into a drawing for a brand new Affinity set. In addition to the washer and dryer, you could also win a gift card - they're giving away a prize a day through April 26, 2010. What's the best part of all this? GE is donating $1 to Save the Children each time you play, so even if you don't win, you've helped hungry and hurting children.

Let me encourage you to take a minute or two out of your time to play Spin and Win for your chance to win and to help children win too.

Forgiveness and the Worst of the Criminals

Someone told me about this article concerning "reformed" sex offenders and their desire to be a part of a church family. I put reformed in quotes because I wonder if they have all repented. If they truly did, their lives would show it. See the definition of  forgiveness on my sidebar.

This whole idea of forgiveness and criminals makes me pause. We can forgive a crime but, ultimately, it is God who offers the greatest forgiveness. When a person repents, he turns away from his sin. When Mary Magdelene came to Jesus for forgiveness, He gave it to her with these words, "Go and sin no more." (emphasis is mine)

The article referenced pertains to registered offenders who have committed crimes against children. What do you think? Should they be allowed to attend a church where child care is provided? Should they be allowed to sit beside your cute little girl? What about the teenage girl in the next pew? How would you feel if one sat beside you? Would you be screaming, "Love! Love!"

These are tough questions. I really don't know for sure where I stand on this issue. What I do know, however, is that I have sinned. Is there a varying degree of sins, worse sins, worst sins? Is my sin of overeating or watching a movie that I know I shouldn't any worse than someone else's sin of shooting someone or molesting a child?

God has forgiven me. Still, some of the results of my sins have remained. I have to pay the consequences for my actions, and so do those who harm children or anyone else.

I would have to conclude that, although it seems rough, God is just and He allows us to suffer the consequences when we disobey Him. Read the Old Testament through and through to understand this. Then read the New Testament. Same thing. The criminal whom Jesus forgave on the cross still had to die. He didn't miraculously jump from his cross and yell, "I'm forgiven; I'm free!"

Again, it's a tough topic and one which that causes me to struggle.

A View of Mombasa

The music in the background is from the radio in the "taxi." The interesting thing about this city is that rich and poor live side by side and sporadically throughout. There doesn't seem to be a middle class - our middle class is disappearing too.

Africa Update

I just want to let everyone know that my son, Jonathon, is back home from his missions trip to Mombasa, Kenya. He wanted to talk a lot when he got in at 1:30 a.m., but I was too tired to listen too well. He said that he led worship music each night and the boys nicknamed him "Santana." He also taught some of the boys to play guitar and one of them was so grateful that he tried to give Jonathon his guitar to take home. It's interesting. The boy was watching Jonathon play and his fingers would move as Jonathon's moved. That's when Jonathon knew this boy should learn to play!

Sounds like the teens learned a lot about life beyond our little town here in the United States. I'll have a lot more to share with you later but I just want to say a big "Thank you!" to those who have prayed for this missions trip. I ask that you continue to keep the street boys in prayer as well as those who minister to them on a regular basis in Mombasa.