CBN.com -- "Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus" (Eph. 5:19-20, NIV).
Have you ever tried gratitude journaling? By that, I mean writing down four or five things a day that you're grateful for. The rewards of such a discipline are numerous -- time with God, time with self, and (hopefully) a new outlook on life.
"There is always something in life to be grateful for," says Georgia Shaffer, author of A Gift of Mourning Glories and a cancer, divorce, and job loss survivor. "Even the victims of the Holocaust -- like Corrie Ten Boom -- found things to be thankful for in concentration camps. If you have to, just look at God's creation."
Start with your relationship to Christ. Has he helped you through tough times? Made you more patient?
Sherry Corley is a committed journaler. "The best thing about journaling is that God uses it to help me find peace in the midst of turmoil," she says.
Her advice to others who want to get started, but feel hopeless or helpless about life? "Sit down and pray that God will speak to you. Then begin to jot down everything that comes to your head. Just let the pen flow, holding nothing back. If you don't see God's answer immediately, wait a couple of days and go back to your journal. It's amazing how God can speak through journaling."
Another great technique is scripture journaling. In Words that Hurt, Words that Heal, Carole Mayhall writes: "Look up three things in Scripture tomorrow morning for which to thank the Lord. Then add three things from the world around you. Each morning add one more from both the Word and blessings God has given you. Then ask God to help you come back to those things and thank Him throughout the day. My hope would be that after a month, you will have learned some new thought patterns that will take over for the rest of your life."
How to Create your own Gratitude Journal:
1. Find something to write in, whether it's a three-ring notebook or a fancy bound book. "Find something that fits you and makes you want to stick with it," says Shaffer.
2. Find a space and a place.
3. Make time to write -- preferably the same time each day.
4. Write whatever is on your mind. "Don't edit yourself," says Shaffer.
5. Be content with your own speed and methods. Says author Luci Shaw: "Your journal is a process, as well as a product."
Lord, develop in me a thankful heart, that I will daily "Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits." (Ps. 103:2).Copyright 2003, by Dena J. Dyer. Used by permission.
The following letter, written from the perspective of the demon Ishbane, is from my novel The Ishbane Conspiracy, which I wrote with my daughters, Karina and Angela. In the book's context, one of the characters, Ian, is dabbling in the occult.
Yes, I am well aware this is a controversial issue. In my opinion, it is often either overstated or understated. And yes, on Halloween we do give out candy generously, and we enjoy the kids' costumes. For some Halloween is harmless. But there is another side to be aware of, which sucks in others. If you participate, I suggest choosing costumes carefully, and having appropriate conversations with your kids when they see the "dark side" depicted. I hope the following will be thought provoking, especially for parents of young children.
Dear Foulgrin,
I’m pleased our favorite holiday’s coming up in a few weeks. Halloween! It’s official, Foulgrin—these vermin now spend more money on this holiday than any other except Christmas. For Ian and Daniel it served as a doorway to the occult. Dressing up as little devils. Bloodsucking vampires. The walking dead. Looking and acting as evil as possible. It may be cute to their parents, but in some cases, it’s just the foothold we need. Whether we’re celebrated or mythologized makes no difference...either way furthers our purposes. And since Halloween’s all about children and their impressionable minds, it couldn’t be more strategic.
I was a key figure in the early celebration of Samhain, from which their modern Halloween developed. Pagans believed the spirits couldn’t rest peacefully until given food and drink. This was a payment to the god who ruled the spirit world. Spirits were thought to roam the vicinities of their earthly lives seeking such treasures. On Samhain, the veil between the living and the dead was drawn back. On that night these wandering souls, in search of needed treasures, could visit and harass the living. Spirits would go to houses seeking the goods (“treats”) needed to find final rest. If a spirit wasn’t given a treat, it would “trick” or haunt the residents who refused to appease it. Pagans believed these harassing spirits could be deterred by carving fearful faces into pumpkins or squashes.
Of course, most of the vermin don’t understand this occult origin. And just enough innocence and fun have been infused to make it seem harmless. (And unfortunately to many it doesn't do the harm we wish it did.) But for many Halloween either glorifies death or makes light of it. The Enemy neither glorifies death nor makes light of it. Halloween eclipses His portrayal of death and the afterlife.
We’ve mutated this holiday into an effective introduction to the dark side. Razor blades hidden in apples or poison hidden in candy pale in comparison to what we’ve hidden, for many, inside the holiday itself.
Happy Halloween,
Prince Ishbane
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CBN.com – In my book Divorce Proofing Your Marriage, I expose ten common lies people embrace that eventually leads to divorce. This book confronts our thoughts, beliefs, and assumptions that influence how we behave and the choices we make. So if you want to strengthen your marriage or stop the slippery slide to divorce, first check your thoughts and ask, “Are my thoughts reflective of the secular culture or the Bible?” You may be surprised how far your thinking has strayed from the Bible's restorative theme.
Here's a brief overview of the ten lies that can lead to divorce. Do your own self-check.
Yes, marriage is a legal contract, but in God’s eyes it is much more. The truth is marriage is a covenant, an unbreakable promise. It is life commitment. It means “for better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health.” It means loving someone when you don’t feel like it, staying faithful, and working through difficulty and bad times.
The truth is you don’t marry just your spouse; you get her family as a package deal! Don’t kid yourself and think the outlawed in-laws don’t matter. Your spouse grew up in a family that taught her how to be who she is today. Yes, there are other influences and people can change, but family is a primary force in the development of any individual.
Wrong! The fact that she's continually late or her apartment is a mess is not likely to change because of your undying love. Pay attention to the red flags you see during the dating relationship, especially the more serious ones, such as drinking too much, violent temper, promise breaking, etc. Chances are these things won't improve but worsen after the honeymoon is over. The truth: all you have control over is your reaction to your spouse. That's the only part you can change.
Differences are not a major problem as long as the differences are not about life values and morals. Incompatibility doesn't kill a relationship. The real issue is how you handle your differences. You need compatible styles that work for both people. Some differences are unsolvable and couples need to learn to accept those. And the Bible gives clear guidelines on how to deal with conflict in a Christ-like way.
Intense passion doesn't last forever but love can stay for a lifetime. You may not always feel love but you must determine to love your partner as yourself. The loving feeling dwindles when couples lock into negative patterns that lead them away from each other. Criticism moves to contempt and highly defensive behavior that eventually leads to emotional distance. The truth is you can restore that loving feeling with a number of changes. One is to make five positive statements to your spouse for every negative one. Other changes focus on building friendship and support. I don't doubt when men tell me they no longer feel love for their wives. I just want them to understand that loving feelings can be rekindled.
Out of frustration, many men feel that if their relationship could be more like the Brady Bunch couple, life would be happier. They are confused about gender roles and responsibilities. Submission is a misunderstood and often abused concept. God's intention for marriage is gender equality. On two occasions, God revealed His will on earth concerning gender--in the Garden and in the life of Christ. Look to those examples of how men and women should interact. You will find that no matter how you negotiate the relationship, you need mutual submission, respect, honor, empowerment and empathy.
An unwillingness to change is rooted in rebellion. It's doing things your way versus God's. To say you can't change obviates the entire Christian experience of salvation and change of heart. Yes, we are always striving for perfection but the operative phrase is that we should be striving. This requires a willingness to look at your behavior and work towards being more like Christ. If both spouses in marriage would do this regularly, divorce would be less prevalent. Change doesn't happen when you don't embrace it. You can change but it requires desire, obedience and Holy Spirit driven power.
Affairs are serious and damaging but they are not beyond repair if both spouses agree to try. There must be a commitment to cut off the affair, a time of repentance, forgiveness and a rebuilding of the relationship. The covenant has been broken but can be restored if a couple chooses to do so. It's not easy but possible.
God will forgive you if you repent but it does matter what you do. Your behavior has natural, as well as spiritual consequences so don't cheapen God's grace.
If you've given up, the future looks hopeless, you've grown apart, can't manage conflict, made a mistake or whatever the problem, believe that God can work when you can't. He can change hearts, do miracles and work in the most difficult circumstances. He is the God of the possible. Draw close to Him, intercede for your marriage, do battle with your true enemy (Satan) and expect God to work on your behalf.
If you and your partner stay intimately connected to God, your marriage will reflect that intimacy. Divorce doesn't have to happen. Recognize the cultural lies that influence you and counteract them with biblical truth. No marriage is beyond the probability of divorce but you can be proactive in preventing it. It's time to improve on the divorce statistics and divorce proof your marriage.
More Marriage articles on CBN.com
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Dr. Linda Mintle is a author, professor, Approved Supervisor and Clinical member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, as well as a licensed clinical social worker with over 20 years in psychotherapy practice.
For more articles and info, visit www.drlindahelps.com.
CBN.com - The Twilight Saga is unquestionably the biggest media phenomenon – especially among young women – this decade. Just mention the name Edward to any teenage girl and she will immediately think of the 104-year-old teenage vampire from best-selling author Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight books. They will know what you mean when you ask, "Are you on Team Edward or Team Jacob?" They may even have bought tickets to the second Twilight installment, New Moon, which doesn’t release until Nov. 20.
This international craze warrants parents' attention. In fact, we should all understand the force behind the resurgence of vampires in pop culture. Twilight isn’t merely the first novel in a four-book tale by Meyer; it was the catalyst for new vampire TV shows, movies, and Christian novels. That’s right, Christian vampire literature. Before we get into how widespread this fetish with vampires has reached, let’s take a look at what started it all.
Meyer’s Twilight series has a dedicated fan base, with more than 17 million books in print. The low-budget first movie made almost $200 million dollars at the box office. With a new director at the helm and a bigger budget, New Moon is expected to rake in much more. The mostly unknown actors (Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Kristen Stewart) in the first film became instant celebrities; they can't go out in public now without being mobbed. Amazon.com labeled Twilight as the “Best Book of the Decade… So Far.” It also has been chosen as The New York Time Editor’s Choice and The American Library Association’s “Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults”.
Almost overnight, competing vampire stories have crept into our view in the form of new TV series’ and movies. This fall, the CW introduced a drama called The Vampire Diaries, which is based on novels published in the ‘90s. HBO premiered their own vampire drama, True Blood, to the delight of critics and viewers alike. The first season garnered wide critical acclaim and several prestigious awards, including an Emmy and a Golden Globe. Cam Gigandent, who plays James in Twilight, will star in another vampire flick, Priest (set to release in 2010). In January, Willem Dafoe and Ethan Hawke’s new film, Daybreakers, will give readers a taste of what mankind would be like if a plague transformed almost every human into vampires. Rumor has it, Hollywood also will soon be working on a Buffy, the Vampire Slayer movie.
Each of these bloody tales glamorizes vampires to the point that many fans can think of nothing else. Since the beginning of the Twilight craze, more than 350 fan sites have showed up online. When discussing the first film (as recorded on www.twilightthemovie.com), producer Wyck Godfrey unintentionally hinted to the danger behind this modern-day love story.
"There's a huge amount of danger in this movie," Godfrey continues. "There's also just the excitement of a teenager doing things that are verboten. These are things that people connect to. And not just girls; I think that guys will discover it's dangerous, there's action, there's a thriller element to it, and then, ultimately, that it's cool to be a vampire."
Meyer’s based the story on what she saw one night in a dream. Brought up in the Mormon Church, Meyer built the books around the issue of teenage lust. Edward’s love settles so deep within that he must passionately resist his hunger for Bella. She too faces temptation – wanting to give into her desires. Readers discover some pretty reckless behavior on both their parts. Edward frequently sneaks into Bella’s bedroom to watch her sleep, and she consistently lies to parents in order to protect her relationship with her powerful, vampire boyfriend.
The Christian market is also jumping on the bandwagon. Today, WaterBrook Press is releasing a new vampire book by Christian author Tracey Bateman. Thirsty is the story of Nina Parker, a recovering alcoholic who is convinced that something is hunting her. When animals begin to disappear from the reserve and then turn up slaughtered, Parker is faced with even more as she is tempted to quench her own thirst. Bateman’s novel is described as a tale that examines the inner battle between love and obsession.
Vampire shows and movies aren’t a new concept in entertainment. However, the Twilight characters have propelled this trend into a bigger phenomenon that should not be ignored. Its popularity begs the need for parents to pay attention to what their kids are reading and watching. Is a book burning session the answer? I’m not sure that’s the solution. What our culture ultimately needs is the understanding of God vs. the occult.
Through a web of complicated events, readers are faced with important lessons that many parents would want their kids to learn and adapt into their lives. These themes of love, sacrifice, and selflessness are all great pluses in the series. However, the occultism is too overpowering. The Bible does not mention vampires, but it does refer to the significance of blood.
In fact, according to the law of Moses, nearly everything was purified with blood. For without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness. Hebrews 9:22 (New Living Translation)
Humans who proposed to be vampires, who drink blood, are committing a grave sin against God -- even beyond that of practicing witchcraft.
When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division... Galatians 5:19-20 (New Living Translation)
Legend has that by drinking blood a person can gain power. This is similar to the thoughts that may have entered Eve’s mind in the Garden.
The serpent told the Woman, "You won't die. God knows that the moment you eat from that tree, you'll see what's really going on. You'll be just like God, knowing everything, ranging all the way from good to evil." Genesis 3: 4-5 (The Message)
Pride, a desire to become powerful -- even god-like, can cripple a person’s soul. What's especially interesting is that an apple is aptly used as a symbol of temptation in Twilight.
The fate of “vampires” is addressed in Twilight as well. Edward feels he has no soul, no chance at redemption. In an effort to argue that there are more pros than cons to becoming a vampire, Bella tries to convince him that they must have a chance. In the end, she is resigned to live with Edward forever – an eternity void of God. There is no redemption outside of them. Besides, they are supposedly undead creatures, meaning they’ve basically missed their shot at choosing where they will spend eternity.
Readers should be cautious when partaking in these popular stories. Valuable lessons can be learned from them, but at what expense? Parents of fans need to talk it out with their kids to make sure that this glamorized view of vampires isn’t building a seed of doubt in God or a desire for the occult.
Hannah Goodwyn read the Twilight series -- so she knows of what she speaks.
She serves as a producer for CBN.com. For more articles, visit Hannah's bio page.
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
October 2, 2009
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Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Members of the House of Representatives are working on a second phony compromise that would try to mitigate some of the concerns pro-life lawmakers and groups have about the abortion funding found in HR 3200, the main health care "reform" bill in the House.
The current bill contains the Capps Amendment that abortion advocates have been portraying as a compromise that prohibits abortion funding.
But pro-life groups and leading pro-life lawmakers such as Democratic Rep. Bart Stupak of Michigan have exposed the Capps language as a fraud by noting that it allows massive abortion subsidies and mandates.
Knowing Stupak has assembled potentially enough pro-life and moderate Democrats to join Republicans in voting down the rules for debate on the bill or the bill itself if House Speaker Nancy Pelosi doesn't allow a debate on his amendment to yank the abortion funding, pro-abortion lawmakers are hoping to pacify him and his coalition.
Now, pro-abortion Rep. Henry Waxman, the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, is trying to work out a compromise with some of the members of Stupak's coalition who are not as strongly pro-life.
The goal appears to be to "strengthen" the Capps Amendment in a way that would siphon off votes from Stupak's coalition but to do so in a way that doesn't actually amount to a complete stoppage of the abortion funding Stupak and pro-life advocates desire.
Rep. Diana DeGette, a Colorado Democrat who is one of the pro-abortion leaders in the House admitted to the Denver Post today that the goal is to peel off enough members of Stupak's coalition to get a winning vote on the rule and the bill and allow massive abortion funding at the same time.
Douglas Johnson, the legislative director of National Right to Life, tells LifeNews.com that pro-life lawmakers and advocates need to see through this phony compromise.
"Pelosi and Waxman are working on cosmetic changes to the Capps Amendment, which they will then try to peddle as an even-more-generous 'compromise' by the pro-abortion side (but which in reality will put the federal government into the elective abortion business in both the public plan and the premium subsidy program)," he said.
Johnson is concerned that some familiar faces from the Stupak coalition will emerge in support of the fake compromise -- including Rep. Tim Ryan, an Ohio Democrat who was formerly pro-life but now has a consistent pro-abortion voting record. The mainstream media portrays Ryan as pro-life even though he hasn't voted that way in a couple of years.
"In any such new twist on the Waxman-Capps scam, we can expect that a prominent role will be assigned to [Ryan], who actually does the bidding of Planned Parenthood .. and Nancy Pelosi," Johnson said.
Even if the House members adopt the new Waxman language, Johnson says that doesn't alleviate the concern of abortion funding found in the public option.
He says the government option "problem is very important and separate and distinct from the premium-subsidy problem."
The independent FactCheck.org web site has verified pro-life analysis that the public plan will pay for abortions "so long as the plans took in enough private money in the form of premiums paid by individuals or their employers. The Capps language also would allow private plans purchased with federal subsidies 'affordability credits' for low-income families and workers to cover abortion."
FactCheck indicates that both private and public insurance plans would include abortion funding under the legislation pending in Congress.
"Low- and moderate-income persons who would choose the 'public plan' would qualify for federal subsidies to purchase it. Private plans that cover abortion also could be purchased with the help of federal subsidies," the web site says. "As for the House bill as it stands now, it’s a matter of fact that it would allow both a 'public plan' and newly subsidized private plans to cover all abortions."
ACTION: 1) Go to http://www.Senate.gov and contact your two senators to urge them to support any amendments to stop abortion funding. 2) Contact members of the House Rules Committee (see http://rules.house.gov) and urge them to allow a vote on the Stupak amendment to stop abortion funding.
morning service. We even had some visitors from Woodmont. Please keep the Ames family in your prayers as they travel to Indianapolis this week for funeral services for Chris Ames. Don't forget our trip to the Creation Museum this Saturday October 10th. Also we will be hosting missionaries from Africa in our Sunday Morning service on October 11th, 2009.For prayer requests, just go to prayer list on left hand side of blog.
