by: Atty. Carolina Lim-Gamban
Nowadays, it is difficult to do many things because of the pandemic. It has taken a toll on our nation and sometimes we are restricted to give our best – especially when one is afflicted by the ‘unseen enemy’. However, for a person who has made excellence a lifestyle, it seems nothing can stop them from achieving the goals.
Some of us had undergone the torment of either the quarantine, isolation, or termination from work this pandemic, but we have seen how some with perseverance and dedication, still managed to move forward, thrive, and serve excellently despite the circumstance. Some have found a way to utilize technology to continue and finish their tasks. Some innovated and used the wind and waves on their favor to reach the goals. While some took advantage of the crises and created an opportunity for them and others to flourish. These are just some of the ways excellence are manifested even in the midst of what is happening today.
How do we possess excellence even in the midst of this pandemic? Looking at the Scriptures, we can find some words of wisdom that can help us be excellent. It has been written that there are two greatest commandments: One is to love God with all our hearts, souls, and minds; and the second is to love our neighbor as our selves. First, when we love God, we desire to glorify Him in all that we do. So, every work of our hands, thoughts in our minds, words that we speak, are dedicated to please God. Whatever we do, we work at it heartily, as if we are working for God. Surely, as we dedicate everything we do to God, we want it to be excellent, if not perfect. Second, when we love our neighbor as ourselves, we also give the same, if not exceeding, love to them, care for them, compassion for them, and passion to serve them. We give due courtesy and respect, and we empathize with them. We do the ‘extra miles’ for them – extra time, extra effort, and all done with genuine care and concern that somehow doing these will make their situation better, satisfy their needs, or alleviate their condition. There is no exchange to that feeling and fulfillment when clients or stakeholders are very much satisfied with the services we deliver, and their sincere “thank you” motivates us to continue giving them quality service. Lastly, if we love ourselves, we do our best to improve our skills, knowledge, and attitude. We consciously put effort to improve or make right our bad habits, bad practices, and bad characteristics. We also become good stewards of our health, our family, our relationships, and even our environment. Doing with love is the secret ingredient to do excellent things. It is the most excellent way.
Everything that we do ordinarily when done with love becomes excellent and extraordinary. Every extraordinary thing, when done without love means nothing. As the Scripture says, “If I have the gift of prophecy and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.”
by: Ame-Phil O. Saquiban
“Whoever walks in integrity walks securely.”
Probably by now we have read several write-ups on how to start the year right. Most likely we have responded by contemplating on specific areas we would like to work on to achieve success or become a better version of ourselves. Perhaps others have taken it further by owning up to mistakes, taking responsibility for past actions and making efforts to restore broken relationships and trust. Being true to your values is a good start to nurture integrity.
Integrity comes from the Latin word ‘integer’, which means whole and complete. We can then say that a person living in integrity gives no room to duplicity and hypocrisy. Hence, one walks with honesty and upholds moral principles consistently whether alone or not. Regardless of circumstance, integrity drives us to make our thoughts, words and actions congruent to our values. For instance, we say we value excellence yet our most recent report clearly reflects a haphazardly done job. If we consider ourselves as a person with integrity, we will take responsibility for the lapses in the report without justifying or blaming and initiate action to produce an excellent output. In doing so, the importance we give to our values is not just in words but also in deeds. That makes integrity a lived experience and not a mere concept.
A sense of wholeness and completeness within is developed as we continue to live by the values and principles we confess to stand for. In every compromise we make, whether big or small, we move a step farther away from living in integrity. Most of the time compromises are followed by cover-up, lies, manipulation and a lot more to mask the real score. While we may get what we want by wrongful means, we are constantly haunted by our conscience or internally disturbed by fear of being caught. Deep within our hearts, we know that we did something wrong that hardly keeps us from experiencing real wholeness. Indeed, any departure from the truth puts us in a volatile position but when we walk in integrity, we walk securely.
Living in integrity is not perfection. It is a daily intentional and deliberate choice to be on the side of truth and make our thoughts, intentions, words and actions congruent to our values and principles. In the event that we deviate, be quick to repent and do what is right. For a better 2022 notwithstanding the current pandemic, nurture the value of integrity and experience wholeness within and in relating with your family, the workplace and community.
by: Dr. Laurence Mascay
During the American colonial period, Francisco Santiago, the “Father of Kundiman Art Song,” composed “Pilipinas Kong Mahal” or “Philippines my Philippines” in the English text by Prescott Jernegan. It is believed that Santiago composed it to portray his patriotism. Evidently, the song highly depicts a patriotic message every Filipino, in all generations, is challenged to imbibe and live by. The lyrics say:
Ang bayan ko’y tanging ikaw
Pilipinas kong mahal
Ang puso ko at buhay man
Sa iyo’y ibibigay
Tungkulin ko’y gagampanan
Na lagi kang paglingkuran
Ang laya mo’y babantayan
Pilipinas kong hirang
Patriotism is defined as “love of country and caring for the welfare of the people.” While a patriot is someone who loves, supports, and defends his country of birth. Many Filipinos claim to love the Philippines. And love should be expressed both in words and action. It does not mean, however, we have to fight and die for the Philippines just like our great heroes did in the past. By constantly exercising simple acts of service we display love to our county. John Devine said, “Patriotic talk is no proof of patriotism. Anyone can wave a flag. The real patriot lives his patriotism in everything he does.”
Consequently, we are to continuously highly prioritize the purchase of locally made products; we are to boost by word of mouth the beautiful aspects of the Philippines particularly to foreign acquaintances; we are not to demean the Philippines in comparison to the countries we visited; we are to constantly abide with the law especially in the observance of traffic rules, no littering policy, paying of proper taxes, and now the practice of COVID-19 minimum health standards such as physical distancing and wearing of face masks; As government officials and employees, we are not to misuse government funds rather utilize it to its lawful allocations for the well-being of our constituents, and we are not to abuse our natural resources rather enrich it and be good stewards.
Furthermore, we are to be proud and grateful for being a Filipino and of the Philippines for it is what the Sovereign God made us be. The Scripture says, “from one human being he created all races of people and made them live throughout the whole earth. He himself fixed beforehand the exact times and the limits of the places where they would live”. Finally, patriotism is love shown in words and action for our native land - the Philippines our Philippines.
by Micah Tecne
This month is indeed a season of celebration to us as individuals, family and a nation. It is a season where we remember and rejoice of what the Almighty God has given us as the greatest gift - Jesus Christ. It is a time where we hear laughter, singing and dancing, we see fireworks; we prepare for gift giving and other means of rejoicing. We usually emphasize that Jesus is indeed the reason for this season, the reason to rejoice and give praise. Sadly, with the worldwide pandemic and the devastation brought by typhoon Odette, many lost properties and love ones. Some are trying to revive and restore what can be restored. Many may struggle from frustration and disappointment, asking the Almighty why he allowed this. Is there still a reason to rejoice and celebrate?
It is often said that problems and trials make one strong. But we cannot deny the fact that when we are in the situation where everything is breaking apart and we feel that there is no one to run to or feel that God is not moving, we tend to let these negative thoughts consume us. When this happens, we sometimes find ourselves having no reason to rejoice in this time of the year and no reason to praise and worship the One who gave us the greatest gift of all.
A true story in the early times talks about Paul and Silas who were falsely accused, stripped, beaten with rods and brought to prison with chains and stocks fastened on their feet. They were struggling physically, emotionally and mentally. But about midnight they prayed and sang hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains became loose.
This story reminds us that praising and worshipping God is beyond how we feel and circumstance we are in. It is building an altar for God in our hearts. An attitude of the heart that reflects our faith in Him that He is able to carry us through in every season. That someone sovereign is indeed above what we feel and face right now. It is a declaration of who God is, believing that He will manifest His strong presence and power over us and our circumstances.
A song written by Don Moen entitled “I Will Sing” reminds us that we may feel that God seemed so far away that we cannot already pray because we do not know what to say or where to start. But as He gives us grace: I will sing, I will praise Even in my darkest hour Through the sorrow and the pain I will sing, I will praise, Lift my hands to honor You because Your word is true, I will sing As we remember the scene in the birth of Jesus when a great company of heavenly host appeared in front of the shepherds praising God saying “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom His favor rests.” Let this also be a reminder for us that we can still rejoice by praising and worshipping God because His peace and favor still rests on us.
by: Nathaniel A. Saquiban
The value of thankfulness and gratefulness is timely for this yuletide season. Simply thinking of this topic reminds us of the things that we ought to thank God for. Thus, before we enter 2022, let us just think of the blessings that we received throughout the year. They do not only come in the form of finances or material wealth but protection, deliverance from danger, healing from sickness, physical, mental, and emotional strength, and more.
Thankfulness and gratefulness govern the conduct of the recipient and the giver. The recipient will put value on the things he or she receives by handling the gift with due care. On one hand, the giver will be delighted to give more because of the appropriate responses he or she receives from the recipient of gifts, kind treatment, or favor. On the contrary, if the recipient acts with obvious ungratefulness or misconduct, he or she may be censured by the other. In the Philippines, such misdemeanor is frown upon which can be the subject of disinheritance or increase in penalty for a crime committed.
Is there anything to thank God for? The answer is a big “YES”. It is extant from what He has done for us. While we were sinners, He came to save us. The obvious ungratefulness is evident upon those who live in the early days. Those whom Jesus had miraculously healed, delivered from sickness, diseases, and demonic possession, fed when hungry, and protected from storms or disasters were the same people who cried “crucify Him!” However, even with opportunity to judge, He did not condemn the world but repaid evil with love. He chose to take upon Him the sufferings instead of us so that we can be saved. He could have evaded the pains and death of the crucifixion but with due regard to the salvation of humanity, He chose not to obey His own will and personal wishes.
Today, we celebrate Christmas in remembrance of the coming of salvation of the world. We could have remained in sin and disastrous state, destined to curses and eternal damnation, if not for the sacrifice of One on the cross and subsequent resurrection. As a result, we have hope for healing and life everlasting. There is indeed enough reason to be thankful and grateful.
In this time of pandemic, we do not have the right to blame God for the existing economic and health crisis. Instead, take this opportunity to call upon Him and draw closer to Him. We do not have time to remain in our desperate state. God has given us the capacity and capability to rise from our situation. With the value of thankfulness and gratefulness, it will help us become buoyant and look beyond the negative circumstances. It will give us a better perspective of the challenging situations by focusing our attention to their beneficial effects rather than their hapless impact. If we do this, the chance to get better is greater.
Be thankful at all times.
by Keren May B. Busaing
These days, we’ve been bombarded with too many words in many different forms such as reporting, describing and reacting to the still ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. We barely had the time to process the first piece of information before another came. We initially thought that our situation would get better after a few months then we can resume to how we used to. It’s almost, if not more than 2 years already and we have started to accept that we will never return to our old ways. In fact, we are beginning to embrace the inescapable reality and concept of the ‘new normal’.
In the midst of all these, one constant and timeless element that influence our responses is the quality of the words we read and hear. We see how words reverberate, i.e., a piece of news and how it is being relayed from one source to the next. Information, whether true or false, is being released from every available channel. It is clear that this avalanche of words has affected the people and the society in ways beyond simple bumps but complete turn-around.
As men and women called to be advocates of righteousness, we are designed to stay above and beyond these present difficulties. And one major thing that we cannot do away with is being a mouthpiece of God. We become an extension of Him - in words, actions, and deeds. Again, in the midst of all the words being spoken, the only sure truth is God’s Word and who else other than us shall proclaim them?
As we remain diligent in drawing from God, we shall become the accurate source of truth regarding our present situation. There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. In mustering our tongue, we have filled our hearts and minds with words that shall bring life and healing, encouragement, and direction to the people. Beyond the medications, aids and assistance that we can easily give, the power of positive words is way more powerful in touching the lives of the people. In fact, these powerful declarations usually manifest in the natural, as it is often said that blessings and curses can both manifest in the natural or physical when they are spoken. Remember that death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.
In light of these, let us choose to become the one who speaks abundant life by taming our tongue. Our mouth cannot become an avenue for both life and death, good and evil. Let us also learn the skill of shutting our mouths. We don’t have to say something every time. There’s a perfect time for everything. We must also build our vocabulary with quality words and truths that build and edify.
Here are few nuggets of wisdom from which we can draw inspiration in speaking positive words over our current situation – the fact is many are sick and are not physically well, but the truth is God is our healer; the fact is many are financially struggling, but the truth is God provides; another fact is many are hungry, but the truth is God is the Bread of Life; and many more.
Finally, let us be rooted deeply in God’s Word and become a wellspring of life. Let this be our weapon to touch the lives of the people around us. Let us desire to possess the power to speak life that can magnanimously translate to the natural; desire to have the power to counter every negative word or that comes against which is the truth; desire to subdue the tongue and build wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. Let us desire to become the person who knows God and become His mouthpiece. By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is torn down.
by: Jesus V. Sison
“I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond
The year of the Lord 2021 is drawing to a close. For almost 2 years now, COVID -19 pandemic brought about distress among the members of our society due to massive losses in terms of health - either mental or physical or spiritual or a combination of any of the three, livelihoods suffered, resources dwindled and even lives succumbed to it. Such losses resulted to frustrations, disappointments and fear of uncertainty. There are moments of loneliness as stressful adversarial consequences affected all sectors of the society. Many are giving up and losing hope as they set their thoughts of a bleak future. Positivity and optimism are almost hard to perceive.
As the mantra, “we heal as one”, for national recovery cries, we believe that this pandemic is not our destiny. We still see a glorious future anchored on this blessed and living hope that is in Christ Jesus. We have confidence that the promise of the Almighty God of a peaceful, progressive, prosperous and successful tomorrow will be fulfilled. For this, we rise together to be an inspiration and catalyst to impact the society that shall be stirred to be cohesively one in overcoming adversities. We also trust that opportunities to gain and recover can be achieved that will make every individual regain confidence and morale to live their lives once again as God designed them to be.
We then therefore, appeal to every person to live a life worthy of the calling to which we have been called. Regardless of our different political views, positions in the government or private sector, gender, age, ethnic background and social status in life; we are to live a life that exhibits godly character, moral courage, personal integrity, and mature behavior. We are to practice a life that expresses gratitude to God for our salvation during these times. We must start to honor one another as we clothed ourselves with all humility and in doing so, we forsake self-righteousness. It is also essential that we live in gentleness by means of maintaining self-control with patience, selfless love and bearing with one another. In doing all of the above actions, we are making every effort to keep the oneness of the Spirit in the bond of peace. We are putting forth an honest effort to observe that each individual is working together to make our aspirations and dreams of a wonderful future truly and wholly successful.
Knowing that God’s hands have made and fashioned every person in intricate unity, the human body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ and in Him, we must be one. Our healthy human body is harmoniously working together. Every body part is complementing each other and not competing or destroying any part. So, must we as a family and as a Nation.
Therefore if there is any encouragement and comfort in Christ as there certainly is in abundance, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship that we share in the Spirit, if there is any great depth of affection and compassion, Altogether, let us make a complete and joyful holiday and holy-day season looking forward to a glorious future by being of the same mind, having the same love toward one another, knitted together in spirit, intent on one purpose and living a life that reflects our faith and spreads the good news regarding salvation through faith in Christ. Let’s not do anything from selfishness or empty conceit through factional motives, or strife, but with an attitude of humility, being neither arrogant nor self-righteous, regard others as more important than ourselves, then we indeed and in deed “heal as one because of the One who is at work in us.”
by: Carol Donaal
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
Meriam Webster defines peace at the state of calmness and quietness; and the absence of war and strife. Currently, it seems to be impossible to have peace within us especially now that we are fighting war against the COVID-19 virus. Throughout history we have heard of the many effects of war and strife. Even in the beginning, we know the truth about inner strife which caused Adam to disobey his Creator-God.
Commentaries say that peace is not part of human nature since it was lost during the fall of man through one man that is Adam. Instead, peace is God’s gift to humanity through one man and that is in the life of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He is the ultimate sacrifice-the offering that paved the way in order that each of us will be reconciled back to God and have the peace and rest that our souls yearn for.
In the Philippines, election is nearing and we can already hear many pretentious promises of peace and prosperity and such. But the book of truth will tell us that there is a promise of peace that this world cannot offer. It is however, offered by Christ alone and is the kind of peace that surpasses beyond all understanding at the same time guards our hearts and minds in Him. This peace offering is being offered to us up to this day. In times of trials, tribulations or any circumstances we are facing today, may we accept, receive and enjoy the gift so that we will take heart and have peace in Christ alone.
St. Augustine of Hippo also said in his book entitled “City of God” that peace is the perfectly ordered and harmonious enjoyment of God, and of one another in God.
Christ set before us an example. He modeled the real peace that the world cannot give. He also conveyed the message that peace can only be attained in God’s presence. It is the inner peace that the world cannot give. Peace that can be had even in the midst of adversities. In one of His journeys with his disciples, he commanded “peace, be still” to the storm, and there was stillness.
Let us therefore find peace in God. As most people say, “It is not the absence of war but the presence of God.” Why fret for the future if our future is in the hands of the Almighty? Let us then speak peace to everyone, to our family members, and to all that we have.
by: Micah A. Tecne
As Solomon, the wisest king ever lived had said in his reflection that everything has a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace. Every one of us pass through different seasons of our lives personally and corporately. We have the choice to either respond to it negatively or optimistically.
We Filipinos, are known to be advocates of the value humor and joyfulness as evidenced by how we optimistically and creatively respond to this current challenge of the pandemic but we cannot also deny the fact that this season has been and continually destroying lives and relationships. We have been hearing news about suicides, quarrels, killings and the like. We are seeing how we are being put into a test whether to keep our resilience or give in to distress and defeat. Sadly, we have seen people lose their joy and eventually see them suffer depression, conflicts and the worst is seeing them taking their own lives.
We cannot deny the fact that our responses to different seasons of our lives, especially the season of difficulties and trials, will not only affect us but everyone around us. How we respond to difficulties depends on our source of joy that brings us resilience. Some think that the source of their joy comes from having abounding wealth, fame, pleasure, wisdom of this world, people, etc. but still find themselves empty and dissatisfied. King Solomon, enjoyed the latter but later on he realized and said “Meaningless! Meaningless! Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” Yes, the source of our joy indeed matters!
As one of the Psalmist uttered in his distress, “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God.” The greatest source of our joy would be the very source of our life who is able to sustain and see us through the seasons, no other than God. Dwelling in God is having joy that brings us hope that makes us resilient as it was also said that He will make known to us the path of life and will fill us with joy in His presence, with eternal pleasures at His right hand.
When we are filled by that abounding joy from a great source, we are able to spread it to others that would make every season of our lives hopeful. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Be filled with joy and be contagious!
By: Ame-Phil O. Saquiban
Based on the Department of Health’s report on 14 November 2021, the Philippines COVID-19 cases reached a nationwide tally to 2,816,980 with 28,102 active cases and with death toll climbing to 45,581, which is 1.61% of the total cases. Every update on our COVID-19 dashboard is more than just a number. It represents people, families and communities. And more than anything, each case represents life.
This pandemic has caused a lot of havoc. Life has been put to waste, not only its very existence but also its productivity, functionality, and enjoyment. People cannot go to places they wish to. Children are prohibited to enter into enclosed establishments. Some are forced to stay at home or to spend for a period of quarantine in an isolation area if exposed to a COVID-19 patient. We are put into a confinement, not as a suspect of a crime but as a suspect of this alleged dreaded disease.
As we are confronted with this war on health, we get to intently and deeply reflect on how precious and sacred life is. We need not wait for such situation to cause us to pause and value this God-given life. How grateful we are for the breath of life is manifested at best when we make use of our time to honor the Author of life in our thoughts, words and actions. We live circumspectly and do the necessary activities for public good in every step of the way. We make a point that we become asset rather than liability. We consciously put to mind that we are not just living on our own but for others and that we should not be preparing for the present time but for the future as well.
Respect for life is not only limited to life preservation and fulfilling the command – “thou shall not kill”, but it recognizes the dignity and worth of every God-given life. Hence, whether we work in public service or in private sector, let us ensure that every life is valued, protected and given the opportunity to flourish, reach his/her full potential and live a meaningful life. Such mindset does not allow greed and selfishness to thrive. It breaks the cycle of acquiring wealth and goods for personal satisfaction.
It is said that we only have one life to live and once our time here on earth is over, we can no longer take it back. Let this truth invite us to daily acknowledge the importance of life, not just our lives but also the lives of others including the future generations.
Honor the Author of Life by making each breath of life count.
CRFV Winning Team
A company of men and women who have committed their lives to the cause of national transformation.


We live in society that does not believe in God, or rather, a society that believes in several gods—the god of money, the god of pleasure, the god of fame, the god of popularity, and the god of power; this presents a great challenge to our faith.The Second Reading speaks to this challenge. In this Reading, St. Paul is writing to the Hebrews, a Jewish community that converted to Christianity, and found itself living in a Hellenistic culture. The Greek world at this time prided itself on its Humanism; the Greeks considered themselves to be intellectually sophisticated philosophers, artists, and politicians who enjoyed life and the pleasures it had to offer. St. Paul’s letter describes a reality that the converted Hebrews, and indeed all Christians, suffer from: for although we are looking to find our place in the world, we also know that that we are not from the world. In his words, we are “strangers and aliens on earth seeking a homeland,” (Heb 11:13) or better yet, “desiring a better homeland” (Heb 11:16).
I don’t know if you’ve had the opportunity to travel to a foreign country, but if you have, you will know that one of the first things you find yourself doing is comparing how things are—the food, the traffic, the people—to what you are used to. “Oh, back at home, we do it this way,” you might say, or “Well, back at home we eat this.” After a few days you start missing your homeland. “Oh,” you cry, “what I would give for a good San Antonio brisket!” You start approaching anyone you overhear speaking English, “Hey! Where are you from? I’m from Texas. What are you doing here?” In short, it doesn’t take long at all before you begin to reminisce longingly about home. This feeling of being exiled from home is what St. Paul is speaking of when he says, “They desire a better homeland, a heavenly one.” We, as Christians, live in hope of the resurrection, we are always seeking our homeland; although we may live in our native country, and speak our native language, we always remain strangers and aliens in this world, we always long for the fulfillment of our true home.
“Your Father,” says Jesus in the Gospel, “is pleased to give you the Kingdom” (Lk 12:32). This Kingdom, this homeland is not a far off place somewhere “up in the sky”; we can start living in the Kingdom of God today, in the midst of the difficult and imperfect world we live in. In the Second Reading, St Paul has a simple response to offer to the struggling Hebrew community he writes to: Faith, live by faith. What is Faith, you may ask? Is Faith a mortgage of our capacity to reason? Is it ascent without question? Is it be blind obedience? St Paul explains it beautifully when he says, “Faith is the realization of what is hoped for” (Heb 11:1). Ask yourself, what do I hope for? Where is my treasure? What do I truly desire? And, what hope do I make present? “Where your treasure is, there also will be your heart,” (Mt 6:21) says the Gospel.
If you have had the blessing of studying for a degree, you know that the student is moved by the hope of graduating. The medical student is moved by the hope of becoming a doctor, by his dreams of saving lives, curing people, and making a difference. But the hope of the student is not an idle or lazy hope; the student doesn’t think, Yes, I hope that one day I’ll somehow become a doctor. His is an active hope that requires effort. Through his actions the student strives to make his hope present. He actualizes his hope through his actions: he studies, he works hard, and he practices over and over again; he realizes what he hopes for through his actions of faith.
Faith and hope are not passive virtues. What Paul challenges us to do is to make present our hope through our actions of faith. Our hope would be sterile if we just said, “God loves me, I hope for His salvation, I hope for His love”; If we hope for the Kingdom, then that hope will be reflected in our daily life through our actions of faith. If we are not striving to be better Christians, if we don’t forgive, pray, or perform acts of charity, then we cannot say, “I hope in His salvation.”
It seems to me that often we want to live a Christian life, but are unwilling to give up leading a worldly life. We want to love God, but we also want the pleasures of life; we love Christ, but we also love popularity; we want to follow the message of Christ, but also want to follow the message of the world. We want to play both sides, and to live both hopes, but no one, says the Gospel, “can serve two masters” (Lk 16:13). Ask yourself, what is my hope? What can I try to actualize in my daily life? How far am I willing to go to live the Gospel of Christ? And to what extent am I willing to live it out in my daily life?
Let us ask the Blessed Virgin Mary to teach us to hope, and to show us how to live that hope in our daily lives. May she help us remember that our homeland is already present, that “the Kingdom of God is already here” (Lk 17:21). May we find that our homeland, the land we most desire, is present when we strive to live it out in our life of faith.
This post is also available in: Spanish


Palm Sunday Week 2018 - Song Story: "Right There"
About 20 years ago, there happened to be some moments of great pain and difficulty for some of the closest people to my wife Rhonda and I. There were no easy answers to the situation and really no words that could be said that would make things better. The wounds and the sorrow of the moment could only be healed by the One who is "the light and life of every soul and my only source of hope." (A Guide To Prayer, Page 136). But even those words could be considered empty if we don't understand the lengths that the Giver of Light went through to heal the relationship between God and humanity. Palm Sunday begins what we know as Holy Week. In this week Jesus would feel and suffer every possible human emotion.
Palm Sunday, Jesus enters Jerusalem as the loved, conquering hero. He is cheered and celebrated greater than any Super Bowl winning quarterback or rock star. Shouts of "Hosanna" (glory, save us, hallelujah, praise the Lord) ring out! But as tends to happen in this world, people who are bringing great systemic change to the world (what what greater change could there ever be) are torn down by those that want to keep power, keep things the way they are, or simply just don't understand what they are doing. And so in the next seven days, Jesus goes from the highest of highs, to quiet time with his closest friends (eating a meal with expressions of love and betrayal), to cries and prayers of anguish and loneliness in the garden. Next would come arrest, false accusations, public scorn and rejection, and death on the cross. We know what happens on the third day but we will leave that for next week.
The point of it all is that this is the plan that God put into place from the beginning of time. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit reintroduces humanity to the love of the creator in a way that says, "I understand, I am with you, I am not distant, I will never leave you, I am right there."
For our friends, in a moment of prayer and playing along with my guitar, this song "Right There" came out of a "thin place" with God. There was this great sense that I was to give this song to them as a reminder that, in the midst of ups and downs, moments of feeling major swings from a rock of stability to unstable shaking ground, God is right there. It's been used in many different ways through many different seasons of our church. It has been sung much better by different people throughout the years, but for now it is a mix down of live tracks that we recorded years ago, and a demo lead vocal that I have recently recorded. I hope that in seasons of wounds and healing, sorrows and joys that you are reminded God is Right There!
Click on the link below to get to the song "Right There" on SoundCloud
Free download: Right There


Day 1 – My attention is drawn to these beautiful verses from Chapter 5 of Gospel of Matthew and The Symbolism of Salt and Light in them.
The lines read,
13: You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out.
14: You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden.
15: Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lamp stand, where it gives light to all in the house.
16: Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.
I feel Jesus was an excellent speaker, he used ordinary day to day images, such as salt and light, to convey extraordinary truths. In ancient times and in the dry regions where Jesus preached, “Salt” was a valuable commodity.
In the above example Jesus is trying to tell his disciples to find their own purpose. In ancient days salt had a “purpose” (dharma). Salt not only gave food its flavor, it also preserved meat from spoiling. Taste of salt / salinity is the most essential quality of salt in food and for seasoning. Jesus used the image of salt to describe how his disciples are to live in the world.
Jesus is asking his disciples to find their “purpose”, and that they should work on knowing that they are “light” themselves. The Jews then understood “light” as an expression of the inner beauty, truth, and goodness of God (True Self). [ We can see this from, “In His light we see light” ( Psalm 36:9). “His word is a lamp that guides our steps” (Psalm 119:105) etc.]
Jesus knew that once his people find their purpose and know that they are “Light” they will shine on others, giving Light to those who are in darkness. Thus these “light workers” will bring Truth to the masses.
We can see an amazing parallel in the Yogic Scriptures too about the same.
The Katha Upanishad says “uttishtha jagrata, prapya varan nibodhata” means Arise, Awake, find your True Self and Live up to the Vows of Wisdom. In fact Just as in Gospel of Matthew , in the final verse of Book XVI of Bhagavad Gita, Krishna makes his stand on and commitment to working for the well-being of the world (lokasamgraha) perfectly, patently clear. Krishna tells his friend Arjuna that he should perform actions (karma) and work here in this world. Working for the well-being of the world (lokasamgraha) is Arjuna’s duty, his Dharma. This kind of work is to be rooted in firstly knowing our purpose and then working with energy and zest towards living up to that purpose.
Lesson for us – This Christmas let us resolve to find some clarity about our “purpose” in life. Let us come closer to the “LIGHT” that we are and let us vow to reach out to those who need us and to give and share whatever little we know.


Below are a few lines that popped up one day in my e-mail, in the Way of the Internet. At the time they meant a tremendous lot to me; today I prefer the brevity of the quote I found in Provincetown, which I put into an earlier post.
Still, the words below are all over the Internet because they do comfort people. They’re in various forms and formats, so I’ve taken some liberty to cut them down. They’re part of a much longer sermon delivered by the Reverend Henry Scott Holland (1847–1918), canon of St. Paul’s Cathedral, London, on May 15, 1910, at the funeral of King Edward VII. (Canon simply means that Rev. Scott Holland was staff clergy at St. Paul’s—I always thought it was an important title until I looked it up.)
These words weren’t the point of the sermon and they don’t even reflect Rev. Scott Holland’s entire theology, that day or ever. Apparently, the sermon was filed away and forgotten for 80 years until someone, probably thinking ahead to the Internet, resurrected it, so to speak, and now a few words of the sermon have a life in cyberspace.
As literature, Rev. Scott Holland’s text is not treated well, in my opinion: the sermon is referred to by at least two different titles, and word on the Internet street is that “Death is nothing at all” is the sermon's first sentence when in fact that sentence appears 533 words in. Online the “death is nothing at all” section is usually published in lines broken for a poem, which Rev. Scott Holland did not do. If you’d like to read the sermon, it’s here, in the best link I could find.
Rev. Scott Holland begins by describing the “cruel ambush” of death. It “may come to the very old as the fitting close of an honourable life. But how often it smites, without discrimination, as if it had no law!” Then may come a time of comfort for the bereaved, because, speaking for the deceased, he said:
Death is nothing at all. It does not count.
I have only slipped away into the next room . . .
The old life that we loved so fondly together is untouched, unchanged.
Whatever we were to each other, that we are still.
Call me by my old familiar name,
speak to me in the easy way which you always used.
Put no difference in your tone,
wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.
Laugh as we always laughed at little jokes we enjoyed together.
Play, smile, think of me, pray for me.
Let my name be ever the household word that it always was,
let it be spoken without an effort,
without the ghost of a shadow on it.
Life means all that it ever meant.
It is the same as it ever was.
There is absolute unbroken continuity.
Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight?
I am waiting for you, for an interval,
somewhere very near,
just around the corner.
All is well.
Actually, rereading these words, they are comforting.
But this connection will be hard to keep up, says Rev. Scott Holland, without a word, a sign, some tangible evidence, and “once again the old terror will come down upon us. . . . Our task is to deny either judgment [the terror or the comfort], but to combine both . . . if we recall the idea of growth, then we can afford to be in ignorance of what life’s ahead.”
For Rev. Scott Holland, and for me, the love of God secures for us this strength. “In the power of the spirit, we are passed from death to life,” he said. He was speaking to a group of believers; I know that for the most part, I’m not. Either way, his words appeal 100 years later because they reassure us that we’re not crazy, that it’s OK to keep our loved one’s spirit in our heart and mind, which we’re going to do anyway. As Susan Marsicano said in a comment to an earlier post, “I smile & tell his stories when timing is right, & share his art. Sometimes I say his name, as he remains very much part of my world.”


- Marydale (Ky.)
- Marydale was the site of the Order of the Nuns of the Most Holy Cross and Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Diocese of Covington, founded in 1947. The site was sold in 2015 by the diocese.
- Has beginning
- USGS GNIS Feature ID: 508551
- Political division
- Florence Precinct (Boone County, Ky.)
- Item sets
- Cities and towns--Kentucky--Boone County


“Be a lamp, or a lifeboat, or a ladder. Help someone's soul heal. Walk out of your house like a shepherd.” -Rumi
There were many years of my life that I was anything BUT a lamp, or a lifeboat, or a ladder. I am honestly still amazed that I survived many of those years at all. I did, however, have so many angels on my journey that walked out of their house like a shepherd and figuratively and literally saved my life:
- My family: Who never gave up on me, never stopped loving me and never treated me any other way than precious
- Sister missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints: These angel girls left their homes for 18 months to serve and help and bless anyone they could. I was a beneficiary of their service and love more times than I can count. They taught me the purpose of prayer, that I was a daughter of God and that he was aware of me every minute of every day.
- Doctors and therapists: I remember one group session explaining to the group that I was DONE with my faith! I was only participating because of guilt from my mother and I was done. This therapist challenged me on that and helped me realize (on my own and with tears in my eyes) that I did believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ and that I wanted it and needed it to be happy in life.
I am grateful to be in a place now where I can hopefully in some small ways be someone who helps others. And give back in honor of all the angels and life-savers who never left me alone and carried me when I couldn’t walk by myself.
A few of the sister missionaries who saved my life:
A collage my sister sent me via text to remind me why to keep fighting... on her birthday, no less...September 9, 2013


Weekly commitments needed: Sundays 11pm, 12 Noon, Wednesdays 12am, Saturdays 10am, 7pm. Until weekly adorers sign up substitutes are needed for these hours every week, plus the substitutes needed for weekly adorers going on vacation, etc. Please look ahead on the schedule to sign up if the current week has a substitute scheduled.
PLEASE HELP IF YOU CAN. ALL HOURS MUST BE COVERED. WE ARE IN SPECIAL NEED OF HELP WITH SUBS FOR EARLY MORNING HOURS. GOD BLESS ALL WHO HELP KEEP OUR CHAPEL OPEN 24/7.


The Baplink Graduate of Influence Award is awarded to a Malyon Alumni who has demonstrated exemplary Christian character and impact in advancing the kingdom of God in their field of ministry.
This year it was awarded to Haydn Lea who is a Chaplain in the Royal Australian Air Force, who is currently based in Canberra. Part of his ministry is to provide pastoral, spiritual and religious support to air force members and their families. He says that he “gets to see God do incredible things amongst our service people.” He has also developed and created a ADF Daily Devotional book, which has now been distributed over 7,000 times.
Fantastic work, Haydn!


Tatev Monastery is the jewel of Armenian architecture of the Middle Ages. It is located in the South of Armenia in the center of Syunik region. The monastery was built in the IX - XIII Art. and consecrated in honor of St. Eustache, a disciple of the apostle Thaddeus.
The complex consists of three churches, auditoriums, cells for the monks, the library, the dining room, the bell tower, tombs, hranlisch, kitchen, bakery, winery, as well as other administrative and support buildings.
The main church of the Monastery of Tatev - Church of St. Poghos-Petros. It was built in 895-906 years. In 895, Bishop Hovhannes destroyed the old church and built a new in its place.
The main attraction of the monastery is "Gavazan", which is a swinging column, installed in 904 next to the living quarters of the monastery. Eight-meter stone column topped with khachkar. The main feature of this design is that the octagonal pillar can be tilted independently and return to starting position.
By the unique examples of Armenian architecture can be attributed to the Gate Church of St.. Astvatsatsin, built in 1087
Church buildings are surrounded by built in the XVII - XVIII Art. rectory quarters, storerooms, a vaulted dining room with kitchen, bell tower, office and residential premises.


“The duration of John’s banishment on the island of Patmos varies from one account to the next. As a result, John was free to return to Ephesus after Domitian’s death, which most likely occurred after only 18 months.”
- 1 Did John get off the island of Patmos?
- 2 How old was John when he wrote the Book of Revelation?
- 3 What year was John on the island of Patmos?
- 4 Was the apostle John boiled in oil?
- 5 When did the Apostle John leave Patmos?
- 6 Where did John stay on the island of Patmos?
- 7 Is John the Apostle the same as John of Patmos?
- 8 What did John see on the island of Patmos?
- 9 What is the meaning of Patmos?
- 10 How big is Patmos?
- 11 Was Peter crucified upside down?
- 12 Did John the Baptist have a son?
- 13 Did John the Baptist write Revelation?
Did John get off the island of Patmos?
Patmos is a Greek island located in the Aegean Sea. According to Tertullian (in The Prescription of Heretics), John was expelled from Rome after being immersed in boiling oil and experiencing no ill effects as a result.
How old was John when he wrote the Book of Revelation?
John was 99 years old at the time. When John penned the book of Revelation, he lived on the island of Patmos, thus the nickname “John of Patmos.” He is also known as “the Apostle John.” According to the book’s authorship, it was authored by the apostle John.
What year was John on the island of Patmos?
It was utilized as a prison for criminals and as a place of exile. When the Apostle John was deported by the Roman Emperor Titus Flavius Domitianus in 95 AD, this was how he arrived to the Greek island of Patmos.
Was the apostle John boiled in oil?
According to the theologian Tertullian, John was thrown into boiling oil but miraculously escaped with his life. The apostle John is said to have died in the original apocryphal Acts of John; nevertheless, subsequent traditions hold that he has risen to heaven. Officially, the apostle’s tomb is located in the city of Ephesus.
When did the Apostle John leave Patmos?
According to church history, the Apostle John was banished to the island of Patmos by the Roman emperor Domitian in 95 CE.
Where did John stay on the island of Patmos?
Years later, as a much older man, John of Patmos came under fire from the Roman authorities for his preaching, and he was exiled to the Greek island of Patmos for his troubles. He stayed in the now-famous Patmos Cave, where he slept on a rock with a rock as a pillow, and penned the Book of Revelation, which describes the revelation he had received regarding the end times.
Is John the Apostle the same as John of Patmos?
The LDS Church holds that John the Apostle is the same person as John the Evangelist, John of Patmos, and the Beloved Disciple, all of whom are identified as John the Apostle.
What did John see on the island of Patmos?
It was at this moment that John had not only heard Jesus’ own personal teachings on eternity, but he had also witnessed eternity itself in the events of the transfiguration and ascension. He had not only felt the wounds of the resurrected Lord, but he had also seen the Lord and heard his voice on the Isle of Patmos.
What is the meaning of Patmos?
Patmos, in British English (ptms), is a Greek island in the Aegean Sea, in the northwest Dodecanese, and the site of St John’s exile (about 95 AD), where he composed the Apocalypse (Book of Revelation).
How big is Patmos?
John the Revelator, also known as John the Beloved, is an Apostle of the Lord who is well-known for the revelations he recorded. He is one of the Twelve Apostles of the Lord who is well-known for the revelations he recorded. Both went on to become Apostles. As a result, John was a witness to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He was there at both the Garden of Gethsemane and the Crucifixion of the Savior.
Was Peter crucified upside down?
Due to his belief that he was unworthy of dying in the same manner as Jesus Christ, Peter was crucified upside down. Learn more about the crucifixion.
Did John the Baptist have a son?
In the books of Luke and Acts, According to the Gospel of Luke, a description of John’s childhood is included, in which he is introduced as the miracle son of Zechariah, an elderly priest, and his wife Elizabeth, who had reached menopause and was thus unable to bear children.
Did John the Baptist write Revelation?
The book of Revelation was not written by John the Baptist. The book’s genre, visuals, and theology are all a long way from the time and place when John the Baptist lived and preached. John of Patmos is credited with writing the work. The work is generally considered to have been written between 81 and 96 AD.


Saturday, July 31, 2010
Do You Hear What I Hear?
Do you hear what I hear...well, right now that is the song I am hearing, it is Christmas in July at our house, and Peter has tuned into his favorite Christmas carols and yes, we are both singing along as if it were December 23rd. Windows open, neighbors listening, they can join in if the would like!
Actually, my plan was to tell you about my new purchase, but just as I sat down, Peter started blasting out the Christmas tunes, and of course, that included one round of Silent Night, can't do Christmas carols without Silent Night, unless of course, it is Christmas Eve and you are in a candle-lit church and than it's another story. But right now we are safely singing Silent Night in the middle of this sunny summer day. So, hum with me, pick your favorite as you read.
I finally did it. I had to fork over the money and buy a new garage door. Now buying a chocolate brown new garage door that closely resembles the old garage door is about as exciting to me as buying a new sump pump. Something that needs to be done, but personally, a new piece of furniture or dress would lift my spirits rather that a major investment into a garage door. But the old creaky, rusted and soon to be splintered garage door had to be replaced before it stayed permanently in one place. So, now I am the proud owner of this piece of equipment that serves to protect my car and keep the raccoons from entering during the night time hours.
Wondering if Peter would even notice the newly acquired door, I decided not to tell him about the new purchase. Why I thought he may not notice? That is an "oh duh, Diane". He was hardly out of the car when he squealed with delight that we have a new garage door. The incredibly large smile that covered his face, and the accompanied hand wringing reassured me that he was totally enthralled by the purchase. Why did I not save this purchase for Christmas, and give it to him as his present? What was I thinking? Maybe that is why he is playing Christmas songs...maybe it reminds him of Christmas? He spent time looking at the inside and than we needed to close it so he could see the outside. It was just so exciting. We have spent the rest of the day, leaving, but sitting patiently in front of the door so we could "Ooh and Aah" as it descends. You would think we were watching fireworks.
I now have a new appreciation for that door. Peter's love has made me cross over to the other side and I am beginning to see the beauty in the simple brown thing that goes up and down. Without Peter, it would have just been another irritating expense, but his absolute excitement over the door has made me appreciate the finer things in life!!
Posted by dianamom at 2:51 PM


The Church of Christ located in Deurne, a town in the Antwerp Province of Belgium, is a fellowship of Christians who worship according to the doctrines of the New Testament. It is a young church whose membership is open to people from all nationalities who seek to worship God in spirit and in truth. It is connected to all Churches of Christ within the BeNeLux (Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg) region and across the whole of Europe. It is strongly committed to the doctrines of the New Testament, evangelism and the welfare of its members. This commitment is inspired by Biblical New Testament accounts of the organization of the church. Its address is located at Lakborslei, 108, Antwerpen-Deurne, Belgium.
BACKGROUND TO CONGREGATION
Dear reader, this is a background note to explain to you that there is a congregation of the Church of Christ meeting at Lakborslei 108, 2100, Antwerpen-Deurne, separately from the Flemish Gemeente van Christus located at De Gryspeerstraat 92, 2100, Antwerpen-Deurne. This note is also to explain to our visitors and other brethren within the Christian community the reasons for this new congregation.
In the middle of April 2016, a majority of us moved away from the Flemish Gemeente van Christus (GvC) to separately congregate at the new venue. We had to do this for two reasons: first, to preserve the sanctity of the doctrines governing worship in the Lord’s Church, and second, to apply ourselves to sound church management principles that would help the growth of the church. Our former congregation was not offering us these because the leadership of the congregation was not opening up the management of the church to involve all members. The preacher also did not keep true to the early church doctrines about worship. After a series of unsuccessful efforts to get other church brethren to engage in resolving these differences, we decided that we had to move our separate way. This was to allow us continue steadfastly in our first love, to stay true to it and to improve our church administration.
We welcome all our visitors to our new location to join hands with us in offering our Lord Jesus Christ the undiluted worship that He has commanded us through His Word.
May God Bless You


The Labicana 42 Bed and Breakfast Rome is located in Monti, a 10 minute walk from the Domus Aurea and the Congregation of Jesus and Mary.
The Labicana 42 Bed and Breakfast Rome provides a lift as well as comfortable rooms.
Rooms at the bed & breakfast are equipped with DVD players, hair dryers and TVs.
Attractions near the Labicana 42 Bed and Breakfast Rome include the the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran, the Colosseum and Arch of Constantine. The bed & breakfast is perfectly situated close to a variety of dining options.


10:00 am Worship Service
Christina Reimer speaking
11:00 am Coffee & Fellowship
No Sunday School for Children & Youth
Rockway Mennonite Church welcomes people of all cultural and ethnic backgrounds, sexual orientations, gender identities, ages and abilities to full participation, inclusion and membership. Leadership, pastoral ministry positions, and every part of church life are open to all members. We support same sex marriage. Our vision is to be an open and welcoming faith community to all. We continue to grow and learn as we seek to live Christ’s wisdom and peace in the world.
We are a vibrant and participatory congregation meeting in downtown Kitchener, Ontario. Members and friends come from a variety of backgrounds and denominations, drawn together in worship and in the life of a caring community. Committed to love of God and neighbour, we seek to work toward peace and justice in our world while deepening our spirituality in the way and wisdom of Jesus Christ. We are open to newcomers and seek to create space for new initiatives and ideas.We welcome you to join us in person on Sunday mornings at 10:00 am for Worship or to request the link to view the livestream of the worship service. We invite you to email our Office Administrator for the Sunday morning link, or if you have any questions. Past sermons are available under the Sunday Morning tab. We look forward to meeting you!


Students will be formed into groups and will give a group presentation of the following ethical issue
Students will be formed into groups and will give a group presentation of the following ethical issue:
Each of you will present a response from the perspective of the following ethical frameworks (5 mins each)
· Situationist – Tanya
· Utilitarian – Another Student
· Virtue Ethics – Another Student
Students will also provide a written outline of the entire group’s presentation.
In concluding your presentation you will need to summarise the ethical issue and illustrate the importance of how we as Christians and the Church should respond to this issue in a complex changing secular society.
Each presentation should:
· Demonstrate a thorough understanding of the ethical approach.
· Illustrate the importance of how we as Christians/the Church should respond to the issue in contemporary secular society.
· Include a written clear outline
Each section of the presentation should include reference to at least 8 distinct sources.
Your presentation should be structured in the following way (word counts are a guide only).
overview of the ethical issue being discussed (100)
EUTHANASIA Situationist Ethical approach(400)
illustrating how we as a Christian/Church should respond to this issue (100)
Essay is free from spelling, grammatical, and syntax errors and maintains academic tone throughout. This is characterised by:
? Language that is specific and direct, rather than language that is vague and needlessly long.
? Avoids contractions (use “does not” rather than “doesn’t”)
? Relevant academic and theological terminology is used
? Avoids slang and colloquialisms.
1st person language is appropriate for reports such as this.
Essay is within 10% of the total word count and is formatted according to current Chicago/Turabian style as outlined. With Footnotes and Biblography.
De la Torre, M.A. Doing Christian Ethics From The Margins. Maryknoll NY: Orbis,
Feinberg, J.S., and P.D. Fienberg. Ethics for a Brave New World (2nd Ed).
Illinois: Crossway, 2010 (Available in Kindle).
Farley, M.A. Just Love: A Framework for Christian Sexual Ethics. New York:
Continuum, 2008 (Available in Kindle).
Gill, R. (ed). The Cambridge Companion to Christian Ethics. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, 2001.
Graham, M.E. “Rethinking Morality’s Relationship to Salvation: Josef Fuchs, S.J.,
on Moral Goodness.” Theological Studies 64, no. 4 (2003): 750-772.
Grenz, S. The Moral Quest: Foundations of Christian Ethics. Downers Grove:
InterVarsity Press, 2000.
Hauerwas, S. A Better Hope. Grand Rapids: Brazos Press, 2000.
Jones, G. Bioethics: When the Challenges of Life Become Too Difficult. Adelaide:
ATF Press, 2007.
Kilner, J., C.Hook, and D. Uustal (eds.). Cutting-Edge Bioethics. Grand Rapids:
Lovin, R. An Introduction to Christian Ethics: Goals, Duties, and Virtues.
Nashville: Abingdon, 2011 (Available in Kindle).
Macarthur, J. The Vanishing Conscience. Milton Keynes: Nelson, 2005.
Mackay, H. Right and Wrong: How to Decide for Yourself. Sydney: Hodder
Moltman, Ju¨rgen. Ethics of Hope. Translated by Margaret Kohl. Michigan:
Fortress Press, 2012.
Pihlström, S. “Transcendental Guilt: On an Emotional Condition of Moral;
Experience.” Journal of Religious Ethics 35, no.1 (2007): 87-111.
Rogers, E. (ed). Theology and Sexuality. Oxford: Blackwell, 2002.
Shaw, W. Social and Personal Ethics (5th Ed). Belmont: Wadsworth, 2004.
Stanglin, K. “The Historical Connection Between the Golden Rule and the
Second Greatest Love Command.” Journal of Religious Ethics 33, no. 2 (2005):
VanDrunen, D. Bioethics and the Christian Life: A Guide to making Difficult
Decisions. Illinois: Crossway, 2009 (Kindle Available).
Wink, W. Homosexuality and Christian Faith. Michigan: Augsburg Fortress, 1999
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I’m on the wrong side of experience with this topic. Well, maybe that just depends on how I look at love. On one hand, I am on the right side, as I have no doubt I’m incredibly loved by an amazing God. On the other, I’ve come up way short of loving people the way God expects of me. Can anyone else relate?
There is so much to be said about how poorly we Christians set this example, and how incredibly wrong our culture is on understanding what love is. The truth is that it is too overwhelming to tackle in a simple post like this. I’m at a loss as to where to even start, which is usually where the Holy Spirit comes in…
“Ahem… can’t find all the right words? Don’t know where to start? Shocker. Do you really think you need to recreate the wheel? The scripture is already there. Just give a little reminder by putting it in front of them.”
Drive Love Home
Recently, I was in a meeting where a team was asked to provide suggestions on how to ensure that what was being taught would remain active in the workplace. One suggestion was to present the information to the team at each meeting, instead of moving on to a new training topic. Simply put, drive the message home until it has become second nature. So even though in the next meeting it will not be anything new, there will be a commitment to understanding and getting it right.
Maybe it’s time to make a commitment to understand love and get it right. Are we willing to make it a point to keep God’s instruction before us and drive love home before worrying about the other items on our Christian checklist?
Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:13
The greatest of these is love! Where is our commitment to love in the midst of all the other topics we Christians are so passionate to defend?
What kind of Christian are you?
I’ve met some Christians who can quote scripture at the drop of a hat in one breath and with the next breath say the nastiest things about a brother or sister in Christ.
I’ve met Christians who will speak out against corrupt lifestyles that our society has widely accepted, but will tear others down for their own personal gain.
Now, if you know me at all and are reading this you know I’m not innocent of anything I talk about here. But none–and I mean none–of us can pretend we are. So please, don’t misunderstand me. This comes from a place of conviction, not a place of feigned moral high ground.
If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing.If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.
1 Corinthians 13:1-3
Love is hard, folks. It is so unbelievably hard. Why? Because it is work. If we do not labor to love, we do not love at all.That is the bottom line.
What love is: An act of obedience.
What love is not: A feeling. This is where our culture gets it wrong. (Now before we get all “amen sister” let us not forget how much room for improvement we have on this topic. Preaching about how society has a distorted notion of love comes second to the issue of us Christians not leading the charge, so let’s not deflect.)
Merriam-Webster defines love as:
a feeling of strong or constant affection for a person
attraction that includes sexual desire: the strong affection felt by people who have a romantic relationship.
a person you love in a romantic way
The mother of all face palms is happening right here in my living room friends. It is no wonder we don’t get it. We just don’t get it! Here is what the creator of love has to say about what it actually is:
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (emphasis added)
Patience can look like not acting on frustration. Kindness can be shown by choosing to pick our battles. Jealousy, pride, and rudeness can be avoided when we ditch the sarcasm and the need/desire for validation from anyone other than God. Truth can win out when we bite our tongue. Love can persevere if we don’t get lazy. These are action items. Nowhere does it talk about feelings. It is how we respond.
Responding to “Feelings”
In Beth Moore’s Bible study Living Beyond Yourself, she notes four ways to respond that fly in the face of our feelings:
Confront the situation.
Admit to God we lack agape (love) for someone.
Consider through scripture God’s response.
Be obedient and respond like Jesus.
I don’t know about you, but to me it sounds like something that endures through every circumstance has seen some things. Every. Circumstance. That is a big deal; that sounds like serious work to me. I want to get love in a room and tell it to write a book because that’s gotta be one heck of a saga. “Oh Sara, I am love, and that saga is The Holy Bible.” Oooh snap, did anyone else hear that? Mother of all face palms happening right now in heaven.
Let’s Get to Work
All right. That is enough chatter. Let’s get to work on this love thing, shall we? I’m certainly no expert but can suggest to you a couple resources I’m currently using to help drive love home in my life.
Pray your heart out. Ask God to help you get past your feelings and be moved into an active place of love. Can you imagine what the world would look like if we didn’t just know the following verses, but actually lived them?
John 13:34-35: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
1 Peter 4:8: “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”
Galatians 6:10: “Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone-especially to those in the family of faith.”
I’d LOVE to hear your personal experiences of how God has shown up in your obedient, hard and worthy acts of love. Brag about God in the comments section and encourage someone today!
Today might possibly be the worst day of my dog’s life. He’s endured surgery, stitches, pain on top of irritation, and now the cone of shame. It breaks my heart to see his pitiful face. I look at him and wish he could know that all this is because he is loved. It’s for his protection. I imagine he can’t possibly see how that is true. From his perspective, I’ve inflicted several forms of torture on him. But because he keeps attempting to escape the yard, he caused the misfortune resulting in this unfortunate visit to the vet.
A Cone of Shame from God?
As I sat on the floor with Max cradled in my lap, trying to soothe him, God began to show me how He has done this countless times in my own life. And he will continue to do this with me however long it takes to course-correct my escape attempts. I may not have had to endure bodily injury like Max, but God undoubtedly has performed surgery on my heart many times. Recovery for me looked more like forced humility, which I guess you could say was my very own cone of shame.
Loving Protection from Ourselves
I don’t wish to go through any of those surgeries again, but looking back I am certain that they really were because I am loved. The cone of shame is meant to protect. However, it is so blatantly indicative of a pet’s inability to keep from hurting themselves even more. In the same way, God’s methods of protecting us from ourselves can also be hard to hide. Sometimes the unfortunate downside to that is that people will see it as weakness, or worse we become subject to judgment. It can be easy to ask God why, and feel vulnerable, ashamed, and even feel alone. But nothing could be further from the truth! So often what we see as hardship is actually protection. It is because God really loves us!
If there is a circumstance in your life that feels too painful to see how it could possibly be good, ask God to show you how he is using it for protection. It may not seem to make any sense at the time. But how often have you been able to see what God was doing before he did it anyway? If he does not reveal the purpose of the pain to you, are you willing to trust him anyway?
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
My sweet Max has managed to trust me anyway. He is sitting as close to me as he can while I type this. I’m praying for you to trust God just as obviously as a sweet pup depends on his master. Talk about true submission. Sometimes love hurts. It might do some good to remember that Jesus knows that better than any of us…
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Ten years ago I was learning to navigate life while raising a child alone. Through that, God used my circumstances to change my heart which led to major life change. I found a new friend and mentor, found a new church, and found community I never knew I could have. I was overwhelmed with life-changing friendships focused on God. I had no doubt that God had brought me to that place in life.
The last year and a half has looked a bit different than I would have imagined ten years ago. I attend a different church now, my community is much smaller, and as a result my God is much bigger. I often think about several people that I no longer do life with. I’d be lying if I said there isn’t some lingering pain from that. But it took being removed from that life to gain the perspective shift necessary to grow closer to God. I can see now how God orchestrated it, even though it wrecked my heart. He had to remove something good, so he could do something better. Why? Because I had placed people and culture above God, and He was having none of that.
The Message Changed My Perspective
Now that I’m on the other side of the heartache of the past year and a half, I’ve been able to gain some much needed perspective. I realized I had placed people’s influence and opinions above God’s influence. Yet somehow, even after learning that hard lesson, I’ve slowly slipped back into that trap. It just looks a little different this time around. The “trap” is in taking something good and making it an idol. And once again, God is having none of that.
This all came to light when my anxiety was through the roof about a changing relationship. He showed me that I’d placed my sense of security in the wrong place…again. His solution? Remove the person I’d put in his place. Here we go again…
The Message Opened My Eyes
God began to speak into this situation over the course of several days. First, he used the fact that I was a week behind on my bible study homework. When I picked up where I had left off, I read these words:
“Do you have peace in times of alone-ness, or do you tend to require the security others provide?”
Um, 10-4 Jesus. You have my attention. There was no ignoring the timing of these words.
The very next day I was still trying to absorb what he was trying to tell me. I picked up My Utmost for His Highest and this was just a snippet of that day’s entry:
“Over and over again God has to remove our friends to put Himself in their place..”
By this point I was a mess. I tried to compose myself at work while totally overwhelmed by how abundantly clear God made himself. I barely managed to get it together and enter a meeting that same morning. Someone always opens with devotion before we get down to business. Do you see where this is going?
Same. Devotion. The struggle was real at this point friends. There were no tissues in the room, just me hiding behind my laptop, desperate to keep the tears from falling.
Despite the very clear message from God about where to find security, I felt anxious. I wrestled with worry and fear. Later that same day I got a text from a friend:
“Therefore don’t be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.” (Matthew 6:34)
The Message was Clear
The message was clear. God had woven his message through that entire day to teach me. Yes, God would be moving relationships, because he has something much better for me.
Have you experienced God weave a message together for you like that? Has he spoken to you through multiple different sources to confirm again and again what he is trying to tell you?
Maybe you too have someone in your life who holds far more influence than they should?
Take a moment and ask God to show you what blessing you have turned into an idol.
This is how I beg God to save me from myself, and to save others from me, for that matter. When a situation arises and I know that the only reaction I have in me is mean, prideful, and/or impatient, or I feel spontaneous combustion around the bend, I’m learning to stop and pray, “Holy Spirit, come.”
Here is the thing: as Christians we have a responsibility to be a good kind of different, especially when we are in positions of authority/leadership. This does not mean that we will get it right all the time. It could be really easy, and equally awful to throw my hands up and decide not to touch this subject because I’ve failed others with this in the past. But if I’ve learned anything it is that it is never too late to start walking in integrity. So how do we get there? How do we get to this place that Paul talks about in Philippians 2?
“Do everything readily and cheerfully—no bickering, no second-guessing allowed! Go out into the world uncorrupted,a breath of fresh air in this squalid and polluted society. Provide people with a glimpse of good living and of the living God. Carry the light-giving Message into the night so I’ll have good cause to be proud of you on the day that Christ returns. You’ll be living proof that I didn’t go to all this work for nothing.” –Philippians 2:14-16 MSG
The how is with God’s help, with the Holy Spirit that lives in us. This is how we will be a good kind of different. Without it we are lost.
A breath of fresh air…I instantly see the faces of people in my life who have been just that! I wish I could say I’ve been that to more people. This piece of scripture is a tall order! Thankfully, I don’t get this wrong ALL the time, but I sincerely want to get it right much more than I currently do. It does not end with, “except when someone really annoys you” or “unless you are having a bad day”. It does not contain a list of exceptions, period. The Bible tells us what evidence should be visible in our walk and character here:
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! –Galatians 5:22-23 NLT
Think for a second about the people in your life, home, work, and church, whether they are just an acquaintance or someone close to you. Would they be able to attest to seeing the fruit of the Spirit in you? I don’t ask the question to invoke guilt or shame. And I certainly am not asking you to hone in on that rare incident you want to torture yourself over. I’m asking you to look at recurring themes in your relationships and life. Is there a theme of love and kindness? Or is there a trail of hurt that is easy to write off as other people’s fault? If you are anything like me, this is the part where you want to click that little red X at the top right hand corner of the screen and move on to a subject that doesn’t require one to deal with self-examination. I bid you adieu. If you are not like me and are still reading this, I’m so glad you are still here!
Can we be honest with ourselves and admit that every one of us has room to grow when it comes to walking out love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control? The Bible does not say that the Holy Spirit produces some of these things in us, it should produce all of these in us! People should see these in us as a whole, but sadly many of us are falling way too short of this. People may look at us and write us off because of our actions, but thank goodness God allows us the grace to keep growing. Will you ask God to help you turn your heart to Him, and be ready and willing to do the work required when He responds?
Holy Spirit, come.Father, we ask that we would experience the fullness of joy that comes from being marked by you. We ask that you strengthen our integrity and help us to not miss another opportunity to display how we are a good kind of different because of your work in our hearts. Let those in our lives be able to testify to the change taking place in us, and that they would know you as the source of anything good in our lives. Amen!
I’m sitting here at 10:59 pm on a Saturday night asking myself, “What could I possibly have to say to readers about faith and spirituality? I’m no teacher, what am I doing here? People will think I’m a hypocrite. They will surely regret asking me to be a part of this if they don’t already!” (Mind you, all I have submitted up to this point is an about me survey.)
That is precisely what happens when who the world says I am takes over in my mind. The voice in my head gets ugly. I can either drown in these lies or swim towards the warm light of God’s grace. So I pause, close my eyes, take a deep breath, and open my bible. I choose to swim even though I want to hide. There will be no drowning today because I trust Him.
I pray and ask, “What do you want to say?” This question reminds me of 2 Corinthians 12:9: “My grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in weakness.” While flipping to this passage a previously underlined verse catches my eye in chapter four. I read on a little and find 2 Corinthians 4:13: “It is written: ‘I believed; therefore I have spoken.’ With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak.” There it is. We speak because we believe. Simple, isn’t it?
My assertion of not being a teacher is still correct, but thank goodness I’m not unable to share what God has done in my life just because I am not a teacher. I confess I deeply regret not having journaled all the amazing things I’ve witnessed God do in my life. Because now I sit here and kick myself for not being able to articulate them well since so many details have faded.
But what never fades is the awe that has filled me each and every time He has shown up.From seemingly small things–like placing a hand on the dying washing machine last week while begging God to bring it back to life, and before I can finish my plea it is spinning again! (You laugh or roll your eyes, but it totally happened and I stood there for a whole minute with my jaw on the floor)–to big things like finally having independence as a single mother who for several long years didn’t see how that could be possible. The people in my life got to watch that play out right before their eyes. No need for me to figure out how to share that story, everyone saw! It wasn’t possible without God’s grace and intervention. They knew it and I knew it.
When paying attention to God’s work in my life, it becomes clear that my imperfections are a great platform to use when talking about what an amazing God we have. I don’t need to be embarrassed or afraid. That would be to assume that only some of us fall short of the glory of God and that I happen to be in that category.
News flash–we are all in that category! Despite all my past and present failures, shortcomings, and flaws He loves me. He forgives and continues to show up in ways that continue to surprise me. Shouldn’t we all be able to and want to share these works with each other and the world? Yes! Are we supposed to keep them to ourselves because we let the condemning voice of the world we live in tell us we are hypocrites? Nope! Isn’t our weakness the very thing that makes His work so incredibly amazing and worth talking about? Absolutely!
Great! Now that we’ve established that, let me ask you:
What opportunities are you missing because “that is for someone more qualified”?
Can you identify ways that the enemy will capitalize on you succumbing to that lie?
Can you identify ways God will use those opportunities for your good and His glory?
Will you choose to swim today and ask God to help you keep swimming tomorrow and the day after?
Feel free to share your answers in the comments section below, I’d be honored to pray for you!


Meditations For The Heart
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Meditations For The Heart helps the reader to ask themselves deep heart questions and grow in their walk with the Lord. Asking ourselves questions is one of the most beneficial thing that we can do in our walk with the Lord an this resource helps us to do just that. Each question includes insights from Scripture as well as Scripture references to refer to as the reader thinks and prays through the questions. Each question also includes helpful reflection questions, application, and journaling space to help process through these questions.
With helpful Scripture passages, questions, and devotional content, this book will be one that you can return to again and again to take a heart inventory, and be reminded of the truth of God's Word.
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CHANGE THE WORLD
Love God with all your heart
Love God with all your soul
Love God with all your mind
Love God with all your strength
Win people to Christ
Train believers to become disciples, and
Send them to impact the world.
We honour God with bold thinking and courageous living.
We have a passion for people and strive to impact humanity with the love of God.
We give our time, talents and finances because we truely believe that it is more blessed to give than to receive.
We are committed to building dedicated followers of Jesus.
It is our privilege to reach people who don't know Christ and share the good news with sincerity and compassion.


The Vomano Valley extends its territory in the northern part of Abruzzo region along the winding path of the river Vomano; river long 76 km and almost entirely included in the province of Teramo while its catchment area covers a total area of 764 square kilometers and bordered to the left by Tordino river.
The tour of the seven Churches – The Seven Sisters Madonna – Vomano Valley, Teramo, Abruzzo
The valley lies in the most upstream in the vast territory of the National Park of Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga, and is surrounded on the left side of the valley from the Monti della Laga, on the right side of the Gran Sasso massif, while the most downstream (east) in the Adriatic Sea.
The pastoral and peasant tradition has instilled in the worship of the 7 Sisters Madonnas popular beliefs and the astronomical knowledge related to agricultural cycles. Here was born the legend of the 7 Sisters Madonnas and churches dedicated to them built in the sixteenth century.
Church of SS. Annunziata (called S. Antonio abate)
Over the centuries the church, dedicated to St. Anthony Abbot and later dedicated to SS. Annunziata, has undergone several changes and rearrangements, the latest of which dates back to the eighteenth century.
Church of Santa Maria Reparata
It was built by John the Baptist John from Milan (1704-1741). Inside there is a wooden ciborium with twisted columns, previously placed over the high altar of the Cathedral. It’s a job by Charles Riccioni (who worked for about thirteen 1677-1690) and has clear similarities with the bronze of St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican (the Riccioni was in fact a pupil of Lorenzo Bernini).
Church of Madonna of Tibia in Crognaleto
Legend tells that the church was erected in 1617 by the grace received, by a wealthy cattle dealer of amateur who fell from a horse and fractured a tibia, implored the help of the Virgin Mary for his return to home. On August 17 of each year, at night, by torchlight there is the traditional pilgrimage on foot from the village of Crognaleto to the cave church.
Church of the Madonna del Carmine in Frattoli of Crognaleto
The building was built around s the end of the nineteenth century by expanding existing classroom dating back to the seventeenth century. Subsequently, the oldest classroom, the rear has collapsed, leaving standing only the nineteenth century on which there is a statue of the Madonna del Carmine.
Church of Madonna of Sgrima
It lies on the Hill of Sgrima, hence the name, along the ancient transhumance. It is a historic place of Marian devotion, the Sanctuary of Our Lady of tears, of which there are traces since 1324, although the building we see today has been restored in the sixteenth century.
Church of Madonna of Calvario and the Church of Santa Maria Apparente
Santa Maria Apparente dates back to 1300 and was built by a French soldier as a thanks for being rescued after being wounded and abandoned in those places.


Welcome to Word Christian Academy's 2014-2015 school year!
Word Christian Academy (WCA) is the educational outreach ministry of our church, Revealed Word Christian Center, a non-profit, non-denominational organization.
Our vision is to train up children in the Word of God - the power that will transform their spirit, soul, and body to excel in every area of their lives. Of course, as educators, we are committed to the development of our students not only in academic excellence, but, wholeness of life - spiritually, physically, and psychologically.
WCA offers classes from Kindergarten through Grade 8. We use a Bible-based curriculum for the lower Kindergarten class through Grade 4. A computer curriculum is employed in Grades 5 through Grade 8 for the five core subjects, which are Bible, Language, Math, Social Studies,and Science. Also part of the curriculum are Spanish, Music, Art, Writing, Computer, Home Economics, and Gym.
In addition to the online curriculum for the above-mentioned core subjects, our teachers also give assignments from other curricula, for example, ACSI, McGraw-Hill and Prentice Hall.
You may say, "this is a full plate", but, our experience suggests all children, with Godly encouragement, have the capacity and the ability to do the assigned work.
To measure the progress of our students, each year the Stanford/Terra Nova Achievement Test is administered to the Advanced Kindergarten class through Grade 8, and students in Grades 4 and 7 are given the New York State English Language Arts and Math examinations.
To help "at-risk" students maximize their potential, all our teachers selflessly make themselves available to tutor.
As educators, in our attempt to assist in the development of our future leaders, we partner with our parents as we hold fast to John 14:12 where Jesus declares - "Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father."
As we endeavor to maintain God’s vision for Word Christian Academy, and know that we have been given the authority, by Father God, to take our place to pray and firmly state God's perfect will be done in the lives of each family represented by our students.
As you consider the academic and social needs of your child, we urge you to seek God’s guidance in making this very important decision.
Feel free to call our school's office should you have any questions.
Pastor Bridget Fontanelle, Principal


The Essentials of Tips – Breaking Down the Basics
Todd Shupe uses blogs to share the Christianity values with his readers. Thus, people look up to him for advice on various issues affecting their lives. You will learn how to face life problems by reading the blog posts. Todd Shupe has shared his knowledge on several topics such as fatherhood and Christianity. All men desire to know how to become the best dads in the world. However, it is crucial to base your fatherhood on the firm foundation of Christianity. The following are Todd Shupe roles of a Christian father.
The first responsibility of a father according to Todd Shupe teaching on fatherhood and Christianity is to provide. Thus, if you are a father, you must work hard to provide for your family. When praying Christian ask their father in heaven, God to provide their daily bread. Hence, your kids will also depend on you for their needs. Hence, you should strive you ensure that all your children needs are taken care off.
The next role of a father according to Todd Shupe training on parenthood and Christianity is to discipline and guide his kids. Currently, fathers are very busy working to provide for their children. Thus, they have minimal time to spend with the children. Christianity teachings indicate it is the father’s responsibility to guide the kid to the right path in life. The father should caution the child from harmful behavior and show him or her how to respect other people. Thus, as a father it is essential to spend time with your children and introduce them to Christianity.
Todd Shupe third teaching is that fathers are supposed to protect their children. A large number of people thinks protection is just guarding a person against physical threats. However, Todd Shupe says security is not just from physical risks but also the emotional and psychological danger. For instance, you need to protect the child’s emotions. For example, you should protect your child from exposure to crude content. Thus, the children will grow with strong moral values.
The fourth Christianity and fatherhood teaching by Todd Shupe is that fathers should love their children. Children who feel that their fathers do not love them are more likely to develop depression problems. Such children struggle to find activities that will make their fathers product. Todd Shupe teachings fathers on the necessity of showing love to their children from when they are young even when they grow-up. It is also a Christianity rule for people to love each other. Hence if you are a father should show your child that you love him or her genuinely.
Fatherhood and Christianity teaching by Todd Shupe are designed to make you a better father.


Download The Purpose-Driven Life Pdf For Free
Book Name/Tittle:- The Purpose-Driven Life
Author:- Rick Warren
Date Of Publish:- 2002
Genre:-Non-fiction, Christian literature
Short Description:-The Purpose Driven Life is a bible study book written by Christian pastor Rick Warren and published by Zondervan in 2002. The book offers readers a 40-day personal spiritual journey and presents what Warren says are God’s five purposes for human life on Earth. Wikipedia
The Purpose-Driven Life:Review By Pdffare.com
A #1 New York Times bestseller, The Purpose Driven Life will help you understand why you are alive and reveal God’s amazing plan for you both here and now, and for eternity. Rick Warren will guide you through a personal forty-day spiritual journey that will transform your answer to life’s most important question: What on earth am I here for? Knowing God’s purpose for creating you will reduce your stress, focus your energy, simplify your decisions, give meaning to your life, and most important, prepare you for eternity.
Movie stars and political leaders aren’t the only ones turning to Rick Warren for spiritual guidance. Millions of people from NBA and LPGA players to corporate executives to high school students to prison inmates meet regularly to discuss The Purpose Driven Life.
download The Purpose-Driven Life pdf for free
You Also check reviews on Goodreads.com


Then the Lord said to me, You have made your way around this hill country long enough; now turn north. -Deuteronomy 2:2-3 NIV
A life cycle ends when something dies. Some of us have been in life cycles of—bad relationships, attracting the same people, dealing with the same problems year after year, identity crisis, pornography, homosexuality, strongholds, soul-ties, jealousy, bitterness, gossip, hate, strife, unforgiveness, fear, depression, anxiety, financial crisis, sin, procrastination, or even religion. Living without God’s purpose and direction for your life. But God said, turn north. SWITCH! It’s time to break those cycles in your life.
”Lets Go In”


Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
Today's message is encouraging everyone to let God lead you, because He knows the way and is the perfect leader. Without God's direction we will be lost in this vast sea known as the world. God Word the Bible is our roadmap and the indwelling Holy Spirit as our heavenly compass as we travel heaven's highway.
God left His holy Word shows love, care and compassion He has for His children. He loves us too much to leave us wandering in the wilderness.
In the words of this song, "let Jesus lead you all the way from earth to heaven. He is a mighty good leader. Let Jesus lead you.
Comments are welcomed.