The opening date for the movie The Golden Compass is December 7, and the controversy continues to grow. For weeks now, some in the Christian community have been sending out warning e-mails and announcements about the contents of the movie and the books, His Dark Materials Trilogy, that the movie is based on.
So what is all the hype really about?
Imagine you are two years old and your father leaves the family. Your mother is heartbroken and scared, you don’t understand why Daddy left, and the family is in turmoil. But three years later, your father returns, settles back into the family, and you spend the rest of your childhood and adolescence with two loving parents. Then suddenly at the age of 47, you are sentenced in a court of law to spend three years in jail for your father’s actions during his years away when you were a toddler.
Sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it? But this scenario actually happened to Shadia Nagui Ibrahim, an Egyptian woman who lists her official religion as Christian. Her mother was Christian. Her father was Christian. She has always been a Christian. Or so she thought. It turns out that her father converted to Islam during his time away, and then had documents forged to convert back to Christianity when he returned. Shadia never knew. But the Egyptian government, continuing its long history of Christian persecution in a country 90% Muslim, claims she committed fraud because her father is still considered Muslim.
The many blessings
God bestows
enrich the spirit
as it grows;
Toward his loving
arms we reach,
with thanksgiving
we beseech;
That God may hear
our hearts sing,
In praise to Him
our voices ring.
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My husband and I watched the movie "Amazing Grace" this weekend. The movie is an account of the abolition of the slave trade in England at the time when the lyricist of the song Amazing Grace was still alive. There is a quote in the movie that set me to thinking about how God uses people.
"Found God, sir?
"I think He found me. Do you have any idea how inconvenient that is?"
Have you ever experienced that feeling? Has God ever place an urging in your heart that just made you stop and say, "You want me to do what? Now?" We get caught up in our day-to-day lives of being wife, mother, sister, daughter, employee, and a hundred other roles.
I am always on the lookout for downloads and free services that will aid my Bible study time. I have tried several online resources for Bible text, commentaries and dictionaries and recently came across BiblePro from Bible Ocean. I have to say this is my new favorite for the amount of information, the layout, and ease of use.
This screen shot was taken from my computer after entering the search term “Mary.” Click to view the full image, and you will see the features of the software. On the top left is the list of books of the Bible, expandable to view the chapter numbers. In the center is the Bible text with the choice of translations; the top right is the search results that appeared after typing “Mary” into the search box. The bottom left shows the references/dictionaries available, and the bottom right shows the notes/commentaries section. You can choose to view a commentary, then enter your own notes on the passage or chapter.
The layout is great because you have all the information you need available on one screen. You don’t have to keep multiple windows open or switch between desktop and online resources like a lot of the other free Bible software. There is a cd available for just the cost of shipping and handling that contains a myriad of other plugins and features, plus clip art, other Bible translations, commentaries and resources.
Today is Veteran’s Day in the US. This is a day when we honor those who have served or are serving in our military. My hometown is adjacent to a major Army flight training base, so I am very familiar with the contributions our veterans make to our society. Without the base, most of the towns around here would be still be one-stop light dirt road communities. But because of the base, my little town is a bustling, progressive, friendly place with a comforting background hum of helicopter blades and nighttime training fire.
I know, that doesn’t really sound like it would be comforting. But in the immediate aftermath of 9/11, when all flight was grounded, the sudden silence was deafening. I still remember that first day afterward when I heard the first helicopters once again in the air. It wasn’t until then that I thought maybe our country was going to be okay.
Maybe it is just the particular news I have been watching recently, but the world seems to have taken a nose dive. Well, more so than usual, anyway. Maybe this is the week we need to just pray for everybody and everything. “Lord, I don’t know what’s up, but please fix it.”
Finland made the news for a high school shooting. Come on, Finland?? When was the last time you remember Finland making world news unless it had something to do with sports or an accomplishment?
56 children were bombed in Afghanistan. Yes, bombings happen every day in that part of the world thanks to the war. But bombing children is more tragic than usual.
Are you or someone you know unable to attend weekly services due to disability? Are you a member of a church, but are physically unable to participate in many of the activities? Are you a pastor with elderly or disabled congregation members? Personal ministry is still very possible if you make your availability known. These are just a few ways that the disabled can still have a personal ministry and stay active in the church.
Our special guest today is Christian author Lori Wagner. Lori’s latest book, Quilting Patches of Life, promises to bless your life with the wonders of God’s grace, mercy, and the personal relationship offered to each of us. Lori will be answering questions and comments today from 12:00 - 2:30 p.m. EST. If you wish to “talk” with Lori, click on the “comments” link at the bottom of the post or scroll down to “Leave a Reply”. One commenter will be chosen at random to win a copy of the book. Lori explains about the book and her reasons for writing it in today’s guest post. (more…)
Life as a Christian Woman will be hosting Christian author Lori Wagner on Friday, November 2, 2007. Lori will be “live” on the site from 12:00 - 2:30 p.m. EST to talk about her latest book, Quilting Patches of Life. She will be answering questions and comments from readers, and one lucky commenter will win a free copy of the book. The book is a collection of stories from around the world and looks at the many ways God speaks to his people.
Everyone is offered a personal relationship with the Lord, and each person’s relationship is different. We all have a testimony of how the Lord has impacted our life. By reading other’s stories, we begin to really know the awesome mercy and grace of God and the all-encompassing salvation of Jesus Christ. When I talk to God from my brick home in the United States surrounded by books and furniture and a pantry of food, my conversation is not the same as that of a hungry mother trying to keep three children alive in a carboard-and-burlap hut on the sidewalks of Bombay. But I know God is there with those mothers just as He is with me. And her story is important.
In addition to Lori’s writing, she also serves on the National Day of Prayer Task Force. If you missed Tuesday’s post, she wrote about her recent attendance at the Coordinator’s Conference. Please join author Lori Wagner tomorrow and learn about her writing, her work, and her own Life as a Christian Woman. After the “Question and Answer” session is over at 2:30 p.m. EST, one reader will be selected at random to win a free copy of the book.
Order Quilting Patches of Life
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Life as a Christian Woman explores Biblical truths as they apply to modern faith and the vital roles we can play in the body of Christ. Some topics are easy, such as Christ died for our sins. Others, like divorce, single parenthood, work, and submission to our spouses are more challenging. Then there are days we just need a good laugh with God. Together, we can learn practical faith in an impractical world.
Life as a Christian Woman Author(s)
