Last spring I had the privilege of speaking at a conference for NFL players put on by Pro Athletes Outreach (PAO), a group which exists to unite a community of pro athletes and couples to grow as disciples of Jesus and positively impact their spheres of influence. They have a fantastic outreach to professional football and baseball athletes and their wives. I’ve seen firsthand the amazing difference they’re making. In the off-season I exchanged emails and texts with dozens of NFL players and cha.. Continue reading→
Home
Thoughts
Motherhood Is a Marathon
I wanted to do great things for God. In the spring of my senior year of college, on the brink of embarking upon my own journey into adulthood, my future was undecided and that was simultaneously terrifying and thrilling. As a philosophy major, my path was narrower than I had realized, but I was sure it would take me on some grand and glorious adventure. I knew the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever. “Glorify” sounds like such a grand term. It evokes images of battlefie.. Continue reading→
1 Peter 5:7–8: How Not to Battle Anxiety
Anxieties attack our faith and torment our peace. The question with anxiety is not whether it will come, but rather, how can I fight it when it does? Watch Now Continue reading→
Is Love of Money Really the Root of All Evils?
Is the love of money the “root of all evils” or only the “root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10)? “All evils” is the formal English equivalent of the original Greek (pantōn tōn kakōn). It is remarkable that all older versions of the Bible translate 1 Timothy 6:10 in the more literal way: “The love of money is the root of all evils” (or all evil). This includes the Wycliffe Bible, Luther Bibel, Geneva Bible, King James Version, Douay-Rheims, Darby Bible, and Revised Standard Version. Bu.. Continue reading→
Daily Verses
A Thrilling Adventure
"Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water." So He said, "Come." Matthew 14:28-29, NKJVWhen it comes to experiencing God, I have to choose Him at all cost. I have to be willing to step out of the boat, as Peter did in Matthew 14, risking total failure in the eyes of others, in order to discover firsthand His power enabling me to walk on the water when He bids me, “Come.” Again and again, I’ve been confronted with hard choices when I’ve had to throw caution to the wind and abando.. Continue reading→
Amos 5:14-15
“Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the LORD God Almighty will be with you, just as you say he is. Hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts. Perhaps the LORD God Almighty will have mercy on the remnant of Joseph.” Continue reading→
Lamentations 3:22-23 (01-07-17)
It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed , because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.— Lamentations 3:22-23 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... What sustained you through the night? What will get you through today? What will enable you to achieve, even thrive, in the days that lie ahead? The LORD's mercies. These incredible resources never really run out! Each new day brings a fresh supply of them. God is faithful to.. Continue reading→
Life-Giving Power
Your word has given me life. Psalm 119:50, NKJVSometimes when we are depressed, we feel lifeless. It’s hard to get out of bed in the morning. We seem to have no energy to do even the most routine functions. If you are depressed by the greatness of your problems, read God’s Word! That’s where you find help. That’s where you find joy. Let the rushing waters of the living Word drown out all other sounds and voices. There is life-giving power in the Word of God! At the most difficult times in my li.. Continue reading→
Ephesians 5:1-2
“Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Continue reading→
Hope
TWENTY!
Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many? (John 6:9). As a boy, my childlike imagination had no trouble believing in the Lord's miracles. In fact, I loved to imagine what it would have been like to have been there and seen them. We are blessed these days with several very good films depicting the life of Christ. They have put depictions of these miracles on the screen for us. Some of these videos are very much like I had imagined.. Continue reading→
He Did It for You!
Jesus says to a doubting Thomas:Thomas, because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed (John 20:29). When God entered time and became a man, he who was boundless became bound. Imprisoned in flesh. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14). No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God .. Continue reading→
What Do We Do to Jesus?
Then the governor's soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. "Hail, king of the Jews!" they said. They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him (Matthew 27:27-31). The soldiers' assignment was simple. Take the Nazarene to the hill and kill him. But they wanted to have some fun first. Strong, armed soldiers circled an exhausted, nearly dead, Galilean carpenter and beat up on him. The beating was commanded. The crucifixion was ordered. But the spitting? Spitting isn't intended to hurt the body — it can't. Spitting is intended to degrade the soul, and it does. Ever .. Continue reading→
God’s Masterpiece
If you pass your days mumbling, "I'll never make a difference; I'm not worth anything," guess what? You'll be sentencing yourself to a life of gloom without parole! When you do that, you're questioning God's judgment. You're second-guessing the Creator's taste. David says you were "fearfully and wonderfully made" (Psalm 139:14). God can't stop thinking about you. A later line in David's psalm confirms it. David tries to calculate the number of thought.. Continue reading→
I Choose
It's quiet. It's early. For the next 12 hours, I'll be exposed to the day's demands. It's now that I must make a choice. And so I choose... I choose love. I will love God and what God loves. I choose joy. I choose peace. I will live forgiven. I choose patience — rather than complain that the wait is too long, I'll thank God for a moment to pray. I choose kindness — for that's how God has treated me. I choose goodness. I choose faithfulness. Today I'll keep my promises. My wife will not question my love. I choose gentleness. If I make a demand, may it be only of myself. I choose self-control. I will be impassioned only by my faith and influenced only by God. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. When this day is done, I'll place my head on my pillow and rest. Continue reading→
Daily Wisdom
Psalm 100:4 (01-14-17)
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. — Psalm 100:4 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... Clearly this exhortation comes from the days of God's physical Temple in Jerusalem. Let's also remember that for us, God's New Covenant people, God's Temple is the church (1 Cor. 3:16) and our own bodies (1 Cor. 6:19). Let's value and celebrate with joy our church family. Let's also glorify .. Continue reading→
The Devil’s Already Defeated
The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone . . . forever. Revelation 20:10, NKJVAs a girl growing up in western North Carolina, I loved to hike in the mountains. But whenever I set out, my mother’s admonition, “Watch out for snakes!” would ring in my ears. Although I can remember killing only one snake myself, I was present at various times when snakes were killed by others. Each time I observed a fascinating phenomenon. After the snake was killed, its body invari.. Continue reading→
1 John 4:20-21
“Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.” Continue reading→
Psalm 100:3 (01-13-17)
Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. — Psalm 100:3 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... God made us. While we were in our mother's womb, he made us with his loving care with a purpose for life and a promise to be with us every step of the way. God cares for us, much better than even the very best shepherd cares for his sheep. So let's live as those who know our Leader, Creator, an.. Continue reading→
Prayers
Daily Prayer for January 11
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1, RSV Our dear Father, we ask you to come to us from heaven and surround us with your goodness and mercy, with your light and life. We are weak, poor, and lost just when we need to stand firm and hold on. But you are faithful. You stay by us and help us. Continue to help and sustain us, we pray. Do not let our lives be lived in vain. May something of eternity be w.. Continue reading→
No Partiality
PassageRomans 2:8-11 PrayerDear Father, holy and righteous judge,I know that you will render to every man according to his works. To those who are factious and obey wickedness instead of the truth, there will be wrath and fury.You have foretold tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, to the Jew first and also the non-Jew, but glory and honor and peace for every one who does good, to the Jew first and also to the non-Jew. For you show no partiality.Help me do what is good, b.. Continue reading→
Daily Prayer for January 10
Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins. Isaiah 40:1-2, NIV Lord our God, how great is your love, and how great is your help! May each one of us feel sheltered in your hand, knowing that our faults and shortcomings no longer matter. We can go straight toward the goal you have set, for you will help us.. Continue reading→
No Presumption
PassageRomans 2:1-7 PrayerDear Father, holy and righteous judge,Help me not to condemn myself by passing judgment on someone else when I may be doing the same or similar things. How could I escape your judgment and do this?Help me not to presume on the riches of your kindness and forbearance and patience. Help me understand that your kindness is meant to lead me to repentance. Take away the hardness and impenitence that may be in my heart. Give me a heart of flesh, not stone.Change my behavior a.. Continue reading→
Christian Quotes
Weinel: without God and with
Wednesday, November 16, 2016 Feast of Margaret, Queen of Scotland, Philanthropist, Reformer of the Church, 1093 Commemoration of Edmund Rich of Abingdon, Archbishop of Canterbury, 1240 Meditation: Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. —Psalm 42:11 (ESV) Quotation: As a man increases in moral strength of character, so his conscience becomes more sensitive; he realises more keenly the distance.. Continue reading→
Muggeridge: communicating the Gospel
Tuesday, November 15, 2016 Meditation: Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. —1 John 4:11-12 (NIV) Quotation: The Christian religion finds expression thus, in the love of those who love Christ, more comprehensibly and accessibly than in metaphysical or ethical statements. It is an experience rather than a conclusion, a way of life rather than an ideology.. Continue reading→
John Chrysostom: humility
Monday, November 14, 2016 Commemoration of Samuel Seabury, First Anglican Bishop in North America, 1796 Meditation: For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. —Romans 12:3 (NIV) Quotation: Humility is the root, mother, nurse, foundation, and bond of all virtue. ... St. John Chrysostom (345?-407) (see the book) See also R.. Continue reading→
Law: Creation’s law and order
Sunday, November 13, 2016 Feast of Charles Simeon, Pastor, Teacher, 1836 Meditation: [Jesus:] “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” —Matthew 22:37-39 (ESV) Quotation: The one supreme, unchangeable rule of love, which is a law to all intelligent beings of all worlds, and will be a law to all eternity is this, viz., that God.. Continue reading→
Questions & Answers
Why I Celebrate Christmas
Every year, the Christmas season approaches and you cannot escape the onslaught of marketing designed to capture every last dollar from those with money to spend on Christmas. Most businesses shut down for the holiday and Christmas morning in most towns looks like a ghost town. However, while some people fully acknowledge Christmas, many people now make a big deal out of being offended because of the very notion that there is a Christmas holiday at all. They will instead come up with alternative.. Continue reading→
Does The Bible List The Names Of Demons?
Does the Bible list the names of demons? If so, what do they mean? Sacrificing to Demons Did you realize that when the ancient pagans sacrificed to their “gods,” they were literally making sacrifices to demons? That’s what the Bible teaches about who these sacrifices are actually for. As incredible as it sounds, God connects sacrificing to pagan gods to actually sacrificing to fallen angels or demons. Demons are about 1/3rd of the angels that rebelled with Lucifer or Satan, and became totally c.. Continue reading→
Rapid Response: “We Don’t Need God to Explain the Beginning of the Universe”
In our Rapid Response series, we tackle common concerns about (and objections to) the Christian worldview by providing short, conversational responses. These posts are designed to model what our answers might look like in a one-on-one setting, while talking to a friend or family member. Imagine if someone said, “Christians claim God created the universe, but modern science explains the origin of the universe. God is not needed to order to explain how the universe came into existence.” How would .. Continue reading→
So Who Did You Thank on Thanksgiving?
Like most Christian holidays, Thanksgiving has become a secular institution in America, moving from a meaningful religious celebration to a benign cultural tradition. This is the case for most other Christian holidays as well. Let’s face it, Christmas is more about Santa than Jesus, and Easter is more about the Bunny than the Resurrection. But most people in our country fail to see Thanksgiving as a Christian holiday at all, and this is primarily because they don’t know the history of the people.. Continue reading→
Church & Ministries
How to Put God in Charge of Your Ministry
Work dominates our lives — especially those of us in ministry. The typical American spends about 150,000 hours — or 40 percent of his life — at work (I suspect that for pastors, the number is even higher!) In other words, you’ll spend more time working in ministry, thinking about ministry, and commuting to your ministry than you will eating, relaxing, and vacationing — all combined — this year. Now, God wants you to succeed in ministry. In fact, in the Bible, God offers this guarantee: “Put .. Continue reading→
Sex Trafficking: How One Click Led an NYC Church to Action
It all started in a Facebook community group. It could’ve ended there but something happened that changed everything. “The Facebook group was a place where people in our part of town share things,” Nathan Creitz, pastor of City Life Church in Ridgewood, Queens, New York, recounted, “and somebody on there shared a link and said something like, ‘I can’t believe this is happening in our neighborhood.'” Creitz clicked on it — and immediately wished he hadn’t. “It was a picture of scantily cla.. Continue reading→
New Bishop Of Sheffield Announced As Traditionalist Anglo-Catholic Philip North
The traditionalist Anglo-Catholic Philip North is being promoted to be the new Bishop of Sheffield, Downing Street has announced. Continue reading→
Catholics In Malta Condemn ‘Abominable’ Document On Marriage And Divorce
The Catholic faithful, from a conservative organisation Veri Catholici, have spoken out after their bishops appeared to sanction granting the sacraments of Confession and Holy Communion to divorced and remarried Catholics. Continue reading→
Hot Topics
World Watch List: At Least 1,207 Christians Martyred in 2016
Authoritarian North Korea retained the top ranking as the worst country for Christians. Curry said North Korea considers Christians traitors and can execute them just for owning a Bible. Somalia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sudan, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Yemen, and Eritrea filled out the top 10 nations where Christians endure extreme persecution. (WNS)–Persecution against Christians worsened again in 2016, with an estimated 215,000 experiencing “high, very high, or extreme persecution” in 50 nations arou.. Continue reading→
Catholic Hospital Fights Transgender Discrimination Claim
Jionni Conforti, 33, filed suit against St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center of Paterson, N.J. on Jan. 5 in federal court. Conforti, who is biologically female but identifies as male, brought suit under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) because St. Joseph’s refused to remove Conforti’s uterus on the grounds that doing so would violate the Catholic teaching that God made people male and female. (WNS)–A Catholic hospital in New Jersey faces a lawsuit for allegedly refusing to remove the uterus of a w.. Continue reading→
Evangelical Experts Oppose Trump’s Plan to Ban Refugees
World Relief and others argue that compassion and security are not opposing forces. Despite previous plans to admit the highest number of refugees in decades, the United States would be shutting its doors to thousands displaced by conflict in the Middle East—at least temporarily—under an executive order President Donald Trump is expected to sign this week. Christian aid groups responsible for resettlement mourned and criticized the impending decision to stop accepting any refugees into the US .. Continue reading→
Debating Atheists: Arrival of Evil (part 4/5)
Understanding evil reveals an important part of reality. As much as we try to avoid it, evil is part of the universal human condition – something theists and atheists both have in common. You may be surprised, however; that the way atheists think about evil actually shows God exists. For the previous post on part 3, atheist arguments for the Arrival of Biological Information, click here. Unlike other points in this series so far, probing evil touches the heart. It gets emotional. The argument I.. Continue reading→
Women
Freed from the Life I’ve Always Wanted
From the time I was a little girl, all elbows and ears, I imagined myself living in a two-story house one day, pure white, no shutters, and with a wide porch. I spent hours curving my blunt-tipped scissors around pages of the fat JCPenney catalog, clipping out handsome husbands; wives with thick, beautiful hair; a few sweet-faced children; bathroom towel sets in shades of sea-foam and jade; couches and electronics and cozy .. Continue reading→
Losing Myself
When I was in college, I had a lot of friends who told me that what they really wanted to do in life was be a mom. Yes, they were getting degrees and they wanted to work, but really, their highest hope was to become a mother. I nodded and affirmed them. I hoped that one day I would become a mom, too—but I never really knew how to respond to their longing for children. I’d never felt that; what I did feel was a desire to pursue other things—dreams of wri.. Continue reading→
Black and Blue Wife
“But Ruthie, you have a PhD!” This was my older sister’s shocked reaction when I spilled my secret over the phone and told her that, due to many years of domestic violence, I was separating from my husband of nearly two decades. I faced the same sort of disbelief a few days later when I visited the local Domestic Crisis Center requesting temporary housing for myself and my adolescent son and I was asked to complete an application. Among other things.. Continue reading→
How to Discipline in Love
Parenting small children can feel like Groundhog Day: correcting the same behaviors over and over again, often with no discernible improvement. When children disobey a clear expectation, parental anger can surge as a response. What should we do with that anger? Is it sinful? Or is there such a thing as righteous anger over the disobedience of a child? And most importantly, how can we keep anger from corrupting an act of discipline (training and c.. Continue reading→
Life & Society
Monster Or Messiah: How Should The Church Respond To Donald Trump?
Trump has sharply divided the Christian community, with some delighting in his victory while others despair. Continue reading→
Republican-Led Panel Strikes Down Virginia Bill Requiring Restroom Use to Align With Birth Gender
RICHMOND, Va. — A Republican-led House subcommittee in Virginia has killed a bill that would have required those using restrooms and locker rooms at government-run facilities, including public schools, to align with birth gender. According to reports, the seven-member House of Delegates subcommittee dispensed with the “Physical Privacy Act” on Thursday with a voice vote and no debate, disappointing its sponsor, Del. Robert Marshall, R-Prince William. “They don’t even want to defend their oath,.. Continue reading→
‘Most Importantly, We Are Protected By God.’ Donald Trump Inauguration
'We will be protected by the great men and women of our military and law enforcement and, most importantly, we are protected by God.' Continue reading→
Controversial Cathedral Prayer Service For Trump Inauguration Will Feature Muslim Call To Prayer
A Muslim call to prayer will be heard at an interfaith service to mark Donald Trump's inauguration in Washington National Cathedral on Saturday. Continue reading→
Persecution
School Calls Police on Seven-Year-Old Who Brought Bible Verses to Read at Lunchtime
PALMDALE, Calif. – A seven-year-old first grader was recently reprimanded in front of his entire class and a police officer was dispatched to his family’s home because the child had brought notes with Bible verses on them to school. Christina and Jaime Zavala live in Palmdale, California. In January, they enrolled their son in the first grade at Desert Rose Elementary School in the Palmdale School District, according to a recent letter from the nonprofit group Liberty Counsel. To encourage her .. Continue reading→
Muslim Mob in Northern Nigeria Kills Pastor’s Wife on ‘Blasphemy’ Accusation
JOS, Nigeria (Morning Star News) – Nigerian officials scrambled to calm religious tensions after Muslims in Kano state on Thursday (June 2) killed a Christian pastor’s wife on a baseless “blasphemy” charge, according to reports. Bridget Agbahime, a kitchen utensil vendor at Kano city’s Kofar Wambai Market, asked a Muslim engaged in ritual Islamic cleansing, identified as Alhaji Dauda, to move his ritual from her shopfront. She had had similar conflicts with the suspect. On this occasion she po.. Continue reading→
Movies
COMMON BRINGS GLORY TO THE GRAMMYS (AND THE OSCARS): An Interview
What 2015 Grammy moment moved you? Kanye West’s cut in on Beck’s acceptance speech for “Album of the Year” garnered most of the headlines. How sad to a stunt overshadow Annie Lennox’s rousing rendition of “I Put a Spell On You” with Hozier. Pharrell reimagined his sunny single, “Happy,” into an intriguing protest echoing the “Hands up/Don’t shoot” posture that accompanied events in Ferguson, Missouri. Prince slipped in the best one-liner of the night, “Albums still matter. Just like books and bl.. Continue reading→
Diablo Cody Tweets About Rescuing Jinger Duggar
Her new movie, Paradise, is all about religion. In the movie, which was originally titled Lamb of God, a young religious woman (Julianne Hough) is in a terrible accident, which causes her to question G-d and run off to Las Vegas to see what sin feels like. Well, it looks like screenwriter/director Diablo Cody had some pretty specific pop-culture inspirations for the movie: The Duggars. Particularly Jinger. Diablo recently tweeted that if Jinger ever wants to run away from her family, she can com.. Continue reading→
Music
As We Ascend Releases First Single Wash Away to iTunes
As We Ascend's first single "Wash Away" is now available on iTunes, six days before the completion of their PledgeMusic campaign to fund the full length album Farewell to Midnight. In addition to being available on iTunes, "Wash Away" is also going for adds at radio. The PledgeMusic campaign is currently at 95% of its goal. You can listen to "Wash Away" below. As We Ascend, formed by former members of We As Human, launched their PledgeMusic campaign with the unique invitation to fans to ".. Continue reading→
Bizzle Petitions for Financial Support of New Project
The recent release of Bizzle's new project Crowns & Crosses has sparked a conversation about the realities of being an artist with his God Over Money fans. In a recent newsletter, Bizzle details the shocking differences between a fan purchasing a physical or digital copy of any GOM release versus streaming through the likes of Spotify or Apple Music. He begins with the staggering reality that it takes 1,500 streams to equal that of one album sale. For example, if 100,000 fans stream the en.. Continue reading→
John Mark McMillan Launches Pre-order for ‘Mercury & Lightning’
John Mark McMillan has launched a pre-order for his upcoming album Mercury & Lightning through PledgeMusic. The album has been preceded by the release of "Wilderlove" and "No Country." The PledgeMusic pre-order gives fans the chance to purchase a wide range of merch packages, with each one providing access to exclusive behind-the-scenes information approaching the album's release. The pre-order was launched in part due to the overwhelmingly positive response to the single "Wilderlove," re.. Continue reading→
Sho Baraka’s ‘The Narrative’ Debuts at No. 6 on iTunes Hip Hop Chart and No. 26 on iTunes Overall
Critically acclaimed hip hop artist Sho Baraka unleashed The Narrative last week, and it was well received by fans and critics alike as it peaked at No. 6 on iTunes Hip Hop Chart and No. 26 on iTunes Overall Albums Chart. Created with the intention to generate a discussion among each other about the social issues we face today and throughout history, Sho Baraka is doing just that as shown by the critics below "Sho Baraka gives us conscious hip hop that makes us think. It is not intended for eas.. Continue reading→
MercyMe’s ‘Welcome To The New’ Receives RIAA Gold Certification
GRAMMY® Nominated MercyMe's Welcome To The New (2014) has been honored with RIAA Gold Certification, marking the sixth gold album for the band in addition to a double platinum album and a platinum video. Welcome To The New earned two GRAMMY® nods, multiple GMA Dove Award honors and an American Music Award nomination. In addition, the album boasts three No. 1 singles with "Greater," "Flawless" and "Dear Younger Me," and one Top 5 single with "Shake." MercyMe is planning to unveil a new recor.. Continue reading→
Deraj Drops A New Single
Deraj blessed both the genre and Reflection Music Group (RMG) fans worldwide with a new banger for the car on "Know That's Me," featuring KYNG. Listeners can purchase not only the track, but also the instrumental backing and an acapella version of the track. The three versions of this project may be purchased here, or streamed on Spotify. Visuals for the project debuted under the direction of Joe Desantis. The video may be viewed below. RMG has been quite the productive label as of late.. Continue reading→
Live in Chicago: The Looking for America Tour by Switchfoot
Track Listing 01. Holy Water 02. Meant To Live 03. Bull In A China Shop 04. Where The Light Shines Through 05. I Won't Let You Go 06. Love Alone Is Worth The Fight 07. Hello Hurricane 08. If The House Burns Down Tonight 09. Float 10. Live it Well Continue reading→
Courtney Orlando Releases New Single, Wait On You
Courtney Orlando released his latest single "Wait on You" on October 10. You can download the track for free on SoundCloud here. Orlando describes the new track as an open conversation between him and God. No future plans of a full length project have been released at this time. The artist formally known as J.R. dug his roots into the hip-hop genre over a decade ago with his debut release Metamorphosis in 2005. Fittingly, change has followed him in the area of style, depth and even branding a.. Continue reading→
The Narrative by Sho Baraka
Track Listing 01. Foreward, 1619 02. Soul, 1971 03. Kanye, 2009 (feat. Jackie Hill Perry) 04. Love, 1959 05. Here, 2016 (feat. Lecrae) 06. 30 & Up, 1986 (feat. Courtney Orlando) 07. Profhet, 1968 (feat. James Portier) 08. Maybe Both, 1865 (feat. James Portier) Purchase 09. Excellent, 2017 Purchase 10. Road to Humble, 1979 Purchase 11. Myhood, U.S.A., 1937 (feat. Vanessa Hill) 12. Words, 2006 13. Fathers, 2004 Purchase 14. Piano Break, 33 A.D. Continue reading→
American
Weekly Meanderings, 28 January 2017
This is inexcusable and un-American: A massive group of violent demonstrators spat on, assaulted and screamed obscenities at a Gold Star widow and sister Friday outside an inaugural ball honoring the military, one of the women told “Fox & Friends” on Tuesday. Amy Looney, who lost her husband Navy SEAL Lt. Brendan Looney in 2010, and Ryan Manion, whose brother Marine First Lt. Travis Manion died in 2007, said they were attacked as they tried to enter the American Legion’s tribute to Medal of Hono..
Tennessee Bill Would Ban Abortions After 20 Weeks, Planned Parenthood Calls That “Concerning”
The state of Tennessee is considering a new piece of legislation that would ban abortions after 20 weeks gestation when scientific evidence indicates a baby can feel pain from an abortion, WBIR-10 News in Knoxville reports. “I think the climate and the culture, the pendulum is swinging…It’s the right thing to do,” said State Representative Terri Lynn Weaver, who filed the bill in state legislature, according to WBIR. “There’s a time and a season for everything. People are understanding, our cul..
Scientists Create Human-Pig Hybrids for Organ Transplants That Could Develop Into “Monsters”
Scientists announced this week that they successfully created the first human-pig hybrid, a living pig embryo with some human characteristics. National Geographic reports the disturbing new experiment involved pig embryos injected with human cells. Researchers at Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, California said they implanted the living pig-human embryos, or chimeras, in adult pigs’ wombs and allowed them to grow between three and four weeks. Later, the scientists said they re..
Amazing Time-Lapse Video Shows Thousands of Pro-Life People Marching for Life
An amazing new time-lapse video shows thousands upon thousands of pro-life people marching for life through the streets of Washington D.C. It’s always difficult to capture the exact number of people who participate in the March for Life ,the rally and various pro-life events in the nation’s capital throughout the day. But this tremendous video gives you a visual glimpse of the tremendous outpouring of pro-life support for the March for Life as it streams through the streets of the nation’s cap..
US
A nation of suburbs
Big cities seem to get most of the attention. People debate their merits compared with small towns and the rural life. Suburbs don’t get the same respect. But according to a report from the Urban Land Institute, 79% of the American population live in suburbs. That includes 85% of the nation’s children and 75% of Millennials. Contrary to the stereotypes about “white flight,” suburbs are racially and ethnically diverse, with 76% of the minority population living in suburbs. And suburbs are where m..
Thomas Oden, ex-liberal theologian turned classical Christian, has died
Thomas Oden has died. A prominent liberal theologian who replaced pastoral care with psychotherapy, Oden converted to classical, historical Christianity when he read the church fathers. An Oklahoman (whose life in many ways paralleled mine), Oden gave us the Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, insightful work on postmodernism, and much more. Please read my review of his autobiographical memoir, A Change of Heart: A Personal and Theological Memoir. Then read that book for an inside look at..
Trump’s appointments & WWE connections
Donald Trump’s choices for his cabinet and other high-level positions in his administration are interesting, to say the least. He is stacking defense-related positions with generals, well-qualified to be sure, but this has some worried about the tradition of civilian control of the military. He is awarding some loyalists but also including some Republican establishment figures, including, magnanimously, some who opposed him (such as Nikki Haley for UN ambassador, with Mitt Romney a contender for..
The triumphs of nationalism
The victory of Donald Trump–along with other political insurgencies in England, France, Italy, and other countries–was a triumph of nationalism. It was not a triumph of conservatism, though conservatism went along for the ride and is generally hospitable to nationalism. But the new political force is, above all, a rejection of globalism in favor of local cultures and a revival of the nation-state. So says Mark L. Movesian in a stimulating essay, quoted and linked after the jump. He says that nat..