Queen Yu-Na: Hope of a Nation

"Queen Yu-Na" 2010 Olympic gold medalist figure skater representing South Korea, (top left), Medal Ceremony with top three women medal winners (top right). Silver medalist, Mao Asada of Japan (pictured buttom left), and Bronze medalist Joannia Rochette of Canada.


I did not mean to, but last night I stayed up to midnight to watch the Ladies Figure Skating competition. It has a historic event for several reasons. All of the ladies who competed did an excellent job, but it was the last hour or so of the event when the medal contenders skated that was the most exciting.

The young ladies ranged in age from 16 - 19 and represented the United States, Canada, Japan and South Korea. The favorite to win the gold medal was Kim Ya-Na from South Korea. Korea has only had one athlete when a medal in the Winter Olympics, so this opportunity for an Olympic gold medal took on a special significance to people of that country. Kim is referred to as "Queen Yu-Na" in South Korea and is an institution. Since she is such an outstanding and award winning athlete she markets all kinds of products in South Korea and even has her own clothing line.

Kim left South Korea and trains in Canada and that has made her an Olympic gold medalist. She had to leave her home and go where she could be trained by the best. There was an enormous amount of pressure on Kim to perform well. Even at her young age she knows how you can be a star in the public eye's on moment, and a villain the next. It has been reported that Kim even received death threats if she did not win the gold medal. How did a 19 year old girl become the hope of her nation? I have to admit, that I do not know that much about South Korea, but I will speculate that the people of that country had the great desire to be number 1 in the world at something. All countries do.

Kim has been preparing for the Olympics her entire life. She had to stay calm and confident while skating. She knew the eyes of the world were on her, and most importantly the judges where watching her every move. One tiny mistake, points would be deducted from her score and all her sacrafice, and years of hard work could of all been for nothing. It seemed to me the only option Kim had was to win the gold, nothing less would do.

Kim gave and performed her best and has set new world records in her sport. She also out performed rival Mao Asada from Japan. Historically there as been animosity between the two countries, but last night's historic event, and the grace in which the two athletes responded and how each of their respected country's responded illustrated that relations can improve.

Joannie Rochette was in her home country as a competitor which was a blessing for her because her mother suffered a massive heart attack and died two days before the figure skating competion started. Joannie showed an incredible amount of strength and courage and her fellow countrymen and women where there to support her through a very unexpected difficult time.

If these three young ladies inspire hope, grace, strength, and perseverance, how much more does our loving savior Jesus Christ inspire Christians? Jesus left heaven and came to Earth as a human being to live among us. He learned everything he could from those in his life who taught him. When his ministry began, he spoke with great wisdom and compassion, and when necessary he rebuked those who were wrong. He was a nobody, from a small poor village that nobody cared about. Once he became popular among the people, the leaders of the Jewish people began to "judge" him harshly. He knew his purpose and he knew he would be on the cross, and he knew he would have the sins of the whole world on him. Now, that is pressure, the salvation of humanity was on him. He was our only hope, nothing less than perfection would do.

We are once again about to celebrate Easter and as we do, it is a good time to read, or read again the four gospels and focus on the teachings of Jesus and the events leading up to his death and his resurrection. We have to have hope. We cannot give up just because what we face is difficult. One thing I saw while watching the Ladies Figure Skating competition was seeing young ladies fall during their performances. They got back up and skated to the best of their abilities. They may not have won a medal, but they are still at the top of their sport and the best from their respective countries. Winning an Olympic medal is one of the greatest things a person can achieve, but being a loving witness of Jesus Christ and winning souls to the kingdom of God is the most important things we can do as Christians. So, as we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, let us inspire hope, tell others of the wonderful grace of Jesus Christ, depend on God's strength to be like Christ, and persevere until Jesus' return.

Going for the Gold

I am not a huge fan of the Winter Olympics, but when I learned of a young athletes death during practice in Vancouver, Canada, I did tune in to learn more. I understand the devotion, dedication and sacrifice athletes and their families make to qualify to compete in the Olympic games and my heart went out to the young man's parents who died in a blink of an eye after years of training and sacrifice.

I am from Detroit, Michigan, but I was not exposed to many of the winter sports that are a part of the winter Olympic games and that is one reason why I do not enjoy them nearly as much as the summer games. Also, I do not understand the point of some of the sports in the winter games. It seems to me that people are risking their lives to be able to fly in the air on skies, snow boards, or ice skates for a few seconds of air born freedom. I may not total "get it" but I do respect people's choices, and there is no doubt in my mind that the people in these sports our extremely talented athletes.

One thing I do not like about the Olympic games in general is that there can only be one gold medalist in each category. The public usually only remembers and embraces the gold medalist. Oh, I "get it" but I often wonder about all the other athletes, those that won medals, and those that did not. Their years of training and going without so many other things so they could focus on their sport, just to make it to the Olympics and not win. Was it worth it? Did they not work as hard as the gold medalist? How does it feel to give everything you've got and still fall short of your goal? It hurts, I am not an olympic athlete, but I know that.

As I watch the games I see athletes who have won a silver or bronze medal and are not satisfied. They lash out at the person who has won in the media, or they promise to return in four years to win the gold medal. They want to be number one. The truth is no one is number one long in sports, there's always someone else, younger (not always but usually) stronger, and more talented ready to take the number one spot. But while the athlete is number one they can take advantage of so many opportunities that can extend their fame and be profitable to them personally. So is winning the gold medal about being the best in one's sport, or reaping the fame and financial rewards when you do? Personally, I think it is the love of the sport first (Who could go through all of that preparation if it wasn't?), but for some individuals they get caught up in the fame and glory of it all.

The thing I love about being a child of God is that he has enough love for all of us to be number one. We do not have to compete with anyone else for the top spot, we already have it. Of course we may not feel this way because there is no news media broadcasting our great feats, no adoring fans, and no cheering crowds to validate our hard work and expertise of execution. Most of the times there are now rewards ceremonies and no fame and fortune for what we have done. It is easy to allow ourselves to think that way. If we do we are making the mistake of choosing the world's view of reward and success.

My mother has not been feeling very well over the last two weeks. We have learned what the problem is and it is very serious. For those of you who don't know, my mom has had cancer and two bone marrow transplants. We as a family have been through so much, and we face this new health challenge with our faith in God.

Yesterday, Dad took mom to a church function. It was the first time she had been out of the house since the two blizzards with the exception of doctors visits. She had asked me earlier in the week could I clean her bathroom. She was in so much pain she could not do it herself. So, yesterday morning (Saturday) they got up, and headed to church. Once they were out of the house I got to work. To clean mom's bathroom means taking out all the equipment in that room that she needs. Is there any glory in cleaning a toilet? Once I got the bathroom under control, I washed my parents bed linen. Do they give out gold medals for changing bed linens? I made their bed, washed their clothes, folded them, but them away and then reorganized my mom's closet. I emptied all their trash cans, put away all her medicine bottles, cleaned off her dresser, and vacuumed the floor. I did everything that needed to be done. In all it took me four hours to do the job right.

There were no crowds cheering me on as I worked. No coaches on the sidelines providing last minute instructions. It was just me, but as I was working I remember waking up on Saturday mornings smelling cooked bacon or sausage and running down to the kitchen to eat breakfast. My parents would get my brother and I dressed and we would all pile in our family car. Dad would drop mom off at one of her friends house who had just had a baby, or had been sick and spend the whole day at her house cleaning and cooking for her. In the meantime dad took us, and sometimes the children of mom's friend, for a day at the park. Mom wasn't there four hours, she was there all day. She had cleaned and cooked at her own house, and the one day of the week when her husband was home (we always went to church on Sundays) she had decided to help out a friend. Where was her gold medal? In the thanks of her friend and the smiles of her children and husband at the end of the day with McDonalds for dinner (mom has never liked McDonalds, but it meant she did not have to cook dinner for us, and dad wasn't very good at cooking).

When my parents returned from the church event they had attended mom was so happy their bed was made. She was worn out and needed to rest. She immediately used her clean bathroom and laid down to rest. She was happy with all I had done. She had not asked me to clean her room. She did not have to. I knew it had to be done. I got her something to drink, and the TV remote and we talked for about 20 minutes and then see fell off to sleep. That was my reward, my gold medal.

Each one of us does things that help others in our lives. It may seem as if it is all for nothing at times, but it is not. We may not get recognition or rewards, but God knows what we do to be a blessing to others, and that is what matters most. We cannot allow the world's view of what is important, or successful or worthy of fame or fortune cloud our judgement. We have to focus on what is eternal.

King David wrote about the true value of gold in Psalms 19:

1 The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2 Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they display knowledge.

3 There is no speech or language
where their voice is not heard.

4 Their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun,

5 which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion,
like a champion rejoicing to run his course.

6 It rises at one end of the heavens
and makes its circuit to the other;
nothing is hidden from its heat.

7 The law of the LORD is perfect,
reviving the soul.
The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.

8 The precepts of the LORD are right,
giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the LORD are radiant,
giving light to the eyes.

9 The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever.
The ordinances of the LORD are sure
and altogether righteous.

10 They are more precious than gold,
than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
than honey from the comb.

11 By them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.

12 Who can discern his errors?
Forgive my hidden faults.

13 Keep your servant also from willful sins;
may they not rule over me.
Then will I be blameless,
innocent of great transgression.

14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,
O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

In 1 Peter 1: 6-9 we read:

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

So as you go about your daily duties and work, think how much you are adding to the kingdom of God. Your attitude and actions are a witness to those around you and and blessing to them and you. You are a gold medalist.

The Best in Show

Sadie the Scottish Terrier was the "Top Dog", winning the 2010 Westminster Dog show last night (Tuesday, February 16, 2010). It was the 134th show in the organization's history and Sadie is a dog that is a true champion. Sadie is four years old and she has won over 100 competitions. She can say the words "hot dog" and "cookie" in five languages. Just look at her, she's well behaved and groomed better than most human beings, and lives the good life, but works hard for it.

To be a "Top Dog" and the "Best in Show" each participant has to compete at a number of dog shows and win the "Best in Breed" title first before becoming the most outstanding dog of the year. The owners of these dogs spend thousands of dollars on trainers, groomers, handlers, breeders, and veterinarians. There's also the cost of food, housing, traveling, and much more. When the dogs are competing the spectators are seeing millions of dollars and thousands of hours spent by the dogs' owners on preparing their dog to be the "Top Dog" but there is only one Westminster "Best in Show" each year.

Please remember I am talking about dogs, not people. If dogs can be trained to perform in an excellent way in front of thousands of people then what is stopping so many people from being and doing their best? I think one reason is that people do not know who they belong to. Each person on Earth was bought with the life of Jesus Christ and have all been adopted into the family of God. We are all children of the great "I AM." The problem is that many people do not know or believe this and refuse to accept the gift of salvation and receive Jesus Christ as their Savior. God does not force anyone to do something they do not want to do. So, if people decide they do not want to be part of the body of Christ, then they are not and they do not know how much they are loved and how special they truly are. If people do not know this truth, they may believe lies about themselves and do things that are harmful to themselves and/or others.

One thing I am always reminded of when I see a dog show is that dogs historically all had jobs that helped people live better. As I was watching the Westminster Dog Show last night I was reminded of this fact. I found it amazing. A dog's size, body structure, hair (straight, curly, long, short, etc), type of paws, type of tail all determine what kind of job a dog did. There are dogs with webbed feet and dense curly hair that were used to retrieve ducks from the rivers and streams that their masters shot down while hunting. There are dogs that were "ratters" which means they caught and killed rats on farms. The list goes on and on. I also learned that many years ago people learned how to breed dogs so they could create the dogs they needed to train for specific tasks. In todays society most dogs are pets, but there are many that still have lots of work to do.

Hmm. If dogs, have a job, a purpose that is helpful to others, how much more do we as humans have a purpose? Each one of us has a Godly purpose and God himself designed us for that purpose. We each have everything we need to fulfill what we are supposed to be doing. Too bad many of us get side tracked because we think we are not smart enough, strong enough, pretty enough or talented enough to do what we are supposed to do. Not knowing who we are is one problem many people have, but the other is knowing who we are, but refusing to do what God has called us to do.

Okay, so what does it take to be a "Top Dog" to be the "Best in Show?" The very first thing is love. The owners of these dogs have to love them very much, an abused dog could never perform in such an excellent way. The second thing is obedience. To be a "Top Dog" Sadie had to obey her master and trainers. Third, it takes practice, discipline, determination, and perseverance to be the very best. Yes, I am still talking about Sadie. If Sadie did not have the characteristics to compete, her master would of still loved her, but she would not be the 2010 Westminster champion.

God loves each person so much more than a master could possibly love their dog. God loves us so much that he sent he only son Jesus to die for our sins. Our sin debt has been paid in full. As Christians we need to receive the love God has given us, listen to and read his word and be obedient to it. To be obedient means following instructions not from our master, but from our Abba (loving) father, who wants only the best for us. He made us, he loves us, and he wants us to know him and to mature as a child of God so we will be blessed and be a blessing to others.

Jeremiah 29:11 reads, "He knows what He's doing. He has it all planned out; to take care of me; to give me the future I hoped for."

President's Day

President Barack Obama praying (pictured).

Today is President's Day and many government offices and agencies, and businesses are off today in observance of this holiday. This was a holiday break I had prepared for, as we have an entire bulletin board display up in the library at my school with an informational list of all U.S. Presidents, with additional information about our current President, Barack Obama.

As an intercessor I have learned many things about prayer, and something I learned about many years ago was to pray for our leaders. A leader is the person who guides a family, an organization, a business or a government. All leaders need to be held up in prayer because all of their decisions impact everyone that they lead.

Leaders need to have a number of quality characteristics to be good leaders. This characteristic should include intelligence, honesty, integrity, wisdom, charity, kindness, motivation, and vision. In our society today it seems like greed and the thirst for more power and fame are the main characteristics of many of our leaders. I think of the governor of South Carolina, and senator John Edwards, and the two recently former mayors of Detroit, Michigan, and Baltimore, Maryland, just to name a few. I do not think these people realize how deeply their selfless and foolish actions have hurt the people that they were elected to serve and to guide.

Serve. What an interesting term. To serve means to protect, to work for, to help and assist. This is the one idea, the one character trait that I think many elected officials have totally forgotten. As Congress fights over universal health care (as it has done since the Clinton administration) how many people in the U.S. have died due to poor medical treatment, or no medical treatment at all? Why is medical care so expensive? Why do so many citizens have to choose between getting their medicine or eating? The list of issues and questions goes on and on, and the leadership of this country many times creates even more problems than it solves.

It seems like our elected officials, the most educated and usually the wealthiest citizens in this country, cannot seem to serve the people of this country very well. Why? Is it because the Republicans hate the Democrats? Is it because for the first time in U.S. history we have an African American president? Or, is it much more simplistic than all of those reasons? Could it be a simple matter of greed? Think for a moment. Focus on the problems we have, not the personalities, or the politics, or the media, but the real problems, and many times it is only truly one issue, the lack of proper resources to get the job done right. Another word for resources is money. The leaders of our country are responsible for using our resources to best serve us. Do they do that? I will allow you to ponder that question.

The most important thing for us to do is pray for our leaders, be well informed about all the issues, and become experts about the issues that impact us directly. Finally, we need to be politically active and do so in wisdom. The most important thing is that we vote for individuals and the issues and be well informed when we do. We should not vote based on emotions but on true facts. I know it is very hard to know what the truth is, but if we seek it, pray about it, we will know what it is.

If you want to know more about the importance of leadership and service, the BIble is the best place to look. In Mark 9:35 Jesus sets the example, "Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, 'If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.' If the leaders of this world followed the teachings of Jesus, we would be living in a very different (and better) world today.

Enjoy the day and remember to pray for out president and all of our leaders. Take care!

Black History Month

There are many celebrations during the month of Febrary. One of the celebrations is Black History Month. I have a minor in Black History Studies from Penn State, so this is a topic that is near and dear to me. I know that for many it is not, and I know that, and respect others' opinions. One thing I do love about the African American experience is our variety of expressions. One such expression is the Negro spiritual, which dates back to the time of slavery. This tradition was one of faith, struggle, communication, and a means to protection and freedom. Many times slaves would use these Nergro spirituals (songs) to share information with each other without their masters knowlege, and they were also used to give runaway slaves important information so they would not be captured.

One such Negro spiritaul is "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands." It is a simple song, and it is still true today. We live in a world that seems very out of control, stressful, and violent. There are problems all over the globe. We have leaders of govenerment and industry that put their own selfness needs first, and we have people in the media that very seldom tell the truth. It can be very overwhelming at any moment. How is it possible to have faith in such troubled times? The only way is to remember who God is and that he's got everything and everyone in his hands. There is nothing that has happened, is happening, or going to happen that God does not know about. You may ask, "If God knows about it, why does he let bad things happen?" I do not know the answer to that, but I do know that God gives us free will. He allows us to make our own choices, and if we are not obeying him and operating outside of his will for us, we will have more trouble in our lives than we can handle.

We must remember God's promises to us. One of them is the promise of security. John 10:27-29 states, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish. My father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand."

One thing I will recommend, that a pastor recommended to his church, is to include singing during your private prayer time. You can start with "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands." You have nothing to worry about, and nothing to fear because there is nothing greater than God and he loves you very much. Slaves knew that so many years ago and the song is still sung today because it is true. As you embrace God, embrace the wonderful gifts that people who have lived before us have given us. They made it through the storms of life and so can we, because we are in God's hands.

The lyrics of "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands"

He's got the whole world in his hands,
He's got the whole world in his hands,
He's got the whole world in his hands,
He's got the whole world in his hands.

He's got the wind and the rain in his hands,
He's got the wind and the rain in his hands,
He's got the wind and the rain in his hands,
He's got the whole world in his hands.

He's got the little tiny baby in his hands,
He's got the little tiny baby in his hands,
He's got the little tiny baby in his hands,
He's got the whole world in his hands.

He's got you and me in his hands,
He's got you and me in his hands,
He's got you and me in his hands,
He's got the whole world in his hands.

If you have never heard this song, or don't know the melody, please click on the link below. Feel free to change the nouns in the song to make it more meaningful to you.

A Valentine's Day Message

In the last seven days the people who live in the Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia, Pennsylvania, and Delaware have lived through two blizzards. Schools, businesses and even the federal government have all been shut down for almost a week. Now, we are in recovery mode. Streets have been plowed, but still very dangerous, roofs have collapsed under the weight and pressure of snow and ice, power lines have been down and people are still without power, and trees are down every where. These harsh weather conditions have not been limited to the east coast. There have been reports of harsh winter weather all over the country with snow falling in places it usually never snows like in Florida, Alabama and Texas.

In the midst of so much difficulty and upset to our usual routines, it is hard to remember that Sunday, February 14th is Valentine's Day. Valentine's Day, like all holidays has a history and customs, and has been highly commercialized, but what is most important is that it is a time that we focus on love. Love is the greatest gift one person one can give to another, and many times it's not all flowers, candy, and pretty soft stuff animals holding hearts. In fact true unconditional love is much more than romance, it is something that requires much more from each of us.

Unconditional love means we put those in our lives we love first. Jesus is the perfect example of this. He was the son of God. He was perfect in every way. God sent Jesus to Earth so save humankind. Jesus did nothing but show love to other people, but in the end the world rejected him. Right before Jesus was to be taken as a prisoner he was alone and praying. He knew the great pain was coming and he did not want to go through it. He was blameless, but he was about to take on the sins of the whole world and it was going to be beyond horrible. In his moment of sheer terror and weakness he asked God his father if this cup could be pass from him, but before the question was totally out of his lips he said, "Let your will be done."

How many times have you had to change your plans to care for someone else? How many times have you been interrupted to handle something that you did not cause? How many times have you had to clean up a mess that someone else has created? How many times have you been blamed for something that you did not do? What was your response? Was it anger? If it was, that is totally understandable, but give that anger to God and allow him to replace it with love. Love is doing the right thing at the right time, for the right reasons. If we rely on God, then we will know what the right thing is. Love does not mean letting people walk all over you or to allow others to take advantage of you.

So this Valentine's Day, cherish the people that you love in your life. Do something special. It doesn't have to be hearts and candy, it could be doing something special together. If you are alone, remember that you are never alone and receive the love God has for you. Once you know how much God loves you, you can do something nice for someone else. When love unconditionally, you do it without expecting anything in return, and that's true love.

Happy Valentine's Day and remember what it says in Matthew 28:20 "I am always with you."

Special Note: this post is dedicated to a good friend and his family, Mr. Ben Craig

Is anything too hard for the Lord?

Is anything too hard for the Lord? It is a question that the Lord asked Abraham. It is an interesting question, but the Lord asked Abraham this question at a very pivotial time in Abraham's life. You see God had called Abraham to leave his people, his land and all they he knew to follow God and start a new nation.

Abraham had done what God had asked but he had made some mistakes along the way. The first mistake was not completely following what God had told him to do. God told him to leave his family and go to establish a new nation. Well his nephew Lot tagged along. I don't believe it was Abraham's idea, and he probably loved his nephew, but he should have asked God about it or better yet, just said no. Why? That's easy, Lot caused Abraham all kinds of trouble, but I have to give Lot credit, he was smart, he realized that Abraham was blessed, and by just being around Abraham he was also blessed, but he wasn't wise enough to stay out of trouble, or to keep Abraham from being impacted by his mistakes.

The second mistake Abraham made was being afraid of someone he thought was more powerful and rich than he was. While traveling through Egypt, the Pharoh noticed how beautiful Abraham's wife, Sarah, was and wanted her for his very own. When questioned about Sarah Abraham said Sarah was his sister instead of his wife. So, Pharoh took Sarah for his wife. Before Pharoh could get all close and personal God came to Pharoh, now remember Pharoh did not believe in Abraham's God and this was way before Moses's time, and told him if he touched Sarah he and his kingdom would be in big trouble. What God said worked because Pharoh wasted no time giving Sarah back to Abraham, plus gave him gold, goods, and servants (this is where Hagar probably came from) and told him to get through Egypt and along his way. Pharoh may have been over a whole kingdom, and entire army, and weathly, but God, who called Abraham made all that Pharoh had. To God Pharoh was a small fry, but to Abraham he was a moutain. Abraham should of been focused on God instead of Pharoh and that's how he made his second crucial mistake.

Abraham's thrid mistake was listening to bad advice from someone he trusted, his wife Sarah. You see, God had promised Abraham he would be the father of a great nation, the only problem was he and Sarah had no children because she was barren. The Bible always focuses on Abraham, but I want to put the spot light on Sarah for just a moment. Okay, she was young and in love with a man who loved her, but moved her from place to place, and gave her away to an Egyptian king. Then she had to set by and watch while other women (mainly her maid servants) get married and had children and were so happy, and she was happy too, at first, but then year after year, it was always someone else having a baby, always someone else's turn. Sarah had a husband, she had wealth, she appeared to have everything but the one thing she truly wanted, children. The pain and isolation she must of felt must at times been overwhelming. Sarah wasn't crazy, even in her time people knew that women only had a certain amount of time to have children, and as the years went by Sarah's pain probably only increased and the promise God had made to her husband must of felt like a cruel joke.

Was it Abraham's promise alone? Why would God promise Abraham something and not Sarah? Abraham and Sarah were married,so that means that they were one, so the promise was to both of them, but why would God make a promise and then not bless them with children?

The Bible does not say that Sarah prayed, but I get the impression that God never spoke to Sarah, because it is not recorded in the Bible. I am also beginning to think that Abraham did not speak to Sarah about the things that hurt her heart because Sarah doubted God's promise. She was focused on the natural, just as Abraham had done in Egypt. Abraham set a bad example for Sarah, and apparently never addressed it with her because she did the same thing he did. She took her eyes off God and placed them on what is humanly possible,and she knew she could never have a child, and after years of pain, disappointment, and isoluation, and a lack of teaching and compassion she came up with a plan to make sure God's promise came true.

I don't know exactly what Sarah was going through, but I have a very good idea. I've known this story almost my whole life, but as each year passes, I understand it more and more. Sarah loved her husband and being childless was very painful for both of them. The Bible does not directly state this, but it is implied through the the things that were said and the actions that were taken. Sarah decided to have her maid servant Hagar sleep with Abraham and have a child through her. It was Sarah's plan, but Abraham went along with it. Why? Now that's the million dollar question. Was it because Hagar was so beautiful? Was it because Abraham lacked faith himself? The plan made sense to him. I am sure Abraham was very hurt by not having children as well. Pain and disappointment are two hard things to face, and it is something this couple had dealt with for years.

Abraham agreed to Sarah's plan because he wanted God's promise. He wanted a son. He wanted children so badly, and had waited so long for them, that this plan seemed to make sense to him. No one stopped and asked God's opinion about it. I can imagine they were both angry with God in a way. They probably felt God forgot about his promise to them, and that hurt too. We have to be careful when we are in pain. Our judgement is off and we may make bad decisions. It's best to step back and get all the facts first, and pray and listen to what God has to say.

The plan Sarah had turned out to be a mess, but I believe Abraham opened up the door for Sarah's unbelief, and it was also in Egypt that they got Hagar. If Abraham had kept his eyes on God while they were in Egypt, he would never have lied and said Sarah was his sisiter. Once again the Bible does not have any record of how Sarah felt about any of this. I am sure she was extremely fearful, so that seeds of fear and unbelief were planted by her husband.

Now years later God appears to Abraham again and there are three men (who are really angels, but we find that out later). I don't know why God sent three angels to Abraham, maybe it was to save his cousin Lot (antoher story) but he did and while they were there God told Abraham that he would return the same time the next year and that Sarah would have a son. Sarah over heard this and laughed. She was worn out (even though she had a good life) and she and her husband were way past the age of having children.

God heard Sarah laugh and ask Abraham why she laughed. Let's stop here for a moment. God did not ask Sarah why she laughed, he asked Abraham. The text goes one, but this is just a reminder how importarnt the marriage relationship is to God. Two become one. Sarah then spoke up for herself and lied and said she did not lie. After all her years, she still did not truly understand who God was or his character. God knows everyhting, why would she lie? Maybe because she had seen her husband lie. I wish she had said, "I laughed because after years of disappointment and pain, I don't have the strengh, to believe anymore, this whole thing has hurt me to my core." If she had said that it would of been at least true. It's one of the few times Sarah speaks in this whole story,and the only time she speaks directly to God, and she blows it. I would of screamed out my pain and disappointment. I would have cried my eyes out, but I wouldn't have lied. She lied because she was afraid. I understand that. Fear was something she knew very well, so her reaction, in truth, was natural. Then for the first time (at least recorded in the Bible) God speaks directly to Sarah and tells her she lied. Wow! If God appears to me, and then speaks to me, I don't want him to say that I lied.

My point is, that each us have been through situations, or currently facing a situation which has caused us much pain and disappointment. We may feel that God has forgotten us and his promises and his word is not true. I have heard pastors preach about Abraham and Sarah many times and many of them have said the reason God waited so long to give Abraham and Sarah their promise is because God wanted everyone to know that he does the impossilbe. We also have well meaning people in out lives who love us, who believe they are being helping, but in some ways cause us more pain, and may indeed give us advise, that sounds good, but not the way God has planned to bless us. How do we know what to do? How do we know if what we have in our heart is from God, or just wishful thinking on our part? Honestly, the best thing I can tell you is continue to pray, read God's word and make no decisions in haste. One thing I can say for sure is that God has not forgotten you,and that God does not lie. If he said it, it will come to pass. You have to keep believing and do the best job of what God has given you to do until his promise is fufilled and the even after that.

Gensis 18 is just part of Abraham and Sarah's story, be sure to read it all and pray about it so you can be blessed. Any pain and disappointment you have, give it to God, he can handle it. Nothing is impossible for God.

I Can Do Bad By Myself

I am not a big movie viewer, but since being snowed in due to the storm, I had the time to see one of Tyler Perry's films. I am not a huge fan of Tyler Perry's work, but I do think he tries to send a positive message and provide audiences, especially African American audiences, an alternative perspective in mass media. Well, I think Mr. Perry fell short with the DVD I just saw, "I can do bad by myself." I think Mr. Perry missed the mark on this film because it was not based on a well constructed story. Without a good story, movies do tend to be random scenes of media strung together, without making much sense. I appreciate his effort and the movie made some good points, but overall as a total project it was just a big dud.

The first thing I would of done is change the title to "I will do bad by myself." If we rely on what we know and think and feel, we will fall short every time. We need to lean on the wisdom and love of God to guide us. We do this by listening and obeying the people in our lives that love us, provide for us, and want the best for us. It also means that we may have to change our plans and do what is best for someone else. The number one thing is to read and know God's word. His word is perfect, even if we do not understand everything that we read, or take things out of context. Once we read his word we need to pray for understanding, wisdom and knowledge. Attending a Bible believing church, attending a Bible study, or reading books about the Bible are all helpful, but we must always take time to read the Bible and pray on our own.

Hebrews 4: 12-13 states it best

12For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

So why should you do bad all by yourself? God is always present to provide all that you need. Read and obey the word of God and you will be blessed. Being blessed does not mean that you will not have any trouble, it means that God is with you during your trouble, and others will be blessed by your testimony wether you tell it, or just live it day by day. We are complete in Christ.

The Call of Jeremiah

In the first book of Jeremiah we read the words below;

⁴ "The word of the LORD came to me, saying,

⁵ "Before I formed you in the womb I knew ^{a]" style="line-height: 0.5em; ">[a]} you,
before you were born I set you apart;
I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."

It is easy to believe that this "call" was just for Jeremiah. The truth of the matter is, God knew each of us before he formed the world. That means that each one of us is special. We all each have a purpose in this world. It may not seem possible because we live in a very busy, complex, and at times violent world. We often may question, "What is my purpose? How can I make a difference in a positive way?" The answer is through Christ and his word. The key thing to remember is once you have done your best, you leave the rest up to God. There will be times that you give 100% and it seems like nothing is going right, and you get so discouraged, that you just want to quit. When those times come, step back, and let God step in. If we could do it all, we wouldn't need God. You are special, what you say and do matters, remember who you are, and bless someone else just by being who God created you to be.

Information Overload

In today's society there is so much information avialable all the time in a variety of formats that is easy to become confused and overwhelmed. It is impossible to know what the truth really is because so much of what is out there is meant to influence instead of inform.

As a write this the east coast of the United States is under a deep blanket of white snow left behind by the blizzard of 2010. It may be the most snow fall on record for the state of Maryland. The public was warned about the approaching storm at least a week a head of time, even before it was a storm, and just a computer generated prediction of a storm. As the day of the arrival of the storm approached the reports of the snow fall got larger and larger. Schools closed, or closed early, federal employees got off work early, people made a mad dash to the grocery stores and other businesses to stock up on needed supplies. The snow started to fall, tiny little cold wet snow flakes, that at times were hard to see. There was nothing beautiful about the snow flakes, but they fell nonstop for over 27 hours.

The thing I love about snow is that it stops everything. It forces everything and everyone to stop or at least slow way down. That is what has happened on the east coast today. We are snowed in. Cities and counties have road crews out, but there's so much snow that it make take sevearal days to clear all the streets, and power lines are down all over the state. Newscast have been on all day providing viewers with details and assistance and warnings to stay put and staff off the roads. As always there are those that don't listen (I am not talking about those who have to go out like nurses, and etc.) and create more problems.

I've learned a lot during this blizzard. First I have learned that little tiny things like snowflakes when they come together can form something really big. The Bible says, "When two or three agree . . ." So this proves that if people work together they can accomplish great things, but we have to agree. Secondly, to accomplish something great takes time. It snowed for over 27 straight hours. Third, you cannot stop. It did not stop snowing during those 27 hours. Fourth, when people work together and do something great, they stop what is going on, and provide different options, and/or change things, hopefully for the better. Finally, I learned that if I listen to man and his knowledge is limited, and yet it is still a good thing for me to know, then it is even better for me to listen to God, because he knows everything. I should trust in God, more than I trust in man. The Bible says, "Be still and know that I am God." If we do this, we will not be confused or suffer from information overload.