How to Pray for Muslims During Ramadan

This is something that has brought to my attention greatly lately. It has been weighing on my heart.  Last week I shared about Voice of the Martyrs(VOM).  This week and over the next month I am going to focus on how Christians can pray for Muslims.  

You might be struggling with this, fearful of those emotions bubbling up inside.  I was you once upon a time. I had hate in my heart, mostly due to ignorance. So here is my attempt to help you understand so those feelings bubbling up can be set at peace.  The peace of Christ.

Let's start with this:  Here's a straight forward article about  Ramadan 2017 and why Muslims fast.  

Here is a cool comparison from a Christian website that I use to reference a lot. What is the difference between Christianity and Islam?

Now that you have this info, what now?

Check out this video 30 Days of Prayer

Here are some websites to help you pray:

Called to Pray  : You can sign up for daily prayer emails that shares a story of one young man and his family and how they are affected by Ramadan

30 Days of Prayer : You can pay a small fee to download a prayer guide. In some parts of the world you can get the booklets.

Pray for the Arabian Peninsula : You can download a free pdf that shows you countries and their specific need for prayer.

Pray for ISIS :  Yes, I just wrote that.  Did you know that Paul, the author of many of the books of the bible, persecuted Christians for their beliefs before he converted to Christianity?  God can do a miracle with people you would never think to pray for.

It only takes 1 voice, You!

God hears ours prayers.  He might never answer them in the time we would like but he always answers them.  Often times he will do so in a form we don't like right now, but when hind sight hits it is a serious 2 x 4 to the forehead.

Come along side me and so many others during this time.  It only takes a few minutes a day.

Follow me on Facebook where I will be sharing the Called to Pray emails.

Share with me your feelings and thoughts through your journey.

My heart aches for those who don't know Jesus or deny him.  

Voice of the Martyrs-International Non-Profit

What is Voice of the Martyrs?  Who are they?  Voice of the Martyrs

VOM’s Mission Statement
Serving persecuted Christians through practical and spiritual assistance and leading other members of the Body of Christ into fellowship with them.

Their website has a lot of information on it, check it out for yourself and see what tugs at your heart.

How it touches me
I don't remember the first time I heard about VOM. I think it was when I was listening to a broadcast online through either Focus on the Family or some other Christian daily broadcast program, it could have been through my husband who heard something as well. We looked into this program and felt we needed to help, even just a little every month for those who are being persecuted for their beliefs.

As Americans we often take for granted out freedoms. Especially our religious freedoms. All over the world there are countries where it is illegal to believe in anything other than the country's decided faith and the penalty in most of those countries is either prison or sometimes death.

As a Christian myself, I have this struggle with sharing my faith with strangers and even sometimes family, because it often ends up in some kind of argument. The thing is, most of the time I am just telling people my story and hoping that they will somehow come to their own conclusion about what they believe.  

VOM has really helped me grow in my spiritual walk this past few months.  They have this amazing App for smart phones and tablets that is free.  It helps give daily knowledge of places around the globe where people are being persecuted and how to pray for them. They have amazing resources you can sign up to receive, they will send you calendars, maps and newsletters to help you understand what is really happening around the world.

If you are more of a visual person then check out their You Tube Channel, they also have a Facebook Page, Twitter & Pinterest Page.

They have some amazing books that have been written, although they are in my to be read pile, which is getting bigger and bigger.

What does it mean for you?

Well this is a really good question that anything you read should get you to ask yourself. When you read, watch or hear something and don't do anything with that information then it just kind of sits there in the back of your brain and sometimes becomes an after thought or even leaves altogether.  I encourage you to figure out how this type of information truly affects you and DO something about it.

Do you have an extra $10.00 a month you could donate to help people around the world have freedom to their beliefs? Donate Here

Perhaps a one time donation of any amount?  They also have an option to pick certain things to give, action packs, bibles, etc...

Do you have a few extra minutes in your day where you could learn about another country and how to pray for them?  Online Prayer Resource, Android App, iPhone App


What if you aren't a Christian yourself?

I encourage you to ask yourself questions about your beliefs.  Go read the Bible.  Some of you might be saying "yeah right Christie, I'm going to read a book that was made how many hundreds of years ago that I have no understanding of their culture or what they are trying to say"  or "who has time for that?"

If you have time to check Facebook several times a day, or twitter or instagram or pinterest or any other online thing that is a true time sucker then you have a few minutes to dive into your faith and beliefs.  

NO JUDGEMENT HERE

Seriously, I get caught up in the day to day time sucker that is social media. I allow myself leeway on these types of things as long as I am getting the more important things done as well.

Check out the following links to a few website and check out some apps as well for daily encouragement.

Bible Gateway
Got Questions

If you are looking for a free bible app for your devices then You Version is my favorite. They have daily devotionals, so many translations, videos, the bible can be read aloud to you, and they have an amazing kids bible app that my kids absolutely loved.

Wrapping it up

Do something, take the next step.  It amazes me how much grace God has given us as a people.  I am always in awe of the cross and the ultimate sacrifice.

We are called to go and make disciples, Matthew 28:19, we are also called to help those who are persecuted for their beliefs with action.  It has made an amazing impact on my prayer life and opened my eyes up to the world we live in today.  So much suffering can lead to so much pain.  It only takes 1 person to make a change and the rest might follow.    

Will you follow Him?

Mother's Day Wrap Up

So I tried a little something different this week to lead up to my weekly post.  I am on Facebook now!  Follow me so you can see my series posts like this in the future.  

So to wrap this all up together here are my ideas from this week regarding Mother's Day.
I'd love to hear what you do for your Mom and what your kids do for you, if you have them.  Comment on my post and let me know, or on Facebook.

I wanted to add 1 more thing to my post. Check out the end of my post!

Monday:

This week I am focusing on Mother's Day since it's coming up this Sunday. If you are a Mom I hope this will help you out, I know it did when I read it a few years ago. For those you aren't a Mom but you have one, take a look at what it has to say it will make a difference I think. Hope you enjoy.

Avoiding Disappointment

Tuesday:

Mother's Day is several days away, let's talk gifts. Do you know what you are going to give your Mother for Mother's Day? It can be hard to not fall back on the old favorites; chocolate, gift cards, flowers... And I'm not saying those aren't great, there have been a lot of Mother's Day I've enjoyed giving and getting those. But how about this year look at something different. If you've already bought yours, why not think about this for next year. Do you know your Mom's Love Language? Do you even know your own? Check out Gary Chapman's website and take the quiz, have your kids take the quiz, have your spouse or significant other, have your parents. Pass it along. The 5 Love Languages

It's free and it shows you how you can best be loved and love others the way they would like you to. 

There also some really cool pinterest resources you could print out for gift coupons here: 5 Love Languages Gift Coupons  Check them out. 

Knowing this information has changed the way that my husband and I love each other and I hope that when the kids are older it can help with that as well. Now, Go Fill your love tank or at least find out how!

Wednesday:

Mother's Day is now only 4 days away. I know some of you might be grumbling about the day in which you should honor your mother but just don't feel like it. Maybe you have a rough relationship with her, maybe you are just going through a rough patch with her.

Focus on the Family has a really good Forgiveness and Restoration series of articles. A lot of them are going to deal with marriage, but the same concepts of forgiveness work with all people in your life. Forgiving is not forgetting. Take a look right now and try to free yourself of the burden of holding onto grudges and feeling the way you do. We can't change others, but we have control over ourselves.

Matthew 6:14-15

14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Freedom in Forgiveness 

Thursday:

Since Mother's Day is only 3 days away I wanted to include something about adoption, which I believe is one of the most beautiful types of love a parent can show. How cool is it that someone can love like God and have others adopted into their family. I wanted to put this out there, it might be a touchy subject for some, but I wanted to point out there are some people who go through this and not just on Mother's Day. I encourage those of you who have said any of these things to rethink how you say things from now on, no matter your meaning. I ask those of you who have gone through this to forgive, most people aren't doing this out of spite or to be hurtful, they are trying to be sympathetic and it comes out wrong.

How You Might Be Offending Mothers Touched By Adoption

Friday:

Let's not forget about those woman around us who are a 2nd Mom to us, a great example of a woman to us. Perhaps you know someone who's children aren't around them, either by distance or death. How about those woman who don't have children but have left their legacy by touching your heart in some way.  Celebrate them on Mother's Day as well.

How about the young Mom you know that is stressed out and their children are so young they can't really appreciate her yet, maybe gently remind her husband or the man in her life.  Perhaps if she's single you can do something special for her yourself. 

Interested in some reading on how to set a good example, check out the Proverbs 31 Woman, this isn't there to make you feel bad about how far you are from this example, it's something to work toward and learn from that can grow us closer to God while we strive for it each day or in my case, in each scenario.  

What should we learn from the Proverbs 31 Woman?

Sort of Local Non Profit-OAC(Open Air Campaigners)

Why do I say Sort of Local?

You see when we first started supporting OAC, our friend Mark Sohmer was going to Boston, MA to open air campain.  So, that's not very local.  However, they are opening a new branch in NH and asked Mark to head that up.  You should check out his website: Sohmer Family Website

Mark is a very unique person.  He's what Gary Chapman would call a babbling brook(Yeah, this is super funny). So be sure that if you're around him you are going to use your ears a lot. That being said, he is also a very good listener about needs and desires of those around him. That is what makes him so good at his job and sharing The Gospel. He is kind, loving and respectful of all people. 

For instance, check out his Facebook site and this post here from 5/4/17.  I can't seem to link to it so I just copied and pasted it for you, the photo is on his page.

This is Quincy and Charlie, two students I met at UNH today. Quincy identified herself to me as "Pansexual." Charlie is a biological female who is transitioning to be a male. The first thing they both wanted to know was if I hated them. I told them that of course I don't hate them. We chatted for nearly half an hour about God, but mostly on sexuality. They really believe that Christians hate them and want to harm them. I assured them that should never be the case. They're made in God's image and I care for them so much and that's why I was out there, to warn them and others about the wrath of God and His amazing loving gospel. Both Quincy and Charlie warmed up considerably, and we were very friendly. I don't think they believe all Christians hate them anymore. And, as you can see in the photo, they both took gospel booklets. Jesus came to save sinners, in whatever form that sin comes in. I believe a wall was broken down between this Born-Again Christian and two members of the LGBTQA+ community, and I ask you to pray that Quincy and Charlie get saved. Afterall, God saves heterosexuals and non-heterosexuals the same way: repentance and faith. I'm so glad to have met these two on campus today.

***Update as of 10/31/17, the below came to me through one of Mark's email updates and it's relevant to his post above:

Last week on campus I ran into Quincy again!!! She had a friend with her named Celeste (who identifies as Lesbian.) Celeste saw me and got very combative immediately. Get this, because of the great bridge-building that happened last time, Quincy calmed her friend Celeste down and told her that we're okay. Then I had a superb and fruitful conversation with Quincy and Celeste. We covered a LOT of topics, all with civility. Despite disagreeing with one another, our superb conversation ended with hugs. Please pray for Quincy, Charlie, and Celeste. Honestly, I really like those guys. They just need Jesus, just like everyone does. And God is on the move and He's still rescuing the Lost. And that's exciting!


Mark is often able to explain things in a way that is truly loving about God, how we all need a savior and His name is Jesus.

For Mark it's about reaching the lost, the people who may be overlooked in our local community. People who might have preconceptions about Christianity and what a true Christian is supposed to be like.  

How did Jesus act with everyday people in the bible?  Have you ever read how he interacted with people who were outcasts in the society of His day?  He was kind and loving but truthful.

So, why don't you check out Mark's Facebook page , his website or his blog. 

So he's going to be local, what now?

Read about the new branch and watch the video he put together  : New OAC Branch in NH

He is always looking for new supporters it doesn't matter whether it's prayer, one time donation or monthly.  

I personally look forward to seeing what he can accomplish around here. 

As a side note, quite a few years ago my husband took a week long training course with OAC down with a group in Boston.  Their techniques with paint boards and Gospel tracts are super cool and interesting.  They really bring the Gospel to light in a way that some people have never seen it done before. 

Here are some Cool facts about OAC.

Luke 15

Matthew 28:19 (NIV)

19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

Lent, Good Friday & Easter! How is your Heart doing?

40 Acts Sum Up

Lent was interesting this year for me. Doing something that focuses outward instead of inward was eye opening for me. It reminded me of how big the world is around us. As I sit here distracted by my children chattering around me, I am reminded that I have beautiful, healthy children who have amazing hearts themselves. This Lent has helped me see how truly blessed I am with all I have and how people around me are as well.  It's hard to see the negativity in the world when you focus on the positive.

Let's just say I will definitely be doing 40 Acts again next year and maybe between now and then I can continue this mind set of looking for ways to help others around me.  It's hard to get out of our own ways sometimes and push ourselves outside of our comfort zones.  I have made a commitment to myself to keep choosing the path less followed.  I am hoping the unevenness of the path will help me grow.  You know that scene in Beauty in the Beast where Philippe the horse doesn't want to go down that scary path in the woods?  Well, a lot of time this is me in everyday life.  I will say that I'm at about 60% of choosing that scary path.  My first instinct is to use the smoother path, but I try to push through the rocky one instead.

How will I keep up with this?

Since I'm a procrastinator by nature I need to schedule things in order to get them done.  So I am using my google calendar and looking for other apps to remind me to do things on a daily basis. I am hoping that by adding these things I will become accustomed to it and just naturally do it.  Fingers crossed. 😉

Good Friday

My emotions were all over the place yesterday. I often feel like when that happens I'm in an emotional state I can't explain.  It could have been physical or just emotional. I think it was a combination brought on my the fact that it was Good Friday.  As I drove through downtown Rochester yesterday, there was a group walking through town carrying a cross.  I've seen them do this before during Good Friday.  A representation of what it looked like for Jesus carrying the cross up to the top of that beautifully dreadful hill. When was the last time you read the story of Easter week, specifically Good Friday into the Resurrection?  If it's been awhile check out the passages below:

Matthew,Mark,Luke,John

The part that affects me the most is where Jesus is so distressed that he sweats blood. This is a real thing, Hematidrosis. Extreme physical or emotional stress causes this condition.  Can you imagine knowing what you were going to have to go through over the next couple of days like Jesus did? He cried out to God, like so many of us do. But if you notice, He did something not a lot of us in turmoil do, he asked for God's will to be done, not ours. He pleaded for this to be taken away, but only if it was God's will.  Often times in trials we ask for God to take them away from us, for our will not His.  He often takes these trials, as hard as they are, and uses them for His Glory!  What a concept!

Not just sweating blood, but how about being betrayed by those you know love you. Ouch!  How about being spit on and mocked?  How about having being scourged. I'm not gonna tell you to look this up.  This was an awful punishment. If you've seen The Passion of the Christ movie, they show this scene. How about after all this hate and punishment having to carry your own cross up to the place where you know you are going to die and doing it willingly and with a heart that soars because you know that is what God wants from you?  

Wow. Always in Awe of the cross!

EASTER

Ever wondered where got all these traditions surrounding bunnies and eggs when it has nothing to do with the true meaning of Easter?  Here's a great video for you: Easter Sunday-Bunnies and Eggs?

I struggled with these traditions when we had our kids.  I knew that my kids would want to enjoy traditions like this, but I didn't want them to take away from the true meaning of the season.  I also didn't want to be a buzz kill.  So I did some research and found a couple of things that worked for us.  One of them is Resurrection Eggs.  You can buy them at Amazon: Resurrection Eggs or at other Christian based websites.  Or, if DIY is your thing, there are a few links for that as well.  Here is one of them: DIY Resurrection Eggs

I also found that getting this book: What is Easter? By Michelle Medlock Adams helped me to feel like I was explaining to the kids that bunnies, egg hunts, dressing up and food were all fun and good things but it's not the true reason our family celebrates.  She has a few other books regarding other holidays that are really great too.

These days I try to go with the flow of my kids, since they are at separate ages and stages in their faith. I try to engage them together but separately while always trying to find God Moments in everyday life to bring up the cross.

Easter is a time for new life and celebration for He is Risen! 

We live in such a fallen world. It's hard to realize that if not for the sacrifice of Jesus we couldn't go to the Father. The thought of a world without forgiveness is awful. I know I'm not good enough, I know I will never be good enough. But... the cross means forgiveness. If we lay ourselves humbly at the foot of the cross and turn toward God we can be always in his Grace and Mercy.

I look forward to a day where I see his face and understand all the things of this world that confuse me are explained.  Until then, I bask in the rays of His love and sacrifice.

How's your heart?  

Mine is free.

Here are a few song links that are my favorites, not only at Easter but all year round.

My Victory

Christ is Risen

God's Not Dead

John 3:16

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

Romans 12: Love in Action, Living Sacrifice, Humble Service

Beauty and the Beast Movie Review 2017

If someone told me, even a couple of years ago, that I would be writing a review about a live action Disney movie I would have laughed out loud.

I debated whether or not to write about this.  In the end I decided to just go for it.  

I had read a lot of reviews about this movie before it even came out.  Then all the boycott posts and articles came out.  I always take these things with a grain of salt. Ever wonder where that expression came from? Click here to find out.  I love facts like this.

While perusing Facebook one day, I came across an article that someone had shared. Someone whom I have great trust in his teachings from previous experience. Here is the article.

http://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/why-christians-can-calm-down-about-beauty-and-the-beast.html?utm_content=buffer7a930

Now I'm not saying I would even write what this person did or have the same exact feelings about it as they do, but I gotta tell you that they make a lot of good points in it.

I was going to go see Beauty and the Beast with my daughter(who is 6) along with other family members, without even reading the reviews.  Let's be honest, reviews are subjective in nature.  We all see movies in a different way.  I'm not a critic, in the professional sense.  I just like to be entertained.  Maybe I have low expectations, but I think going into a movie with another person's review on your mind might not be the best idea.  

NOTE: That doesn't mean that I wont look at a trusted review of a movie from Plugged In by Focus on the Family before taking my kids to a movie I think might not be appropriate, or even going to the movies with my husband and checking for nudity or sex. 

So, where does this leave us?  Well, as a parent there are some things that can wait until they are an appropriate age to discuss, depending on the child of course.  In this case, it's a Disney movie and as adults I think we over think things.  My daughter didn't ask any questions about the "controversial" scenes in the movie. The adults with me and around me giggled a little, and so did I.  

This is the world we live in people.  Are we going to hide from the world or try to be lights in it?  Look at this as an opportunity to teach your children how you and your family feel and how God sees things in our society today.  Teach them that when something is different we aren't called to judge.  Teach them that we are called to love, no matter how we feel about something.  Be a light, heck be a lighthouse for your kids.  If WE don't show them the way and talk with them about things going on in society then someone else will, believe me, and then you never know what information they are receiving.

One more note about the movie.... did you see the original?  Lefou was over the top in that one too, I think we just didn't hear much about it then because they were animated characters. 

I love Beauty and the Beast, it is my all time favorite Disney Animated Film. Maybe that is one of the reasons I wasn't going to let someone tell me how to think about it. Then again, when do I ever let someone else tell me how to think? :)

If you don't know how to talk with your kids about these things, you aren't ready yet? Don't see it until you do know. Decide how you feel about these subjects and how you are going to explain it to your kids.  There are a lot of good resources out there. This one is put out by Focus on the Family: True Tolerance.  I love the scenarios and the responses, how loving and kind they are.

I want to encourage you to look up the original definition of Tolerance, not the current one.  You don't have to approve of something to tolerate(or endure) it.  It's okay to have differences of opinions as long as you are respectful of other people in the process.  Be kind, be loving.  

Go see Beauty and the Beast, but be ready to talk if it comes up.  I bet it won't if your kid is under a certain age.

Until next time!

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

Book Review, The Anxious Christian- Can God Use Your Anxiety For Good? by Rhett Smith

I received this book through the Moody Publishers Blogger Review Program for free in exchange for an honest review.

I gotta tell you when I picked this book I was really excited to get it in the mail as soon as possible. I was hoping it would arrive in time for my vacation, but alas the order was misplaced and they had to send it again. I received it after vacation and tried to get into it right away as I wanted to get this review and blog post done sooner rather than later. 

With getting back into the swing of normal life after vacation, it took me a lot longer to pick up the book and start.  When I did start it felt like pulling teeth to read through the first couple of chapters.  You see, it's a non fiction book, which are hard for me to read anyway, but it's also because the author himself isn't a prolific writer. His style is that of an amateur writer and a bit fragmented. I was disappointed at first but then I remember how I pushed through to read Corrie Ten Boom's autobiography called The Hiding Place and how glad I was after I got through chapter 5 and the book really took off.

Once I got into Chapter 3 of The Anxious Christian, I caught myself teary eyed and engaged because it was like at times I could have been writing the book. The words in his book are often things that I have said to myself or others in the past. 

The author references another Author, William Bridges' in his book Transitions: Making Sense of Life's Changes. He talks to something pointedly about the distinction between change and transition. 

Our society confuses them constantly, leading us to imagine that transition is just another word for change. But it isn't.... Change is situational. Transition, on the other hand, is psychological. It is not those events, but rather inner re-orientation and self-redefinition that you have to go through in order to incorporate any of those changes in your life. Without a transition, a change is just a rearrangement of the furniture. Unless transition happens, the change won't work, because it doesn't "take". Whatever word we use, our society talks a lot about change, but it seldom deals with transition.

This is where he talks about his Epiphany of what Exodus 17:1 says about the Israelites journeying through stages in the wilderness and likens the fact that we are people in the wilderness that are constantly in transition and change, with small respites from it. One of the reasons we experience anxiety is that God is persistently trying to move us through the wilderness, because it is in the wilderness that we are most dependent on Him, it is in the wilderness experience that God shapes us into the people He desires us to become.(pages 44-45)

He also states previously that when we experience anxiety we are in a place where freedom is opened up for us, by God. We can choose to run and hide or we can choose to embrace the anxiety and through the embracing, grow closer to God and where he wants us to be. He also states that this is NOT an easy thing, if it was then Philippians 4:6 would cure all of our worries.

I've never been one to do the exercises at the end of chapters of these types of books. With this book I did do a lot of them in my head that lead me to a lot of deep thought about my past and what could have contributed to feelings and habits I still do today.

I really enjoyed the way he explains how we get stuck in a rut.  He speaks to how when running there are two paths, one path is more easy to navigate, it's been worn down , we know it well and it's great. The second path is full of rocks, harder to navigate with lots of obstacles.  Over time our brains wire themselves this way as well. We have the easy path and the hard one. We tend to choose the one that creates the least anxiety, the one without option for failure. But when we do this we avoid growing. 

I enjoyed his use of Robert Frost here:  Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.

I was encouraged with the fact that his book is peppered with scripture and quotes from well know theologians and scholars. 

I've been looking at this book as a growth experience. I've been trying to use my anxiety for good change and personal growth. The problem there lies in the transition.  I've always hated change, felt unwell in my skin in those times of change, especially large changes. For example in my life: Moving out on my own for the first time, getting married, getting pregnant, being diagnosed with gestational diabetes, dealing with high blood pressure issues while pregnant, having a horrible birthing experience, postpartum depression, weight gain, struggling with not wanting more children but my husband did, making the decision to have another child, having another horrible pregnancy, losing weight after the 2nd pregnancy and feeling great only to discover it was a short respite and then back to diabetes, buying a house, having both children in school, understanding where to go from here. 

So, do I recommend the book?  Yes, it's a good one. The author starts out slow but moves forward with some great tools to move yourself forward. He speaks to wrestling with God, with creating space and boundaries, getting intentional, refining relationships and seeking help.

In an society where there is so many people facing anxiety we need a book like this to help us overcome fear and stigma.