Thursday, August 27, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
President Obama says He Prays "all the time now"
"This is something where you just hope that you are aligning your work with His purposes, and that you're attuned to the needs of the people you're there to serve."
In a recent Nightline interview, President Obama told ABC News' Terry Moran that his prayer habits have intensified since taking office, and that he prays "all the time now."
"I've got a lot of stuff on my plate and I need guidance all the time," Obama said in the interview.
He told Moran that before he was elected, he used to pray each night. Obama reportedly receives a devotional and prayer sent to his BlackBerry every morning from Pastor Joshua DuBois, the director of the president's Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships Initiative. (Photo: LATimes)
Obama candidly added, "I think that every president who's had [this job] is constantly humbled by the degree to which there are a lot of issues out there and the notion that one person alone can solve all these problems—I think you're cured of that illusion very quickly."
Read more of this Christian Post article at the source link provided.
Source: Eric Young – Christian Post
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
BULLY! PULPIT NEWS WORLD EXCLUSIVE: MICHAEL JACKSON
FACING A MASSIVE TOUR HE WAS ILL-PREPARED FOR, A DESPERATE MICHAEL JACKSON REACHED OUT TO GOSPEL SUPERSTAR ANDRAE CROUCH AND HIS MINISTER SISTER SANDRA FOR SOLACE IN HIS LAST DAYS
Los Angeles, California, (Bully! Pulpit News)---Facing a grueling concert schedule, Michael Jackson, the self-proclaimed King of Pop reached out to two old friends-legendary Gospel singer Andrae Crouch and his twin sister, singer and minister, Sandra, desperately seeking inspiration for a tour he was ill-prepared for, a few weeks before his tragic death.
But news of the meeting spiraled out of control as a series of blogs and emails raced around the world proclaiming that Jackson had converted to Christianity at the end of one of their meetings, raising hopes, especially among Jackson’s African-American fans that Jackson, a onetime member of the Jehovah’s Witness sect, who had reportedly converted to Islam in 2008, had become a Christian.
The news was first widely circulated on her website by Erica Campbell, a member of the Grammy-award winning duo Mary-Mary who, under the banner headline “Good News-RIP Michael Jackson,” wrote: “Last night we received some good news from Terri McFaddin-Solomon who is good friends with Sandra Crouch. Three weeks ago Sandra and Andrae spent some time with their close friend, Michael Jackson. Michael asked Andrae to play, "It Won't Be Long And We'll Be Leaving Here." Michael then prayed with Sandra and Andre and accepted Christ into his heart. Now he's singing in the heavenly choir! Our hearts rejoice!”
But according to Sandra Crouch, that may not quite be the full story. On a posting on her Facebook page Crouch wrote: “Not sure where that came from. We loved and respected Michael and will continue to pray for his family. All the extra is not from us.”
For his part, through a spokesman, Andrae Crouch attempted to further clarify the story:
“Andrae and Sandra did in fact visit with Michael Jackson two times, once at the recording studio, and once at his home in the last two months, as recently as three weeks ago, asking for prayer concerning the anointing of the Holy Spirit, and how he could make his music more ‘spiritual,’" noted Crouch’s Facebook administrator. “So Andrae and Sandra explained to him about the anointing and about Jesus. He wanted to know what makes your hands go up, and makes you ‘come out of yourself,’ and what gives a ‘spirituality’ to the music? He then requested to hear his favorite song that he loves and wanted then to sing to him, so they...joined hands and sang together, and he said, ‘it was beautiful.’ He first heard it in New York, and loved it and wanted it on tape. He had the engineer tape the song sang to him by Andrae and Sandra. He definitely had an encounter with them.”
As to whether or not the legendary singer had prayed to receive Christ, through his spokesman Crouch responded: “He did NOT reject Jesus or the prayer when (we) prayed, and gladly joined in prayer.”
“He usually doesn’t touch anybody, but he touched them, and held their hands in a circle as they sang and prayed,” continued Andrae Crouch’s spokesman. “There was NO actual ‘sinners prayer’ however, but they did talk and pray about Jesus and the anointing of the Holy Spirit. They also told him, ‘Michael, we consider you as our son,’ and he said, “yes, yes, yes” and gave him his latest music on a CD, and he told him, ‘Andrae I trust you with this,’ and gave him CD’s of 2 songs......unpublished, beautiful music.”
The Crouch’s reported one peculiarity about Jackson’s rented home: forbidden as a child from celebrating Christmas because of his Jehovah’s Witness faith which precludes such celebration, Jackson was still celebrating Christmas in June: “
“He still had his Christmas decorations up at home,” noted Crouch’s spokesman.
Monday, June 08, 2009
Gay Pride Month????
Office of the Press Secretary
___________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release June 1, 2009
LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER PRIDE MONTH, 2009
- - - - - - -
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
Forty years ago, patrons and supporters of the Stonewall Inn in New York City resisted police harassment that had become all too common for members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community. Out of this resistance, the LGBT rights movement in America was born. During LGBT Pride Month, we commemorate the events of June 1969 and commit to achieving equal justice under law for LGBT Americans.
LGBT Americans have made, and continue to make, great and lasting contributions that continue to strengthen the fabric of American society. There are many well-respected LGBT leaders in all professional fields, including the arts and business communities. LGBT Americans also mobilized the Nation to respond to the domestic HIV/AIDS epidemic and have played a vital role in broadening this country's response to the HIV pandemic.
Due in no small part to the determination and dedication of the LGBT rights movement, more LGBT Americans are living their lives openly today than ever before. I am proud to be the first President to appoint openly LGBT candidates to Senate-confirmed positions in the first 100 days of an Administration. These individuals embody the best qualities we seek in public servants, and across my Administration -- in both the White House and the Federal agencies -- openly LGBT employees are doing their jobs with distinction and professionalism.
The LGBT rights movement has achieved great progress, but there is more work to be done. LGBT youth should feel safe to learn without the fear of harassment, and LGBT families and seniors should be allowed to live their lives with dignity and respect.
My Administration has partnered with the LGBT community to advance a wide range of initiatives. At the international level, I have joined efforts at the United Nations to decriminalize homosexuality around the world. Here at home, I continue to support measures to bring the full spectrum of equal rights to LGBT Americans. These measures include enhancing hate crimes laws, supporting civil unions and Federal rights for LGBT couples, outlawing discrimination in the workplace, ensuring adoption rights, and ending the existing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy in a way that strengthens our Armed Forces and our national security. We must also commit ourselves to fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic by both reducing the number of HIV infections and providing care and support services to people living with HIV/AIDS across the United States.
These issues affect not only the LGBT community, but also our entire Nation. As long as the promise of equality for all remains unfulfilled, all Americans are affected. If we can work together to advance the principles upon which our Nation was founded, every American will benefit. During LGBT Pride Month, I call upon the LGBT community, the Congress, and the American people to work together to promote equal rights for all, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2009 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month. I call upon the people of the United States to turn back discrimination and prejudice everywhere it exists.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of June, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-third.
BARACK OBAMA
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
One Amazing Miracle in Manitoba
"What happened that day at the intersection of the Perimeter Highway and Saskatchewan Avenue was an authentic miracle… The laws of thermodynamics were momentarily superseded by a higher law. It had much more to do with the faith and prayers of a few ordinary people inviting God's intervening hand, in Jesus' name, to protect him on the road in a way that no one else can do…"
(Winnipeg, Manitoba)—If you think miracles documented in the New Testament don't really happen anymore, you'll want to read the following story. Phillip may not have been the only one to be "transported" by the Holy Spirit, as Minnesotan trucker Roger Henry can testify. Read this remarkable account—written by his brother David—of what happened as Roger approached an icy intersection in Winnipeg one wintery day, just months ago.
[January, 2009] Roger Henry, a seasoned trucker based out of Minneapolis, Minnesota has many years of driving experience on the icy roads of Minnesota and Canada. He works for a large international trucking firm. This particular day he was driving a B-Train. It's a seven-axle, twenty-six wheel, two-trailer monster weighing in at over 56,000 kg. (80,000 pounds) when fully loaded. (Photo: Roger Henry)
Roger had just driven his rig north from the Twin Cities and was now headed back home with a large return load. The pavement was dry that day, so he set his speed at the 100 km per hour limit and prepared to make the familiar trip down to the North Dakota border and on south to home.
Roger and his wife Joyce are Christians. As a matter of habit and conviction, they pray in the name of Jesus and simply ask God to protect him as he travels a route that in a split second can turn deadly. In fact, Sandy Atkinson, a Jewish Christian friend of the Henry's, prays every day specifically for Roger to be kept safe as he plies his potentially dangerous trade. This day he would cash in those prayers; he would need all the help he could get.
Manitoba 101, The Perimeter Highway, is well-engineered for safety. On some of its crossings it has yellow blinking lights that forewarn drivers of their safe passage through the next traffic light. It's either, a yellow blinking, 'no'—you must prepare to stop at the next light, or the switched off light indicating 'yes'—you are safe to proceed.
Roger had his rig humming in high gear and relaxed as much as is reasonable into the familiar routine. He was headed south on the west side of Winnipeg, when he approached the next intersection at Perimeter Highway and Saskatchewan Avenue. He observed the yellow light was 'off', giving him the right-of-way through the intersection. He stayed in the right lane. Ominously, off to his right, his eyes locked on to a black four-door sedan traveling from the west at a high rate of speed that indicated someone wasn't paying attention. Roger quickly calculated that the driver could not possibly stop in time for the red light controlling the east-west traffic flow.
The sedan driver finally skidded to a stop, dead center in the middle of the right hand, southbound lane. Roger's loaded B-Train was hurtling through the intersection into the broadside of the black sedan at 100 km miles per hour. Roger had no time to maneuver his big rig into the left lane. He couldn't steer it into that lane without flipping it over or jack-knifing. (Photo: Intersection from satellite view)
There was no time to stop. Air brakes on a big rig are slower to respond than car brakes. It takes a moment of time to develop sufficient air pressure to even begin to slow the giant down. Roger did not have the luxury of those few seconds. Do the math. Study the physics. That sedan driver had to die.
Roger describes what happened as entering briefly into a state of suspended consciousness. He did not faint or pass out. In Roger's words, "My screen went blank." His hands were on the steering wheel but someone had control of his truck for about two seconds. He did not steer into the left lane. He couldn't. He could not veer to the right. It would have been like playing 'crack-the-whip' with a huge load of steel and freight. He could neither change directions nor vary his speed. It was impossible. The distance between his truck's front bumper and the side of the car was roughly twenty five yards. While the front tires were aligned straight ahead, the whole 82.5 feet of the truck were instantly moved sideways into the left lane. To get into the left lane by means of the steering wheel would have meant a flipped truck.
An engineer was asked to calculate the foot pounds of energy contained in the mass and velocity of that truck. He wrote:
"The linear or translational momentum of a particle (mass = truck here) is defined as the product of its mass x velocity (100 km/hr). That is 5,650 tons momentum, in metric tons. Since one metric ton is 1,000 kilogram, and 1 kg is 2.205 lbs, the same momentum is 12,458,000 lbs." -Joe Horvath, PhD.
So much energy going straight forward would not allow the truck to swerve into the left land if Roger had attempted it. He would have taken out the black sedan plus several other vehicles with the flipped tractor and two trailers. While Roger's screen went blank, the only explanation left us is that God moved the whole truck in its north/south alignment 7 meters over into the left lane. When Roger's 'screen came back on' he found himself 100 meters through the intersection in the left land and gradually heading for the right shoulder. But, he did not so much as touch the black sedan. No screeching sound of steel exploding on steel and glass. No fire. No smoke. Nothing. He came back to his normal senses on the south side of Saskatchewan Avenue. Most unusual of all, Roger had no sense of fear, no panic, no adrenaline rush, no rapid beating of his heart. He was aware of a profound sense of peace all about him; and in him.
Roger quickly down shifted and pulled off to the right shoulder of the highway and got out of his truck. He stood there and looked back north at the crossing from 150 meters away. The black sedan was still there. It was parked right where Roger should have blown through it. All traffic had stopped. It takes something unusual to change the routine of drivers hurrying to work in bone-chilling weather. What they saw motivated them. About twenty witnesses were stopped. Three or four drivers got out of their cars and began to gather around the car to inspect it. The witnesses to this event were trying to make sense of what they had just seen.
As Roger watched, the light changed and the driver in the black car drove slowly away to the east toward the city. After assessing what he had just lived through without any damage to either vehicle, Roger made his way back into the truck and sat there for a while collecting his thoughts. He is a down-to-earth, laid back, professional trucker with a good sense of humor. But that day, he saw the curtain pulled back for just a few seconds; he saw into another dimension.
Roger has searched for a word to explain what happened to him. He said that the best he can explain it is he was, "transported" in the sense of Phillip the Evangelist in the eighth chapter verses 39 and 40, of the Book of Acts in the Bible. Phillip was ministering to the Ethiopian Eunuch who had just been baptized in Gaza. At the completion of that ministry, he found himself the next moment transported to a location eighteen miles to the north along the Mediterranean shore and a new ministry assignment. Phillip was 'seized' or 'caught away' from Gaza and 'found himself' in Azotus. Roger was seized from the right lane where death was, and found himself in the left lane and a good distance ahead where safety was. The Greek New Testament verb is "Harpadzo", the same verb that is employed in the English concept of rapture or a 'catching away'. Roger experienced what we might call a mini-rapture. He and the other driver were in imminent danger. Roger was covered in prayer. He was caught away from or seized out of danger. To redirect, or reposition that much rolling energy in a such surgically precise fashion required a greater amount of power than the force in the vehicle's mass and velocity.
Webster's Dictionary defines a miracle as, "1. ...an event or effect that contradicts known scientific laws and is hence thought to be due to supernatural causes, especially to an act of God." What happened that day at the intersection of the Perimeter Highway and Saskatchewan Avenue was an authentic miracle. Roger is a good truck driver; a very good one. He has amassed over three million miles of truck driving without an accident. That is testimony to consistently good judgment in all kinds of situations. But what happened on that patch of pavement had nothing to do with his skill or ability. The laws of thermodynamics were momentarily superseded by a higher law. It had much more to do with the faith and prayers of a few ordinary people inviting God's intervening hand, in Jesus' name, to protect him on the road in a way that no one else can do. Some old-timers call it, 'being prayed up'. Their months and years of prayers had gone ahead of him.
A lot of things pass for news that are no real news. And some things that are so astounding as to defy explanation go by and no one records it; no one tells the story. This true story is being told. There was a miracle in Winnipeg that day, on the Perimeter Highway. God did intervene; something holy, powerful and good happened on a cold Canadian winter's day. There is a person or persons who are alive right now who should not be. But they are. They might consider humbly giving thanks to Someone who, when asked in faith, does the impossible.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Man Adopts Wife's Two Aborted Children
"I love Lisa, and what better way to show it? It's easy to say I love you. What better way to show you love someone than to prove it by actions. It never came to my mind that this had not been done before. These babies are a part of Lisa, so they are a part of me as well."
(Costa Mesa, California)—A California couple signed adoption papers last month, so the husband could adopt his wife's two previously aborted children and give them his last name. It may be the first such posthumous adoption of an aborted child. The documents were executed live on Rich Buhler's radio program Talk From the Heart on KBRT AM-740, which broadcasts to all of Southern California.
Stan Musil said he wanted to adopt his wife Lisa's children as a part of his love and support for her, as a part of her healing from the pain of the abortions, and to give them his last name for a memorial that is being constructed in Riverside, California to honor children whose lives have been lost to abortion.
Joining them for the signing was attorney Ron Stoddart of Nightlight Christian Adoptions who drew up the adoption papers. He is also a pioneer in the field of embryo adoptions.
Lisa, who is now 45 years old, said that at the age of 19 she was a hairdresser and living with her boyfriend in Southern California when she discovered she was pregnant. She said she was terrified. She felt she had no one to talk with about her pregnancy and was too frightened to admit it to anyone. When she was almost three months into her pregnancy she went to an abortion clinic in Inglewood, California and arranged for her baby's life to be ended. But instead of bringing the crisis to a close, it only opened the door to years of further and deeper difficulty. "I felt such agonizing pain in my heart that I tried to cover it by becoming involved in drugs, alcohol, partying, and a promiscuous lifestyle," Lisa told the radio audience.
"My life spiraled out of control and although I didn't realize it at the time, I was on a path toward destruction that would last for years."
Lisa later discovered that she was pregnant for a second time which was complicated by the fact that she also on her way to jail because of a drunk driving conviction.
"I had another, this time at the third month of my pregnancy. Lisa recounted. "This time it was a different man, a different father and I could not even say the word 'abortion.' I preferred to describe the pregnancies as 'terminated.'"
There were times when Lisa felt she could sense God calling her name. Her brother told her once that if she didn't quit the way she was living, she was going to die. "I just shrugged off those words and carried on," she said. "But deep inside—I knew."
Then came an evening in 1988 when Lisa's brother took her to Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa. The teacher that night was Greg Laurie who is the pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside. Lisa went forward during the service and dedicated her life to Jesus Christ. That night her destructive path came to an end. In the years that followed, Lisa grew in her faith in Christ and also sought to deal with the pain of her destructive lifestyle, especially her two abortions.
"It wasn't instant and it wasn't easy, but I came to realize how much God loved me and that he also offered me forgiveness for what I had done. I can say that today I feel completely healed and God has allowed me to help many other women who are carrying the searing pain and loss of abortion."
After committing her life to Christ, Lisa was determined to do things right this time and to find a healthy relationship with the right man—a Christian man. He turned out to be Stan, an Elder at Harvest Christian Fellowship who was also the overseer of the singles ministry there. They met at a singles retreat and after a 13 month courtship Stan and Lisa married nearly 7 years ago.
Lisa is a part of a ministry in Riverside called White As Snow that helps women in crisis pregnancies as well as women and men who are dealing with the pain of abortion.
"There is such a huge void after an abortion," explains Lisa. "Once a mother realizes what has happened and that there was a living child in her womb and who would be alive today had it not been for the abortion, the pain is almost too much to bear."
It has become common for women who have experienced abortion or miscarriage to imagine whether their child was a boy or a girl and to give the baby a name. "Some of us have asked God to reveal that information to us so we can further acknowledge the personhood of the child and grieve the loss more concretely," added Lisa.
A cemetery plot at Pierce Brothers Crestlawn Memorial Park in Riverside is to be the site of a memorial to aborted children, a granite monument on which the names of the children will be engraved. "I was trying to decide what last name I should give to my two children," Lisa said, "When Stan told me that he wished he could adopt them so they would have his last name."
"I love Lisa, "Stan said, "And what better way to show it? It's easy to say I love you. What better way to show you love someone than to prove it by actions. It never came to my mind that this had not been done before. These babies are a part of Lisa, so they are a part of me as well."
Lisa mentioned Stan's desire to adopt during an interview on Rich Buhler's radio program on April 2 and that gave Buhler the idea of exploring whether it would be possible.
"I immediately called my friend Ron Stoddart," Buhler explained. "Ron is an expert on adoption and has also been a leader in arranging for the adoption of frozen embryos. Hundred of thousands of embryos have been created as a part of fertility treatments and Ron helps infertile couples to legally adopt them, implant them into the wife's womb, and bring them to birth."
Stoddart said that it wasn't possible to do an adoption in the eyes of the law because there was no birth certificate for the aborted children, no legal acknowledgement that they ever existed. But it would be possible for Stan and Lisa to a ceremonial adoption, to sign paperwork with each other that reflected their desire for the adoption to take place and their desire to honor the personhood of the two children Lisa had briefly parented. Before each other, before God, and before witnesses, they would be embracing the children as a part of their marriage.
So when the intended memorial is erected in Riverside, among the names will be Alicia Anne Musil and Vincent Matthew Musil.
Lisa said that abortion is such a lonely place to be that she feels blessed that her children are acknowledged and love by others, especially by Stan. "He's the man I never prayed for," said Lisa. "I could never have prayed for anyone as wonderful as him."
"We've had other couples express an interest in this ceremonial adoption," Lisa said. "Ron Stoddart has given permission for the adoption form to be freely distributed to anyone at his website at www.nightlight.org."
Source: ASSIST News
Friday, May 08, 2009
'Hand of Hope' Boy Has Passion for Life
'Hand of Hope' Boy Has Passion for Life
by Suzanne Hadley on 05/07/2009 at 8:30 AM
Do you remember the famous photograph of the baby reaching out of the womb and grasping the doctor's finger? That baby is now 9-year-old Samuel Armas.
The photo has been spread around the world and even cited during congressional debates on the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act, but for Samuel it has personal significance. According to Fox News:
"When I see that picture, the first thing I think of is how special and lucky I am to have God use me that way," Samuel told FOXNews.com. "I feel very thankful that I was in that picture."
On Aug. 19, 1999, photographer Michael Clancy shot the "Fetal Hand Grasp" — his picture of a 21-week-old fetus grasping a doctor's finger during innovative surgery to correct spina bifida. Nearly four months later, on Dec. 2, Samuel Armas was "born famous."
The photo sparked controversy when the photographer claimed he saw the baby reach out and grab the doctor's finger, while the doctor claimed the baby was too anesthetized to do so.
"I don't care, honestly," Julie Armas [Samuel's mother] said. "What I felt the picture showed is that this is a child engaging in some form of interaction. I'm a labor and delivery nurse, so I understand that Samuel was anesthetized to some degree.
"So if he reached out, I don't know. If Dr. Bruner reached out, I don't know. The fact of the matter is it's a child with a hand, with a life, and that's meaningful enough."
And Samuel is glad to be the "poster child" for life:
Samuel, now 9 and living in Villa Rica, Ga., said the photo likely gave countless "babies their right to live" and forced many others to debate their beliefs on abortion, something he's proud of.
"It's very important to me," Samuel said of the photograph. "A lot of babies would've lost their lives if that didn't happen."
Kids like Samuel and Lia encourage me. Children seem to step up instantly to defend other children. They don't even question it. We can learn something from them.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Dolphins to the Rescue…against Pirates?!
Since we know God used a donkey to warn Balaam, and a fish to pay taxes, I guess we shouldn't be surprised by the help of dolphins!
Americans breathed a collective sigh of relief this past Sunday, in light of the daring and precise actions by US Navy Seals to rescue Captain Richard Phillips who was being held hostage at gunpoint by Somali pirates.
But the US Navy isn't the only force trying to ward off these terrorist attacks… dolphins are also lending a hand—or a fin, as the case may be.
According to a report by CRI.com, a Chinese merchant ship, which was traveling the same treacherous Gulf of Aden as the Maersk Alabama ship had, appeared to be coming under attack by Somali pirates in small boats.
However, as the pirates drew closer, thousands of dolphins suddenly began leaping out and back into the water—the dolphins were directly in between the pirates and the ship, preventing the terrorists from moving any nearer to the vessel.
The CRI.com report stated: "The suspected pirates' [boats] stopped and then turned away. The pirates could only lament their littleness before the vast number of dolphins. The spectacular scene continued for a while."
Source: News Staff – CRI.com
Thursday, April 09, 2009
Over 2 Million Red Envelopes Reach White House Mail Box
"Quite frankly, there was definitely a deluge of mail coming through. I had to handle them all."
(Washington, DC)—Toward the end of February an idea, which originated from C. Otto, began circulating the internet. The Red Envelope Project, as it has come to be known, involved sending an empty red envelope to President Obama at the White House on the last day of March to represent a child killed through abortion.
Each red envelope was to be printed on the back with the words: "This envelope represents one child who died in abortion. It is empty because that life was unable to offer anything to the world. Responsibility begins with conception."
According to a recent update from Chelsea Schilling on WorldNetDaily.com, the White House not only received red envelopes, but they were "deluged" with 2.25 million of them in the massive grass-roots campaign.
The worker at the White House who reportedly has taken care of letters addressed to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. for over 30 years told WND, "Quite frankly, there was definitely a deluge of mail coming through. I had to handle them all."
He added, "I've been here 35 years, so I've seen presidents come and go… This campaign ranks up there with the big ones."
Friday, April 03, 2009
Fargo Couple's "Prophetic" Wedding Invitation
"Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away."
(Fargo, ND)—The AP reports that newlywed couple, Nathan and Brittney Aakre believe their marriage last week was "prophesied" months earlier when they sent out their invitations. The scripture printed on their invitations was from the Song of Solomon: "Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away."
According to the report, they were supposed to be married at Fargo's First Assembly of God Church, but when the Red River flooded, they had to find a local hotel to accomodate their wedding.
The bride's father, Reverend Cal Thompson, who married the couple, is reportedly convinced that their invitations were, indeed, prophetic.
Source: Staff - AP
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Botswana to Hold "Queen Esther International Beauty Pageant"
"It is a search for the most inwardly and outwardly beautiful and good role model for this generation. Young people need women who display the fear of God and have grown into skilled, educated, articulate and productive members of society."
(Botswana, Africa)—Former beauty queen Vehae Tjiriange believes beauty pageants are rooted in Christian history, noting that Queen Esther participated and won a beauty pageant. (Photo: MmegiOnline)
"Esther was beautiful. People liked her," she said. "She had the Lord's favor on her life. She was an orphan in a foreign country and went on to win the beauty pageant."
With that in mind, Tjiriange has organized a "Queen Esther International Beauty Pageant" to be held September 2, which she says will be a celebration and the ultimate expression of true beauty, intelligence and integrity.
The winner, or queen, of the pageant, would also reportedly be expected to act as an ambassador at national and international forums, drawing attention to issues like HIV/AIDS, poverty, the plight of abused women, orphans, widows and street children.
According to an All Africa News report, decent attire will be used for all the segments; there will be no swimsuit competition and the contestants will be expected to behave uprightly.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
12-Year-Old Makes Impact With Pro-Life Speech
by
As a children's magazine editor, I love a great kid story. And today I read one. According to WorldNetDaily:
Despite facing threats of disqualification, a 12-year-old girl took first place in a speech contest when she eloquently argued for the rights of unborn children – after an offended judge quit.
"What if I told you that right now, someone was choosing if you were going to live or die?" the seventh-grader begins in a video recording of her speech on YouTube. "What if I told you that this choice wasn't based on what you could or couldn't do, what you'd done in the past or what you would do in the future? And what if I told you, you could do nothing about it?"
The girl, a student at a Toronto school identified only as "Lia," continued:
"Fellow students and teachers, thousands of children are right now in that very situation. Someone is choosing without even knowing them whether they are going to live or die.
"That someone is their mother. And that choice is abortion."
Though Lia's teacher strongly encouraged her student to choose a different topic or she would not be allowed to continue on in the speech competition, the 12-year-old persisted. "She forfeited her chance to compete in order to speak on something she was passionate about," Lia's mother says.
But Lia's speech was so good that her teacher allowed her to advance as the winner. She gave her speech in front of the entire school. The next day she was suddenly disqualified because of the content of her speech. However, the decision was reversed and Lia was declared the winner.
Now Lia plans to take her message of life to a regional speech competition, and more than 130,000 visitors have viewed her presentation online.
"Why do we think that just because a fetus can't talk or do what we do, it isn't a human being yet?" She asks in the video. "Some babies are born after only five months. Is this baby not human?
"We would never say that. Yet abortions are performed on 5-month-old fetuses all the time. Or do we only call them humans if they're wanted?"
She continues, "No, fetuses are definitely humans – knit together in their mother's womb by their wonderful Creator who knows them all by name."
Out of the mouth of babes. Good job, Lia.
HT: Tim Challies
Friday, February 13, 2009
Heartbreak in Australia
Heartbreak in Australia
Everyone experiences suffering. As I type this, individuals in Colorado Springs and Toronto and London and Makati and Auckland are hurting.
And folks throughout Australia -- with its bushfires and flooding -- are suffering in heartbreaking ways.
This morning I received the following e-mail from Cate:
Hi there,
My family (Mum, Dad, myself and my three little sisters) lived in the small town in Victoria. There were warnings that bushfires were 5 kilometres away and we were getting ready to evacuate. We had grabbed the family photos, important documents, blankets for the night in the evacution centre and some extra clothes but just as we were about to leave the fire came surging over the hill north of our property. We all scrambled for the car and sped off along the south road from our property. My two youngest sisters were crying and screaming about the pets my dad forced them to leave behind. Mum and I were trying to calm them down and praying God would spare our house. But just as we turned around the next corner we saw fire coming up on the south of our property. We were being closed in on both sides. We all began to panic but Dad said nothing and turned the car around and started heading towards the dam, there wasn't enough time to take any other route out.
We got to the dam, by this time we were coughing really badly and sky was black with smoke. Dad made us all get in the water, he grabbed the blankets and wet them and we all started to swim out to the raft ancored in the middle of the dam. We could see the fire coming and started to feel the heat. My parents and I dragged my sisters through the water because they were too distraught to swim properly. Finally we climbed on the raft, we lay there with the wet blankets on top of us. The plan was that when the fire came we would all slide off the raft into the water with the blankets over our heads and tread water until it passed around the dam. My dad kept looking out the side of blanket to see how close it was. He could see headlights in the distance through the smoke and realised that our neighbours were also driving to our dam.
He said he had to go and help despite our pleas. He said he'd be back in a few minutes and jumped off the raft swam to the edge and got into the truck and started out towards the lights. That is the last we ever saw of him. We don't know what happened ... we know they didn't make it. Him and our neighbouring family of 5 were caught in the fire 1/2 a km from the dam.
The fire came and we slid off the raft into the water, the smoke and heat were incredible and but the wet blankets were amazing in keeping the air breathable and the heat manageable. While we tread water we all cried, we all knew Dad hadn't made it, there was no way. In all honesty I didn't feel like treading water, this was a nightmare and I could have easily just let myself slip away. I know that sounds selfish because I was there with my mum and sisters but that's the way it was.
The fire passed. We survived and climbed back onto the raft, we didn't know what to do next we couldn't go back to shore because the ground was too hot. So we just sat in silence, holding each other. After a while my youngest sister started to ask questions 'Do you think the dog is alright? Do you think our house is ok?' all my mum said was 'Sweethearts, it is well with our souls and that's all that matters' I'm sure she was saying that to herself as much as she was saying it to us. We were rescued half an hour later by the Fire Service and taken to a shelter. That night at the shelter is a story in itself. The death toll stands at 181 and still climbing.
We are now staying at my Aunt's house 3 hours away. The amount of support is incredible but nothing replaces the horrific memories and my sisters have nightmares every night. We are left wondering what is next. What is the point of rebuilding if my Dad is gone and can't farm and support us? Where do we go? Most of our friends are dead, half our church is dead, what life do we have left? Do we sell? and if so will we make enough money to pay out our mortgage, who wants to buy black burnt piece of land?
Everyday is a battle to see God's faithfulness and righteousness above the loss we have experienced. I'm not quite there yet, I'm angry, confused and bitter. We all miss Dad, he was quiet but strong man who loved the Lord. He put his family first and lead us with incredible wisdom, he saved or lives that night and died trying to save more. There should be some comfort in that but I haven't found it yet, I wish he was selfish and had of just stayed with us. If he were here to lead us now things would feel that much more secure but he's not and I feel abandonned, everything secure and familiar is gone. I am immensely thankful for my family but even that feel different right now.
I am reminded of the Gaither song Because He Lives.
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives
- Cate
Cate's father was a very brave man, a man who brought honor to Christ by sacrificially serving his family and giving his life in an effort to save others. I've never met Cate's father, but am provoked by the way he modeled a godly life, a life putting others' well-being over his own. I've never met Cate or her family, and yet I'm moved to tears by the agony they are experiencing right now.
I've prayed for Cate and her family, for their comfort, for their provision. Please consider doing the same.
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Friday, January 23, 2009
Former President George W. Bush Honored for "Keeping the Faith"
"Mr. Bush often told his staff that a president's job is not to chase popularity, but to do what is right. His insistence in following this philosophy is why he has low approval ratings, and why he has been a great president."
(Midland, Texas)—While the American media focused on Tuesday's historic inauguration, little attention was paid to the outgoing ceremonies for now former-president George W. Bush. A handful of newspapers featured articles thanking the president for keeping America safe during his eight-year tenure, for promoting a culture of life, for his commitment to fighting AIDS, etc.
One reporter, Marc A. Thiessen, in a January 19, opinion piece for the Wall Street Journal, wrote: "I will make this prediction: The verdict of history on the Bush presidency will not be the same as the verdict of contemporary critics. As Mr. Bush leaves office, Iraq is a unified and free country, and our enemies there have suffered a devastating defeat...In his final months, Mr. Bush confronted a challenge Truman never faced—a massive financial crisis. It is hard for many Americans to appreciate the magnitude of the economic collapse the president averted. But history will show that Mr. Bush's actions in the fall of 2008 rescued our economy and saved our financial system...Mr. Bush often told his staff that a president's job is not to chase popularity, but to do what is right. His insistence in following this philosophy is why he has low approval ratings, and why he has been a great president." (Photo: Townnews.com)
Therefore, the 59 million Americans who were not awarded the president they voted for in this election may appreciate the fact that 20,000 people in Midland, Texas, were prepared to greet George W. Bush on his return home.
According to a report in My West Texas News, White House advancewoman, Georgia Godfrey was quoted as saying Bush will speak for 15-20 minutes and then leave for Waco and his 1,600 acre Prairie Chapel Ranch northwest of Crawford.
"The president said at the White House Christmas party that he left from Midland and was coming home to Midland because we're the ones who are his friends and great supporters and he wanted to be with us when he left Washington," said County Republican Chair Sue Brannon. "It shows what a fine gentleman he is. He has faced a lot and kept the faith."
"Not every city gets to say it is the home of a president and in our case, we're fortunate to say it twice," said County Judge Mike Bradford. "I have certainly enjoyed his friendship. You have to admire anybody who steps in and takes on the task of leading this country. You don't take the presidency to win friends, in my opinion. You take it to look after the country and it's truly a thankless job."