Written by 9yr old Alec Greven, How to Talk to Girls, is worth checking out -- And so is this video review!
08 December 2008
16 November 2008
A Little Late on the Draw Here...
But better late than never right?
I am doing my article summaries for a class and ran across this article on a march that happened over Labor Day in St. Paul. Needless to say it was ridiculous. My only question is why do these things usually end up as a riot in the name of peace? Isn't that defeating the purpose?
I am doing my article summaries for a class and ran across this article on a march that happened over Labor Day in St. Paul. Needless to say it was ridiculous. My only question is why do these things usually end up as a riot in the name of peace? Isn't that defeating the purpose?
11 October 2008
Fastest Growing Religion
"In a number of respects, Islam actually isgrowing faster than Christianity. Islam's growth rate of 2.15 percent annually does exceed Christianity's rate of 1.45 percent. It is worth pointing out, however, that 96 percent of the growth of Islam is attributable to biological growthchildren born into Muslim families. Islam is flourishing in parts of the world where population growth is high. Christianity, increasingly decentralized, has its traditional base in parts of the world where population growth is quite slow or has come to a standstill. Thus, the overall trends do show Islam growing faster than Christianity."
by Woodberry and Shubin-- "Why I Chose Jesus"
Missions Frontiers--March 2001(read more here)
03 September 2008
Dr. David Platt (Days 1 and 2)
Day 1:
The Presence of God... There is much to be sai don this topic but those that most profoundly struck me were these:
The Presence of God... There is much to be sai don this topic but those that most profoundly struck me were these:
- The Prince of Peace, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, our Great High Priest, Wonderful Counselor, Creator, Sustainer, the Suthor and Sustainer of Life... These are but a glimpse of Jesus Christ and we have reduced Him to a puny saviour who waits eagerly -- yea, even yearns for our acceptance? Jesus Christ does NOT need any of us!
- Everytime Moses would leave the camp and go to the tent of meeting all of the people would stand at the entrances of their tents and watch as he passed by. When he entered the tent and the cloud of smoke would descend upon the tent all the people would bow in worship. Today, we need no person to go for us and plead our case because Jesus has torn the curtain in two and now we are able to enter and meet with God ourselves.
- What struck me so severly was this: We are now the tent. The Holy Spirit of the Living God dwells in us! How amazing! How grieving...! How can we, who have the Spirit allow ourselves to ever willingly or knowingly engage in sin?! How can we so defile that dwelling place? While sin is inevitable in this life, it should so much more motivate us to flee from it at every turn...
Day 2:
The Power of God... most specifically in the church and individuals pertaining to the Discipleship and witness:
- He is worthy of our worship but not only this. He is worthy or THEIR worship! This should be the primary thrust of missions and outreach. The evangelical church is missing the mark. The point is NOT:
To rush the return of Christ (because He can only return when all the nations have been reached). To make good citizens who live peacefully. To meet the social needs of the world.
- THE REASON WE DO MISSIONS IS BECAUSE GOD IS WORTHY OF EVERY MAN'S WORSHIP!
- Are we teaching to create listeners or reproducers? (Are we being taught for our own gain of knowledge and wellbeing OR do we listen so that we can in turn teach what we have heard and learned to others so that they may do the same and so on?)
- The key to reaching the masses is NOT by reaching the masses but rather by investing in the few so that they too can invest in a few and so on. That is Christ's model and that is essentially discipleship.
- Are we discipling or DISINFECTING Christians?
- "Disinfecting isolates a Christian in a spiritual safety deposit box called the church building and teaches him or her to be good."
- "Discipling propels a Christina into the world to risk his or her life for the sake of others."
- "Compassion is not selective!" We don't only minister to Christians here or abroad. We minister where we are as effectively as we can for as long as we have. The question has nothing to do with be called to foreign missions.
23 August 2008
Barak Citizenship Questioned
There have been countless objections to both canadates concerning eligibility and aptitude for the presidential position. Everything from youth and inexperience to standings on social issues have been questioned but now a new and perhaps more serious issue is presented:
Is Barak Obama actually an American born citizen of the United States with undivided allegiance? (see Worldnet Daily and Cleaveland Leader )
Oddly enough, the issue of his citizenship isn't as straightforward as some might be inclined to think. Rather, if he is a citizen it is probably that 1) He was NOT American born as the constitution demands, 2) He is also a citizen of Kenya and Indonesia, and 3) He has apparently lied on his preliminary paperwork for the bar exam. There is also evidence to suggest that he has known all along that he is not a citizen and that he has continualy lied about it and tried to cover his tracks. Oh yeah, and he is a muslim?
But he's such a nice guy! He makes us feel good and he's such a great speaker (even though he's not too keen on answering questions in a specific manner -- oh, wait. that's what it means to be diplomatic). Great. Do we really want a young, lying, infanicide endorsing, Indonesian citizen to rule our nation...? Every reason under the sun seems to be staring us in the face. Vote for Obama? I think not.
Is Barak Obama actually an American born citizen of the United States with undivided allegiance? (see Worldnet Daily and Cleaveland Leader )
Oddly enough, the issue of his citizenship isn't as straightforward as some might be inclined to think. Rather, if he is a citizen it is probably that 1) He was NOT American born as the constitution demands, 2) He is also a citizen of Kenya and Indonesia, and 3) He has apparently lied on his preliminary paperwork for the bar exam. There is also evidence to suggest that he has known all along that he is not a citizen and that he has continualy lied about it and tried to cover his tracks. Oh yeah, and he is a muslim?
But he's such a nice guy! He makes us feel good and he's such a great speaker (even though he's not too keen on answering questions in a specific manner -- oh, wait. that's what it means to be diplomatic). Great. Do we really want a young, lying, infanicide endorsing, Indonesian citizen to rule our nation...? Every reason under the sun seems to be staring us in the face. Vote for Obama? I think not.
02 August 2008
13 July 2008
Distinctly American (A Few Days Late)
When I walked out my front door this evening, camera in hand, I wondered about what adventure would lie ahead for me. I wasn’t halfway down my front walk when it came to me. There before me, as countless times before, hung my neighbor’s American flag. Not at all a strange sight, yet for some reason it caught my attention as I set out down the sidewalk. “Click” – my first shot of the evening, and the thought came to me, That is decidedly American.
As I continued down the street, I began to count all the things that shout “Only in America!” There were stickers on cars, boldly proclaiming opinions and desires. There were political signs displayed with pride on front lawns. Strange garden decorations, bikes left conspicuously lying in the yard, a young couple on seminary lawn practicing their golf swing – every imaginable sign of wealth and leisure, distinctly American.
Three houses down a lady was watering her lawn. She greeted me, introductions were exchanged, and weather discussed. Small talk. Something that is American not in concept but in execution. The unfortunate fact of the matter is that I doubt she remembers my name, let alone thinks of me at all. That is America for you. All politeness and no care, or at least not outside of one’s own personal life. This is entirely the point. Individualism is king.
Welcome to America! Make yourself at home. You can be anything you want to be and do anything you want to do. After all, this is the American dream: to be free and live a life that is moral in your own eyes, whilst procuring every comfort and enjoying life to its fullest. How selfish and spoiled we are – or at least have the propensity to be.
On my walk this evening, I met a young couple. These are the ones who were practicing their golf skills on the lawn. Unlike, the neighbor lady’s small talk, this conversation I am not likely to forget soon. Following brief introductions, it was discovered that we lived on the same block, went to the same school, and they had visited my church. Small talk again but this was different. The conversation passed into an open air discussion of Christian missions abroad and theology. Ah, there it is again, distinctly American, religious freedom -- not just the freedom to be something, but also to speak openly about it.
Finally, I come to my favourite discovery this evening – incredibly American simply because it is not at all American. After leaving the young couple I wandered up a street and down another side street and suddenly it struck me. For an instant I forgot where I was. Through the viewfinder in my camera I saw European styled multiplexes along a steep hill, cars lining the paved yet unpainted road. I looked up and still it was before me: generations of influence from outside of ourselves. I looked up the road behind me and saw Japanese lanterns outside one home while the one next to it proudly displayed Italian mosaic in the garden.
This is far more American than any of the other discoveries. It is the idea of a melting pot: a land that is not of one people yet has become one people, where cultures blend together and form a new one, and people are encouraged to remember their old roots while putting down new ones. America -- the land of the free, the spoiled, the outcast, the African, the Chinese, the Arab, the Muslim, the Christian, the rich, the poor, and everyone else -- she invites anyone who will come to settle in her and bear her name: American. That is most distinctly and decidedly American.
As I continued down the street, I began to count all the things that shout “Only in America!” There were stickers on cars, boldly proclaiming opinions and desires. There were political signs displayed with pride on front lawns. Strange garden decorations, bikes left conspicuously lying in the yard, a young couple on seminary lawn practicing their golf swing – every imaginable sign of wealth and leisure, distinctly American.
Three houses down a lady was watering her lawn. She greeted me, introductions were exchanged, and weather discussed. Small talk. Something that is American not in concept but in execution. The unfortunate fact of the matter is that I doubt she remembers my name, let alone thinks of me at all. That is America for you. All politeness and no care, or at least not outside of one’s own personal life. This is entirely the point. Individualism is king.
Welcome to America! Make yourself at home. You can be anything you want to be and do anything you want to do. After all, this is the American dream: to be free and live a life that is moral in your own eyes, whilst procuring every comfort and enjoying life to its fullest. How selfish and spoiled we are – or at least have the propensity to be.
On my walk this evening, I met a young couple. These are the ones who were practicing their golf skills on the lawn. Unlike, the neighbor lady’s small talk, this conversation I am not likely to forget soon. Following brief introductions, it was discovered that we lived on the same block, went to the same school, and they had visited my church. Small talk again but this was different. The conversation passed into an open air discussion of Christian missions abroad and theology. Ah, there it is again, distinctly American, religious freedom -- not just the freedom to be something, but also to speak openly about it.
Finally, I come to my favourite discovery this evening – incredibly American simply because it is not at all American. After leaving the young couple I wandered up a street and down another side street and suddenly it struck me. For an instant I forgot where I was. Through the viewfinder in my camera I saw European styled multiplexes along a steep hill, cars lining the paved yet unpainted road. I looked up and still it was before me: generations of influence from outside of ourselves. I looked up the road behind me and saw Japanese lanterns outside one home while the one next to it proudly displayed Italian mosaic in the garden.
This is far more American than any of the other discoveries. It is the idea of a melting pot: a land that is not of one people yet has become one people, where cultures blend together and form a new one, and people are encouraged to remember their old roots while putting down new ones. America -- the land of the free, the spoiled, the outcast, the African, the Chinese, the Arab, the Muslim, the Christian, the rich, the poor, and everyone else -- she invites anyone who will come to settle in her and bear her name: American. That is most distinctly and decidedly American.
09 July 2008
Intermission
This brief entry is to assuage any concerns of my disappearance. I have been enjoying a recess from the blogging world but rest assured I will return to write again soon :)
22 May 2008
Another Sad Story
"Then the news came today of a “Shadowlands piercing” closer to home in so many ways…of a little 5 year-old girl…Maria Chapman, adopted daughter of Steven Curtis Chapman. She lost her life in her own driveway when an older brother backed out with Maria obscured from sight. Agony beyond comprehension for this family of Christ. How much can a father’s heart take?…his sweet daughter…his beloved son. “Speechless.” Steven’s music sings his theology…his is the great and glorious God revealed in Christ alone. God will be enough…barely enough, but enough."
-excerpt from The Shadowlands by Daniel Scott Cummings
(Pastor of Five Points Community Church in Auburn Hills, MI)
Sad times such as these require much prayer and petition -- not only on behalf of those enduring but also on behalf of those of us who standby. May God grant grace and strength to those who suffer. And may God grant wisdom and perseverance to those of us that don't. How difficult to suffer but how much harder is it for those of us who become complacent from a lack of suffering... In the midst of trial God is clearly seen but in the midst of ease He is often lost sight of.
-excerpt from The Shadowlands by Daniel Scott Cummings
(Pastor of Five Points Community Church in Auburn Hills, MI)
Sad times such as these require much prayer and petition -- not only on behalf of those enduring but also on behalf of those of us who standby. May God grant grace and strength to those who suffer. And may God grant wisdom and perseverance to those of us that don't. How difficult to suffer but how much harder is it for those of us who become complacent from a lack of suffering... In the midst of trial God is clearly seen but in the midst of ease He is often lost sight of.
15 May 2008
The "Bad" News
Many of you know that I have had a rough past semester. The reasons are many but I don't think anything has caused as much prayer nor as many tears as the illness of my home pastor. I haven't been very vocal about it but now I am ready to write. I have been wondering what is best to say but I think this says it all. It is not by me but it gets the point across. I think there will be more to come.
--Laura--
"It’s a nice warm day in the Downriver by Sunday morning the lilacs
will have burst into bloom here at the church. While spring is
bursting into life around us it seems that we have been visited with
dying of late. On the way home from the church to Granville Cottage
there is a cemetery. There are at least a half dozen fresh mounds
there. It’s good to be alive, but it is better to know that in Christ
we will never, never die.
Dan Cummings is a pastor friend who I admire in so many ways. He is one of the finest preachers in the state. He is a marathoner. He is a good dad and a fine husband. He is a leader of men. I admire him more than I can say and often listen to his preaching on my iPod.
A few weeks ago it was announced that he has inoperable cancer. If God does not choose to intervene in a miracle, he will not live. He is trying to write and preach to the glory of God while he is dying. He is writing and preaching through his affliction. This is his blog.
There are links to his preaching, too.
We often quote Richard Baxter who said; I preach as a dying man to dying men. We all preach as dying men to dying men. In light of Dan’s condition the reality of that is very sharp now. May God give Dan grace to die if that is what He has chosen for him. May he give each of us grace to live and die.
May each of us seize every moment of life we are given for the Glory
of God and for things eternal that will never pass away. It’s good to
be alive but it is much better to know that in Christ we will never,
never die."
Pastor Ken Pierpont
The Study
Evangel Baptist Church
May 2, 2008
--Laura--
"It’s a nice warm day in the Downriver by Sunday morning the lilacs
will have burst into bloom here at the church. While spring is
bursting into life around us it seems that we have been visited with
dying of late. On the way home from the church to Granville Cottage
there is a cemetery. There are at least a half dozen fresh mounds
there. It’s good to be alive, but it is better to know that in Christ
we will never, never die.
Dan Cummings is a pastor friend who I admire in so many ways. He is one of the finest preachers in the state. He is a marathoner. He is a good dad and a fine husband. He is a leader of men. I admire him more than I can say and often listen to his preaching on my iPod.
A few weeks ago it was announced that he has inoperable cancer. If God does not choose to intervene in a miracle, he will not live. He is trying to write and preach to the glory of God while he is dying. He is writing and preaching through his affliction. This is his blog.
There are links to his preaching, too.
We often quote Richard Baxter who said; I preach as a dying man to dying men. We all preach as dying men to dying men. In light of Dan’s condition the reality of that is very sharp now. May God give Dan grace to die if that is what He has chosen for him. May he give each of us grace to live and die.
May each of us seize every moment of life we are given for the Glory
of God and for things eternal that will never pass away. It’s good to
be alive but it is much better to know that in Christ we will never,
never die."
Pastor Ken Pierpont
The Study
Evangel Baptist Church
May 2, 2008
08 April 2008
30 March 2008
Do You Love Me?
“Do you love me?”
This statement is one of the hardest statements to get past in Scripture. The implications for Peter, as well as for us, are many and they are hard.
The context is familiar to all of us. When Jesus was enduring trial and crucifixion, Peter was denying Him. Three times Peter denied Him. The text doesn’t say it but I’m sure Jesus heard all three. He knew Peter’s heart as well as his sin. When we arrive at this text in the book of John, Jesus has risen from the dead and is now sitting on the beach with some of the disciples. Among them is Peter. After they finished eating breakfast, Jesus asks Peter three times, “Do you love me?” Peter’s response each time is “yes” with added emphasis on the last time.
Jesus knew Peter’s heart but He asked anyway. Some people have speculated that Jesus was asking the questions for Peter’s sake or that the questions were to reemphasize to Peter his own love for Christ. This could be true but I don’t think that’s the main point. When I read this text I wondered what the original language was. Did Jesus really ask the exact same question three times? According to the Greek text, the answer is no. The first two times Jesus essentially asks the same question. It was just worded differently. The third time however, Jesus changes the question. In the first two questions Jesus uses the word “agape.” This word means to love or cherish. But the last time Jesus uses the word “phileo.” This word still means to love or cherish but it is a more active word. When Jesus asks, “Do you love me” He also was implying “Peter, is your love for me active?”
This question was asked of Peter specifically but it is also the essence of our Christian faith. We don’t just believe in Him, we love Him. This is what sets us apart from the world. Most people in the world believe in Jesus but their love for Him, if it exists, is not active. They live their lives with little regard for Him and His commands.
The fact of the matter is, if we truly love Jesus we will be different. “How can we who have died to sin still live in it?” (Rom 6:2) Paul’s point is Jesus point. We have been changed. Sin cannot reign in our mortal bodies (Rom 6:12) for this reason we are commanded to flee from it. Jesus’ command to Peter was to care for His people and from this was built the Church of God. In our life however the active question of our love for Christ stands ever before us. Do we love Christ? If we do, our actions will mirror Christ’s and our lives will be a living witness to the truth of the gospel. Sin cannot reign in us because it does not reign in our God. A life of sin is no reflection of Him.
Do you love Christ? Then Prove it.
28 March 2008
The Lure of Sin
"The human mind is never more resourceful than when it is involved in self-justification."
- Jean Garton
Intruder?
We've all heard ridiculous arguments concerning abortion but I think this one takes the cake. This is the latest pro argument:
"It doesn't matter at what point a fertilized egg becomes a zygote or a zygote a fetus or a fetus a baby. Personhood is irrelevant. The state simply does not have the right to require any citizen to use their body to keep another citizen alive, much less for nine months. The state can't force us to donate blood or organs. The state can't make us sign up for bone marrow registries. If we choose to do these things, it is noble and good, but we still would never tolerate, as a society, being forced to do so. How much less, then, should we tolerate the state forcing women to use their bodies to keep other people alive for nine full months, with all the risks and permanent changes in the body this entails? How is this permissible if women are fully functioning moral agents with all the rights of citizenship and not state-owned incubators?"
(More from Intruder Alert)
What's worse than this is the response of Matt Kaufman, the writer of the article in Boundless. Maybe I should say that what's worse is his lack of argument. While he doesn't ignore it, he most certainly doesn't set forth a convincing thought. He appeals to the reader's sense of responsibility for those less able to care for themselves.
Lets think about this. How many people would actually walk by a child on the street and think nothing of it? How many people watch the food for the hungry commercials and just change the channel? Wake up people. We don't live in a perfect world. Why do we try to argue like we do?
Maybe a better way to approach the subject, as Christians, is to view it through the lens of Scripture. It's clear that a fetus is actually a person and there are numerous commands in the Bible that address the need to care for the helpless. "Whatever you did for the least of these, you did for Me." The words of the Messiah for His people.
Granted those arguments won't stand amongst the godless of our generation. For them I propose a different tactic. First, I propose that you pray. The truth is there is absolutely nothing that we can do. Sorry. We aren't in control. God is the one that softens the heart.
My response to those who would use this argument is probably not so gracious.
If you don't want to get pregnant, maybe you should be more responsible or better yet stop fooling around. Granted, there are circumstances that are out of our control. Rape is never pleasant but should one sin lead to another? Killing a child, unborn or otherwise, is still sin. You can't get around it. People argue for the rights of the mother all the time. What about the rights of the child? Or does it forfeit rights because it can't speak up? (Much more can be said about this but for now I'll leave it alone)
Unfortunately, the majority of abortions are instigated not by a woman who has been raped but rather by a woman who was careless.
"It doesn't matter at what point a fertilized egg becomes a zygote or a zygote a fetus or a fetus a baby. Personhood is irrelevant. The state simply does not have the right to require any citizen to use their body to keep another citizen alive, much less for nine months. The state can't force us to donate blood or organs. The state can't make us sign up for bone marrow registries. If we choose to do these things, it is noble and good, but we still would never tolerate, as a society, being forced to do so. How much less, then, should we tolerate the state forcing women to use their bodies to keep other people alive for nine full months, with all the risks and permanent changes in the body this entails? How is this permissible if women are fully functioning moral agents with all the rights of citizenship and not state-owned incubators?"
(More from Intruder Alert)
What's worse than this is the response of Matt Kaufman, the writer of the article in Boundless. Maybe I should say that what's worse is his lack of argument. While he doesn't ignore it, he most certainly doesn't set forth a convincing thought. He appeals to the reader's sense of responsibility for those less able to care for themselves.
Lets think about this. How many people would actually walk by a child on the street and think nothing of it? How many people watch the food for the hungry commercials and just change the channel? Wake up people. We don't live in a perfect world. Why do we try to argue like we do?
Maybe a better way to approach the subject, as Christians, is to view it through the lens of Scripture. It's clear that a fetus is actually a person and there are numerous commands in the Bible that address the need to care for the helpless. "Whatever you did for the least of these, you did for Me." The words of the Messiah for His people.
Granted those arguments won't stand amongst the godless of our generation. For them I propose a different tactic. First, I propose that you pray. The truth is there is absolutely nothing that we can do. Sorry. We aren't in control. God is the one that softens the heart.
My response to those who would use this argument is probably not so gracious.
If you don't want to get pregnant, maybe you should be more responsible or better yet stop fooling around. Granted, there are circumstances that are out of our control. Rape is never pleasant but should one sin lead to another? Killing a child, unborn or otherwise, is still sin. You can't get around it. People argue for the rights of the mother all the time. What about the rights of the child? Or does it forfeit rights because it can't speak up? (Much more can be said about this but for now I'll leave it alone)
Unfortunately, the majority of abortions are instigated not by a woman who has been raped but rather by a woman who was careless.
20 March 2008
Just Thinking
Our response to music should be according, NOT to media but rather, to content.
(This most specifically refers to worship)
(This most specifically refers to worship)
03 March 2008
Lessons From a Flower
There are crocus in clusters sprouting up all around the yard. Around the tree and by the sidewalks they are growing in bunches. The one that caught my eye though was in the middle of the lawn. All around it there is dead grass, twigs that have fallen from the tree, and even dead leaves from last fall. All of that waste and yet it blooms.
I noticed it this morning while I was having some quiet time and praying. My prayers are far from joyful this morning. Though most of the time I don’t mind it because I’m content with just Christ, today I sat on the sidewalk terribly aware of just how single I am. Why am I nearly twenty four and yet to be in a relationship? Is this what You want for me? Should I just plan to be single? And how can I plan to be single when I feel so strongly that You have called me to serve my husband and family? And really, God. How can I have this calling and be so single?
I remember asking that question of my mother when I was home a while back. Her response was that God never gives a calling that He doesn’t not intend to fulfill. Right. And yet, here I am. I’m like that flower. I am out in the middle of nowhere. I’m on my own in the culture surrounded by dead souls. I have Christ who I can talk to but never see. And that’s all. Is this all You have for me?
I sat there and prayed for the flower and myself. Then I noticed something. Almost invisible amongst the dead grass and leaves, right next to my friend is another crocus. This one has not bloomed yet. So, my little friend is alone but not for much longer. So, God, are you saying that once again I’m being impatient and the timing isn’t right?
There you have it. I’m being impatient once again. God, forgive my impatience and help me to be satisfied where I am with what I have. Christ is enough.
29 February 2008
Jesus Saves
Standing there I couldn’t see much of anything. The darkness had fallen and was lingering. There was a strange heavy atmosphere like a damp fog but that wasn’t what made discernment so challenging. So I stood there cold and damp, watching the darkness whirl around me and waiting. I knew what was coming was inevitable but I silently hoped it wouldn’t come. My heart sank. Not again.
Then in the stillness I saw the movement I dreaded. It’s voice was thick and deep. It chuckled. “So you couldn’t stay away?” More blatant laughter. “You know you like this. You have to admit that if it weren’t for me, your life would be dull.”
It was taken aback for an instant but it didn’t take long for it to regain composure. It looked from me to the new arrival. They stood there for a minute, silently. Then I heard it laugh out loud. “You! Well, the more the merrier!” The man did not shrink back. He stood ready and waiting but with an air of humility.
Because of what happened at the cross, Satan can NEVER reclaim you. The wrath of God has fallen. At the cross we should see the full consequences of sin… that death should have fallen on you and it didn't because Jesus stepped in. Sin killed your Lord and it kills you. Think about the cross.
11 February 2008
What Really Happened...
The following is the story of my cousin, Kate, and one of my best friends, David. It's tragic but encouraging and maybe it will better explain what happened last semester...
In three-week-old wedding photos, Katie and David Schrauger look like a model bride and groom newly in love.
There is peace in their eyes, giddiness in their smiles.
In pictures, the pain is invisible.
But everyone at their wedding knew the meaning of the hymn read at their ceremony titled "It is well with my soul."
They are words that seem impossible for a family struck with unimaginable grief this year.
The smiles in the photos hide heartache from months earlier when David, 24, an Army specialist, had a near brush with death after his Humvee was hit by a roadside bomb in Iraq on Father's Day.
Then his parents lost their Lake Orion home in a foreclosure this summer. His father had left his job to be at David's side as he recovered from a collapsed lung, spine and neck fractures, shrapnel that pierced his limbs and infections.
Then, when it didn't seem like it could get any worse, it got much worse.
The family was crushed with the greatest tragedy in September. As David recuperated at an Army hospital in Texas, his younger brothers Josh, 17 and Tim, 14, got in a car accident back home that killed both of them.
They were supposed to be his groomsmen.
"Through this whole thing, God has given us grace, I don't know how," David said softly, holding hands with new wife Katie, 22, who is from Mundy Township.
"We're never going to understand everything. It's still hard to imagine the why of it."
"It is well with my soul," he said, quoting the hymn read during their wedding in the chapel of Texas-based Brooke Army Medical Center where David is still getting treated.
But then he added his own line: "As troubled as it is."
Despite the sorrow, the couple says they're healing together.
David, a Fairview native, smiles when he talks about his parents looking happy as they danced at his sister Kristina's wedding recently.
The newlyweds even giggle when they look at their wedding album and talk about the year-long courtship laced with travails.
How David put a ring on a ribbon around his neck when he proposed because he didn't trust his hand movements after his attack.
Or how painful it was to get down on one very sore knee.
"I had to practice it a few times until I said 'I can do this without falling over,'" he laughed.
They even joke about the wiry contraption that temporarily juts out of David's arm and that kept him from wearing an overcoat at the wedding.
"It feels like we've finally started our lives together officially," Katie said. "You learn how much to appreciate each other and to look at the positives.
"We're focusing on making memories with the family we still have."
That includes Christmas, which they feel lucky to be spending in Michigan.
The couple has been living in San Antonio where David still works to regain muscle movement in mostly his arms. But they're on a brief visit home, with Katie taking over David's care.
"It's been a really rough year for the family," said Katie's mom Nancy Welliver, who lives in Mundy Township with husband, Scott.
"Their story is incredible. It's a love story, it's tragic, it's joyous."
Their story started a year ago when the two saw each other at a mutual friend's wedding.
David, who had already served a brief tour of Afghanistan in 2005 and was about to be sent to Iraq, wore his uniform.
"We were both looking spiffy and checking each other out," David recalled. "But I was shy. We never said a word to each other."
Their first conversation happened later in cyberspace with her in Michigan and him in Baghdad. Katie, then a Baker College student, noticed he was online through MySpace and typed "What time is it over there?"
By Christmas of last year, online chatting became constant, sometimes hours long. They talked about their families, daily life and religious values.
"I would be laughing as I was typing," Katie said.
Then in April, when he was home on leave, she greeted him at the airport.
"I just ran to her and we held each other for hours," David said. They saw each other everyday he was home. "We knew we'd get married."
But young love was tested right away.
The day before the June attack, Katie talked to David on the phone and reminded him to call his father on Father's Day.
Nearly 40 hours went by and no one in the family had heard from him.
"I knew something was wrong," she said.
David was driving a Humvee back to a safe zone and didn't see the hidden improvised explosive device that flung the vehicle into a sewer trench. Another soldier in the vehicle was killed.
"I don't remember much of it," he said. "I just remember seeing my lieutenant yell 'we're going to get you out' and then looking up at a medic in a Bradley and saying 'I made it.'"
His family met him at an Army hospital in Germany and Katie joined them at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington.
"He looked a lot different from the last time," she said. "It was very overwhelming. I was worried."
When she saw him, he had both arms and one leg in casts up to the tips, a neck brace, bruises, a web of wires and wound vacs sucking blood and other material from his body to prevent swelling.
"This whole time she stuck with me through the end," he said. "Some guys would have to worry about 'will she still love me after she sees me?' After that, I knew she wasn't going to leave."
That was followed by 30 to 40 surgeries in Texas where Katie visited often.
"A lot of people may have run away but not Katie," said Katie's former piano teacher, Janet Walworth of Holly Township. "She took care of him because she loves him.
"They're going to make it because of that kind of loyalty and love. You don't see people stick together like that anymore. He's just going to get better and better and they have good families behind them."
Meanwhile, the plight of David's parents, Cliff and Vicki Schrauger, who lost their home to foreclosure while their son recovered from war wounds, was chronicled in the media.
There was some good news for the family when during Labor Day, David proposed and wedding planning began.
But on Sept. 29, while Cliff Schrauger was at the hospital with David, he got a phone call. David's brothers had been in an accident.
"He came back in the room and said 'it's as bad as you can imagine,'" David said, getting teary. "It hit me like a ton of bricks. I couldn't believe it was real."
The next day, David's dad returned to Michigan while Katie moved to San Antonio.
After hard-fought military permission, David, Katie and a physician flew to Michigan for his brothers' funeral.
Sometimes, he says, he still breaks into stories about his brothers, such as being with Josh when he shot his first deer and getting Katie's engagement ring and goofing around with Tim.
"The other day we saw a movie ... and there was a line 'you're the best big brother I could ever ask for,'" he said. "It made me teary because I was their big brother. It made me miss them so much."
Meanwhile, David sometimes watches the news but says it doesn't show the progress he saw in Iraq. He stays optimistic about war efforts and "can't wait to see the guys from my unit come home."
He and Katie will stay in Texas until David, who was awarded a Purple Heart and who will likely become medically retired, is completely healed. They aren't sure what's next.
"So many incredible things have happened since (the tragic events)," David said. "I know God's in control and I believe that with all my heart."
"God has really spared my life."
http://blog.mlive.com/flintjournal/people/2007/12/despite_heartaches_young_coupl.html
In three-week-old wedding photos, Katie and David Schrauger look like a model bride and groom newly in love.
There is peace in their eyes, giddiness in their smiles.
In pictures, the pain is invisible.
But everyone at their wedding knew the meaning of the hymn read at their ceremony titled "It is well with my soul."
They are words that seem impossible for a family struck with unimaginable grief this year.
The smiles in the photos hide heartache from months earlier when David, 24, an Army specialist, had a near brush with death after his Humvee was hit by a roadside bomb in Iraq on Father's Day.
Then his parents lost their Lake Orion home in a foreclosure this summer. His father had left his job to be at David's side as he recovered from a collapsed lung, spine and neck fractures, shrapnel that pierced his limbs and infections.
Then, when it didn't seem like it could get any worse, it got much worse.
The family was crushed with the greatest tragedy in September. As David recuperated at an Army hospital in Texas, his younger brothers Josh, 17 and Tim, 14, got in a car accident back home that killed both of them.
They were supposed to be his groomsmen.
"Through this whole thing, God has given us grace, I don't know how," David said softly, holding hands with new wife Katie, 22, who is from Mundy Township.
"We're never going to understand everything. It's still hard to imagine the why of it."
"It is well with my soul," he said, quoting the hymn read during their wedding in the chapel of Texas-based Brooke Army Medical Center where David is still getting treated.
But then he added his own line: "As troubled as it is."
Despite the sorrow, the couple says they're healing together.
David, a Fairview native, smiles when he talks about his parents looking happy as they danced at his sister Kristina's wedding recently.
The newlyweds even giggle when they look at their wedding album and talk about the year-long courtship laced with travails.
How David put a ring on a ribbon around his neck when he proposed because he didn't trust his hand movements after his attack.
Or how painful it was to get down on one very sore knee.
"I had to practice it a few times until I said 'I can do this without falling over,'" he laughed.
They even joke about the wiry contraption that temporarily juts out of David's arm and that kept him from wearing an overcoat at the wedding.
"It feels like we've finally started our lives together officially," Katie said. "You learn how much to appreciate each other and to look at the positives.
"We're focusing on making memories with the family we still have."
That includes Christmas, which they feel lucky to be spending in Michigan.
The couple has been living in San Antonio where David still works to regain muscle movement in mostly his arms. But they're on a brief visit home, with Katie taking over David's care.
"It's been a really rough year for the family," said Katie's mom Nancy Welliver, who lives in Mundy Township with husband, Scott.
"Their story is incredible. It's a love story, it's tragic, it's joyous."
Their story started a year ago when the two saw each other at a mutual friend's wedding.
David, who had already served a brief tour of Afghanistan in 2005 and was about to be sent to Iraq, wore his uniform.
"We were both looking spiffy and checking each other out," David recalled. "But I was shy. We never said a word to each other."
Their first conversation happened later in cyberspace with her in Michigan and him in Baghdad. Katie, then a Baker College student, noticed he was online through MySpace and typed "What time is it over there?"
By Christmas of last year, online chatting became constant, sometimes hours long. They talked about their families, daily life and religious values.
"I would be laughing as I was typing," Katie said.
Then in April, when he was home on leave, she greeted him at the airport.
"I just ran to her and we held each other for hours," David said. They saw each other everyday he was home. "We knew we'd get married."
But young love was tested right away.
The day before the June attack, Katie talked to David on the phone and reminded him to call his father on Father's Day.
Nearly 40 hours went by and no one in the family had heard from him.
"I knew something was wrong," she said.
David was driving a Humvee back to a safe zone and didn't see the hidden improvised explosive device that flung the vehicle into a sewer trench. Another soldier in the vehicle was killed.
"I don't remember much of it," he said. "I just remember seeing my lieutenant yell 'we're going to get you out' and then looking up at a medic in a Bradley and saying 'I made it.'"
His family met him at an Army hospital in Germany and Katie joined them at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington.
"He looked a lot different from the last time," she said. "It was very overwhelming. I was worried."
When she saw him, he had both arms and one leg in casts up to the tips, a neck brace, bruises, a web of wires and wound vacs sucking blood and other material from his body to prevent swelling.
"This whole time she stuck with me through the end," he said. "Some guys would have to worry about 'will she still love me after she sees me?' After that, I knew she wasn't going to leave."
That was followed by 30 to 40 surgeries in Texas where Katie visited often.
"A lot of people may have run away but not Katie," said Katie's former piano teacher, Janet Walworth of Holly Township. "She took care of him because she loves him.
"They're going to make it because of that kind of loyalty and love. You don't see people stick together like that anymore. He's just going to get better and better and they have good families behind them."
Meanwhile, the plight of David's parents, Cliff and Vicki Schrauger, who lost their home to foreclosure while their son recovered from war wounds, was chronicled in the media.
There was some good news for the family when during Labor Day, David proposed and wedding planning began.
But on Sept. 29, while Cliff Schrauger was at the hospital with David, he got a phone call. David's brothers had been in an accident.
"He came back in the room and said 'it's as bad as you can imagine,'" David said, getting teary. "It hit me like a ton of bricks. I couldn't believe it was real."
The next day, David's dad returned to Michigan while Katie moved to San Antonio.
After hard-fought military permission, David, Katie and a physician flew to Michigan for his brothers' funeral.
Sometimes, he says, he still breaks into stories about his brothers, such as being with Josh when he shot his first deer and getting Katie's engagement ring and goofing around with Tim.
"The other day we saw a movie ... and there was a line 'you're the best big brother I could ever ask for,'" he said. "It made me teary because I was their big brother. It made me miss them so much."
Meanwhile, David sometimes watches the news but says it doesn't show the progress he saw in Iraq. He stays optimistic about war efforts and "can't wait to see the guys from my unit come home."
He and Katie will stay in Texas until David, who was awarded a Purple Heart and who will likely become medically retired, is completely healed. They aren't sure what's next.
"So many incredible things have happened since (the tragic events)," David said. "I know God's in control and I believe that with all my heart."
"God has really spared my life."
http://blog.mlive.com/flin
08 February 2008
On The Golden Compass
It’s true that The Golden Compass has a hidden agenda. I could see where the author was going before the movie was half over. Yes, there is a lot of symbolism and ultimately the characters in the movie are at war with the entity that represents God. I found the question of why very intriguing. The author clearly has a problem with God because He is sovereign.
The reason the characters are fighting is because this entity, referred to as the Magistrate, is out to rob people of their free will, represented by the small animal (known as a daemon) that follows around each person. The focus is on children because children are impressionable – a point of which the author is keenly aware. The children’s daemon is constantly changing shapes because they have not fully formed there opinions.
I find it interesting that the author makes this clear and one of his underlying messages is that we are ruining our children by instilling in them certain values and standards. In teaching our children about God we are destroying any possibility for them to develop and form their ideas on their own. But while this is the case, he has resented his ideas in the form of a movie that is directed toward children. Funny. So his ideas are okay to instill in children whereas Christian ideas are dangerous? Or maybe he didn’t think of that.
I don’t think that I would send my children to see the movie but I do think that when the movie comes out on DVD it would be well worth renting. I think Christians ought to be aware of what is being taught and not shy away from it. It’s true that the message is anti-God but it’s also true that we should be educated about what is going on in our world and what is being taught so that we can better minister to the world.
It’s also true that those responsible for production of the movie seem to have paid very close attention to the way The Chronicles of Narnia was made and the feel of the movies are similar. The movie is pleasing to the eye. Those responsible for the aesthetics should be proud. They did well but it really did lack originality. I felt very much as though they were trying to copy Tolkien and Lewis. The Nordic feel to the movie was very reminiscent of Tolkien’s trilogy, while the colours and the animals seemed to be from Narnia itself.
However skewed the message is, the movie was very entertaining. Yes, the polar bear are amazing and there is a sweet polar bear fight. See the movie and draw your own conclusions. These are mine.
05 February 2008
A New Rebuttal to an Old Issue
Riverbend Church is my mom's "home away from home" church. I have visited there several times and have a few friends there. I greatly respect the senior pastor, Dr. Hargrave.
My mom called today and pointed me in the direction of Riverbend's website because she found yesterday a delayed response to a sermon given in October of 2006 by Dr. Jerry Vine. Dr. Vine is a former President of the SBC and highly respected by many within the convention however he is not always agreed with. The sermon was delivered at his home church and was in regards to the dangers of Calvinism.
Dr. Hargrave considered responding shortly thereafter but decided against it on the grounds that the sermon was given only to Dr. Vine's local congregation. As of June 6, 2007, however, the Florida Baptist Convention (FBC) has printed the sermon and sent it out to all within the FBC.
For this reason Dr. Hargrave has reconsidered and decided to write an open letter in response to the sermon.
I myself have not yet in their entirety. They are a bit lengthy but a very interesting read to be sure. Check it out.
My mom called today and pointed me in the direction of Riverbend's website because she found yesterday a delayed response to a sermon given in October of 2006 by Dr. Jerry Vine. Dr. Vine is a former President of the SBC and highly respected by many within the convention however he is not always agreed with. The sermon was delivered at his home church and was in regards to the dangers of Calvinism.
Dr. Hargrave considered responding shortly thereafter but decided against it on the grounds that the sermon was given only to Dr. Vine's local congregation. As of June 6, 2007, however, the Florida Baptist Convention (FBC) has printed the sermon and sent it out to all within the FBC.
For this reason Dr. Hargrave has reconsidered and decided to write an open letter in response to the sermon.
I myself have not yet in their entirety. They are a bit lengthy but a very interesting read to be sure. Check it out.
02 February 2008
01 February 2008
The Real Issue
I read today about an organization, called the CWFA, that is concerned about the decency of the Superbowl. By “decency” I mean the concern is whether or not the Superbowl will be family friendly this year. The Concerned Women For America (CWFA) is a Christian organization that seeks to stand up for Biblical principals in our lost culture but while their goals are good I wonder if they are missing the real issue.
“God’s gotta change her heart before He changes her shirt,” sings Casting Crowns in a new hit from their latest album, The Alter and the Door. When I first heard that line it made me think. That’s what is missing in this generation of evangelicals. How quickly we run to arguing with the world about surface issues and miss the real problem.
“I can’t believe the way girls dress nowadays.” “We need to stand up for public prayer.” “It’s wrong for politicians to ignore the needs in Africa.” The list of complaints from Christians goes on and on but what good is it doing? They still ban prayer, and Janet Jackson still has a “wardrobe malfunction.” Is our complaining making a difference? Picketing at the White House reminds Washington that we don’t like abortion but what is it doing?
We are missing the real issue here. We might be able to influence politicians decisions but issues will keep coming unless the hearts of these people are changed. What we need is not another march but another missionary and prayer warrior. It isn’t about fixing surface issues. It never has been, but somehow Evangelicals have forgotten this.
I’m not saying that we shouldn’t raise our voices against concerns for religious liberty but what I am saying is that if that is all we do, we are damning our country. We need to proclaim Jesus Christ and Him crucified. We need to pray that the Spirit of God moves in the hearts of our leaders. We need to walk humbly before our God and seek to lead by example.
“God’s gotta change her heart before He changes her shirt,” sings Casting Crowns in a new hit from their latest album, The Alter and the Door. When I first heard that line it made me think. That’s what is missing in this generation of evangelicals. How quickly we run to arguing with the world about surface issues and miss the real problem.
“I can’t believe the way girls dress nowadays.” “We need to stand up for public prayer.” “It’s wrong for politicians to ignore the needs in Africa.” The list of complaints from Christians goes on and on but what good is it doing? They still ban prayer, and Janet Jackson still has a “wardrobe malfunction.” Is our complaining making a difference? Picketing at the White House reminds Washington that we don’t like abortion but what is it doing?
We are missing the real issue here. We might be able to influence politicians decisions but issues will keep coming unless the hearts of these people are changed. What we need is not another march but another missionary and prayer warrior. It isn’t about fixing surface issues. It never has been, but somehow Evangelicals have forgotten this.
I’m not saying that we shouldn’t raise our voices against concerns for religious liberty but what I am saying is that if that is all we do, we are damning our country. We need to proclaim Jesus Christ and Him crucified. We need to pray that the Spirit of God moves in the hearts of our leaders. We need to walk humbly before our God and seek to lead by example.
24 January 2008
The Cost of a Soul
I’m sure most have heard by now about the sudden death of Hollywood actor, Heath Ledger. It was a surprise to be sure and a sorrow. A life lost is sad for the world. A soul lost is heart breaking for the Christian.
What’s sadder still is the number of Christians who will be indifferent and, more so, that it takes the death of someone famous to turn a head. How many people die in the streets of India daily without anyone to notice? Three thousand children die of malaria in Africa every day and no one blinks. It is a tragedy to be sure.
Why is there evidently greater concern for the death of an actor than a homeless person? The value of a life is equal isn’t it? Or is one soul more costly than another? Maybe that isn’t the issue. Perhaps the issue is the publicity. But it should make us think, shouldn’t it? If we can overlook something as important as the life of a human being, how many other things do we overlook on a daily basis? Where do we place value and why?
Let’s change the picture a little bit. Let’s say the comparison is between the death of a homeless person, wholly unconnected to us, and the death of Mother Theresa, who was an amazing woman and spent her life caring for those who would otherwise have remained unnoticed. Why do we weep more for the death of Mother Theresa who at least had access to the hope of the gospel but a man on the streets without hope is barely noticed let alone mourned over? I think that our priorities are a bit skewed.
As Christians we are called to be a light. Should our hearts be cold to those who are in need of that light? Heaven forbid! We need to be reminded that for us to view life apart from the lens of the Gospel is a problem. Our worldview is what shapes us. We must never lose sight of the Gospel, lest we ourselves become lost.
23 January 2008
Former Soviet Nations Closing
The article mentioned the thought that perhaps God had opened up those countries so that He could rebuild them and renew their resources and spirits. That may well be. Recently, after the Soviet reopened, Bibles belonging to families within the Russian nations were found in warehouses. These Bibles were distributed back into the hands of the people. In retrospect, the Soviets may well say they did themselves no justice by keeping instead of burning these Bibles but by the same token God knew that they would be needed. He opened up the region and allowed the Word of God to go forth unhindered.
It has been a decade and a half since the fall of the Soviet. The church in Russia is growing. Leadership training has been the focus in many churches. New Seminaries have been established and are sending out many pastors, teachers, and missionaries into the surrounding regions and across the world and the government is noticing. Slowly but surely, attention is turning back to religious freedom and questions are being raised as to its benefits.
In Kazakhstan, President Nursultan Nazarbayev announced a few days ago the intention to start tightening down on religious freedoms. Though Kazakhstan has no national religion, that does not mean that this country should become a religious dumping ground for all, he said. While I can understand the logic behind this, I believe that this is only beginning. I heard from a Ukrainian brother a week ago that things there are not looking good either. He fears it may lead to a war. And the accounts are growing.
How much longer will these nations remain open? There is no way to tell but we must remember that all is under God’s sovereign control and will occur according to His plan and timing. Now is not the time for fear but rather the time to take advantage of the freedoms that remain. Please join me in remembering our brothers and sisters abroad in prayer, and remember also to pray for the leadership of these nations.
18 January 2008
A Change Clarified
In keeping with the previous topic of change, it has been brought to my attention that a clarification may be in order. While the intentions may seem the best and the heart may for a moment seem to feel something for the condition of this lost and fallen world, the most serious issue at hand is not one that anyone can, on thier own strength, attend to. The real need before us is a need for Jesus and the changes that are required in hearts of Christians and the world can only be accomplished by His Holy Spirit.
Often Christians miss the mark by demanding change from each other without first examining the center of the matter: the heart. How can demands be made for change apart from a work of the Holy Spirit? God must work by His Spirit to soften our own hearts so that we can in love attend the needs of the world. Jesus reminds us of this in John 15:5 and the apostle Paul himself said, “For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.” (Col 1:28) Any efforts on our own are in vain. We must all be working in the strength that He provides!
Finally, if our change is merely focused on providing temporal aid what good is it? Sure, food for those starving is a very necessary thing but feeding the body only to forget the soul must not be done! As Christians, our mission must be to meet the physical needs as a means of connecting with a person so as to care for their soul. Every man, woman, and child needs Jesus. They need a Saviour to rescue them and how can we, who have this hope, neglect to share with the world our Saviour? That is the most pressing issue.
15 January 2008
A New Link
I just added a new link that I think would be well worth the viewing of the ladies who frequent my site (though it is not unsuitable for men and they may want to check it out as well). Solo Femininity is about what it means to be a true woman in our day and age. The following is an excerpt from her most recent post. I believe she hits the nail on the head.
Please visit Carolyn McCulley's site: http://solofemininity.blogs.com .
"Feminism arose because women were being sinned against. I think that is a fair argument. But feminism also arose because women were sinning in response. That's a classic human problem--sinners tend to sin in response to being sinned against."
Please visit Carolyn McCulley's site: http://solofemininity.blogs.com .
Let's Begin Again
Here we are again. It’s the beginning of another year and life goes on. Truly, as the writer of Ecclesiastes writes, “There’s nothing new under the sun” (1:9). We still go to work every day to ensure that we can support our extravagant lifestyles. We still sit in classrooms allowing those with knowledge beyond our own to improve us. We still eat McDonalds even though we’re constantly reminded that it’s killing us slowly. We still watch movies and dream of playing opposite Denzel Washington or Katie Holmes, despite the fact we know it could never happen. We still waste our money in the Starbucks drive thru even though we could save by purchasing at the grocer. We still watch the news and thank God that’s not us, while out there, somewhere, there’s a family who has been through hell over this past year. And Life goes on.
We are not coasting in flying cars, we are not watching robots do our dirty work, we are not living in a more stable environment, nor is the world suddenly a better place. People are still dying, children are still starving, soldiers are still fighting, and politicians are still too self absorbed to be honest. And life goes on.
But wait! It is the New Year! A time to start over. A time for change. A time to regroup and remind ourselves why we are doing what we are doing. A time for resolutions, right? So, the guy next door is resolved to work harder so that he can land that deal. The girl upstairs is resolved to workout every day and get in shape so that she attract some cute guy. And the couple in the car next to us is resolved to save up for an exotic Caribbean cruise. Well now, there’s progress for you.
No, Lewis is right: “We are far too easily pleased.” We watch the world go by us and we live contentedly in our little bubble. It’s sad, the things that happen in this world, but there’s not really anything we can do about it, without inconveniencing ourselves. We think that we are happy where we are. We’re comfortable. How important is that comfort? We’ve spent our lives building it. Why would we want to give it up?
It’s funny, isn’t it? A house, some furniture, a car, some books, our music collection, a gym membership, Starbucks, and Macy’s – all the things that make us so comfortable – are the very things that condemn us. They point their fingers at us and proclaim that we are spoiled. We are gluttonous and selfish and we like it. We let the man next to us starve so we can be comfortable.
But there is a better way. While there is nothing inherently wrong with our stuff, I propose a change. This will look different from person to person. For some it may be cutting down the daily Starbucks run so that the money saved can go to someone who needs it more. For others, that change might be more drastic – a change in job, to better help where help is needed, or a change in location, to better reach out to those who can’t reach back. For some, it might be a more permanent dedication to the Word, and for others it might look like the abandonment of all things banal so as to pursue the proclamation of the Gospel.
Life does go on. It presents to us further opportunity for change and growth. Let’s begin again.
(thanks to Josiah L. for proof reading)
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