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 NowContinue 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
1 Corinthians 12:27 (12-27-16)
Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.— 1 Corinthians 12:27 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... What part of the Body are you? What's your function, your purpose? How are you blessing others in the Body of Christ? Who is someone in the Body who does a great deal of service to others who needs your encouragement and praise? Who is someone who feels neglected and lonely who needs your love to be shown to him or her? My Prayer... Father, thank you f..Continue reading→
Created for God
Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called Children of God! 1 John 3:1, NKJVC. S. Lewis, in his testimony Surprised by Joy, described his growing awareness of the capacity within himself to respond with joy and delight in such a way that it gave him an insatiable desire for more joy and delight. The things he found so deeply satisfying left him with a craving for more and more satisfaction. He concluded that nothing in this world could ever give him lastin..Continue reading→
Psalm 103:1-2
“Of David. Praise the LORD, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—”Continue reading→
John 12:26 (12-26-16)
If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.— John 12:26 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... We can't out serve, out love, or out give Jesus. He longs to bless us. He longs to pour out heaven's riches and grace upon us. Even more incredibly, he longs to honor us. When our lives are over, God the Father, LORD of the entire universe, will honor all who have served his Son and blessed ot..Continue reading→
Physical and Spiritual Needs
Man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment. Hebrews 9:27, NIVMy grandfather was a medical missionary to China for twenty-five years. He established a three-hundred-bed hospital where he treated just about every type of illness and injury that could be named. Many of his Chinese patients were cured of diseases and saved from death by his skilled ministrations. But in time, every single one of the people who went through his hospital died! If all my grandfather had accomplished w..Continue reading→
Daily Wisdom
My Home Is His, Too!
O Lord, You have searched me and known me, . . . You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. Psalm 139:2-3, NKJVOnce, as I prepared my house for a visit by my father, I began to clean and straighten my house. I even bought fresh flowers and plants to place around the rooms to make them seem more lovely. I wanted my home to look as inviting, comfortable, and pleasing to his eyes as I could make it. Then it struck me – if I felt this way about my earthly father’s..Continue reading→
Isaiah 1:16-17
“Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong. Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.”Continue reading→
Ephesians 4:24 (01-04-17)
And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.— Ephesians 4:24 (KJV) Thoughts on Today's Verse... One of the biggest decisions we face at the beginning of each day is what we will wear. Well, no matter what we choose in the way of clothing, let's make sure we choose to put on the new person God re-made us to be when we became Christians (Galatians 3:26-27). Those are the only clothes that will fit us eternally! My Prayer..Continue reading→
“God Says So” Prayers
If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. John 15:7, NKJVPrayer is a conversation. We speak to God in prayer then listen attentively as He speaks to us through His Word. Do you think the promise that Jesus gave His disciples was like handing them a Divine Genie in a bottle? And that if they would just rub the bottle with enough faith, the Genie would pop out and grant them their “wishes”? As ludicrous as that is, it actually is th..Continue reading→
Prayers
Daily Prayer for December 28
But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Galatians 4:4–5, NIV O Lord God, we thank you for everything you allow us to see and hear. May our hearts become awake and alive through all we receive so that we await your final revelation and recognize your ultimate will for all people, for all nations and races on earth. Hear us in these days, for we know your kingdom is coming..Continue reading→
Fullness of Love
PassageColossians 4:2-6 PrayerDear Father, grantor of wisdom,Help me conduct myself wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. Let my speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, and may I always know how to answer.Help me and all your saints to show ourselves to be a people who live life to the fullest, because we live in the fullness of your love shown in Jesus Christ!In the name of Jesus I ask you to fill our lives with your holy life and to claim all our motives and deeds as you..Continue reading→
Daily Prayer for December 27
Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David. Luke 1:68–69, NIV Lord our God, dear Father in heaven, we come into your presence and ask you to show yourself to us as the true, great, and almighty God, who can shed light into our misery and change it all, letting us find reconciliation and redemption in Jesus Christ. Protect and help us with your mighty hand. Let every c..Continue reading→
Unceasing Prayer
PassageColossians 4:2-6 PrayerDear Father, who answers our prayers,Help me to be steadfast in my praying to you, even to stay awake that I may pray!Fill my life with thanksgiving to you.O God, I pray for all your servants everywhere that you may open a door for us to proclaim your Word, to declare the now-public secret - Christ crucified, glorified, and coming - and to make the message clear, as we ought to speak.In the name of Jesus I ask you to fill our lives with your holy life and to claim a..Continue reading→
Christian Quotes
Newbigin: knowing the Spirit
Wednesday, October 19, 2016 Feast of Henry Martyn, Translator of the Scriptures, Missionary in India & Persia, 1812 Meditation: And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism...Continue reading→
Cogdell: Jesus, the pioneer of faith
Tuesday, October 18, 2016 Feast of Luke the Evangelist Meditation: I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. —Psalm 34:4 (NIV) Quotation: Jesus ventured to trust God far beyond the degree that any other man had trusted God. Abraham, Moses, and David were valiant believers, but compared to Jesus they were timid souls. Consider the human disappointments Jesus endured: rejected in his home town, harassed and persecuted by the religious leaders of his nation, mis..Continue reading→
Owen: temptation
Monday, October 17, 2016 Feast of Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, Martyr, c.107 Meditation: [Jesus:] “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” —Luke 22:31-32 (ESV) Quotation: Steadfastness in believing doth not exclude all temptations from without. When we say a tree is firmly rooted, we do not say the wind never blows upon it. ... John ..Continue reading→
Calvin: no reliance on good works
Sunday, October 16, 2016 Meditation: For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. —Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV) Quotation: Justification is withdrawn from works, not that no good works may be done, or that what is done may be denied to be good, but that we may not rely upon them, glory in them, or ascribe salvation to them. ... John Calvin (1509-1564), The Institutes of the Christian Religion,..Continue reading→
Questions & Answers
Jesus Specifically Said, “I am God”
As a skeptic, I was willing to accept a “nice guy” version of Jesus. You know, the wise sage from the past who was misunderstood and mythicized into something divine by leaders of a movement who were either mistaken or deceptive. Jesus might have been a nice guy and a great teacher, but did he ever really claim to be God? I had atheist friends who knew more about the Gospels than I did, and they said that Jesus never claimed to be God in any of the New Testament accounts. Once I began to examine..Continue reading→
When We Spend More Time Arguing About How to Make the Case than We Spend Making the Case
I’ve been investigating cold-case homicides for over 26 years. My professional career (and now my consulting opportunities with the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office) have been both challenging and rewarding. More importantly, they’ve helped me to refine my skills as an investigator. I am determined to stay active and help detectives and prosecutors investigate cold-cases across the county. This year, I’ll be spending two months assisting the District Attorney in an effort to provide some n..Continue reading→
Is It Ever Okay To Withhold Secrets From Your Spouse? A Bible Study
Do you think its okay to keep secrets from your spouse? Here’s a Bible study on this question. All People are Liars The Bible is not very flattering to us as it says “God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it” (Num 23:19), in fact, it is “by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hol..Continue reading→
What Does The Bible Say About The Ocean?
Does the Bible say much about the ocean? Will it exist in the future? Symbol of Death To the Jews, and ancient Israel, the ocean was always a symbol of death. We see that in the language of the sea giving up her dead in the Book of Revelation (Rev 20:13). Interestingly, the word “ocean” appears more in the Book of Revelation than in nearly all of the rest of the books in the New Testament, and as you can imagine, the language is not about a nice little cruse in the ocean. In the seventh seal, t..Continue reading→
Church & Ministries
Pope Francis: Christians Face Daily Battle With Satan
Christians must every day resist the devil and flee from temptation, Pope Francis said on Thursday.Continue reading→
3 Aspects of the Vision God Has for Your Church
I’m often asked, “Is there any single common denominator that you can find in every growing church?” I have studied churches for many years, read about them, and visited them. I’ve discovered that God uses all kinds of churches, in all kinds of different ways, all different methods and styles. But there is one common denominator that you can find in every growing church regardless of denomination, regardless of nationality, and regardless of size. That common denominator is leadership that is n..Continue reading→
Clergy V Laity ‘Power Struggle’ Is Blocking Church Growth, Synod Told
Unhealthy relationships between clergy and lay people in the Church of England is blocking progress and fuelling resentment, the C of E's ruling synod will be told next month.Continue reading→
Is The CofE Letting Clergy Down? Report Calls For Military-Style Covenant Pledge
The Church of England is considering a military covenant style pledge to care for its clergy amid mounting concerns about patchy and inadequate support on offer.Continue reading→
Hot Topics
The Danger of Entertaining Lies
Christ did not enter into conversation with Satan when he was tempted in the desert. Instead, he responded, “It is written…” Yet, God’s Word isn’t always my first response. I have often asked to hear more of what Satan has to say. I have mulled his words over in my mind and considered them in my heart. It would be convenient if Satan would show up as a talking snake. Then, we could run away screaming or call animal control. Perhaps, the bravest of us would grab a stick and whack him until he le..Continue reading→
An Inaugural Diary from Calvin
In keeping with the Huguenot thought of Theodore Beza and others,[4] Federalist#69 denounced a hereditary monarchy as “an absolute negative” on representative government. Lest political Calvinism be misconstrued as excessively negative, perhaps as a counterweight to the Enlightenment idea that man is innately good, Alexander Hamilton reminded his readers of a balance to be maintained: “The supposition of universal venality in human nature is little less an error in political reasoning than the s..Continue reading→
Of Lice and Men
Knowing that God is at work in all things allows us the ability to rejoice in all things. Whatever comes, may we be a people known for thanksgiving. May we join the chorus of the faithful, choosing to live out the gospel with hope: Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you (1 Thess. 5:16-18). My daughter called me over with a simple request. Mommy, can we cuddle? I was in the midst of rushing around and preparin..Continue reading→
University Settles With Christian Counseling Student
When asked, Cash told her that he, too, would have to refer gay couples to another counselor due to his religious convictions about homosexuality. He said he would be happy to counsel gay individuals on any other matter—depression or anxiety, for example—but he could not counsel regarding same-sex relationships. Perryman said that conviction was a violation of the American Counseling Association’s code of ethics. After months of back-and-forth between Cash and MSU, school officials expelled Cash..Continue reading→
Life & Society
Good Samaritan Gives His Shirt to Bare-Chested Train Passenger on a Cold Night in New York, Inspiring Millions
Clark Kent strips his clothes to become Superman. Joey Resto, 23, from New York City recently did a similar act one Friday night while on board a train.Continue reading→
Texas Lawmaker Proposes Bill to Abolish Abortion in State
Photo Credit: Credit Tomasz KoboszAUSTIN, Texas — A lawmaker in Texas has proposed a bill that would abolish abortion in the state and criminalize those who take the life of an unborn child. H.B. 948, also known as the Abolition of Abortion in Texas Act, was submitted by Representative Tony Tinderholt, R-Arlington, on Wednesday. It declares that unborn children are entitled to human rights from the moment of conception, and removes current exemptions under state criminal homicide law relating t..Continue reading→
Ecumenical Clergy Members ‘Bless’ New Planned Parenthood Facility in Nation’s Capital
Photo Credit: Helen ParshallWASHINGTON — Over 20 clergy members representing Judaism, Hinduism and Islam, as well as those professing Christianity, gathered on Tuesday to seek a “blessing” over a new Planned Parenthood facility that opened last fall in the nation’s capital. “In almost every message to our staff, I talk about our doing sacred work,” Laura Meyers, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington, told DCist. “This confirms the sacredness of the work we do.” “No..Continue reading→
Pastor Offers Forgiveness to Man Who Stabbed Him in the Neck and Back During Service
An evangelical pastor in Brazil readily extended forgiveness to a man who stabbed him in the neck and back during a televised Sunday service at a church in Sao Paulo, Brazil.Continue reading→
Movies
“Doctor Strange:” Marvel goes magic
When “Iron Man” debuted in 2008, some wondered just how much leeway the public would give Marvel before things got too weird. Sure, Iron Man, Hulk and Captain America weren’t that hard to see as possible hits; despite their bizarre origins, they were basically just action heroes with a comic book gloss. But at that time, audiences wanted things grounded and gritty, and the farther one delves into the Marvel universe, the deeper they go into a mythology that includes intergalactic adventures, mys..Continue reading→
Our first look at the modern-day Jesus in The Shack
There have been quite a few movies about Jesus this year, and the genre shows no signs of letting up. Next year will bring us The Star and Mary Magdalene, both of which are set in the first century — but first it will bring us The Shack, an adaptation of William P. Young’s novel, set in the present day, about a grief-stricken father who is met by all three persons of the Trinity, including God the Son, i.e. Jesus. One of the noteworthy things about this film is that the actor playing Jesus, Aviv..Continue reading→
Mel Gibson says The Resurrection will be “like an acid trip”
Mel Gibson is still talking about The Resurrection, his proposed sequel to The Passion of the Christ. Two months ago, he said it will have flashbacks to the Old Testament, and earlier this week, he said it might follow Jesus into Hades. Now he’s made a few more comments about the film, in a public interview with Raymond Arroyo. Commenting on the fact that his film won’t simply be a chronological retelling of the events described in the gospels, Gibson said: It’s not the Burnett version, you know..Continue reading→
Will there be demons in Mel Gibson’s Resurrection movie?
Mel Gibson has been making the rounds this week to promote Hacksaw Ridge, and last night Stephen Colbert asked him about his rumoured sequel to The Passion of the Christ. Gibson replied that the film, currently titled The Resurrection, is “probably about three years off,” and he dropped a few other hints about it as well. Colbert, who is Catholic, noted that there’s less “action” in the biblical version of the story — meaning not that there is less violence of the sort that one often finds in Gi..Continue reading→
Box office: Tyler Perry says Boo! to Tom Hanks’s Inferno
Last week Tyler Perry beat Tom Cruise. This week he beat Tom Hanks. Tyler Perry’s Boo! A Madea Halloween earned an estimated $16.7 million in its second week at the North American box office. That represents a drop of 41.5% since last week, but the film — to many people’s surprise — was still #1 at the box office, thanks to the fact that Inferno was a much bigger flop than anyone expected. Inferno was the only new wide release this week, and it was a follow-up to two big hits, so it arguably sho..Continue reading→
Watch: Mel Gibson dedicates Hacksaw Ridge to the veterans
Hacksaw Ridge is, among other things, a comeback film for Mel Gibson, an Oscar-winning director who also used to be one of the world’s biggest movie stars. It’s the first film he has directed in ten years — a hiatus that began with a couple of scandals that made him persona non grata in Hollywood — and when the poster and trailer came out in July, you could sense that the distributor wasn’t quite sure how prominent Gibson should be in the film’s ad campaign; as many people noted at the time, bot..Continue reading→
Newsbites: Methuselah! Samson and Delilah!
Two quick new items via Deadline, both of which happen to concern Oscar-nominated foreign-film makers who are now going to direct films with a biblical element. 1. Joachim Rønning, who co-directed Kon-Tiki (nominated in 2013; it lost to Amour) and is currently in post-production on the fifth Pirates of the Caribbean movie, has signed on to direct Tom Cruise in Methuselah, a “biblical epic” being produced by David Heyman of Harry Potter fame. I last wrote about this film two years ago, before Cru..Continue reading→
Prophet Joseph — episodes forty-three to forty-five
Synopsis. The sons of Jacob prepare to go to Egypt. Jacob dictates a letter to the Egyptian governor, who unbeknownst to him is his son Joseph. Meanwhile, in Egypt, Akhenaten visits Joseph’s house and decrees that Zuleikha must marry Joseph. Joseph speaks to a crowd — many of whom have become technically enslaved to the Pharaoh in exchange for wheat — and declares that everyone in Egypt is free now, except for those who owned slaves and exploited the poor before the famine. Joseph’s brothers arr..Continue reading→
“The Case for Christ” Lee Strobel drama announced for Spring 2017 theatrical release
An atheist reporter’s surprising road to faith comes to life on film In 1980, Lee Strobel’s award-winning investigative reporting earned him a promotion to legal editor at the Chicago Tribune. Things at home weren’t going nearly as well. His wife Leslie’s newfound faith in Christ compels Lee to utilize his journalistic and legal training to disprove the claims of Christianity—pitting his ..Continue reading→
Music
Guy Penrod To Be Featured At Inaugural Celebration
GRAMMY® and Dove Award-winning vocalist Guy Penrod will be a featured performer at the Faith Freedom & Future Inaugural Ball Friday evening, following the inauguration of President Donald J. Trump, it has been announced. Presented by Family Research Council, the black-tie gala will also include performances from best-selling comedian Chonda Pierce and acclaimed husband/wife duo Aaron & Amanda Crabb, among other special guests. RELATED Aaron & Amanda Crabb To Join Inaugural Festivities "Every p..Continue reading→
JUCE TV’s Premiere To Feature Emcees Davis Absolute and Lawren
Davis Absolute and Lawren are set to appear on JUCE TV's JUCELIVE season two premiere afterparty on Friday, January 27. A Christian youth network designed for the 12-30 age group demographic, JUCE TV is a weekly one-hour live program featuring musical performances, interviews, spoken word and more. The network desires to give back into the lives of its viewers by giving them programming that is not only entertaining, but also builds up the viewer both individually and together as a communi..Continue reading→
CANON Releases New Single
The 8-year CHH veteran CANON released his latest single, titled "Fighters," on Friday, January 13. RELATED Canon Returns to the Stage After Accident The way CANON takes his art seriously is quite evident throughout the self-produced single. The talented wordsmith has his label, Reflection Music Group (RMG), always in his corner as one of his most vocal supporters. Released from the trap music trend, the "boom-bap" vibe is pleasing to the listener's ears as 2017 begins. CANON had this to ..Continue reading→
Former Flyleaf Guitarist Teams Up With Wife To Release New EP
Formerly of platinum selling rock band Flyleaf, founding member/songwriter/guitarist Jared Hartmann has teamed up with his wife Kat to create their first EP, "Kat&Jared." The couple that spent the first eight years of their marriage on the road traveling with Flyleaf describes their new project as a collection of worship songs that "chronicle the journey they have been on over the years" and invite listeners "into the presence of Christ to discover what life is really about." The Hartmann..Continue reading→
Only The Lonely by Colony House
Colony House's second studio album, Only The Lonely, is set to be released on January 13, 2017. The two singles released off the album are titled "You Know It" and "You I."[...]Continue reading→
Walk by Grayson Reed
Besides the amazing talents of Mike Grayson (Mikeschair) and Molly Reed (City Harbor), numerous producers took part in creating this project including Justin Ebach, Ben Glover, Jeff Pardo and Seth Mosley. Grayson|Reed co-wrote all the original material, including their new single, "Fight For You," that is already No. 14 on Billboard's Soft AC chart. The song honestly faces the issues of being married, and how leaning on God helps couples get through the rough parts. I'm gonna fight for you/Nothing's ever gonna burn this down/I'm gonna fight for you/Til the breath in my lungs runs out/Our love is something I[...]Continue reading→
Still: Volume 1 by Rivers & Robots
Integrity Music announces the January 13 release of Still: Volume 1, the debut album in a new instrumental series that will feature guest "artist-producers," giving each project its own unique aesthetic. Guest producers for Still: Volume 1, which was recorded in various locations in the UK and mastered at the legendary Abbey Road Studios, are the acclaimed Manchester, UK-based independent band Rivers Robots. Still is emotive and reminiscent of a film score, combining strings, brass elements and electronic instrumentation, making it an ideal backdrop for moments of prayer and meditation for individuals and churches. The tracklist includes new interpretations[...]Continue reading→
American
How to Read the Bible (RJS)
For Christians the big questions in any discussion of science and faith generally come down to Scripture. How are we to read Scripture as the word of God? In much of the church there is an assumption that this should be straightforward… just read it literally. Unfortunately, this doesn’t hold up well for many of us. It isn’t even science that is the biggest challenge to this “simple” reading, it is Scripture itself. It isn’t clear that the Bible was intended to be read in this flat, literal mann..
Back to Church? (Michelle Van Loon)
By Michelle Van Loon at www.MomentsAndDays.org and www.MichelleVanLoon.com I’ve been blogging for more than a decade,and I’ve written often about spiritual abuse by church leaders – sharing both my own experience and referencing the struggles of others. I’m just one voice in a large crowd: there are numerous blogs, books, and worthwhile organizations telling the stories of spiritual and/or clergy sexual abuse survivors. The internet has been a tool for good in this struggle as it has facilitated..
Planned Parenthood VP Claims “Women Will Die” Because Trump Defunded Its International Group
President Donald Trump signed a life-saving executive order this week that prohibits international groups from receiving U.S. taxpayer funding if they promote or perform abortions overseas. Planned Parenthood already is on the attack, making misleading claims that Trump’s reinstatement of the Mexico City Policy will cause women to die. As LifeNews.com reported, the pro-life policy had been in place during the entirety of the George W. Bush administration, but President Barack Obama rescinded i..
Trump Spokesman: White House Staff Will Attend the March for Life
During the March for Life in previous years, pro-abortion President Barack Obama celebrated abortion and issued a presidential statement praising Roe vs. Wade. What a difference a change in president makes. Yesterday, a spokesman for President Donald Trump indicated White House staff will attend the March for Life, where over half-a-million pro-life people from around the country will mourn the almost 60 million unborn children who have been aborted since that fateful Supreme Court decision. ..
US
More on the banned Down syndrome video
We blogged about that video showing happy Down Syndrome children that was banned by the French government on the grounds that it might “disturb the conscience” of women who have had abortions. (You can see the video at the link.) George Will, who has a Down son, weighs in on the issue, explaining the origin of the video (which was made to reassure new parents) and making the point that this is a case of extending the concept of protection from being disturbed associated with college campuses to ..
And now, the commercialization of Advent
One reason that many Christians are rediscovering Advent is that Christmas has become so commercialized. Advent is a way to keep our concentration on what the Christmas season is supposed to be about, namely, the coming of Christ. But now Advent is also becoming commercialized! Alissa Wilkinson has written a good explanation of Advent for Vox. She explains the history of the season and what it means. She includes some interesting details that I had not realized. (For example, that Lutherans inve..
In trouble for belonging to an “anti-gay” church
Chip and Joanna Gaines are the hosts of “Fixer-Upper,” a popular home remodeling show on HGTV. They are openly devout Christians. And they are now under fire. A BuzzFeed article is accusing them of being anti-gay. This is because they belong to an evangelical congregation that does not conduct gay weddings and that holds to traditional teachings about sexual morality. That means, according to the Buzzfeed author, that the church is anti-gay. And because the Gaineses belong to this church, that m..
Back in the U.S.A.!
We are back in the good old U.S. of A. after spending a month visiting our daughter and her family in Australia. We enjoyed our time down under very much. But it’s good to be back home. I can’t believe that I was able to keep this blog going as usual despite the time difference (16.5 hours, a day ahead) and our many activities. Thanks for hanging in there with me. It was strange to watch the election from the other side of the world, but sometimes a little distance (literally) is clarifying. Aft..