Daughter Choose Your Friends Wisely

When my daughters were younger everything I said in their minds was a fact. I knew everything and I was always right.. They never questioned whether I was right or wrong... I was the final authority... or dad was... Those were the easy days...
Now my girls are older... not quite teenagers but close enough... and now I KNOW NOTHING!!! Whatever their twelve year old friends state as fact...must be true..... I'm considered old fashioned and out of touch with reality..... WOW... They have decided that they have the right to question what I say to be a fact or not....since I am so old......
What is really concerning me today is the friends my oldest daughter chooses... Remember both of my children go to Church every Sunday, go to a Christian school, and live in a Christian home....but somehow my #1 daughter likes to hang out with kids whose idea of fun is tohave a boyfriend, go on dates (just wondering how they get there..on their bikes?), make out, sneak behind their parents' backs, and having a baby sounds really cool...
Yesterday, my eldest told me her friends think that I shelter her too much..... SHE'S TWELVE YEARS OLD!!! Of course I am going to shelter her... There is no way....she's going on date.. there's no way she's going to go make out, and having a baby.....Lord help me. She is angry with me that I will not allow her to "hang out" with her friends at their homes..... I said she can invite her friends here.... but I will not open the door for my kid to sneak behind my back and possibly do things that she would regret later. I will not back down on this.. God gave me this very important responsibility to raise my kids right and I take my role as a mother very seriously.
What really angers me is the parents of these kids. Many are single parents whose priorities have switched from being a parent to taking care of their own wants and needs.... One friend in particular has a mom that is looking for a boyfriend and is never home leaving her daughter home by herself..... In the daughters loneliness, she started hanging out with a much older boys and her home has become the "party hangout".. She's TWELVE!!!! My daughter thinks it's cool.. I feel sorry for this little girl who is looking for attention and love in the wrong places..
I had a heart to heart with my beautiful and incredibly special daughter and this is what I said... I remember being twelve years old... I remember how it felt to want to fit it...I remember how important my friends were to me and how important their opinions were. Kids have not changed since I was your age...granted you dress better and have more toys but the emotions are basically the same. You are an incredible kid with so much going for you. I see the love you have for the Lord and I see your heart...it is a big one...But honey, you have to open the door for new friends to enter.. You have to put yourself out there to find a true friend...not someone who will tear you down...but someone who will lift you up.. You need people in your life that have good morals and things in common with you... like keeping good grades like you do, playing tennis, reading books, same taste in music, and they love God with all their hearts just like you... It is a fact that whatever we surround ourselves with, who ever we hang out with, and whatever we fill our minds with..is what we will become... I am not saying to be mean to the girls you have been hanging out with.. I am saying that you need to fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Philippians 4:8 (paraphrased).
I don't know if I got through to my loved one....But I do know that I am covering her in prayer and I will not, I repeat I will not lift up that shelter...

Shining From the Inside Out

Many times I compare myself to others who I believe have this awesome relationship with God. I start to think am I doing enough for God? What are they doing that I'm not doing? Does God love them more? Are they more special in God's eyes? Am I not Christian enough?
I know how silly those questions may seem...but I think many of us question ourselves... There are people I know who's light just shines. Norm and Barb are a couple at my church. They volunteer in the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief and they have been in the mission field. When you talk to these two people, they make you feel like you are the only one that matters to them. They listen to you, they pray for you, and they give the best hugs you can imagine... because they love... Christ is the center of their focus. .. You can't fake that kind of love...

I think the answer to my questions is this. God loves us and He thinks we are special. He does not compare us to others. God wants us to enjoy a relationship with Him. He wants us to talk to Him, listen to Him, and just allow Him into our daily lives. He wants us to want to know Him better. To know Him better is to dig into His word and pray.

Norm and Barb are an example of the kind of relationship I want with my Savior... I want to be a blessing to others and to glorify God everyday by shining from the inside out...

Facing the Giants

Last year I rented a movie from Blockbuster called 'Facing The Giants'. I rented it because I loved 'Remember the Titans and the cover for Facing the Giants was of two football teams facing off during the hike. So I assumed the movies would be similar. They were similar in the fact that they were both about high school football teams and they were similar in the fact they were both inspirational but that's where the similarities stopped.

Remember the Titans had a great ensemble with stars like Denzel Washington and Will Patton. The acting was fantastic. Facing the Giants had no one famous and the acting well let's put it this way...was pretty awful...

Remember the Titans will always be one of my favorite movies and will forever stay on my shelf. Facing the Giants will forever be an inspiration that is always leaving my shelf and being replaced by a new one....Why do you ask... I keep giving it away to people. Though the acting is not so good... the story line is probably one of the best I have ever watched thus far. Never Give Up... Never Back Down... Never Lose Faith.. If you win.. Give glory to God and If you lose...Give glory to God..

The movie shows what can happen when you give your ALL to God.. You will be blessed in a Big way! If you haven't seen this movie yet..Rent it ....buy it...borrow it... You can be blessed in a Big way too

I'm Gonna Go On A Mission

A few years ago I was talking to a dear friend who just got back from a missions trip to the middle east. I told her I would love to go on a trip after my kids are grown.. Her reply was "Why wait, I've been taking my kids to the mission field since they were babies." That comment kinda struck me funny... the mission field is no place for kids...so I thought at the time....not thinking about the unreached children who are living and breathing in that mission field.
I look at my friend, Rox's children.....well not children any longer, and I am amazed by their love for the Lord. Their love for spreading God's word. Her son reaches the unreached through his music.... Her daughter is going on her own missions trips now...to the middle east... I look at this young woman of twenty and think.. I want to be like her when I grow up.. I think what an incredible opportunity for my kids. My kids who I know could touch the lives of other children.. My kids who I am so proud of. I love watching them mature in their faith..especially my twelve year old. She has a servants heart and just wants to make a difference.
In my Sunday night bible study we have been studying Kay Warren's book "Dangerous Surrender. Talk about a person who completely went out of her comfort zone to reach the unreached people groups...Do I want to be so disturbed by the world's unreached people that I would completely change my life??? I don't know...
There may be an opportunity for me to go out into the mission field for a couple of weeks in the near future. My heart tells me yes yes... My husband is saying.. let's talk about this.. I know I will be in the mission field one day whether it's for a week or two o longer... but until then, I walk out my front door and see a vast mission field before me..

My Friend Diane

For the past thirteen years Diane has been coming by my home to share the Word of Jehovah... We greet each other with a hug and a "How are you? It's so good to see you." Diane comes by at least once sometimes twice a month. She passes out her Watch Tower pamphlets and tries desperately to share scriptures from her Bible. She's trying to spread the word of Jehovah so that she can earn her way into Jehovah God's grace. She doesn't believe that grace is free...that it's already been paid for when Jesus died on that tree... Poor Diane she has arthritis in her feet and hands and her daily walks have taken their toll on her body...she's 81.
I love Diane and her devotion to spreading God's word... I just wish she was spreading the Right Word... In all her studies and all her lectures, she still does not believe that Jesus is THE SON of God...she believes he's A son.. She doesn't believe that she'll go to Heaven.. she believes that only 42,000 people go to Heaven and the rest stay down here in a perfect world Jehovah creates after the Resurrection..
I have shared my beliefs with Diane over the years and we have decided to respect each others beliefs.. Diane will continue to pass out her Watch Tower pamphlets and I will continue to take them with a hug and "How are you? It's so good to see you."
I pray that the seeds planted by me and many others will grow in Diane and that she will realize that God's grace is free because he loves her and me.....

My Favorite American Idol Danny

Tonight the Top 10 Contestants will be performing songs from "Motown".. I am a child of the sixties and seventies and I grew up with Motown... this should be a great night. Motown music brings back memories of me and my dad washing the car listening to the transistor radio.. Diana Ross and the Supremes, The Jackson 5, Marvin Gaye, Gladys Knight and the Pips, and of course Stevie Wonder.... Sugar Pie Honey bunch... The lyrics are just singing in my head...
My prediction is that Danny Gokey will walk away tonight as the Best singer.... Remember him at his audition singing "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" by Marvin Gaye.. He nailed it.. He's got that soulful voice that just makes you want to melt.... So far my top two songs that he has sang are "I Hope You Dance" by Lee Ann Womack and "Jesus, Take the Wheel" by Carrie Underwood.

I love the fact that he is a man of faith. I love the fact that he wears his heart on his sleeve. I love the fact that he tried out for American Idol because his wife, Sophia was a fan and wanted him too. She died just weeks before the audition from complications of heart surgery.

A favorite quote of Danny's is "Unshakable Faith is Faith That Has Been Shaken". What a testimony he has to share. I look forward to seeing him win this competition.. Yes, I am putting it out there in blogger land.... Danny Gokey is the Next American Idol!!!!

My Lips Are Sealed....to Gossip

Remember as a kid hearing a story about one of your friends and believing it to be true because another friend told you it was. Even as adults..we hear stories and automatically believe it to be true..well because someone we trust told us it was true... Then we repeat it to another friend and then the cycle begins.. When does sharing information become gossip? If that wasn't enough...think about all the famous people stories we hear and repeat.. I seriously doubt that Eddie Murphy scared your mom's friend's friend in an elevator in Las Vegas, Laughlin, or some other casino.... I also seriously doubt that Richard Gere even owned a gerbil....are you getting the picture.. Shared information can easily turn into a harmful hurtful rumors that can destroy a person's reputation.

My Oldest daughter is in the 7th grade and believes everything she hears. She'll come home with some doozies... Last year she was convinced that her friend's dad was a drug runner... I asked her why she believed it and she said well Marina said so...How old is Marina I ask, oh she's 11 and how does Marina know....I don't know.... Of course her friend's dad was not a drug runner....he was an engineer at Boeing.... I remember my kid was so frustrated with me that I did not believe the story. Every week or so a new story will pop up and I of course being the evil mom I question the validity of the tale....
Today, I was accused of never believing any of her tales..... I was hoping she would ask why..... Finally the magic question was put out there not by my eldest but my youngest... "Mom, why don't you believe that Carrie is getting kicked out of school for drinking a beer at lunch?" It wasn't the question per say that I wanted to answer.. it was the "why don't I believe the story" I was more interested in answering.

The reason I don't believe these tales because it's gossip... "Oh, no I'm not gossiping, " my daughter proclaimed... Oh yes, sweetheart...you are.. Sometimes when you'll hear a story and you'll think it to be true...but if it did not come from the mouth of the person being talked about do not repeat it....Let's even go one more step..Don't repeat what someone tells you no matter who said it!!

Gossip is based on rumors. Proverbs 11:13 A talebearer (gossip) reveals secrets, But he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter.. Proverbs 16:28-29 A perverse man sows strife, and a whisperer separates the best of friends.

Gossip can destroy friendships, relationships, trust, and everything that is good. Proverbs 25:18 A man who bears false witness against his neighbor is like a club, a sword, and a sharp arrow... I just love Proverbs... I call it my fortune cookie wisdoms from the Bible....

I hope tomorrow my daughters will tell no tales....... we'll see...

How And Why Do I Pray

I am not good at praying in public. Many times at Church we would have a round robin prayer group where everyone would take turns praying out loud. I am the one in the back that prays in silence. I find that praying in public is much like speaking in front of a large group....terrifying! Why you may ask... I think it comes down to being afraid of sounding dumb...not to God...He loves my prayers, I know..it's the women who I look up to as my spiritual leaders. I'm sure if they were reading this...they would say, "Kelly, you are so silly!" and they would be right. But all of us have our little issues, don't we? Thankfully, you don't have to pray in public for God to hear our prayers!

When Jesus was teaching His ministry, His disciples came up to Him and asked Him to teach them how to pray. Jesus said when you pray you say:
"Our Father in Heaven, Hallowed be your name, Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in Heaven. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one."

I am sure you have heard this prayer or at least some version of this prayer many times before. Like many people you probably have no idea what it really means. Neither did I.. So here's a little bit of an explanation. Father is God... Hallowed - is a form of respect and intimacy with God, it means that God is Holy. Your Kingdom come refers to God's promises. Your will be done - is submitting to God. Give us our daily bread this means that we are all dependent on God for all of our needs. Bread does not necessary mean just food, Forgive us our sins and just as God has forgiven us - we must forgive others, do not lead us into temptation - is asking God to for spiritual leadership and protection. Deliver us from the evil one - is asking God again for protection....from Satan.

I pray at the most different times... The shower is the most popular place for me. It is usually when I have the most privacy... I ask for His guidance and every day I ask Him for His forgiveness.
I pray after I drop my kids off at school. I pray for their safety away from me and for them to have friends that are good for them. I pray right before I fall to sleep at night. I thank God for my day and for loving me as I am and I pray for the next day to be good. In between these prayers, I will pray for others who need prayer. People who are sick, lost, and just need a little something extra. God wants to talk to us about everything. There is not anything that is too small to go to God with.

Why do we need to pray? God wants a relationship with us. He wants to bless us. The more we pray the more we are in fellowship with Him. It's kinda of funny how that works. I know from personal experience that when I pray..I become more aware...more loving...more discerning... and more forgiving. Give it a try....I know you will be blessed!

The Tale of Two Sisters

When I was growing up there were these two sisters that lived down the street from me. Their names were Krista and Molly. Now Krista and Molly could not have been any more different. Where Krista was outgoing, joyful, and had lots of friends, Molly was an introvert, sullen, and no one liked her. I know their home life was difficult. Their mother had passed away when they were just babies and they were being raised by an alcoholic father. Many times I remember seeing bruises on their little bodies. In those days people just didn't talk about those things. We all got through our hardships and never complained... who would listen anyway? We were just kids.
I grew up watching the Allen sisters. Krista took over as the lady of the house. She made sure the house was clean, the laundry washed and put away, and dinner was on the table by six.
Molly on the other hand did everything she could to hurt Krista. I never understood Molly. She was a hateful kid. She always had a scowl on her face and something mean to say.
As the years went away and we all grew up, Molly turned into quite a beauty. Many of the boys in our high school class loved to watch Molly walk by. She was always ready to put on a show. To say that Molly was seeking love in the wrong places would be hitting the nail on the head. Molly developed quite a reputation at school and it was not good. She was the girl that everyone whispered about. The girl who all the "good" girls hated and all the "bad" boys loved.
While Molly was busy developing her bad girl image, Krista was busy organizing Bible studies for the youth group at school. I know Krista loved her sister. I also know that Krista feared for and prayed for Molly all the time. Never did Krista waiver from her love for her sister. We all thought she was nuts to waste her time praying for a girl who would surly go to Hell. We were so blind. I was so blind.
We eventually finished high school. Krista went away to school on a full academic scholarship and Molly stayed here going to community college and worked as a waitress at the local pub.
I lost touch with the girls for several years when I too got caught in life after high school. I ran into Molly one day at the gas station. She had three toddlers, a broken down station wagon, and had gained about 200 pounds. At first I did not recognize her...she saw me first. She was twenty-five years old and she looked to be in her forties. Poor poor Molly, my heart just broke. I later found out that she married one of the "bad" boys from school, got pregnant right away..and then had two more babies quickly after... He left her while she was pregnant with baby #3.
I remember feeling sorry for Molly at the time but also in the back of my mind I was thinking that she deserved it. I know how hateful that sounds and you know what? It is. Many of us are so quick to judge others that we neglect to see everything we have done ourselves. We are so quick to see the splinter in someone else's eye but not the log in our own. I look back on the girl and woman I was and I feel shame. I wish I could go back in time and be the compassionate person that Jesus Christ wanted me to be. Not full of judgment but full of love. I never saw Molly after that. I know that her children are all grown up by now.
The Bible points out that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23), which means that nobody is in a position to be judgmental about another person's actions. Even Jesus himself, who was without sin, did not condemn the adulterous woman when others were about to stone her (John 8:1-11). Jesus instead invited the person who was "without sin" to cast the first stone. When that happened everyone laid their stones down.
We need to be ambassadors for Jesus. We need to love one another as Jesus has loved us.

Does God Accept Fire Insurance?

I first heard the term fire insurance at a Christmas party several years ago. The comment made was something like, "I'm glad he was saved right before he died..even if it was fire insurance." It took me a couple of minutes to figure out exactly what they were talking about....Fire....Hell....Fire insurance - going to Heaven with flames flicking at your back side. That's how my mind saw it at least.
It got me to thinking... Does God really care if you accept him into your heart just so you won't get burned? Will there be any jewels in your crown? Will you even get a crown? Is there a certain expiration date on accepting Christ as your Savior right before you die? I think the only answer that makes sense to me is God sees our hearts. If we truly ask for forgiveness and truly accept him, He will always open the door. He loves us so much that I can actually see God cry a happy tear and say welcome home, son.. or in my case daughter...
The reason I bring this up is that my dad died last summer.
My dad was diagnosed with tongue cancer about 8 years ago. His complete tongue had to be removed in 2004. After the surgery he had a heart attack and a stroke. We didn't think he would make it. By the Grace of God and my dad's Irish stubborn nature - he made it through all of it very well and was able to lead a pretty normal life...not counting the feeding tube and breathing tube in his neck.
One morning last summer my dad suddenly felt like he couldn't breathe. I was on vacation and my mom had gone to her sisters for a few days. So my sister, Debbie rushed my dad to the hospital. There he was put on a ventilator. The first few days, everyone was optimistic that dad would be taken off the ventilator and be able to come home. That was before he started having mini heart attacks and mini strokes... It became obvious that he would never be able to come off the ventilator and he would never be able to come home.
I was on a road trip over a thousand miles away when all this was happening. I had several phone checkups each day with my mom and sister. When I finally made it to the hospital, I could tell my dad was dying. He could no longer see and he wouldn't close his eyes. It's so hard to see your daddy like that. He's always been the "Master of the home" the "Tough Guy". When I walked into the ICU room my dad heard my voice and put out his hand for me to hold. I told him, I was sorry it took so long to get there. "It's okay," he said..."You're here now."
My sister Debbie had been praying with my dad during this time. She wasn't sure if Dad had made peace with God or if my dad actually had accepted God. We just didn't know. Seeing our dad slip away put a sense of urgency in Debbie that she had to do everything in her power to make sure dad went to his Father knowing that mom was going to be alright, that we loved him, and that we forgave him for the past and asked him to forgive us also.
The day before and the day of my dad's death he kept lifting up his hands. He would have this peaceful smile on his face. Mom asked him why he was smiling and if he was happy. My dad couldn't talk so she asked him many questions until she got the answer. He said that he saw his mom and dad who went to Heaven before him and right before he died he lifted both hands and told my sister he was reaching for Jesus' hand.
Did my dad get fire insurance those last days? I don't know... Do I think he is in Heaven? I do. I think my dad found the peace he had been looking for. I also know that my daughter, Krystal who went before him is holding his hand and listening to all his stories that she never got to hear.

I Love You....You Love Me...

I love you ...You love me...We're a happy family with a great big hug and a kiss from me to you...Won't you say you love me too..... The purple dinosaur Barney got it right with those lyrics. Can't you just hear him singing in your head now? I know I do. I remember many a morning with my kids watching Barney so that I could get a little work done..... He was the great morning babysitter....I could throw a load of wash in, spruce up the kitchen, and if I was lucky maybe even talk to a friend on the phone for a few minutes...
In the Bible, love is spoken of over and over again. Love one another as I have loved you. John 13:34 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.....John 15:13 This is the love that God has for us. He sent his Son to earth to die on the cross for our sins. Before I became a parent myself, I didn't get the greatness of that act... Now think of this.
We love our kids don't we? We would lay down our lives for them. We nurture them, cuddle with them, take care of them. I look at my daughters and I cannot imagine loving anyone more that I love them.
A couple of years ago, a MRI showed a growth on my youngest daughters brain. I had never felt such fear in my life. The thought of losing my baby was so overwhelming to me.... I remember calling my church and asking them to send out a prayer request for her. I also remember getting on my knees and praying to God to please please please let my baby be okay... The next day the doctor's office called and said that everything looked normal and she was okay... To say I was in shock would be an understatement. My baby was healed....I have no doubt... I was the lucky one...
God sent his son to die for me. To die for you... To die for people that turned their backs on him.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his ONLY begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. God sacrificed His Son.... I don't think I could sacrifice my kids for someone I loved much less someone that may never know me....
That my friends is Agape love....Unconditional love... The love that Jesus taught about. The love that He has for us and wants us to have for others..... God has very high standards for us...But that's okay.. In His word and in His love all things are possible.......

Jesus Fact or Fiction

I was looking through different blog forums the other day and ran across a forum on religion. I opened the forum and to my amazement the third blog down was a blog on American Atheists. I was surprised mainly because I never thought of Atheism as a religion but more of a lack of belief in a higher power. Atheism comes from the Greek word atheos, which means "without god". Atheism does not have a spiritual leader and no central beliefs. The commonality of a 'true atheist' is a lack of belief in gods and supernatural beings. So I ask why is an atheism blog in a Religion forum....

While reading this blog, I have to admit I was curious on how seemingly smart and intelligent people could not believe in God, I saw something that peaked my curiosity. The Atheist National Convention on April 9 - 12 in Atlanta, Georgia. I'm curious what happens at an atheist convention.. Do they come up with more ways to tear the religious walls in our country? Do they sit there and tell jokes about the priest and the rabbi? Do they try to find more ways they can convince themselves that they are the "free thinkers" they claim themselves to be? Just wondering... Is their "religion" to get together with other like minds and worship themselves for being their own "god" or "their own higher power"? Do they pat themselves on the back for not being sucked into the religious trap and believe that Christians are just plain nuts?

You would think that atheists would be happy not believing in God and let Christians have their beliefs. I am sure most could care less but it's the highly vocal minority that feel obligated to fight the masses and take God out of everything. They believe He does not exist and they see Christians as a threat to their freedom...they believe that they are being ignored and they want to be heard. In addition, to trying to take God out of school, government, CHRISTmas, and whatever else they can find. Many use falsehoods about God or the Bible to further their agenda. Half truths and out of context Bible quotes to make Christians look bad. Like I said before NOT all atheists do this but the vocal minority do.
Many atheists would argue that most if not all religions are a bunch of bigots and hate mongers who are set on controlling and manipulating people in the name of religion. I will be the first to agree there are many people out there today that give religion a bad name. Many of these TV evangelists have given religion a bad name.. Jim Baker and his abuse of monies his ministry received and the sex scandal and following on his immoral footsteps here comes Jimmy Swaggart. There are also everyday people that give religion a bad name. Like everything there are good people and bad people. Do I believe all atheists are bad people? Absolutely not. I would even go as far as to say most atheists are not bad people. I will say that I believe they are misinformed and blind to the facts that Jesus Christ existed and that He is God.

Atheists contend that there is no proof God exists. The only problem with that is a person cannot logically make that claim unless they had all the evidence to support that claim. I also believe that if there was fool proof documentation to prove God does exist, many would choose to ignore it. The Bible talks about people knowing of God's existence but still have their hearts harden against him.

I will make an attempt to prove to atheists and non-believers that God DOES exist. I am not naive enough to believe that I will cause a major conversion nor do I believe that I'm knowledgeable or smart enough to have all the "right" answers . But I do know that I want everyone to understand that God is not about hate of bigotry or judgment. He is about Love. When I talk about God's love, I am not talking about the kind of love that gives you warm fuzzies and makes you do crazy things when you fall for that special person. That kind of love lasts only a short time in the scheme of things. What I am talking about is Agape love. Agape love is more like the sacrificial love a parent has for their child regardless if that love is reciprocated. It's the kind of love that drives one to save the helpless and give to the needy. Agape love focuses on how you can meet the other person's needs. Agape love is caring in action.
Jesus' teaches that our relationship with our fellow men, women and children is inseparable from our relationship with God. Love of God and love of our neighbors are two aspects of the same calling: "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." Jesus takes it even further and says not only do we love our neighbor (that means everyone, not just the people who live next door) he says to love our enemies... What a concept... To love agape style not just God but All. This is something, I believe some Atheists don't get. The atheists I am referring to are the ones that blast religion by saying that "worshipping God" is consistent with crime, cruelty, envy, hatred, and malice. So for arguments sake let's go along with what the Bible teaches us what is right not what humans do as right. We are not perfect and yes everyone messes up even true followers of Christ.
The first point of my attempt to prove God exists is God is Love Agape style. The next is the all important questions atheists, Christians, and everyone else asks, "Why am I here? Where did I come from?" I truly believe the reason we are here is because God wants a relationship with us. We were created for his pleasure. The answer to where did we come from... Well we were created by God.. I can go into the whole theory of evolution or Darwinism but let's be honest..neither make sense. The missing link??? Think of an eyeball... How amazing is our eyeballs.. A lizard's eyeball, a cat's eyeball. Now think of evolution. If we were all created from one single cell and we transformed why are there so many different forms. Then you can go as far as saying why did some cells stay in the ocean and some decided to get legs..... I bet when you break in down to the ridiculous you have to agree that evolution and Darwinism is someone reaching for answers when it is completely obvious that a higher being had to have created this... Just think of the eyeball.. make sense? I am sure it does......(okay, I know I sound a little cocky with this one...but in my defense I just cannot see how people can buy into that theory)
The next point is history. Factual data that Jesus existed. Yes, my friends there is actual data from that time.... During the Roman times there writers, philosophers, and historians .
Cornelius Tacitus was a Roman historian and has been described as the greatest historian of Rome, noted for his integrity and moral uprightness. His most famous works are the Annals and the Histories. The Annals relate the historical narrative from Augustus' death in A.D. 14 to Nero's death in A.D. 68. In the part describing Nero's decision to blame the fire of Rome on the Christians, Tacitus affirms that the founder of Christianity, a man he call Chrestus (a common misspelling of Christ, which was Jesus' surname), was executed by Pilate. Tacitus was hostile to Christianity because in the same paragraph he describes Christus' or Christ's death, he describes Christianity as a superstition... So a guy who did not believe in Christianity confirms Jesus existed and was executed by Pilate... wait there's more....
Lucian of Samosata was a Greek satirist who was also hostile to Christianity and openly mocked it. He also spoke disgustedly about Christians worshipping a man. He does not mention Jesus by name, but the reference to the man Christians worship is a reference to Jesus.... You wanna hear one biggie????
Thallus and Phlegon were both ancient historians and both confirmed the fact that the land went dark when Jesus was crucified. This confirms what the Bible said happened when Jesus died.
Josephus was a Jewish historian who was born in either 37 or 38 AD. He wrote in Jewish Antiquites and in one famous passage described Jesus as a wise man, a doer of wonderful works and calls himself Christ. He also affirmed that Jesus was executed by Pilate and actually ROSE FROM THE DEAD! Yes, He confirmed JESUS ROSE FROM THE DEAD....
The Four Gospels (the first 4 books in the New Testament) are a historical account of Jesus' works and life. Many historians will agree that historical facts support the Bible's facts...
Now I will explain to you how I know beyond a shadow of a doubt in my mind and in my faith that the Bible is Fact and is inspired by God.. Yes written by man but dictated by God.. The Bible took over fifteen hundred years to write (yep 1,500 years). Abraham lived around 2100 BC and Moses who wrote the first five books of the Old Testament and lived around 1400 BC. These were real people not someone's imagination. There is enough physical evidence to support they existed. Archeologists have unearthed clay texts out of the ground from neighboring countries that validate the stories of the Bible. There are other things that validate the truthiness. Swords, tablets and literally tons of stuff that point right to the Old Testament. Think about Noah and the Great Flood.. Why do we find fish fossils on mountain tops? Kind of strange, don't you think?

Stories were written down and eventually were put together and became what we know today as the Old Testament. The New Testament came into being around the same time as the Old Testament. The New Testament is the true story of Jesus Christ. It consist of actual accounts and letter from the Disciples. The Big question is the Bible True and Accurate.. The answer is Yes and Yes. There have been many translations over 2000 years and words here and there may have changed from "thee" to "you". The Bible is God's love story to us... I believe that. There is just too many things to support God and Jesus being real...

Now if you can agree with me and historians about the Old Testament, you need to know that the Old Testament has Over 400 prophecies describing Jesus. I will not go into all 400 plus prophecies and if you are really interested in knowing them go to any Christian book store or I'm sure you can find them on the internet. Here are a couple that I find really cool.... Isaiah 7:14 Behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call him Immanuel. Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary and Jesus is also known as Immanuel. Isaiah 53 talks about Him being sacrificed to pay for the sins of all. Psalms 34:20 describes that none of his bones were broken.. Which is a miracle in itself.. after hours of being whipped, kicked, rocks thrown at, and carrying his own cross, you would think something would break.... Psalm 22:18 talks about the soldiers gambling for his clothes. Amos 8:9 states that darkness will follow the death of the Messiah. Most of these prophecies are supported by historical facts... I'm not making this stuff up...

So the next thing, I will share with you that gets many people worked up is Jesus is God in human form. Yes he is God. Jesus called himself God on many occasions. Not a god but the God. The God of Abraham and God of Moses. The God that created the Heavens and Earth....That God. Jesus' teachings throughout his ministries focused on the one fact that he is God. It is very hard to understand this concept and it's hard for me to believe but this is something that you believe in faith. That will only come to you when you believe in God and accept Him as your personal Lord and Savior. The Trinity has lots of people scratching their heads... God is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. One God in three forms not three gods in one form... So the fact shows that Jesus existed and he was a crucified and He rose from the Dead....again Facts that have been confirmed.. So now is Jesus a liar and a con man or lunatic? The possibility one of those three descriptions may sound attractive to an atheist or a non believer. If you read the Gospel accounts of Jesus' life you will see his practical wisdom and his unbelievable ability to love agape style. Now think of the Huge impact He has made.... He lived on earth in human form TWO THOUSAND YEARS AGO and we still worship Him. He is as strong in his impact as he was back then!!!! That has to say something to you.

I will finish this with one last thought.... Let's say Jesus doesn't exist and if you believe in Jesus Christ and you believe he died on the cross for your sins and you accept him into heart as your Savior and ask him for forgiveness... You have nothing to lose if you believe In Jesus.....and he doesn't exist. Now if you don't believe.....and you refuse to give any credence to what I've been on my soapbox talking about....and you refuse to believe in Jesus and Jesus does exist you have EVERYTHING TO LOSE.... I think I would rather be on the team with a higher chance of winning...wouldn't you???

So the Bible has been taken out of public schools and the atheists want all of the "God" stuff removed from everywhere...(again I refer to the vocal minority group of atheists)...So what has happened.. I think it started with Madeleine Murray O'Hare when she complained she didn't want prayer in the schools and the quiet majority said okay.. Dr. Spock said don't spank you kids you'll mess them up so people said okay...(by the way Dr. Spock's son killed himself) Now today we have kids that have no conscience. It doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves....If we think about it long and hard, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with "we reap what we sow" these comments were taken from Anne Grahams insight into the Twin Towers terrorism and if this statement is a Urban Legend, that's okay too. The point has been made...

Please think about this.. If you are a non-believer or an atheist who is reading this please know I do not hate you and I do not judge you.... I just want you to have what I have. Peace in my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ......and I am not a lunatic....my kids and husband may disagree... God be with you.
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