How great it must have been to have people marvel at your understanding of Scripture at age 12?
When did they stop applauding?
Was it when you made them uncomfortable?
Did they fold their arms in defiance?
Who leveled the first unkind word that pierced your heart?
Thank you for giving up the applause of others for me.

How great it must have been to meet so many different people from every walk of life.
Was there ever a tender moment when your heart skipped a beat for someone kind who had a pretty smile?
What was her name?
Did you ever wonder if true love was a part of the Father’s will for you?
Did you ask?
Was your heart ever sad about that?
Thank you for giving up human love for me.

How great it must have been to get a platform to speak to religious leaders!
Did you envision winning them over as you correctly divided the Word of Truth?
When did you realize they would probably never get it?
Were you tempted to quit?
What kept you moving forward?
Thank you for giving up earthly political power for me.

How awful it must have been in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Was it the final nail in the coffin of your human will?
Did your body and mind scream?
Is this why you had to learn obedience through the things that you suffered?
Was this the final test?
Thank you for dying to yourself first so you could die for me next.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Posted: April 1st, 2010 under Faith, Lisa Barry.
Comments: 1

If you were the only Chrisitan on earth, would Christianity survive?  It’s a powerful question that has challenged me my whole life.  If you’d like to find some helpful hints on how to share your faith in Jesus Christ, click into this:  Ways to share your faith.

Here’s another:  5 clicks to sharing your faith.

Posted: October 24th, 2009 under Faith.
Comments: 1

Check out this powerful video of what it could be like when the rapture happens on earth.

Posted: October 6th, 2009 under Faith.
Comments: 7

Spiritual surgery is more painful than physical surgery. God doesn’t use an anesthetic; He doesn’t do His work while we are asleep. God can take any brokenhearted believer and make him or her a radiant, loving person. But when He performs such “heart operations,” His children are wide awake.

Erwin W. Lutzer

Posted: October 6th, 2009 under Faith.
Comments: none

I was thinking today…what if our lives were visible to everyone through television.  They could see everything we were doing but the sound was turned completely off.  What would they learn about our priorities and our faith from what they saw if they couldn’t hear our words?  Hmmmmm.

Stanley Hauerwas said “Most of us professing Christians, from liberals to fundamentalists, remain practical atheists in most of our lives.”

Posted: September 15th, 2009 under Faith.
Comments: 2

Posted: August 21st, 2009 under Faith, Home.
Comments: none

This is a great time of year to decide what you want to invest in, personally.  Most of us would like to know the Bible more, but just don’t know where to begin or which study is best.  Here are my top 3 recommendations, beyond those you may have in your own home church.

BSF – Bible Study Fellowship   This is great if you want a real meaty study of the Bible.  It has daily homework and a fair amount of reading.   You’ll love it if you’re ready for a serious commitment.   Click on the following link and then select “BSF Classes” and then “locate a class” on the left hand column.   http://www.bsfinternational.org/

CBS – Community Bible Study   This is a lot like BSF but if you want a study that’s a little more relaxed without quite as much homework this is for you.  Click on the following link and then at the top of the page, click on “Ministries and Classes”  then “find a class”  http://www.communitybiblestudy.org/

Alpha -  If you want to know more about what the Christian beliefs are or don’t have a lot of background in the Christian faith,  this is a great study.  It’s relaxed, interactive, practical and very popular.  Click the following link  for the Alpha website and then in the upper right hand corner click on “find a course”.  http://www.alphausa.org/

Posted: August 20th, 2009 under Faith, Home.
Comments: none

If you’re looking for a parenting resource from a Christian perspective, here are 5 of the top rated courses.

Posted: August 20th, 2009 under Faith, Home, Parenting.
Comments: none

1. Suffering comes with the freedom to choose. The freedom to choose is at the heart of what it means to be human. A world without choice would be worse than a world without pain. Worse yet would be a world where people who make wrong choices cannot feel any pain or the result of their sometimes harmful decisions.

Read more »

Posted: July 6th, 2009 under Faith.
Comments: 4

Growing up, going to church was an important weekly ritual. It’s wasn’t great. Not terrible. My parents required my attendance in church until I was in 9th grade and then it was my choice whether to go or not. I chose not to. I still prayed on occasion, but mainly asked God to make me more popular at school and to make me irrisistible to the boy I had a crush on that week. Read more »

Posted: June 28th, 2009 under Faith.
Comments: 5