sharing our story — Page 2 — Woman to Woman Mentoring

Tell Me the Old, Old Story of Jesus and His Love

Several weeks ago, Dave and I flew into Alamosa, CO. to keynote at the Southern Colorado Women’s Conference. We met a wonderful group of women, and I’m pictured above with the sweet women who worked so hard to make this annual conference possible. Dave and I had quite an adventure as we took an 8-seater tiny plane from Denver to Alamosa. Let’s just say my 6’4’ hubby had to bend in half to get to his seat. When we arrived, only his bag arrived with us!

Treasured memories. That’s a cedar chest in the center made by the pastor for his lovely wife Kay!

The theme of the conference was “Remembering the Goodness of God,” which the conference coordinator chose after reading my book, Forsaken God?: Remembering the Goodness of God Our Culture Has Forgotten. The decorations were amazing designed to help us remember our treasures. Dave has traveled with me to many conferences and retreats and he said he’d never seen such beautiful and detailed decor.

On Friday night, I gave my testimony, and then Saturday morning, I talked about eight of the twenty-three ways I share in Forsaken God? to remember God’s goodness in your life, starting with sharing your testimony. There’s no greater witness to God’s goodness than sharing what he has done in your life. No one can question your testimony because it’s your personal experience.

[Tweet “There’s no greater witness to God’s goodness than sharing what he has done in your life.”]

We often start conversations with questions like:

How was your day?
What’s going on in your life?
How are you doing?

Or when meeting someone new:

Where do you live?
What do you do for a living?
What church do you attend?
Where did you and your husband meet?

But when is the last time you asked:

What is your spiritual journey?
What’s your salvation story?

When’s the last time you told someone about your spiritual/salvation story?

Many think the Great Commission is just for the disciples and pastors, but it’s for every follower and believer of Jesus Christ. You don’t have to be an evangelist to share your story.

[Tweet “There’s no greater witness to God’s goodness than sharing what he has done in your life.”]

God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age. (Matt. 28:18–20 The Message)

You and I are Christians today because those twelve disciples did just what Jesus instructed them to do. They shared the gospel they had experienced with anyone who would listen . . . and with many who didn’t listen.

We receive the Advocate—the Holy Spirit—when we become Christians and our charge is the same as the disciples: you must testify with everyone you meet.

You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven. (Matt. 5:14–16 The Message)

[Tweet “Your spiritual journey is your testimony that describes your life before you turned it over—or returned—to God”]

Your spiritual journey is your testimony that describes your life before you turned it over—or returned—to God and how you’ve transformed into a new creation in Christ.

You may not think you have a testimony if you’ve been a Christian most of your life and life has gone smoothly for you. Well, that smooth life didn’t just happen. God has been walking beside you guiding your life every step of the way. That’s your testimony to others who worry about losing something by turning their lives over to God. You’re a living example of how good God really is!

[Tweet “God can use every experience for His good and glory”]

If you have a hidden past you’ve been too embarrassed to talk about, now is the time to deal with those buried hurts and hang-ups. God can use every experience for good, but not if we don’t let him. The Bible tells us “The wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23), so hidden sin holds us in a death grip that silently destroys us spiritually, and often physically, from the inside out.

Exposed sin loses its power.

We don’t have to waste energy and emotion worrying about others discovering our past. We can “thank God we’ve started listening to a new master, one whose commands set us free to live openly in his freedom!” (personalized from Rom. 6:18 The Message).

Think back to an experience where you know it had to be God who rescued you and how you might make that a testimony to his goodness.

Ways to Remember God’s Goodness—Share Your Story—Make It Your Testimony

[Tweet “The most effective encouragement for trusting God in the present is remembering His Goodness in the past.”]

The most effective encouragement for trusting God in the present is remembering His Goodness in the past. As we mature spiritually, we move beyond just remembering God’s goodness for our own benefit and start retelling our testimony to help others.

Every time you give God the glory for something in your life, you testify to God’s goodness.

[Tweet “Sometimes God redeems your story by surrounding you with people who need to hear your past so it doesn’t become their future”]

Sometimes God redeems your story by surrounding you with people who need to hear your past so it doesn’t become their future.

When we don’t share our story, we don’t share His story.

Being willing to share how God helped you through difficult times requires vulnerability, approachability, and responsibility. It’s your witness to His faithfulness. It’s the opportunity to give purpose to a crisis.

Otherwise, you might spend your life feeling sorry for yourself—living as a victim instead of victorious.

[Tweet “Revealing is the first step to healing.”]

Revealing is the first step to healing.

Your story doesn’t have to have a “happy ending” for you to share it. You give your testimony to show God’s faithfulness regardless of the circumstances, and to assure others they’re not alone or to stop someone else from making the same mistakes you did.

Every day you encounter opportunities to share your testimony, and every time you tell it, you’ll remember how good God has been to you. Let your loving heavenly Father guide you.

Sometimes you’ll only share a short snippet—less than three-minute—an “elevator testimony.” Other times, the whole story.

Tell me the Old Old STory of Jesus and His Love as your testimony

Women sharing their 3-minute testimony with each other.

Don’t dramatize how bad you were; characterize how good God is!

Your story becomes your testimony when the focus is on God, not on you.

[Tweet “Your story becomes your testimony when the focus is on God, not on you.”]

Don’t tell graphic details or anything to make someone else or you uncomfortable. It’s not a tell-all, and it’s not a time to tell someone else’s story.

If you haven’t written out your spiritual testimony, think of it in five parts:

Your life before Jesus.
How, when, why you realized you needed a Savior.
Making the commitment, or re-commitment, and surrendering your life to Jesus.
The change in your life since becoming a Christian.
What being a Christian means to you. How does knowing Jesus help you do life?

In Psalm 71:15, the psalmist admits he’s not sure if what he says will help, but he’ll tell his story and let God choose how to use it: “My mouth will tell of your righteous deeds, of your saving acts all day long— though I know not how to relate them all.”

Some people may reject or rebuff your testimony. That’s not a sign to stop telling it; you plant a seed, and God does the watering. Peter reminds us always to be ready to share our testimony.

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. (1 Pet. 3:15–16)

So don’t worry about how God will use your testimony, or how someone will receive it. Just be willing to speak up when you feel the prompting of the Holy Spirit, and He’ll use it for God’s purpose. Sometimes it will be in a spiritual setting, other times when you least expect it. Be ready to share with or within . . .

Bible study group or small group.
Mentoring relationships.
Others going through something similar.
Conversations acknowledging God’s goodness in your daily life.
Social media.
Unbelievers or skeptics.
Support Groups.
Where else?

“And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” —1 John 5:11–12

But as for me, how good it is to be near God!

I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter,

and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.

—Psalm 73:28 NLT

What testimony does God want you to share and who needs to hear it? Who needs to know the reason for your hope?

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*This blog uses excerpts from Forsaken God? Remembering the Goodness of God Our Culture Has Forgotten.

October 22, 2018

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Liz Curtis Higgs Reminds Us: God Is More Faithful Than the Pizza Man

Liz Curtis Higgs reminds us that God is more faithful than the pizza man

Did you notice there wasn’t a Monday Morning Blog from me last week? It’s Ok if you didn’t miss it. I had a short turnaround from speaking in South Carolina and heading off to Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference in Scotts Valley, California, where I had the honor and privilege of being on the faculty. As I prepared for teaching and packing, something had to give. The blog post. I know you’ll forgive me and maybe even congratulate me for pacing myself.

The conference was amazing! The theme was BOLD: “Since we have such a hope, we are very bold” 2 Cor. 3:12. God’s presence boldly permeated every area of the conference grounds and every aspect of the activities.

[Tweet “The theme of Mount Hermon Writers Conferece was BOLD: “Since we have such a hope, we are very bold” 2 Cor. 3:12. “]

A special treat was having award-winning author and speaker Liz Curtis Higgs as our keynote speaker. Liz presents her godly bold messages with humor, passion, and love. I had heard her speak at Mount Hermon before and knew we’d be in for a treat. But I also knew something would be different about Liz this year. I even wondered if she would be able to still speak at the conference.

Liz Curtis Higgs was amazing at Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference

Liz was wearing a wig and needed her husband to help her on and off the stage. She sat on a stool while speaking instead of roaming around the stage. Precious Liz recently completed surgery, radiation, and chemo for endometrial cancer. Thinking all was well and on the road to recovery, her doctors assured her a routine cat scan would reveal the cancer eradicated.

But that was not the case. While Liz was on chemo, a cancerous tumor continued to grow. Apparently, she is resistant to a platinum component of the “chemo cocktail.” Liz is not cancer free. She also has neuropathy in her feet making it difficult to stand. Yet, in three worship services, Liz shared her trademark message of God’s hope and faithfulness through laughter and tears . . . ours and hers.

[Tweet “Liz Curtis Higgs refers to her cancer as, “An unexpected journey toward hope.””]

When you look at Liz’s face in pictures taken while she was speaking, you see joy, smiles, peace, and faith. She refers to her cancer as, “An unexpected journey toward hope.”

Liz Curtis Higgs sharing her story at Mount Hermon Writers Conference

[Tweet “God is more faithful than the pizza man!–Liz Curtis Higgs”]

Which brings me to the topic of this blog: God is more faithful than the pizza man! I’ll try to paraphrase Liz’s points, and now that you know a little bit about what she’s going through, I assure you it will have even more meaning.

“Lizzie’s” Faith Message

Liz recounted for us something we’ve all done repeatedly: called the pizza man to order a pizza delivered. Usually, we don’t know the person at the other end of the line taking our order, and we don’t know the delivery man or girl. Yet, with faith and trust, we hang up the phone, no doubts that a pizza will soon be delivered to our doorstep. We have faith in the pizza man.

When the doorbell rings we don’t question, “Oh, I wonder who that could be?” We’re sure that a hot pizza is awaiting us when we open the door. We even have payment and a tip ready for the delivery person, or in faith, we gave the pizza man our credit card number over the phone.

When we open the door, we’re not shocked or exclaiming, “What a miracle!!! The pizza I ordered arrived!”

True, we might get pepperoni instead of sausage, but we never question, worry, or fret over whether or not the pizza is coming. We wait expectantly, ready to receive it from a stranger.

Now, contrast when we offer a prayer request to God, who isn’t a stranger and we know Him intimately. He’s proven to us over and over again that He hears our prayers and will answer in His timing and according to His will.

[Tweet “Yet, we often question, worry, and fret whether our Lord and Savior will actually show up at our doorstep. “]

Yet, we often question, worry, and fret whether our Lord and Savior will actually show up at our doorstep. And when He does, we’re shocked. “What a miracle!” we proclaim, as if we didn’t really have faith that He would come through for us . . . again.

Do we take time to thank God, like we thank and tip the pizza delivery person?

We trust the pizza man more than we trust God.

I say “we” because I’m right there with you if you’ve ever doubted God would really answer your prayers. And even though He’s repeatedly proven to be faithful throughout my lifetime, I wonder if I’ve reached my quota of requests.

My Recent Faith Journey

2017 was not a good year for me. If you follow my blogs, you know I wasn’t able to travel and speak due to health issues, as I wrote about in the May 1, 2017 blog, I Didn’t See This Coming. I wondered if the Lord was closing the speaking door. Then in the fall, I received several speaking requests for 2018 and the invitation to teach at Mount Hermon.

My first speaking event of 2018 was in Simpsonville, SC in early March. I wondered if I would still feel comfortable on the stage speaking. Was it like riding a bike? Would it all come back to me? I prayed and agonized before the Lord until I heard Him say, I release you to go back out and share My message. I wouldn’t send you anywhere that I haven’t equipped you to go.

My husband was with me on that speaking trip and he marveled that it was as if I’d never been on a speaking sabbatical. When I took the microphone, I knew I was back. I gave God all the glory for using me as His servant voice again.

God is so much more faithful than the pizza man!

As an attendee learning how to write at this conference for ten years, serving on Mount Hermon’s faculty was a distant dream. Then big surprise, last fall I received the invitation to lead a main track Mentoring Clinic on Writing Your Personal Story and Memoir and a workshop on Writing Engaging Bible Studies.

After I said, “Absolutely,” doubt plagued me. Would I be worthy? Did I know enough to help aspiring writers like I had been helped? Who was I to accept this tremendous responsibility? Again, I heard God’s reassuring whisper, I wouldn’t send you anywhere that I haven’t equipped you to go.

The experience was beyond anything I could imagine. I knew from the first morning of the mentoring clinic, this was exactly where I was supposed to be, at that time, and in that place.

This picture of my “mentees” on the last day of our memoir writing mentoring clinic shows that my Lord was faithful to them and to me.

God is truly more faithful than the pizza man.

I’m on a very expensive medication, the sixth one after others have failed or given me horrendous side effects, and we’ve reached the end of options. Insurance only gave me a good rate for four months, then what? My doctor said, “Don’t worry, let me worry about it.” His office staff said, “Don’t worry, we’ll come up with something.” My husband said, “Don’t worry, we’ll figure it out.” But I worried.

After much pleading with the insurance company, I learned of a program for this medication that if I qualified, it would be FREE! My doctor and I filled out the application and faxed it to the company. This time, I trusted God to figure out a way, even if I wasn’t accepted into the program. I heard God clearly say, Don’t worry. I have many more plans for you and I’m on it.

I trusted that God was more faithful than the pizza man.

I gave it over to Him, even when the 24-48 hours they said I would know the answer turned into 10 days. Then I got the call. I was prepared for the answer, either way it went, because I knew God would figure something out for me.

I was approved. I cried. I praised God and gave Him all the glory to the point that the woman on the other end of the phone was starting to cry too and said, “Yes,” every time I praised God.

Your Turn to Trust God More Than the Pizza Man

So now it’s your turn. Even in the face of cancer that didn’t respond to treatment, Liz Curtis Higgs can say . . .

As I’ve walked out my cancer journey this year, strengthened by your prayers, I’ve learned that everything the Bible says about God is the absolute truth. He is exceedingly faithful and endlessly merciful, “keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments” (Deuteronomy 7:9). Liz Curtis Higgs

What do you need to trust God with?

Where do you need to believe like “Lizzie” and me that God truly is more faithful than the pizza man?

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Mark 11:24

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 1 John 5:14

If you receive this blog by email, please leave a comment here.

Thank you to Karen Barnett and Jenn Fries for pictures of Liz Curtis Higgs.

Liz Curtis Higgs teaches God is more faithful than the pizza man.

Liz Curtis Higgs and Mount Hermon friend and author, Jenn Fries

April 2, 2018

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“So That No One Will Malign the Word of God”

The title of this article is the end of Titus 2:5 (NIV). Other translations read:

so that the Christian faith can’t be spoken against by those who know them. (TLB)

In this way, the Word of God is honored. (NLV)

so that the word of God may not be discredited. (NABRE)

We don’t want anyone looking down on God’s Message because of their behavior. (MSG)

that the word of God may not be exposed to reproach (blasphemed or discredited) (AMPC)

Here’s Titus 2:1-5 (NIV) in context, a passage often used in mentoring . . .

You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine. ²Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance.

³Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. ⁴Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, ⁵to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

[Tweet “The Bible remains the number one best seller in the world!”]

No other book in history have emperors, empires, authorities, and mankind tried to malign, dishonor, discredit, reproach, blasphemy and destroy more than the Bible, yet still it remains the number one best seller in the world! Those of us who believe the Bible is the inerrant Word of God, often come under similar attacks. The world sees us as ignorant, foolish, drinking the Kool-Aid, stupid, unenlightened, living in the dark ages, not current or relevant . . . even deplorable. I’m sure many of you have been called worse names. I know I have.

[Tweet “The culture needs to adapt to the Bible, not the reverse!”]

Today’s liberal culture believes the Bible needs to adapt to culture instead of the culture adapting to the Bible. Progressive ignorance and blasphemy.

Jesus didn’t come to conform to the culture; he came to reform the culture! Now we’re to go and do likewise, but sadly many are following the culture instead of following Jesus’ example.

[Tweet “Tucker Carlson interviews a liberal Episcopalian pastor who promotes a gender-neutral God. Blasphemy”]

My heart sank as I heard Tucker Carlson on FOX news interview a liberal Episcopalian pastor who was convinced that Jesus would be in favor of taking gender out of the Bible and no longer seeing God as the Father image, but a gender-neutral God. The pastor’s words seared my heart, “We’re not taking anything away from the Bible, we’re just adding to it.”

I screamed at the TV, Tucker, remind him of the last words in the Bible . . .

¹⁸I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. ¹⁹And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.

²⁰He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.”

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

Do you, like me, find it inapprehensible to live in a culture that openly, and without reproach or conscious, maligns the Word of God from politicians, officials, congressmen, media, progressives, and yes, even many churches? We’ve forsaken Paul’s warning to Titus to teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine to men and women, and likewise teach the next generations.

It’s so easy for Bible-believing Christians to scoff at the culture and bemoan liberalism, but should our churches and ourselves look in the mirror and assume some of the blame?

²²Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. ²³Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror ²⁴and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. James 1:22-24

As we watch liberalism and progressivism try to eliminate genders and the roles God assigned them, normalize same-sex unnatural relations and promiscuous sex, promote slaughtering babies in the womb, and the next generation accepting these atrocities, are Christians doing anything tangible to make a difference?

[Tweet “It’s not always comfortable to stand up for what you believe, but you must!”]

It’s not always comfortable to stand up for what you believe, but when you know the Truth and take to heart that many who are deceived today will spend eternity in hell instead of heaven, how could it be comfortable to remain silent?

How Can You Stop the Maligning of God’s Word?

Know your Bible! Relate to it. Read it. Study it. Memorize it. Share it.
Practice and role model the Bible’s teaching in your life and with your family.
Engage with the next generation by teaching or mentoring them using God’s Word as your guide.
Ask God to give you new insights into His Word and a hunger to learn more.
Remember how God’s Word has changed your life and share your testimony whenever God gives you the opportunity. If you’re wondering how to do this, Forsaken God?: Remembering the Goodness of God Our Culture Has Forgotten offers life-application ways, ideas, and prompts.

Obey the Word of God. If you hear only and do not act, you are only fooling yourself.—James 1:22 NLV

I know I’m preaching to the choir, and I commend the ministries you’re involved in and the ways God has led you to grow His Kingdom here on earth. For those who feel challenged by today’s blog, pray that God will show where He needs you to make a difference.

[Tweet “Pray God will show where He needs you to make a difference.”]

For me, it’s a personal attack when I hear anyone belittling or maligning my precious Lord and Savior and the Bible He’s given us to know how to live as believers during the time He gives us on earth. Our world today is not an easy place for Bible-believing Christians, but we must not let that stop us. Jesus told us we would be persecuted, just like He was (John 15:20), but all He asks us to do is defend His Word, the Bible, and prayerfully share His gospel message with grace and love. God will do the rest.

The Bible assures us: What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun (Ecc. 1:9), and Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (Heb. 13:8).

Please share with us how God has led you to stop the maligning of His Word.

If you received this post by email, please leave a comment here.

____________

Note: In the book I’m writing now, Get Your Brave On: Women of the Bible Show Us We’re Braver Than We Think, you won’t be surprised that there is a chapter on Bold Faith. I would love to hear how God has lead you to stand up for your faith and the Bible. Please email me at [email protected] for more details.

Forsaken God?

February 12, 2018

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Stop the Politicization of Prayer!

I’m back from cataract surgery. Well partially back, so this will be short but wanted to let you know that I’m seeing so much better. Still working on close up vision, but it will come. Every day is an improvement. Thank you whoever prayed for these two surgeries. I felt those prayers! Speaking of prayers . . . .

The Attack on Prayer

The attack on prayer is what God told me to discuss today. Yes, God talks to me, and if you’re a believer He talks to you too, just like you talk to Him . . . in prayer. As I prayed about the topic for my first blog back, I woke up this morning with a definite word from the Lord: Write about the return to politicization of prayer. “Return” because it was politics that removed prayer from schools. Politics removed mentioning God and Jesus in schools. Politics has removed God from the public square and replaced the ways of God with the ways of Satan.

[Tweet “Politics has removed God from the public square and replaced the ways of God with the ways of Satan.”]

That’s right, it’s not God’s culture today, it’s Satan’s culture. Jesus talked a great deal about the ways of the “world” and reminded his disciples and followers that Christians—us— are not of this world, we’re only in the world. We aren’t to conform to the world, but change the world.

[Tweet “We aren’t to conform to the world, but change the world.”]

I [Jesus] am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. ¹⁴I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. ¹⁵My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. ¹⁶They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. ¹⁷Sanctify them by^[a] the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. ¹⁹For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.

²⁰“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, ²¹that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. John 17:13-121

Mentoring Can Change the World: Starting with Our Children and Grandchildren

Right now, a federal appeals court has banned prayer at the opening of town council meetings. Because the commissioners said Christian prayers, which they have done for years, the angry atheists and the ACLU filed a lawsuit to ban the prayers, but the ACLJ is fighting back at the Supreme Court. Pray for the SCOTUS to uphold the right to pray before these meetings.

Our President and Vice President called for prayer after the horrific massacre in the small First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, TX. As prayer vigils were held in that tiny town, the media, entertainers (I use that term loosely), and liberal politicians began criticizing prayer.

Which brings me to the world’s view of prayer:

They don’t understand prayer . . . because they don’t understand God.

They don’t believe in prayer . . . so they don’t believe in God.

They don’t think prayer is “enough” . . . they think action is enough.

They don’t want God’s laws . . . they want culture’s laws.

They mock prayer as weak . . . while they remain arrogant, prideful, and ignorant.

They don’t recognize the power of prayer . . . only the power of man.

They are lost souls without prayer!

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— ¹⁷the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be^[a] in you. ¹⁸I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. John 14:16-18

Listen to Pastor Paul Buford, who pastors River Oaks Church two miles from Sutherland Springs First Baptist Church, when A MSNBC Anchor Asks Texas Pastor if Prayers Are ‘Enough’ After Church Shooting — His Answer Is On-Point

Thoughts and Prayers

Here’s my opinion on the phrase “thoughts and prayers.” Unbelievers say, “My thoughts are with you.” I even heard a member of a media talk panel clarify that he only supported “thoughts, not prayers!”

But Christians often say, “My thoughts and prayers are with you.” What good are thoughts? Thoughts are how the situation makes us feel and may cause us to do something kind for the person suffering . . . but thoughts aren’t transmitted tangibly, mentally, or spiritually to the sufferer.

[Tweet “Thoughts aren’t transmitted tangibly, mentally, or spiritually to the sufferer.”]

“Thoughts” however can prompt us to pray for the person or situation. Every time we “think” about them, the Holy Spirit prompts us to pray. I think a better witness to the unbelieving world criticizing “thoughts and prayers” . . . and a more sincere comfort to those suffering . . . would be, “Every time the Holy Spirit brings you to mind, I pray for you!”

[Tweet “I see social media full of “praying” and prayer emoji’s comments, but we must not write that unless we’re actually praying”]

I see social media full of “praying” and prayer emoji’s comments, but we must not write that unless we’re actually praying. It’s often a sentimental response, but we’re lying if we don’t follow through and actually pray for that person or situation. They’re counting on those prayers.

Forsaken God?

If you haven’t read my book Forsaken God?: Remembering the Goodness of God Our Culture Has Forgotten, I encourage you to read it now! Here is a comment from an Amazon reader who said the book reminded her of the importance of every believer keeping God in the forefront of his or her life, and how we can impact our failing culture.

This is a very thoughtful and timely book. We watch even now, as our society pushes God out of the picture and yet Janet reminds us through scripture as well as personal stories of how much God wants to be in our lives and His goodness toward us. When we remove Him from our lives and our culture, we are the ones who pay the price as we forsake Him. I love the practical application steps at the end of the chapters. They are easy to do and follow and a reminder of the blessings that are available to us when we simply recognize and walk in the goodness of God.

I also want to encourage you to watch a new Fox News program, The Ingraham Angle, 10 ET weeknights. We DVR it. Some jealous media critics have labeled Laura Ingraham “The church lady” because she always wears a cross necklace, is bold about her faith on the program, and confronts assaults on religion. I’m impressed with her reporting style and conservative platform. Here is her coverage of “Are Thoughts and Prayers Now Political?”

My Surgery Prayer Witness

I guess I just can’t write a short blog. I’ve missed all of you, so I’ll close with a “prayer story” from my second eye surgery. When everyone left the room after the pre-surgery prep, like the first time, my husband took my hands, we closed our eyes, bowed our heads, and Dave prayed for my surgery. When we lifted our heads and opened our eyes, surgery nurse Martha was waiting with the wheelchair to wheel me into the surgery suite. The room was just as cold as before, and as they positioned me on the table, I began to tremble . . . like the last time. Maybe nerves, maybe the freezing temperature!

Nurse Martha calmly said, “You have nothing to worry about, you’re all prayed up!” I knew then she had seen us praying and waited quietly at the door until we finished.

She was right. I then told her how Jesus had reminded me that morning that He would be watching over the surgery. Then I added, “Of course Jesus is always with me. And so many people are praying for me, they’re praying for the doctor, and for all of you too.”

[Tweet “Don’t let prayer become political. Don’t let prayer become controversial. “]

Don’t let prayer become political. Don’t let prayer become controversial. Never be ashamed of a conversation with your precious Lord and Savior. Stand firm in the power of prayer.

Pray continually! 1 Thessalonians 5:17

Mentoring for All Seasons: Sharing Life Experiences and God’s Faithfulness, is available at all Christian bookstores, online book stores, Amazon, Kindle, and signed by Janet at her website store

Forsaken God?: Remembering the Goodness of God Our Culture Has Forgotten is available at all Christian bookstores, online book stores, Amazon, Kindle and signed by Janet at her website store.

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November 13, 2017

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Touching Another Generation (TAG) by Tammy Keene

If you receive my blog by email on Monday mornings, you may have noticed it didn’t come the past three weeks. I did have cataract surgery, but also had some amazing guests each Monday and just discovered there was a glitch in WordPress. Thanks to my amazing web designer Holly Smith at Crown Laid Down Designs, who diagnosed the problem, we’re coming to you this morning with guest Tammy Keene. Here are the blogs you missed:

Hope For All Seasons by Renee Fisher

The Lasting Fruit of Mentoring by Pam Farrel

Could Mentoring Have Protected Young Actresses by me, Janet Thompson

I met Mentoring Ministry leader Tammy Keene when she ordered Woman to Woman Mentoring Resources from our website for the mentoring ministry at her church. We developed a friendship as we began to chat through email. I asked Tammy to share with you today how God led her to start the TAG mentoring ministry at her church, First Baptist Church Riverview in Florida, and why she’s so passionate about mentoring.

Touching Another Generation

By Tammy Keene

“When you’re not the same person you used to be, you have no business going where you used to go.” Priscilla Shirer

I love Facebook memories! I love looking at pictures of when my kids where younger and fun memories with friends, but I especially love seeing memories about Bible studies I’ve completed. It’s great to look back at memories and reflect on the lessons I’ve learned, but also the distance I’ve traveled since then.

I resonate with Priscilla’s statement: You’re not the same person….you have no business going where you used to go. This is truth. This is a process that’s easier when you have a trusted Christian woman walking along side you as you travel this journey called life.

Tammy’s Mentoring Story

When I share my mentoring story, I always begin at 2013, but I realize that my mentoring story really began much earlier.

Mentoring relationships at different seasons of my life have blessed and encouraged me. I lived in a Christian home with a godly Mom, who led me to Christ at an early age. As a teenager, a woman of faith at our church came alongside me. She was intentional in our interactions and I always knew I could count on her. As a young adult (and again as a young mom), an Air Force wife spoke into my life! Since moving to Florida in 2004, several women have encouraged me and walked alongside me.

What is the common thread among all of these relationships? Simply, godly women have walked beside me experiencing life together. I’m the woman I am today because of their influence.

I stepped out in faith to launch a mentoring ministry because these women spoke into my life and believed in me!

In a recent sermon, our pastor spoke of the importance of confessing to a trusted friend.

How do you find that trusted someone?

Ask someone to be your mentor. If you’re not sure what that looks like, get Janet Thompson’s new book Mentoring for all Seasons.

This book is a great resource for women. Not only is it the “how to” for finding a mentor or mentee, it’s also a great guide for the different seasons of life. There are testimonies from mentors and mentees who have experienced seasons of life and share how God sustained them through each one.

Saying NO to say YES to God

During Priscilla Shirer’s Bible study, “Discerning the Voice of God,” I learned how to listen for God’s voice. During the “Breathe” Bible study, I found the importance of the word “No.” Priscilla Shirer’s dedication to Kay Arthur and Beth Moore in her “Breathe” Bible study still speaks to me about the importance of No:

For teaching me to say “No.” For inspiring me to put first things first. For showing me by your example the importance of margin and Sabbath. For reminding me that doing everything is not the same as doing the best things. Thank you. You have taught me that life is better when it has room to breathe.

[Tweet “No is a simple word when used appropriately!”]

No is a simple word when used appropriately. For such a small word, I really struggled with it. During our church’s new member orientation, I learned that one of my spiritual gifts was “helps.” I thought this meant I should help with every ministry opportunity. This could not be further from the truth.

As I was obedient to say “No” to new opportunities and began stepping away from other ministries, I felt a great peace. The ministries I was involved in weren’t bad, but they were taking me away from home and pulling my attention away from the lesson God was trying to teach me.

God taught me how to hear His Voice – in a song, a post on Facebook, a sermon at church, and most importantly, His voice heard in time spent in God’s Word.

He taught me that sometimes the right answer really is “No.” As I passed on the leadership for the three Bible studies I was leading, God called two leaders for each one. Two is better than one!

Janet Thompson heard the call to “Feed My Sheep,” which prompted her first mentoring opportunity. During a sermon, I could hear the Holy Spirit speak to me about the importance of a mentoring ministry for our church. Even as I heard the message, I began arguing that God could not possibly want me to start a mentoring ministry.

God confirmed this new ministry in many ways. Within a very short time, God orchestrated mentoring training, the support of the church leadership, and a ministry team ready to begin work launching the new ministry. When I was faithful to let others have the blessing of leading ministries I loved, I was able to prepare for this new ministry.

If I had not been obedient to God’s desire for me to step away, I would not have launched the mentoring ministry, “Touching Another Generation” (TAG).

[Tweet “Waiting is hard, but being out of the will of God is even harder.”]

God taught me that His timing is best. Waiting is hard, but being out of the will of God is even harder. He taught me that walking with a Sister-in-Christ is something we all need, even me.

As we were preparing for the launch of TAG 2016, I was also preparing to return to school to complete my bachelor’s degree. Another benefit of saying No was having the time to devote to school. I still cannot explain how there are enough hours in the week for all God allows me to accomplish, so I won’t try. I’ll just give God the glory.

Tammy’s Passion for Mentoring

Why am I so passionate about mentoring? I’ve been richly blessed by amazing women God has placed in my life!

Mentoring brings the generations together.

Tammy (upper left corner) and her mentor Kathy

[Tweet “A mentor can help you discern the importance of a simple No. “]

A mentor can help you discern the importance of a simple No.

Mentors don’t have to be Bible scholars, just possess a willingness to invest time in the life of another woman. It may become a source of your greatest blessings.

[Tweet “Mentors don’t have to be Bible scholars, just possess a willingness to invest time in the life of another woman.”]

Looking back, I see that God taught me some very important lessons He meant for me to share with others.

A mentor can also help you evaluate the events from your past to help you see the lessons God is teaching you now.

[Tweet “A mentor can also help you evaluate the events from your past to help you see the lessons God is teaching you now. “]

God created women with a desire to share life with one another. Life isn’t a solitary expedition.

In some area of your life, you’re a role model – a person of influence—and another woman needs to hear your story.

[Tweet “In some area of your life, you’re a role model – a person of influence—and another woman needs to hear your story.”]

Finally, I leave you with Touching Another Generation’s (TAG’s) key verse: Psalm 145:4 “One generation shall praise your works to another and shall declare your mighty acts.”

Mentoring for All Seasons is a book that helps women live out mentoring in all seasons and generations.

Tammy has Mentoring for All Seasons and the Woman to Woman Mentoring DVD packet on display as her church prepares for their TAG gathering. Mentoring for All Seasons and The Woman to Woman Mentoring resources are available at our website shop, always signed by me.
Mentoring for All Seasons is available at Amazon, all online and Christian bookstores, and also in Kindle format.

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November 6, 2017

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Love Your Body—Be Brave!

Love Your Body Like God Loves It

I’m back! Did you miss me? For the first time since starting the Monday Morning Blog when I launched my website January 2013, I took a three-month sabbatical to finish writing my latest book, Mentoring for All Seasons: Women Sharing Life’s Experiences and God’s Faithfulness. Those who have followed my blog, know that in the past I’ve blogged right through writing books or invited guest bloggers—which by the way still requires me to edit and post, so there’s work and time involved. But this new book had a very short writing window and I had lots of travel and some health issues requiring medication, so I decided to love my body and prioritize my energy and time limits. Not that I don’t love writing to all of you, and it was anticlimactic every Monday morning not reading your comments, but I knew you would understand.

I’m Writing a New Book and I Need Your Stories!

Mentoring for All Seasons is in the editing process now, and thanks to many of you, there are amazing stories from both mentors and mentees from every season of life from tweens to aging! I know this book will bless you and it will be available fall 2017. I’ll keep you posted as the publishing process progresses.

Looking at the calendar and seeing that this is the last Monday of the month—where did September go—I realized I would be starting up the blog again with Love Your Body Monday! I knew then the Lord wanted me to share with you a post I had planned on writing later . . . but during my walk this morning, God said now was the time for two reasons:

[Tweet “I’m Writing a New Book and I Need Your Stories”]

My next book—yes, you read right—God has put another book on my heart based on brave women of the Bible encouraging women of today to be brave. I’m NOW receiving stories of times God has asked or challenged you to be brave spiritually, physically, emotionally, or in any way. I would love to share your story in my next book, so contact me for more information.
Elizabeth Vargas recently shared her testimony on TV and has a new book on being an alcoholic—last night hubby and I watched the 20/20 interview with Diane Sawyer and Elizabeth Vargas that we had DVR’d, since it aired originally while I was still finishing my book.

I’ve always admired Elizabeth’s news anchor reporting and how confident she seemed. She’s articulate, classy, attractive and was doing well in a male-dominated profession. Several years ago, I was sad to hear her announce that drinking, mainly wine then, had gotten out of control and was interfering with her family and work, and she had sought help. I was surprised, but applauded her acknowledging her addiction. I had no idea that her battle with all alcohol had continued until in her own words: “I was nearly fired from my job. My husband left me while I was in rehab, I hurt my kids tremendously, and I nearly lost my life.”

[Tweet “Alcohol destroys families, marriages, leads to death and tragedies, and is a disastrous role model for children and grandchildren”]

If you follow my blog or Facebook, you know my thoughts on drinking alcohol. It’s a recreational drug, and in my backsliding years I drank so I know exactly what alcohol does. It destroys families, marriages, leads to death, health issues, and tragedies, misbehavior, loss of inhibitions, and is a disastrous role model for children and grandchildren—and yet alcohol lines the shelves of family grocery stores and is in many home pantries or out in plain view on kitchen counters and wine racks.

[Tweet “most “moderate drinkers” are in denial”]

And just like Elizabeth Vargas, most “moderate drinkers” are in denial and justify their drinking as: being able to handle it, not hurting anyone, takes the edge off, relaxes me, only drink socially, like the taste, everyone drinks a little . . . even my friends from church . . . until as Elizabeth found, “I drank moderately for 20 years. It wasn’t until my 40s that I fell off a cliff.”

In an interview with Elizabeth, Dorri Olds wrote in 20/20 Anchor Elizabeth Vargas Talks to The Fix About Anxiety, Alcoholism, and Recovery: “When Diane Sawyer and Vargas did research for their recent 20/20 special, they learned that 63 percent of female alcoholics suffer anxiety. Being postpartum or perimenopausal puts you at even higher risk for self-medicating with alcohol. And women with anxiety issues are twice as likely to relapse.”

Is that you or someone you know? Postpartum? Perimenopausal, or menopausal? Anxious? Worried? Overwhelmed? Do you or they have a glass or two or three every night that started out after the kids were in bed, but now starts while fixing dinner or early afternoon . . . or after the kids leave for school? Are you or they hiding how much you/they drink? Do you/they drink and then drive . . . with children in the car? If yes to any of these or similar questions, you/they need help.

[Tweet “trigger points to drinking such as tired, angry, lonely, hungry “]

In the 20/20 interview, Diane Sawyer listed trigger points to drinking such as tired, angry, lonely, hungry . . . and Elizabeth says hers is anger. Diane asked what she does now, and Elizabeth said she picks up the phone and calls someone. A mentor would be so helpful. A brave step.

What Should a Christian Do?

Here’s where many of you will disagree with me, and that’s certainly your freedom . . . a word tossed around a lot lately . . . but it’s also my freedom to say my opinion. Elizabeth Vargas cannot be around alcohol anywhere; she lives one sober day at a time. How many women in your sphere of influence might be in that same situation and you don’t know it? I’m saddened when I hear of Church moms, women’s, Bible study, or small groups going out for “drinks” or having wine and alcohol when they get together in the name of the Lord. How many “Elizabeths” might be among you who are too embarrassed to get up and leave, and you’ve just contributed to their temptation and possible downfall . . . you’ve caused them to stumble. Or maybe you’re the “Elizabeth.”

tell-time-generic

Is this really how you want to teach your kids to tell time?

I’ve seen this “How To Tell Time” sign tossed around Facebook with many women, including Christians, “liking” and laughing about it. Mommies who are responsible to help their children tell time . . . putting this sign up in their homes for impressionable kids to infer that the way to tell time is . . . you sit with a coffee cup and Bible in your hand in the morning and a wine glass and wine bottle in your hand at night. What kind of message does this send to your children? Or if Elizabeth Vargas walked into your home after “coffee time,” she would have to politely leave:

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone [including your children, grandchildren, seekers,new believers, addicts, unbelievers] to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved. 1 Corinthians 10:31-33

Being Brave Often Requires Vulnerability

Elizabeth has written a memoir to help others who might see themselves in her story and get help before they lose everything like she almost did; she did lose allot including her marriage and time she can never recover being the mom she wanted to be to her children. Vargas said she would die for her sons. “I love them more than anything in the world. I would do anything for my children. But I couldn’t stop drinking for them.”

elizabeth-vargas

I chose to talk to you, my followers, today about Elizabeth Vargas’ story because of her vulnerability, not only in her book, Between Breaths: A Memoir of Panic and Addiction, but also in the 20/20 interview on National TV, which was an extremely brave act of courage. The woman we see in the interviews about her addiction and her new book is not the woman we all saw anchoring the news for years . . . even as far back as 911 and before!

On Amazon, the description of the book uses the word brave: “From the moment she uttered the brave and honest words, ‘I am an alcoholic,’ to interviewer George Stephanopoulos, Elizabeth Vargas began writing her story, as her experiences were still raw.”

The night before the interview with Olds, Elizabeth said, “I asked my son last night, ‘Why do you think I’m writing this book?’ He said, ‘Because you’re brave and want to help people.’ I hope people will be kind.”

As the 20/20 interview closes, Elizabeth said she has a “favorite saying” . . .

When you pray to God, there are three answers:

Yes
Not Now
I have something better for you.

In another interview when asked what helps her stay sober, she said mediation and prayer. To Diane Sawyer she said, “When I lay in bed at the end of a good day, I say, ‘Thank you God for this day.’”

To read a blog I wrote Love Your Body—Don’t Drink Alcohol

For the full 20/20 interview with Diane Sawyer and Elizabeth Vargas

To share your Brave story with me for my next book.

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It’s good to be back!

September 26, 2016

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Interview with Teen Role Model Sadie Robertson of God’s Not Dead 2

View More: http://meshalimitchellphoto.pass.us/sadie-robertson-finals

When hubby asked what I wanted to do for my birthday, at the top of the list was having a party with my grandkids and going to see God’s Not Dead 2, which opened in theaters April 1. We would have attended opening weekend, but we live in the mountains with no movie theaters, so birthday Saturday was our first chance to see it and we were not disappointed. It’s a riveting movie acting out many of the cultural issues addressed in my new book Forsaken God?: Remembering the Goodness of God Our Culture Has Forgotten. Both the movie and my book are wake up calls to Christians to stand up for our values, morals, and freedoms in a world that is quickly removing God from the public square. Here’s a quote from the Introduction to Forsaken God?:

Today, society marginalizes, neutralizes, and denies God—forgotten by a culture forsaking him. It’s time for Christians to step up, speak out, and seize opportunities to defend God, as Franklin Graham warns, “Before we lose our country!” Exerting boldness for God requires drawing from our own memories of God’s goodness—sharing with a disparaging world the greatness of our God and the things we’ve seen him do. We’ll be swimming upstream in a sinking culture, but some will reach out to Jesus for the salvation life preserver and will survive.

Today’s culture wants to silence any mention of God or Jesus. Our forefathers in the faith and in our nation would be aghast at a 21^st Century world where evoking the name of God or Jesus, or saying you’re a Christian, could possibly get you fined, expelled from school, fired, sued, incarcerated, or even executed. Yet, the world still acknowledges the memory and existence of Jesus every time they say or write the date—the number of days since Christ walked the earth. Sadly, the general populace doesn’t know, or has forgotten, the significance and origin of today’s date. (Pages 21-22, Forsaken God?).

[Tweet ” I have been impressed with Sadie Robertson’s spiritual maturity and willingness to go against the popular trends of her generation”]

In the section on Mentoring the Next Generation in Forsaken God?, I also include a quote from then 17-year-old Sadie Robertson, as an example of a role model for the next generation. I have been impressed with Sadie’s spiritual maturity and willingness to go against the popular trends of her generation, as does her whole family. I featured an interview with Sadie in About His Work Ministries December 2014 Newsletter , discussing her book, Live Original: How the Duck Commander Teen Keeps It Real and Stays True to Her Values (Howard Books, 2014).

[Tweet “Sadie Robertson plays “Marlene,” the best friend of the main high school character, “Brooke,” in God’s Not Dead 2”]

So I was excited to learn that Sadie plays “Marlene,” the best friend of the main high school character, “Brooke,” in God’s Not Dead 2. When I saw an interview that Sheryl Young of Ratio Christi did with Sadie prior to the opening of God’s Not Dead 2, I wanted to share it, with Sheryl’s permission. You might remember that on January 11, 2016, I featured another blog post by Sheryl Young of Ratio Christi: Left for College, Returned an Atheist. It had such a great response and was a revelation to many.

Meet Sadie Robertson

Sadie Robertson is now eighteen and a member of the Duck Dynasty family featured on the A&E TV series. But she is her own accomplished person and a young woman of prolific talents. She attends Ouachita Christian Academy in Monroe, Louisiana where she wore jersey #15 for the girls’ basketball team in her sophomore and junior year. Her team stats appear on many high school sports statistics websites. In conjunction with fashion designer Sherri Hill, she designs clothes under the label “Live Original,” that encourage a stylish, yet modest, wardrobe for teen girls.

She also sang with country star Alison Krauss for her family’s album, “Duck The Halls: A Robertson Family Christmas” (2013). The following year she moved from singing to dancing and took Second Place with professional dance partner Mark Ballas on Season 19 of “Dancing with the Stars” despite remaining modestly costumed and insisting on dance routines that were not as “sexy” as many others on the reality show. I wrote a blog about how Sadie Let her Light Shine on Dancing with the Stars.

Then the big offer to appear in the movie God’s Not Dead 2. That’s where the Ratio Christi interview begins:

Q: What led to you being cast as “Brooke’s” friend “Marlene” in the movie?

A: My parents (Willie and Korie Robertson) were in the first movie, and the producers wanted to continue the legacy. They felt the character was a lot like me, and when I read the script, I had no doubt about doing it.

Q: Did you create a “backstory” for your character – i.e., what motivates her and prompts her to support Brooke?

A: Yes – as Brooke’s best friend, she was the one go-to friend in high school, no matter what Brooke was going through. She was there to encourage her.

Q: Did you have a chance to meet or spend time with all the actors, or the apologetics experts like J. Warner Wallace or Lee Strobel, who weren’t in your scenes?

A: No, I didn’t meet everyone – I was only on the set for three days! But I did get to be with Melissa, Jesse, and Hayley. They were all great, and it was a wonderful experience (Melissa Joan Hart as the main character “Grace,” Jesse Metcalfe as Grace’s attorney, and Hayley Orrantia as “Brooke”).

Q: What did you think of the court scenes in the movie where the witnesses were giving evidence about the truth of the Christian story?

A: Even as a lifelong Christian, I learned a lot from the movie, especially about the true origin of the phrase “separation of church and state.”

Q: Were there any discussions among the cast about how the script was a parallel to real-life occurrences in society today?

A: Yes – we knew that at the end of the movie they were showing the cases that have happened. I didn’t realize how big the problem is!

Q: Why is it important for both Christians and non-Christians to see this movie?

A: People will be motivated. They’ll fear less, gain strength, and learn so many things like I did. I didn’t know some of these facts. If you are not a Christian – go anyway – it’s a good movie, and you’ll learn some real information from history you may not know.

Q: How can this movie help people who are struggling with expressing their faith to others?

A: The movie gives you courage to know God will take you all the way through something. I liked how Melissa (“Grace”) was praying on her bed.

Q: Have you or a friend or teacher ever experienced anything like the bias portrayed in the movie?

A: No. I went to a private school. But I have seen other kinds of punishment and ridicule, and I feel it all relates to this situation.

Q: The issue of Christians being able to voice their faith in public has become huge for your strong Christian family. When did you first feel driven to get involved?

A: It was actually before that – I was thirteen and away on a sports trip. Everyone wanted to party while being away from parents, but I never did. I made the decision not to go with the world, but to go with God. I felt His presence and knew He was worth it. After that, I got baptized. When you surrender and let God in, you know how good He is.

Q: Have you had a special teacher in your life who encouraged you in your faith?

A: Yes – my favorite teacher – she would ask if she could pray for us and listen to us – even in chemistry class. She led us by example and showed how important faith is.

Q: Ratio Christi teaches apologetics to Christian students so they can combine faith and reason to support their biblical worldview. Have you ever studied apologetics?

A: Our private school system used Christian books with science and history supporting the Bible.

Q: What do you think is the biggest concern on your Christian peers’ minds today?

A: Their biggest concern is what other people think about them – what are people going to say? They need to know that things will come and go but they can rely on God.

Q: You took Second Place on “Dancing with the Stars” with no dance experience! What encouraged you to go on the show?

A: Crazy! My grandma really wanted me to do it. I was scared but I learned a lot about myself and what I am able to do.

***

[Tweet “Go see God’s Not Dead 2 while it’s still at movie theaters and stay until the very end..”]

Go see God’s Not Dead 2 while it’s still at movie theaters and stay until the very end . . . after the credits, after the list of lawsuits, even after the screen goes black for a moment, for a sneak preview of the topic for God’s Not Dead 3!

See the trailer at the movie’s main website.

If you haven’t seen the original, God’s Not Dead, rent it or stream it… now. My grandchildren love to watch it over and over!Some of the same characters are in God’s Not Dead 2!

[Tweet “My grandchildren love to watch God’s Not Dead over and over!”]

Both movies are important to audiences that value religious free speech in American society. The fictional situations are based on real-life incidents and court cases, as illustrated by the long lists of actual lawsuits noted at the end of the films. How realistic are the court cases?

[Tweet “How realistic are the court cases in God’s Not Dead 2?”]

See Ratio Christi’s interview with attorney Erik Stanley of Alliance Defending Freedom.

***

Photos courtesy of Grace Hill Media and Pure Flix Entertainment.

Interview with Sadie Robertson, originally Posted on Mar 31, 2016 by Sheryl Young. Content in blog does not necessarily represent Ratio Christi’s views.

If you’ve seen God’s Not Dead 2, I’d love to hear your thoughts. If you haven’t seen it yet, let us know what you think about it when you do, and remember to stay to the very very end. You won’t be disappointed!

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God's Not Dead 2

April 11, 2016

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A Miracle Story of Love, Family, and Restoration

Ricky praising

Most Sunday mornings, Ricky was in the front row of church, sitting next to his parents Jean and Don. Often Ricky would accompany the worship team by playing the drums, strategically placed for him next to his front-row seat. I’m told that at one time, he joined the praise band on stage.

Ricky and drums

When Dave and I moved to Garden Valley and started attending Crouch Community Church, we didn’t know the history of the Brown family. We did, however, immediately see the love this senior couple had for each other—always holding hands—and for their adult son, Ricky, who occasionally had to have his drumsticks quieted after the music had stopped playing.

You see Ricky was a very special son, and as the church overflowed with family and friends at Ricky’s memorial last week, we learned more about just how special he was. If you have a special person in your life who can’t communicate clearly, or at all, there’s probably a depth of spirit like Ricky displayed in unique ways. God has a way of gifting these special people with love, compassion, and spiritual insight.

[Tweet “If you have a special person in your life who can’t communicate clearly, or at all, there’s probably a depth of spirit”]

Enjoy Ricky’s miracle story, shared at his memorial service, and his family now shares with you:

Ricky Lee Brown born August 28, 1956, passed from the arms of his parents to the arms of Jesus on Saturday March 19, 2016, at the age of 59. Ricky left behind . . . for now . . . his parents, Don and Jean Brown, his sisters Sheri, Cindy, and Lindi, and countless family and friends.

Ricky’s life story is one of restoration, the strong bond of a loving family, and the unending miracles of God.

[Tweet “A miracle story of restoration, the strong bond of family, and the unending miracles of God.”]

Ricky is the firstborn, and only son, of Don and Jean Brown. At birth, he only weighed 4 lbs. 10 oz., and it took a month for him to gain enough weight to come home from the hospital. This was the beginning of nine and a half months in and out of hospitals.

During that time, doctors and family members suggested putting Ricky in Nampa State School. Doctors said with Ricky’s health and physical issues, he wouldn’t live past eleven or twelve and would never walk. With the overwhelming advice from doctors and family, Don and Jean went through the court system and made Ricky a ward of the state when he was 8 1/2 months old. It was the most painful thing that Don and Jean had ever done.

They visited Ricky regularly and introduced him to his three sisters Sheri, Cindy, and Lindi. Right from the beginning, Ricky was compassionate. Jean remembers one time when he was in the state home, a baby started to cry. Ricky pulled himself with his arms over to the crib and patted the baby, trying to comfort it.

To everyone’s amazement, Ricky miraculously started walking at age eleven—the age doctors had predicted he wouldn’t live past—and he finally stopped running a persistent high fever. His sister, Cindy, started working at the Nampa State School in her late teens so she could spend more time with Ricky.

In his twenties, the family moved Ricky to a group home in the Boise area as part of a new program to try to teach life and work skills to disabled individuals. After Ricky’s three sisters left home, the Browns were able to visit Ricky more frequently.

Ricky loved classic country music and liked listening to it loud!

He also loved to tear apart anything he could get his hands on—radios, bikes, and in later years, his clothes. He loved to gas up the car, even if it was only to top it off.

[Tweet “Ricky could only put five words together, at most, but he used those words “]

Ricky could only put five words together, at most, but he used those words to ask people: if they were going to work? If they had a payday? And if they were going to church? Ricky’s happy smile and his thumbs up were his trademarks!

smiling Ricky Ricky thumbs up

Another Miracle

When Ricky was thirty-seven, he became extremely ill while still living in the group home, so Don and Jean made the decision to bring him home. Doctors told the Browns they would just be taking him home to die, but they said, “So be it. He’s our son, and we want him with us.”

By the grace of God and the help of family, they discovered that the current health problems were yeast related. Jean found a book on how to treat yeast with diet, and she became vigilant with Ricky’s diet and nursed him back to health. This same son, who doctors said would not live past eleven or twelve, would never walk, and was sent home at thirty-seven to die, fully recovered from the “terminal” illness! That’s what God, love, and family can do!

Don and Jean couldn’t bear the thought of giving Ricky up again, so he continued to live with them and they started the parenting season all over again. The Lord redeemed the years they lost while Ricky was in group homes, and they had twenty-three glorious years living together as family.

Ricky and sisters

Ricky’s relationship with his sisters and other family members flourished as he became a part of family reunions, jam sessions, weddings, and birthday parties. As a trio, Don, Jean, and Ricky traveled the country playing music and enjoying countless adventures. One of Ricky’s greatest loves was the drums. He had a set in his room and spent hours listening to music and playing along. He also spent hours tearing his drum set apart. He loved smashing cans and taking them to the recycling center for a “payday,” which he promptly put in the offering box at church.

Family picture

Ricky and Don on horse

Ricky and Don camping

As Ricky got older, he enjoyed putting together puzzles and sorting coins or Legos. Amazingly, he was able to put puzzles together picture-side down on the table. For someone doctors said wouldn’t live past eleven, and would surely die at thirty-seven, Ricky enjoyed a long life of almost 60 years surrounded by his loving family, friends, and community.

[Tweet ” For someone doctors said wouldn’t live past eleven and would surely die at thirty-seven,”]

Ricky touched many lives with his joyful spirit and his love for Jesus. Just as Jesus said in Matthew 18:3, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven,” Ricky was a great example of childlike innocent faith. We know that right now he is enthusiastically enjoying heaven.

*********

The Brown family hopes that Ricky’s miracle story has been a blessing to you, and especially an encouragement to all who have a “Ricky” in their life. If you have a story to share with the Browns, or want to tell them how their sweet restoration story touched you, please leave a comment to encourage them and pray for them as they grieve the loss of their beloved son.

If you received this blog by email, you can comment here.

April 4, 2016

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Left for College a Christian, Returned an Atheist

First RC College Pre Group of High Schoolers

First RC College Prep Group of High Schoolers

In my book Forsaken God?: Remembering the Goodness of God Our Culture Has Forgotten , I have a section on Generation to Generation where I discuss the tragedy of losing the next generation for God, especially college age kids, and what we can do to keep them sold out for Jesus. I also share in Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter how I ignored the warning signs when my daughter was taught about Darwinism and evolution in High School.

With the influx of liberal professors on college campuses, it’s vital that parents know about the mentioning ministry Ratio Christi.

Ratio Christi has 150 chapters on college campuses teaching Christian apologetics – the history, philosophy and science which supports the Bible and the life, death & resurrection of Christ. This strengthens the students’ faith, helps to stem the tide of “youth flight” from church due to the secularization of our colleges, and makes our young people stronger witnesses. We have also now started doing high school apologetics and have a goal of being on all college campuses.

Sadly, this doesn’t just happen in high school and on college campuses. My granddaughter was only in third grade when she was disciplined by a teacher for defending her Christian faith to two girls who were bullying her at school. My granddaughter was the one called out, not the other two girls.

Her teacher told her not to talk about Jesus again at school, and I told my granddaughter that teacher was out of line and together we looked at the Scriptures:

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes.” Romans 1:16

“So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God.” 2 Timothy 1:8

“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” 1 Peter 3:15

In my new book releasing September 12, Mentoring for All Seasons: Sharing Life Experiences and God’s Faithfulness I stress the importance of tweens and college age children and young adults having a mentor so they are ready to defend their faith and not succumb to teachers or other kids’ pressure when their faith is under attack. Statistics are alarming of the number of kids who went to church faithfully while home, but stopped going to church once they went to college.

Sheryl Young is one of the national leaders of Ration Christi and she shares with you what parents can do to help their children stay strong in their faith.

What a Difference a College Class Makes in a Christian Kid’s Life

By Sheryl Young

“So how was your first semester of college?”

“Mom, dad, I’m an atheist now.”

This dreaded conversation took place in the home of a friend of mine, but it’s happening throughout the United States today. It’s no wonder, with kids from Christian homes hearing the following statements almost as soon as they reach the college campus:

“There is no good reason to believe in Christ.”

“There is no logic or reason to Christianity.”

“You will not mention God in my classroom.”

[Tweet “The atheist movement in academia is trying at every turn to move students away from a firm faith in Christ.”]

It should be no secret to any Christian family today that colleges and universities have become a bastion of secularism and atheism. The atheist movement in academia is trying at every turn to move students away from a firm faith in Christ.

God’s Not Dead may be a movie with fictional characters such as a bitter atheist professor and few students with the courage to stand against him, but it is based on real-life events.

Make no mistake. Christian parents and grandparents are doing their children a great disservice by telling them that Christianity is just “because the Bible says so” or “because the pastor says so” or “because I say so.” It’s like sending them straight from grade school to college. It simply doesn’t hold any water in today’s culture.

1 Peter 3:15 says: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” (NIV). We don’t show respect for nonbelievers, or ourselves, when we haven’t researched the reasons for our faith. Having “blind faith” may be good inside churched walls, but it won’t be understood by outsiders: it’s foolishness to them (1 Corinthians 2:14).

[Tweet “Having “blind faith” may be good inside church, but to outsiders it is foolishness (1 Corinthians 2:14). Know why you believe.”]

Josh McDowell, a foremost expert comparing Christian with secular youth, says in The Last Christian Generation: “The majority of our churched young people do not believe Christ is the Son of God, do not believe the Holy Spirit is a real entity, and think ‘doing good’ earns them a place in Heaven.”

What do we expect when they get one hour of Sunday school or youth group, and eight hours in school where they’re taught “there’s no absolute truth” and the Bible isn’t acceptable?

Are We Exaggerating the “youth exodus” from Church?

No. Statistics in various studies show that 50 to 70 percent of American youth drop out of church and leave their Christian beliefs between the ages of 18 and 22. For example, in David Kinnaman’s 2011 book You Lost Me: Why Young Christians Are Leaving Church . . . and Rethinking Faith, he cites research showing nearly three out of every five young Christians disconnect from their churches after the age of 15. That’s nearly 70 percent.

[Tweet “The number of atheist professors on college campuses is a direct connection to students losing faith”]

The increasing number of atheist professors on college campuses is a direct connection to students losing faith. A study at George Mason University revealed that the percentage of professing atheists and agnostics among college professors is 26 percent higher than the general U.S. population. In addition, 51 percent of professors describe the Bible as “an ancient book of fables, legends, history and moral precepts,” while only 6 percent of college professors say the Bible is “the actual word of God.”

[Tweet “The percentage of atheist/agnostic professors is 26% higher than the general atheist/agnostic U.S. population.”]

We’ve all heard the stories of Christmas song censorship, valedictorians forbidden to mention God, and football teams not allowed to have student-led prayer. Many school districts do not understand – or choose to ignore – the freedom of religion guaranteed by the First Amendment on school property, especially when it comes to Christianity. Christian students and faculty are having their rights and viewpoints trampled.

[Tweet “Christian students and faculty are having their rights and viewpoints trampled.”]

“Political correctness” isn’t limited to public education. Many private schools, even some in Christian denominations, now support the “valuing diversity” theme that makes allowances for those who do not hold to biblical principles.

Let’s hear it from the young people – how do they feel?

[Tweet “Ratio Christi is a nonprofit international campus ministry which exists to encourage and strengthen the faith of Christian students”]

I [Sheryl Young] work with a ministry called Ratio Christi, and I thank Janet Thompson for letting me write here about this issue. Ratio Christi (“Reason of Christ” in Latin) is a nonprofit international campus ministry with over 150 chapters, which exist to encourage and strengthen the faith of Christian students through the use of intellectual investigation called “Christian apologetics” – learning the historical, scientific and philosophical evidence that gives logic, reason and credibility to our Christian faith when presenting it to others.

Curtis Hrischuk, the chapter director for Ratio Christi at North Carolina State University, says: “Most of the students we get are confused when they arrive at college. They’re realizing that they don’t have a strong basis for their faith, and they’re looking for help.”

Ratio Christi’s chapter leaders often hear from their Christian students that even throughout high school they didn’t receive a strong basis of theology to prepare them to face the secular pressure once they got to college. Many felt their church youth groups were all fun and games to keep them occupied, or automatically supposed that kids who came to church were already grounded in the faith and didn’t need much help. Some felt they could speak about deep Christian issues with their parents, and others didn’t.

Grant, a student from the University of Alabama says, “My youth group studied the Bible but (the teachers) pre-supposed that we accepted it as truth.”

Or Bentley from the University of Mississippi: “I was missing the historical, foundation principles and background of Christianity. I felt it was extremely important to understand who God is, why I believe what I believe, and understand how to defend my faith against those who might try to disrupt it.”

Going back to McDowell’s The Last Christian Generation, he writes of his surveys:

Only 33 percent of churched youth said church would be part of their lives when they leave home.
63 percent of them don’t believe Jesus is the only true way to God.
Only 6 percent of publicly schooled children now come away with a true belief in the Bible.

It cannot continue to be a church mantra, or a mantra in Christian homes, that our blind faith is enough. Not if we want our kids to keep their faith intact and be persuasive witnesses for Christianity later in life.

[Tweet “It can’t be a church mantra, or a mantra in Christian homes, that blind faith is enough. Not if we want our kids to keep their faith intact.”]

Ratio Christi Can Help

Ratio Christi (RC) students learn to present factual and philosophical evidence for God in classrooms led by atheist professors or to other groups of nonbelievers – and they often end up getting that opportunity. RC students and leaders invite atheists, agnostics, skeptics, and adherents to any religion to attend sessions and investigate the claims of Christianity in friendly discussions.

The nonprofit ministry’s president, Corey Miller, says, “Students who identify themselves as Christians at the beginning of college, with the rest of their lives and careers ahead of them, are under fierce attack and are leaving the Christian faith in alarming numbers.”

Christianity is True Tract

A Ratio Christi club member from the University of Virginia, Caitlin says, “If it weren’t for Ratio Christi, I’m not sure I would still be a Christian.” Bentley adds, “Ratio Christi has taught me how to converse with others about Christianity. It has helped me become more comfortable about being an evangelist of Christ to others.”

Here’s a student named Blake from a Ratio Christi high school-aged group preparing for college:

“Apologetics has given me compelling evidence for the existence of God, the reliability of the Bible, and so much more! I strongly believe that if it wasn’t for apologetics, I would not be as effective a witness for Christ.”

Home school groups, school teachers, clergy, church members, parents, grandparents, and concerned citizens are welcome to get involved with RC at all levels, from prayer to becoming RC mentors. Individuals and churches can “adopt a college” to help start a RC chapter if there isn’t one at their nearest college. Parents might want to learn apologetics along with their kids so that there are no blank stares across the dinner table if a teen comes home excited about what they are discovering.

[Tweet “Parents might want to learn apologetics along with their kids”]

Learn more about how you can get involved with Ratio Christi, or find a college chapter. If a student can’t find an existing chapter at a college of their choice, or wants to find out how to get involved at the high school level, Contact Us. Young people are our future. Helping them know their Lord is the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done.

Sheryl Young is the Media Outreach Coordinator for Ratio Christi, and interviews many chapter students and leaders for RC’s national newsletter.

If you receive this blog by email, comment here.

January 11, 2016

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Why Don’t We Ask for Prayer?

And How Many People Have Prayed For Me!

The day before my mammogram last week, I realized I hadn’t asked anyone to pray for a good result. This wasn’t just a routine mammogram. I’ve had breast cancer three times in 13 years, so I have a MRI or mammogram every six months, and there have been times when it was every three months. It’s been four years since a mammogram showed cancer, so why was I feeling apprehensive?

What Stops Us Asking for Prayer?

Maybe it was because I have a new book releasing in February that I know Satan is not happy about—Forsaken God?: Remembering the Goodness of God Our Culture Has Forgotten. We were under such spiritual attack while I was writing it, what would Satan do next to try and stop me from sharing the message of this timely book?

Maybe after so many mammograms and MRI’s over the past thirteen years, I thought surely, people had tired of praying for these tests. After all, I had been cancer-free for four years. How could I ask . . . again . . . when there was no reason to expect the test not to turn out fine?

Maybe I feared that no one would pray.

Maybe I knew so many people who needed prayer more than I did.

Maybe I didn’t want to draw attention to a health weakness.

Maybe I dreaded the question of why I chose the type of treatment I did. That question plants doubts, instead of comfort.

It’s a Privilege to Pray for Each Other

But in the back of my mind was the nagging thought: I was cancer-free for six years before the second recurrence, and only two years between the second and third round with this dreaded disease. So time passing isn’t reassuring to me.

I wrestled all day with whether or not to ask for prayer. I kept dismissing the thought and then the Holy Spirit would prompt me again. That made me wonder, even more, why was the Holy Spirit so persistent that I ask for prayer? What did He know, that I didn’t know?

Finally, at 10:00 that night, I put this prayer request on Facebook and got ready for bed:

I’m having my 6 mo. diagnostic mammogram tomorrow. I’ve wrestled with the Holy Spirit all day about His prompting me to ask my peeps for prayer for a continued “all clear.” So here I am again….asking you to pray with me that it’s the Lord’s will that I will remain cancer-free. Thank you dear ones who see this. Appointment at 10:30 am MT.

By the time I turned out the light, thirteen night owl Facebook friends had posted that they were praying. Wow! I slept peacefully.

The next morning, 180 “likes” on my prayer request post and over 70 friends had left a message that they were praying for me. Here were some of the comments:

Praying for you, Janet. Never be afraid of asking for prayer from others.

God will bring you reinforcements when you need them.

Don’t wrestle! Just ask! Praying!

God never tires of our repeated requests. May you sense His presence with you.

Don’t know why you wrestled so much, that’s why you have friends in the Body of Christ for support and encouragement. Of course, I will pray NOW!

Thank you for sharing because I would love to ask the Lord for “the all clear” ♡

That’s the reason I’m on Facebook . . . to pray for others.

[Tweet “People actually thanked me for asking for prayer and giving them the privilege of praying for me! “]

Yes, people actually thanked me for asking for prayer and giving them the privilege of praying for me! I was overwhelmed with the outpouring of love, caring, concern, and prayer flooding the Holy of Holies on my behalf.

Some FB friends were praying who I don’t know personally, be we’re brothers and sisters in Christ.

[Tweet “The Holy Spirit was prompting me to ask for prayer, but Satan was provoking me with all the reasons I shouldn’t ask for prayer.”]

The Battle Belongs to the Lord

Looking back, I realize I wasn’t only wrestling with the Holy Spirit. There was a spiritual warfare going on. Yes, the Holy Spirit was prompting me to ask for prayer, but Satan was provoking me with all the reasons I shouldn’t ask for prayer. That battle went on in my head and heart all day long, but praise God, the Holy Spirit prevailed.

I knew that I had done the Lord’s bidding when I was scrolling down Facebook “home” on my phone as we headed the hour and a half to town for the test during a terrible rain and windstorm. I came across a friend who hadn’t read my prayer request, but her post that day was simply Philippians 4:6 ^“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

I kept that verse on my phone screen all the way to the mammogram, and I knew it was the Holy Spirit’s way of confirming I had won the spiritual battle. The prayers kept pouring in on my phone and I was at peace. I don’t know how the test would have turned out had my friends not flooded the heavens. Did that change the outcome of the test? I won’t know that until I get to heaven, but what I do know is that I will never hesitate to ask for prayers again, and I hope you won’t either.

When the test turned out “all clear,” I posted this message to all my praying faithful’s:

A BIG cyber hug of gratefulness for the many many many peeps who prayed last night and today for my 6 mo. mammogram and ultrasound. If you didn’t see my message on the post…ALL CLEAR and I didn’t have to have the ultrasound.

As many of you know, I’m a 3x breast cancer survivor, the latest 4 yrs ago, so I have of a mammo or MRI every 6 months for the past 13 yrs, and usually it’s no big deal, but this one did seem big. So I can’t stop thanking God and all of you for petitioning Him for me.

You are all amazing and I pray I’m half the friend to you that you are to me. Please let me pray for you sometime too!

PS I celebrated by going wild at my hair appt!!! I have lots of fun red highlights:) Merry Christmas dear friends.

The praises and “likes” for that message started pouring in and filled my heart with gladness and joy!

Spiritual Inspirations

Asking for Prayer is a Testimony and a Witness

[Tweet “Asking for Prayer is a Testimony and a Witness”]

Someone needed to see the body of Christ respond to my public prayer request. It wasn’t just me who needed confirmation that prayer warriors never tire of praying.

Maybe it was you with an “unspoken” prayer request you need to share with someone.

Maybe it was the many who read my Facebook posts and saw the outpouring of prayers.

Maybe it’s someone reading this article.

Only God knows for sure, but often we have not because we ask not. We’re so sure that things are forgone conclusions, that we don’t bother God with prayer…or “bother” our friends.

My dear friends, many of you have prayer requests, right now! Especially at this time of year. Won’t you share them here so I can pray with you and anyone who is reading this blog can lift your request to the most High.

Three times in thirteen years, we prayed the tests would not reveal breast cancer, but three times, they did. But 35+ times we’ve prayed for those same tests, and it was an “all clear.” I’ll take those odds to my knees any day . . . how about you?

Side Note:

I wrote Dear God, They Say It’s Cancer: A Companion Guide for Women on the Breast Cancer Journey, while recovering from my first occurrence, I had to write a difficult chapter: “It Could Come Back.” Here’s some of what I wrote when I had no idea that, indeed, cancer would return two more times:

Dear God,

Would everybody be there for me again or be burned out on breast cancer and not able to deal with it anymore? Oh Lord, I cannot imagine how lonely that would be. It was so hard the first time; it must be devastating to relive it. In many ways, cancer is like living with a time bomb. You don’t know if it is defused or if it’s ticking away, ready to catch you off guard and blow your life apart again . . . maybe this time actually taking you to a place of no return. I have to admit these thoughts go through my mind at random times.

Lord, I must put my complete faith and trust in You. I will do everything the doctors tell me to do when they tell me to do it . . . no playing games with this . . . and I pray You continue to protect me and restore me to complete health. However, if there should be a recurrence, I also pray my family and friends would rally back around me, and You would give the doctors the same wisdom and insight You did the first time. Let them catch it early again—breast cancer will not win the battle for my life. Confidently Yours, Janet*

God has answered that prayer through two recurrences, and so I encourage you to ask for prayer and keep on praying for those you know in need of prayer.

*Excerpt from Dear God, They Say It’s Cancer

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December 14, 2015

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God Fights for Prodigals When We Pray His Will!

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Ways to Remember God’s Goodness—Share Your Story—Make It Your Testimony

“Lizzie’s” Faith Message

My Recent Faith Journey

How Can You Stop the Maligning of God’s Word?

The Attack on Prayer

Thoughts and Prayers

Forsaken God?

My Surgery Prayer Witness

Touching Another Generation

Tammy’s Mentoring Story

Saying NO to say YES to God

Tammy’s Passion for Mentoring

I’m Writing a New Book and I Need Your Stories!

What Should a Christian Do?

Being Brave Often Requires Vulnerability

Meet Sadie Robertson

Enjoy Ricky’s miracle story, shared at his memorial service, and his family now shares with you:

Ricky’s life story is one of restoration, the strong bond of a loving family, and the unending miracles of God.

Another Miracle

What a Difference a College Class Makes in a Christian Kid’s Life

Are We Exaggerating the “youth exodus” from Church?

Let’s hear it from the young people – how do they feel?

Ratio Christi Can Help

What Stops Us Asking for Prayer?

It’s a Privilege to Pray for Each Other

The Battle Belongs to the Lord

Spiritual Inspirations

Asking for Prayer is a Testimony and a Witness

Subscribe to My Newsletter

Search This Site

Receive My Weekly Blog

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Golden Scrolls Finalist

BibleGateway

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Latest from My Weekly Blog

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Subscribe to Our Weekly Blog

Contact Janet

Topics of Interest

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