Kicking The Slump To The Curb

July 25, 2018 Gracie

Don’t Give Up

I’m feeling a little sad.

A few days ago, I read a post from a fellow Christian blogger.

He said he’s discouraged and having trouble writing about some of the heavier topics in our world.

Perhaps he’s just suffering from a temporary case of writer’s block, but maybe not.

As he explained later in his post, he’s struggling because, as a Christian, he knows that if you have Christian beliefs that go against hot-button secular opinions, you face the possibility of aggressive backlash.

I get it.

Sometimes I feel beat down myself, and I can’t blame it on writer’s block.

I get distressed at how misled some people are.

You can see one of the headlines I’m talking about for yourself.

Unhinged Backlash

Kicking The Slump To The Curb

The hatred against Bible-believing Christians has lit up in social media.

I’m sure you’ve read some of these rude comments as well.

Unfortunately, there doesn’t appear to be any end in sight.

If you post a biblical response to something on a “public” Facebook page, then you can quickly become fodder for nasty written attacks.

Who are these name-calling people anyway?

They appear to lack any conscience whatsoever.

Tact and polite discussion aren’t in their vocabulary.

Even so, we know we must pray for enemies of Christianity.

Compassion versus Anger towards them is necessary because they don’t have Jesus in their lives.

Kicking The Slump To The Curb

We must get ready for the long haul.

It’s ultimately a spiritual battle.

Even churches are not immune to Satan’s attacks.

Alarming doctrinal changes are coming to light.

For example, changing pronouns in Scripture to make the gospel more PC is outright deception. Reading about issues like this can bring me to tears, but it is happening. We need to be aware of this and not bury our heads in the sand.

We know that Satan works to undermine everything of God.

All I can say to try and encourage you as fellow Christians, (p.s. I need encouragement too), is to please continue looking for opportunities to share your testimony and talk to others about your faith in Jesus Christ.

Don’t fear the slump and don’t let it stomp out your witness for good. I understand taking a break, but please don’t give up.

*Footnote: I emailed the blogger I spoke about earlier to give him some encouragement. He was very appreciative.

###

Our Exceptional God

Patience With Others

May 10, 2018 Gracie

The Spiritual Battle Rages On

Is there someone in your life who denies the existence of God?

It’s sad, isn’t it?

You want so desperately to reach them, but nothing seems to get through.

They may even shut you out by using some choice words.

“Keep your God to yourself.”

Sadly, isn’t that what society as a whole is trying to do right now?

In the spiritual battle going on in this world, just below the surface, it appears the Adversary is gaining ground.

Christians here in the United States are feeling the stirrings of persecution.

It breaks my heart.

Learning To Have Patience With Others

trust in God

Are the atheists and agnostics whom we know hopeless in the eyes of God?

No.

As long as there is breath in their bodies, there’s still time.

And their willingness to turn to Christ may not even start with you.

The Holy Spirit can use someone else in the life of a lost person.

The timing is our Sovereign God’s alone.

He gets the glory, and only He knows who will be saved.

I saw this quote from Dr. Woodrow Kroll that applies perfectly.

patience with others

Please be patient with your loved ones who are lost.

Keep praying for them.

You never know when you may get that joy-filled phone call that they’ve turned their lives to Christ.

###

*Quotation from Dr. Woodrow Kroll, Bible teacher and preacher, as quoted, from Christianquotes.info.

Our Exceptional God

The Elephant In The Room

August 17, 2017 Gracie

The Elephant In The Room

Ask for help

Do you know someone who is struggling with severe depression?

Have they reached out to you for help?

If they’re open to sharing their private struggles with you, praise God for that positive step.

On the other hand, a severely depressed person who won’t open up may be in a lot more emotional trouble than you might think.

despair and no hope

Close to *800,000 people die every year due to suicide, that’s according to statistics from the World Health Organization.

What’s just as heartbreaking is that the number of suicide “attempts” is even higher.

At those alarming rates, I’m pretty sure it hits close to home.

It’s the elephant in the room. That empty seat in the dining room is a painful reminder of a precious life tragically lost.

Overwhelming Despair

Why are some people crippled by their severe depression while others can learn to manage their illness and live a productive life?

It doesn’t matter whether you’re a celebrity or homeless, an office worker, or a WWII veteran.

Christian or non-Christian – feelings of depression do not discriminate.

One thing is for certain, these consuming emotions aren’t coming from God, although He allows them.

They reek of the Enemy (of our souls) who ultimately wants to destroy us.

We Need Each Other

There’s a world of hate and division brewing which is stirred up by the media and other groups.

I hope you can turn it off.

Mercy and grace come from God alone.

Can we please quit fighting?

As Christians, we are needed elsewhere.

Our depressed loved ones deserve our prayers, attention, and compassion.

Why compassion?

If someone is struggling with thoughts of taking their own life they often feel guilty or embarrassed. It’s sad that there’s a stigma in society that says if you’re in need of help or counseling, you’re messed up beyond repair. That needs to stop.

We need each other.

we need each other

These are just a few of the issues covered in the new film from Living Waters called “Exit: The Appeal of Suicide.” As a Christian blogger, I was very interested in seeing it before the movie’s mass release on YouTube.

However, I must issue a caution. Viewer discretion is advised as some may find the subject matter too intense.

Cries For Help

Writing this article about the “Exit” movie brought back some memories for me of a former coworker who took her life. It happened years after I left that job, but I remember how shocking it was when I got the news. I’d gone to dinner with her (name withheld) and a few other friends a couple of times. I never even had a clue that she was struggling so much internally.

It’s heartbreaking. A life, precious in God’s sight, ended all too soon.

When someone commits suicide, they take the heart of their loved ones with them. I can only imagine the overwhelming grief her best friends and family went through as they prepared for her funeral.

A Timeless Struggle

Depression is not anything new. Reading through some of the Psalms in the Bible, for instance, you can picture King David’s emotional battle as he pleads for God’s mercy and forgiveness, yet he also praises God for the peace that only He provides.

Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer! – **Psalm 4:1, English Standard Version, ESV.

Someone I greatly admire is Joni Eareckson Tada. She’s a Christian author, speaker, and also a talented artist among other involvements.

Joni was paralyzed in a diving accident right after high school and has lived as a quadriplegic ever since. To hear her speak, she knows full well the strongholds of depression and self-doubt firsthand. Through many years of painful struggles, including a bout with breast cancer, Joni remains an inspiration and a great example of courage and grace under fire.

The movie, “Exit: The Appeal of Suicide” is available for free starting August 16th on YouTube.

If you know of someone who is struggling with debilitating depression and you are concerned for their safety, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number is: 1-800-273-8255.

# # #

*Statistics courtesy of World Health Organization. (Updated 2017, March). Suicide Fact Sheet. [Media Centre article]. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs398/en/
**Scripture quotation is from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2016 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
***Joni Eareckson Tada quotation, courtesy of “Joni Eareckson Tada Shares Her Story.” Published January 28, 2014. Online video clip. YouTube. Web.

Our Exceptional God

Living Art

August 2, 2017 Gracie

Did you know that you can appreciate beautiful works of art without having to go to a local gallery or museum?

You certainly can!

In fact, it’s right within our reach.

You can find these artistic masterpieces everywhere – in your garden, a local park, during a walk through the woods, and, my personal favorite, at the seashore.

We are gifted from God with “living art.” A magnificent creation was made by Him, for Him, and as an expression of His glory.

Living art under the sea

Living Art Under The Sea

I’m a huge fan of underwater adventures.

Snorkeling in Oahu, and also in the Bahamas, were unforgettable experiences.

I’m not even that great at it.

No fancy gear or flippers – just me, my mask, and my snorkel.

Take me snorkeling, and I’m a happy girl.

It is so peaceful to spend the day relaxing in the crystal blue water, scouting out schools of colorful fish, and observing the underwater rock formations.

Those beautiful beaches are calling my name right now.

I could have stayed forever, just taking in the sights and the beauty of God’s creation.

Turning Off The Clutter

I believe in Biblical creation, despite the loud protests of evolution theorists and progressives who want to deny creator God.

I trust God.

My belief is in His Word, not in man-made theories.

My faith in Biblical creation wouldn’t make me popular in scientific think tanks, but that’s okay.

God doesn’t lie.

^*3By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. – Hebrews 11:3, English Standard Version (ESV).

“Created by the word of God…”

It’s pretty clear.

God spoke the world into existence.

And this world is nothing short of fascinating.

Thank you, God

for creating this world

of beautiful colors

to inspire us,

and spark our imaginations.

Let’s take a peek at a few unique creatures.

We’ll start with this twirling Feather Starfish. I’d never seen one before until this video. Did you know this little guy even existed?

He’s stunning and graceful, but I’m glad I’m not a twirling Feather Starfish.

Too much twirling, and I would get awful tired.

The Mandarinfish Of Many Colors

The Mandarinfish has caught my fancy before. I’ve never seen one in person so I can only admire him from afar.

The Mandarinfish is quite the beauty, plus I think he knows it!

the Mandarinfish

Created By God

^**24O Lord, how many are Your works!
In wisdom You have made them all;
The earth is full of Your possessions. – Psalm 104:24, NASB.

I bet you haven’t heard of the Nudibranch.

Mollusks inhabit the oceans throughout the world. Kinda cute to look at, but some of the species are toxic.

striking Nudibranch

Remember the cute movie, “Finding Nemo?”

My husband and I just bought a couple of Clownfish for our home.

We nicknamed them “George and Gracie.” You wouldn’t believe the fun personality of these two. They see us peering at them through the aquarium glass, and they get very excited. Kind of like me when it’s almost dinnertime. 🙂

A Clownfish or two

This next little guy cracks me up.

It’s a Peacock Mantis Shrimp.

I won’t even try to pronounce his classification name, Odontodactylus scyllarus. Okay, smarty pants, I know you just tried to say it. 🙂

Peacock Mantis

Delightful Beasts

I couldn’t resist posting a few pics of sea creatures on the opposite end of the beauty spectrum.

Meet the Viperfish.

My guess is he’s never happy and in need of a good dentist.

Viperfish

Then there’s the Cape Rain Frog below.

Kinda resembles Jabba the Hutt from the “Star Wars” movie.

Cape Rain Frog

Who said God doesn’t have a sense of humor?

Although we should never “worship” God’s creation, we sure can appreciate it.

###

***Viperfish image, courtesy of Personnel of NOAA Ship PISCES (2017). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/Department of Commerce, Viperfish (Chauliodus shoani), Image ID# fish9129, NOAA’s Fisheries Collection. Available at: http://www.photolib.noaa.gov/htmls/fish9129.htm [Accessed 2 Aug. 2017].

****Cape Rain Frog image, courtesy of By Abu Shawka (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.

Our Exceptional God

Finding God

How I Found God Here’s an even better way to put it: how I discovered that God had chosen me. This post comes from my heart. It’s an open window into life-changing events that led me to Christ and the knowledge that He chose me for His own. If someone is telling you that God doesn’t exist or that He

« 1 2 3 4 5 6 »