for the Iowa Daily Times Herald, May 22, 2012, written by Mitch Albom
5/23/12
Gospel documentary explores music, faith and family
from the Baltimore Post-Examiner, May 23, 2012, written by
Christians Weigh Presidential Options as Egyptians Head to the Polls
from the Christian Post, May 23, 2012, written by Luiza Oleszczuk
As Egypt's first democratic presidential elections get underway Wednesday, the choices have narrowed down to two groups of candidates: Islamists and politicians once linked to former President Hosni Mubarak. Historically, neither of these groups have meant good news for the Christian community, but there are two secular candidates, Amr Moussa and Ahmed Shafiq, who experts agree would be better for religious minorities in Egypt.
Click here to read full article: http://global.christianpost.com/news/christians-weigh-presidential-options-as-egyptians-head-to-the-polls-75351/
©2012 The Christian Post. All rights reserved
http://global.christianpost.com
©2012 The Christian Post. All rights reserved
http://global.christianpost.com
5/21/12
Host a Courageous Resolution Ceremony
Join host Ken Bevel, and Alex and Stephen Kendrick to gain insights on how you can participate in a powerful Courageous Resolution Ceremony to celebrate your commitment to your family.
Visit http://www.courageousthemovie.com
Arabic Audio Bible Book of John
The book of John spoken in Arabic. For more audio files of the Bible in Arabic go here: http://www.youtube.com/user/corruptdreams/videos?query=Arabic
Other audio translations available http://www.youtube.com/user/corruptdreams
ApologetiX Band Update: Needs Help and Prayers
via ApologetiX email newsletter
May 10, 2012
www.apologetix.com
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via ApologetiX Christian band email
May 9, 2012
www.apologetix.com
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(Blog Disclaimer: All information from ApologetiX e-newsletters. I do not own anything. I am not affiliated with the group. Re-posted on blog for informative purposes.)
May 10, 2012
www.apologetix.com
Should we quit just because our vehicles do?
With our recent transportation trials, some fans have asked, "Do you think God wants you to call it quits?" We've certainly prayed about that, and God knows we're open to whatever He wants us to do.
But remember: Our main challenge has been vehicle problems. If God were closing a door for us, we think He'd do more than just allow us to have vehicle problems.
Concert attendance is the best we've seen in years, and the band members are playing well together, both on stage and off. Many people tell us our latest CD is our best yet. And fans are urging us to carry on.
The economy's lousy, but God continues to provide when we make our needs known. Often it's through fans we've never heard from before, but there are many others who give regularly. Either way, it's encouraging!
In the meantime, God continues to provide new ideas and lyrics, and we feel like we're growing closer to Him through these trials.
The Apostle Paul faced shipwrecks, imprisonments, stonings, and rejections from both enemies and friends, but he still didn't give up, because he knew what he had been called to do.
Ultimately, God speaks to the hearts of those who honestly seek Him, giving them the hope to carry on. Although we have moments of despair, we feel God strengthening us and leading us onward.
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via ApologetiX Christian band email
May 9, 2012
www.apologetix.com
J. Jackson, lead singer and lyricist for ApologetiX here.
Some fans have had trouble getting our newsletters lately, so I'm sending this special email to everyone.
I wish I had better news to report.
Our mechanic has finished his repairs on our new bus. They cost more than the bus itself!
The total costs associated with purchasing and repairing this new bus have been about $10,500.
In the past year or so, if you count repairs to both buses, trailer replacement, van rentals, and lost revenue from concerts cancelled by vehicle problems, we are now up to over $75,000 in unexpected expenses.
We just weren't built to absorb that. A number of fans have helped, but frankly, we need more help.
I know that many fans are not able to help financially. If that's you, we totally understand. I'm in the same boat.
But please pray for us. This is not only killing our finances; it's killing our morale.
If you want to help financially, please go to: http://www.apologetix.com/store/store-donate.php
If you prefer to mail a check or money order, please make it out to "ApologetiX" and send it to:
ApologetiX
208 Charlemma Drive
Pittsburgh PA 15214-1414
Thanks again. God bless you.
Your friend,
J.
J. Jackson
ApologetiX (That Christian Parody Band)
j@apologetix.com
*********************************************************
(Blog Disclaimer: All information from ApologetiX e-newsletters. I do not own anything. I am not affiliated with the group. Re-posted on blog for informative purposes.)
Voice of the Martyrs Prayer Update for week of may 18, 2012: Egypt, Somalia, Israel, Philippines
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What does the Bible say about gay marriage/same sex marriage?
from Got Questions Ministries
Question: "What does the Bible say about gay marriage / same sex marriage?"
Answer: While the Bible does address homosexuality, it does not explicitly mention gay marriage/same-sex marriage. It is clear, however, that the Bible condemns homosexuality as an immoral and unnatural sin. Leviticus 18:22 identifies homosexual sex as an abomination, a detestable sin. Romans 1:26-27 declares homosexual desires and actions to be shameful, unnatural, lustful, and indecent. First Corinthians 6:9 states that homosexuals are unrighteous and will not inherit the kingdom of God. Since both homosexual desires and actions are condemned in the Bible, it is clear that homosexuals “marrying” is not God’s will, and would be, in fact, sinful.
Whenever the Bible mentions marriage, it is between a male and a female. The first mention of marriage, Genesis 2:24; describes it as a man leaving his parents and being united to his wife. In passages that contain instructions regarding marriage, such as 1 Corinthians 7:2-16 and Ephesians 5:23-33; the Bible clearly identifies marriage as being between a man and a woman. Biblically speaking, marriage is the lifetime union of a man and a woman, primarily for the purpose of building a family and providing a stable environment for that family.
The Bible alone, however, does not have to be used to demonstrate this understanding of marriage. The biblical viewpoint of marriage has been the universal understanding of marriage in every human civilization in world history. History argues against gay marriage. Modern secular psychology recognizes that men and women are psychologically and emotionally designed to complement one another. In regard to the family, psychologists contend that a union between a man and woman in which both spouses serve as good gender role models is the best environment in which to raise well-adjusted children. Psychology argues against gay marriage. In nature/physicality, clearly, men and women were designed to “fit” together sexually. With the “natural” purpose of sexual intercourse being procreation, clearly only a sexual relationship between a man and a woman can fulfill this purpose. Nature argues against gay marriage.
So, if the Bible, history, psychology, and nature all argue for marriage being between a man and a woman—why is there such a controversy today? Why are those who are opposed to gay marriage/same-sex marriage labeled as hateful, intolerant bigots, no matter how respectfully the opposition is presented? Why is the gay rights movement so aggressively pushing for gay marriage/same-sex marriage when most people, religious and non-religious, are supportive of—or at least far less opposed to—gay couples having all the same legal rights as married couples with some form of civil union?
The answer, according to the Bible, is that everyone inherently knows that homosexuality is immoral and unnatural, and the only way to suppress this inherent knowledge is by normalizing homosexuality and attacking any and all opposition to it. The best way to normalize homosexuality is by placing gay marriage/same-sex marriage on an equal plane with traditional opposite-gender marriage. Romans 1:18-32 illustrates this. The truth is known because God has made it plain. The truth is rejected and replaced with a lie. The lie is then promoted and the truth suppressed and attacked. The vehemence and anger expressed by many in the gay rights movement to any who oppose them is, in fact, an indication that they know their position is indefensible. Trying to overcome a weak position by raising your voice is the oldest trick in the debating book. There is perhaps no more accurate description of the modern gay rights agenda than Romans 1:31; “they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless.”
To give sanction to gay marriage/same-sex marriage would be to give approval to the homosexual lifestyle, which the Bible clearly and consistently condemns as sinful. Christians should stand firmly against the idea of gay marriage/same-sex marriage. Further, there are strong and logical arguments against gay marriage/same-sex marriage from contexts completely separated from the Bible. One does not have to be an evangelical Christian to recognize that marriage is between a man and a woman.
According to the Bible, marriage is ordained by God to be between a man and a woman (Genesis 2:21-24; Matthew 19:4-6). Gay marriage/same-sex marriage is a perversion of the institution of marriage and an offense to the God who created marriage. As Christians, we are not to condone or ignore sin. Rather, we are to share the love of God and the forgiveness of sins that is available to all, including homosexuals, through Jesus Christ. We are to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15) and contend for truth with “gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15). As Christians, when we make a stand for truth and the result is personal attacks, insults, and persecution, we should remember the words of Jesus: “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you” (John 15:18-19).
Recommended Resource: The Truth About Same-Sex Marriage: 6 Things You Must Know About What's Really at Stake by Erwin Lutzer.
Answer: While the Bible does address homosexuality, it does not explicitly mention gay marriage/same-sex marriage. It is clear, however, that the Bible condemns homosexuality as an immoral and unnatural sin. Leviticus 18:22 identifies homosexual sex as an abomination, a detestable sin. Romans 1:26-27 declares homosexual desires and actions to be shameful, unnatural, lustful, and indecent. First Corinthians 6:9 states that homosexuals are unrighteous and will not inherit the kingdom of God. Since both homosexual desires and actions are condemned in the Bible, it is clear that homosexuals “marrying” is not God’s will, and would be, in fact, sinful.
Whenever the Bible mentions marriage, it is between a male and a female. The first mention of marriage, Genesis 2:24; describes it as a man leaving his parents and being united to his wife. In passages that contain instructions regarding marriage, such as 1 Corinthians 7:2-16 and Ephesians 5:23-33; the Bible clearly identifies marriage as being between a man and a woman. Biblically speaking, marriage is the lifetime union of a man and a woman, primarily for the purpose of building a family and providing a stable environment for that family.
The Bible alone, however, does not have to be used to demonstrate this understanding of marriage. The biblical viewpoint of marriage has been the universal understanding of marriage in every human civilization in world history. History argues against gay marriage. Modern secular psychology recognizes that men and women are psychologically and emotionally designed to complement one another. In regard to the family, psychologists contend that a union between a man and woman in which both spouses serve as good gender role models is the best environment in which to raise well-adjusted children. Psychology argues against gay marriage. In nature/physicality, clearly, men and women were designed to “fit” together sexually. With the “natural” purpose of sexual intercourse being procreation, clearly only a sexual relationship between a man and a woman can fulfill this purpose. Nature argues against gay marriage.
So, if the Bible, history, psychology, and nature all argue for marriage being between a man and a woman—why is there such a controversy today? Why are those who are opposed to gay marriage/same-sex marriage labeled as hateful, intolerant bigots, no matter how respectfully the opposition is presented? Why is the gay rights movement so aggressively pushing for gay marriage/same-sex marriage when most people, religious and non-religious, are supportive of—or at least far less opposed to—gay couples having all the same legal rights as married couples with some form of civil union?
The answer, according to the Bible, is that everyone inherently knows that homosexuality is immoral and unnatural, and the only way to suppress this inherent knowledge is by normalizing homosexuality and attacking any and all opposition to it. The best way to normalize homosexuality is by placing gay marriage/same-sex marriage on an equal plane with traditional opposite-gender marriage. Romans 1:18-32 illustrates this. The truth is known because God has made it plain. The truth is rejected and replaced with a lie. The lie is then promoted and the truth suppressed and attacked. The vehemence and anger expressed by many in the gay rights movement to any who oppose them is, in fact, an indication that they know their position is indefensible. Trying to overcome a weak position by raising your voice is the oldest trick in the debating book. There is perhaps no more accurate description of the modern gay rights agenda than Romans 1:31; “they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless.”
To give sanction to gay marriage/same-sex marriage would be to give approval to the homosexual lifestyle, which the Bible clearly and consistently condemns as sinful. Christians should stand firmly against the idea of gay marriage/same-sex marriage. Further, there are strong and logical arguments against gay marriage/same-sex marriage from contexts completely separated from the Bible. One does not have to be an evangelical Christian to recognize that marriage is between a man and a woman.
According to the Bible, marriage is ordained by God to be between a man and a woman (Genesis 2:21-24; Matthew 19:4-6). Gay marriage/same-sex marriage is a perversion of the institution of marriage and an offense to the God who created marriage. As Christians, we are not to condone or ignore sin. Rather, we are to share the love of God and the forgiveness of sins that is available to all, including homosexuals, through Jesus Christ. We are to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15) and contend for truth with “gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15). As Christians, when we make a stand for truth and the result is personal attacks, insults, and persecution, we should remember the words of Jesus: “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you” (John 15:18-19).
Recommended Resource: The Truth About Same-Sex Marriage: 6 Things You Must Know About What's Really at Stake by Erwin Lutzer.
Related Topics:
What does the Bible say about homosexuality? Is homosexuality a sin?
Are Christians homophobic?
What does the Bible say about bisexuality? Is being a bisexual a sin?
Is it possible to be a gay Christian?
Can a person be born gay?
Does God hate "fags"?
What does the Bible say about being a lesbian? Does the Bible mention lesbianism?
What does the Bible say about getting a sex change?
What does the Bible say about transsexualism / transgenderism? Is gender identity disorder / gender dysphoria the result of sin?
What does the Bible say about cross-dressing / transvestism?
© Copyright 2002-2012 Got Questions Ministries - All Rights Reserved.
www.gotquestions.org - Bible Questions Answered
Hollywood Prayer Network Newsletter (may 2012)
May 2012 Newsletter
Dear HPN,
Happy May! What a beautiful time of year in Southern California! We have lots of praises and prayer requests this month and we thank you in advance for praying with us, passing on the requests to others and being a part of all that God is doing in Hollywood!
SUMMARY:
• Praise God for a WONDERFUL National Day of Prayer in Hollywood!
• Praise God for a GREAT Biola Media Conference, also at CBS Television on May 5th
• May is always Mothers Day Month. Praise God for our Mothers!
• Pray for three companies who all promote films to the Christian community
• Our friend, radio personality Rich Buhler, passed away on May 7th
• Pray for the Lord to make Himself known at The Cannes Film Festival
• Pray for the people creating this summer’s Blockbuster movies
• Pray for Karen and Caren as we travel to Jakarta Indonesia for the WPA
• Pray for Susan who is in South Korea working on the World's Fair
• Pray for MN HPN Director, Heidi, as she produces a Guy Penrod Concert
• Pray for Actor’s Co-Op and their current play, “Learned Ladies.”
PRAISES:
• Praise God for a WONDERFUL National Day of Prayer in Hollywood! HPN partnered with 5 other LA churches, 5 other entertainment and prayer ministries and hundreds of individuals who came together on the CBS Television sound stage 9 – the home of “Will and Grace” . - We praised and worshiped God and prayed for our nation, our state, our city, our local churches and our entertainment industry. It was so creative with interactive prayer stations, four different worship groups and lots of joy. Thank you to ALL of you who were involved or came. The evening had an eternal impact!
• Praise God for a GREAT Biola Media Conference, also at CBS Television on May 5th. There were great speakers, a good turn- out, lots of friendship connections, both old and new, and a true sense of community. The day ended on a high note with our friend DeVon Franklin, Columbia Creative Exec. and author of “Produced By Faith,” encouraging the group to keep their eyes on Jesus while working in our industry.
• Praise God for our Mothers! May is always Mothers Day Month and we want to take a moment to thank the Lord for our Mothers. Regardless of how good they were as mothers, they brought us into this world, and we now can make the world a better place just because we’re here! Thanks Moms.
UPDATES:
• Many of you have asked how you can get more information on films that are marketed to the Christian community. So we want to give you an update on three friends’ companies who all market films to the church-going audience. Pray for these companies to have continued wisdom and effectiveness in presenting the films they are promoting and for Christians to get information about them, including guides on to how to respond, etc.
Motive Entertainment: http://www.
Grace Hill Media: http://www.
Allied Integrated Marketing: http://www.alliedim.com/
REQUESTS:
• Our friend, radio personality Rich Buhler, passed away on May 7th, after a long bout with cancer. We will miss him and his love for life and other people! Please pray for his wife Dianne and his children Krista and Brian, his step children and grand children, as they work through the loss of their dear husband, grandfather and father. Rich was a supportive member of our Christian Hollywood community and loved by all who knew him. For more info. click HERE.
• Pray for the Lord to make Himself known at The Cannes Film Festival (May 16 – 27th, 2012 in Cannes, France.) – one of the largest and most prestigious International Film Festivals of the year. Filmmakers, distributors, actors, directors and marketers gather from around the world to see the new films coming out and to make deals. The top decision-makers in the film world show up to sell and or market their projects. May the Lord show up as well, and rock the participants’ world! For more information on the Festival, click HERE.
• May begins the promotion and release for all of the Summer Blockbuster movies, starting with “Avengers” last week-end. Our country spends billions of dollars on films, giving the state of California the rank of 5th largest GNP among any country around the world! Let’s pray for the people creating the films and the impact that they have on audiences. May the Lord guide our nation’s thoughts and actions as we go to the movies! For more info on the summer films, click HERE.
• Pray for the two HPN K/Carens as we travel to Jakarta Indonesia. We actually left on May 12th and scheduled to have our email sent out to you today! We’ll be back on May 19th and look forward to the Lord opening doors for us as we pray for media at the World Prayer Assembly, and as we pray with children and global entertainment professionals throughout the week. May the Lord give us Divine Appointments so that we can bring His love and encouragement to the people there as we pray for them. For more info, click HERE.
• Would you pray for Roma Downey (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
• Would you pray for Roma Downey (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
REQUESTS FROM HPN MEMBERS:
• Pray for our LA HPN friend Susan who is in South Korea working on the World's Fair for the next couple of months. May she do great work and have an eternal impact on the people she works with and see God in a new way in Korea.
• Pray for our Twin Cities HPN Director, Heidi, as she produces a Guy Penrod Concert, through her new ministry, “Music for the Master.” Heidi is committed to bring Jesus into Minnesota through the arts, and we pray with her as she and her team put this concert together. For more details click HERE.
• Pray for Hilary, who has been working at the Daystar TV, the first Christian network in Texas that is nominated for three Daytime Emmys this year. "Two of the nominations are for a program I produced on the Holocaust, and the program is unlike any other on the subject because Jesus is the center of it." Let's ask the Lord to keep using Hilary to impact the viewers and her co-workers.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
• Don’t miss the events in Hollywood that you can either attend or pray for! One in particular to point out this week is the Actor’s Co-Op show, “Learned Ladies.” Actor’s Co-Op is an incredible theatre company, made up of talented union actors who are also Christians. They constantly win awards for their plays and have been producing powerful theatre for over 20 years. Check them out HERE. Check out all of the upcoming events HERE.
Thanks for praying with us this month and we look forward to being back with an update from Indonesia in June!
Karen and Caren
------------------------------
TIP OF THE MONTH:
May our words be truthful to man and pleasing in God’s sight. http://philcooke.com/the-
QUOTE OF THE MONTH:
“The stupid believe that to be truthful is easy; only the artist, the great artist, knows how difficult it is.” Willa Cather
VERSE OF THE MONTH:
“May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.” Psalm 19:14
“May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.” Psalm 19:14
(Blog Disclaimer: All information from HPN. I don't own anything. Re-posted here for informational purposes only.)
A life stolen every 95 seconds
via Jay Sekulow, ACLJ Chief Counsel
www.aclj.org
America's largest abortion business takes more than 300,000 babies' lives every year, committing an abortion every 95 seconds.
Planned Parenthood's atrocities are paid for with a $1 billion-dollar annual budget – nearly half of that budget coming from our tax dollars.
If we take away half of their budget, could we save 150,000 babies a year?
States are passing laws defunding abortion mills. Planned Parenthood knows this threat is very real and could devastate their abortion business. They are aggressively fighting these pro-life laws.
The ACLJ is standing with states that have passed these life-saving measures, taking on Planned Parenthood in court. We need you to stand up to them with us.
Sign our Petition to Stop Planned Parenthood's Taxpayer Funding today.
Your voice is critical in this fight to save these children who don't yet have a voice.
www.aclj.org
America's largest abortion business takes more than 300,000 babies' lives every year, committing an abortion every 95 seconds.
Planned Parenthood's atrocities are paid for with a $1 billion-dollar annual budget – nearly half of that budget coming from our tax dollars.
If we take away half of their budget, could we save 150,000 babies a year?
States are passing laws defunding abortion mills. Planned Parenthood knows this threat is very real and could devastate their abortion business. They are aggressively fighting these pro-life laws.
The ACLJ is standing with states that have passed these life-saving measures, taking on Planned Parenthood in court. We need you to stand up to them with us.
Sign our Petition to Stop Planned Parenthood's Taxpayer Funding today.
Your voice is critical in this fight to save these children who don't yet have a voice.
Are you Co-Dependent?
via Richard Skerritt
www.tearsandhealing.com
Today's essay is the landing page for people searching for understanding about codependence. On most subjects, I'm encouraging people to build and apply their understanding. But in my assessment, codependence falls in with the mythological concepts of narcissism. I think both are self-indulgent stories that serve the interest of the story teller but not the listener.
Instead of wringing your hands about being codependent, I encourage you to recognize the real sticking points in your life outlook and life choices. I deal with these in Tears & Healing, which explores the emotional issues of obligation, love and attraction, reality distortion, and a weak or missing life vision. In Love and Loving It - Or Not! amplifies and magnifies the dynamics of love and attraction and how we can try to make choices so those emotions work more for us than against us. Meaning from Madness explains what motivates the disordered, how they distort reality and what the prospects for improvement are. I now have Tears & Healing Reflections , The Richard Skerritt Pack with all five of my books; the Relationship Pack with the four books that deal with relationships with a disordered person; and the smaller triple pack . Everything is here.
There is some repetition in the bodies of these landing pages, which I'm leaving in this format. As always, take what works and leave the rest.]
Are you distracted with the idea that you're "codependent"? Get all three books - or better yet, the Relationship Pack - and start dealing with the real issues in your life.
Did you know the books and packages come in softcover, e-book, and the combination quick-pack? You can see all the choices you have on this page.
Why does your partner treat you like that? Get Meaning from Madness and get the explanation for what drives disordered behavior. (It's in the Relationship Pack and the triple pack.)
Are you sick of being drawn back to someone who hurts you? Would you like to understand how to enable a healthy, loving relationship in your life? (It's in the Relationship Pack and the triple pack.)
Have you been reading excerpts for a while? Are you ready to buy Tears & Healing and get serious about change? (It's in the Relationship Pack and the triple pack.)
One reader: "Thank you so much for sharing your story ... you have helped me to release a lot of stress and tension and I feel I can move on."
© 2006-2011 Richard Skerritt, Author and Publisher
http://tearsandhealing.com/
Dalkeith Press, Inc. is an independent, direct-to-reader publisher in Kennett Square, PA, USA. Our Site is http://dalkeithpress.com/
(Blog Disclaimer: I do not own anything. All information from e-letters, re-posted here for educational purposes only.)
www.tearsandhealing.com
Today's essay is the landing page for people searching for understanding about codependence. On most subjects, I'm encouraging people to build and apply their understanding. But in my assessment, codependence falls in with the mythological concepts of narcissism. I think both are self-indulgent stories that serve the interest of the story teller but not the listener.
Instead of wringing your hands about being codependent, I encourage you to recognize the real sticking points in your life outlook and life choices. I deal with these in Tears & Healing, which explores the emotional issues of obligation, love and attraction, reality distortion, and a weak or missing life vision. In Love and Loving It - Or Not! amplifies and magnifies the dynamics of love and attraction and how we can try to make choices so those emotions work more for us than against us. Meaning from Madness explains what motivates the disordered, how they distort reality and what the prospects for improvement are. I now have Tears & Healing Reflections , The Richard Skerritt Pack with all five of my books; the Relationship Pack with the four books that deal with relationships with a disordered person; and the smaller triple pack . Everything is here.
There is some repetition in the bodies of these landing pages, which I'm leaving in this format. As always, take what works and leave the rest.]
Are You Codependent? Overcome the love locking you in. Find the Courage to Leave.
Are you codependent? Have you been convinced that there is something fundamentally wrong with you? What does codependence really mean?
We end up in abusive and unhealthy situations for lots of reasons. Moreover, we often stay in them for reasons that are healthy, even though the situation isn't. Some people want to tell us that if we are in an unhealthy situation we must be "codependent". The problem is, it's not true. What's more, "codependence" isn't a defined problem that we directly address. It sells books, but does it help us?
So ask some of these questions of yourself: Did your relationship start out in a positive way? Did your partner change after you were in a committed situation, where it was difficult to just break things off? Have you held a reasonable hope that things will improve? Does your situation make you sick, and make you wish for a safer and healthier relationship? Are you putting up with bad treatment for a higher purpose, like trying to make the best home for your children?
If you answer yes to these questions, then you should feel that you are coping with a difficult situation that you did not create. Don't paint yourself with the amorphous label that you're "codependent". Recognize that although your situation is unhealthy, there may be no simple options to make it better. Just because you're weighing the balance and hanging in there doesn't mean there's something fundamental wrong with you. You may have hard work ahead to make your life better, and you may be facing some difficult choices and changes, but that doesn't make you "codependent."
The truth is that in many cases abusers really do make victims of otherwise innocent people. Their behavior early in the relationship may be wonderful, and it often stays that way until a lasting commitment is made. Then things change for the worse, often dramatically. This "now you see it, now you don't" phenomenon is common with people who have narcissistic defenses, and I talk about this in Meaning from Madness. Once we're married, and even worse have children, there aren't any simple ways to put an end to the abuse, because such major sacrifices must be made to force change. This isn't codependence. It's a painful and difficult situation that we need help to deal with.
Overcome the Love Locking You In
Many of us got into unhealthy situations because our partners held up a facade. Many of us felt or thought that we had met our soul mate; found the perfect partner; met that one special person in the universe. It's no surprise that we can fall in love with someone like this!
Later, usually after we've made a binding commitment like marriage, or sometimes after the relationships changes due to children being born, job changes, or other major life changes, our partner shows a completely different side. The person who was once perfect now can become angry, demeaning, demanding, and harshly critical. I talk about this dynamic in my book on disordered behavior, Meaning from Madness. From someone we have deep feelings for, these actions are brutal. Yet we may still have strong feelings of love pulling us to that person. Talk about being torn!
At some point, many of us realize this situation needs to change, but feelings are not chosen. How can you overcome the love that pulls you to someone who is abusing you?
While you can't turn those feelings off like a switch, you can learn to understand where those feelings come from, and how our minds create them, and then set the stage for new feelings to develop - hopefully toward someone who's better for us. At first this issue was a chapter in my book, Tears and Healing, but it was so important it eventually became its own short book, In Love and Loving It - Or Not! . The really sad part is that our minds create these feelings so that we'll be motivated to engage in a relationship that meets our emotional needs, yet those same feelings can end up locking us in, pulling back again into a broken relationship that just can't fill those needs! Its like a trap, one that we need new understanding to get out of.
Find the Courage to Leave
As someone who spends a lot of time helping other people, I never presume to judge or tell people what they "should do", "have to" do, or "need" to do. These are individual choices that can only be made by the person who must live them. But when people are ready to make a change, they can often be trapped not just by their love for their hurtful partner, but by fear. Ending major relationships means big changes, changes in where and how we live, what we own, how much money we have, whether we're alone or not. Its natural to be afraid. It's sometimes like leaping off a cliff in the dark.
Fortunately, fear stands on base that is easy to chip away at: ignorance. We are most often afraid because we don't know what will happen. Without any specific thoughts, our minds love to wander off into all kinds of extreme outcomes - things that really just aren't going to happen. So overcoming fear - finding the courage to make changes - is about learning. It can take time, and it does take little bits of courage to ask the questions, but if we chip away at it, we can build a picture or what a new life will be like, and we can fill that picture with facts and not imagined fears. Those facts, and that true vision of what we'll do and what things will be like, undercut the fears and make it possible to face the change.
Stopping the hurt; Healing the Damage -
Dealing with this situation is complex, and people need some idea of "What do I do now that I know this?" For most people, there are important values, beliefs and obligations that have to be carefully thought about. Most people who are asking "Am I codependent?" are in very hurtful situations, and significant decisions have to be faced, then resolved. Tears & Healing holds a light up in this dark place. Written from the inside perspective of someone who has been through the hell of being emotionally and verbally battered by a spouse, this book addresses the major issues that we all must wrestle with.
Tears & Healing begins with the most difficult issue: abusive partners constantly work to distort our perception of what is happening and what is right and wrong, until we doubt our own judgment so much we can't make decisions. It then addresses the process of detaching to find safe space and to regain a sense of right and wrong, and searching to understand what we, as people, need in our lives - needs that often must be simply put aside to survive in these brutal situations. It deals with love, and the conflict of being in love with someone hurtful to us. And it addresses the intense feelings of obligation that many of us have, which keep us locked in situations that are beyond what any person should endure. Tears & Healing is an intensely personal and validating guide through this maze of thoughts and emotions. The reader reviews below can give you some sense of how liberating Tears & Healing has been for many, many people.
As I said already, dealing with feelings of love is a huge barrier for many. My book, In Love and Loving It - Or Not! , addresses these issues. It explains how and why we fall in love; what we can do to get out of love with someone hurtful to us; how we can make choices so we are more likely to fall in love with someone good for us; and how being in love relates to the different, chosen actions of loving. Many of the people I help to deal with their abusive situations need this kind of guidance.
My experience also shows that most of us need a solid understanding of what is going on in our partners. They are usually disordered, and when we can understand what disorder is in play, we can start to understand why they do what they do, and what the prospects are for change. Meaning from Madness explains this.
Are you distracted with the idea that you're "codependent"? Get all three books - or better yet, the Relationship Pack - and start dealing with the real issues in your life.
Did you know the books and packages come in softcover, e-book, and the combination quick-pack? You can see all the choices you have on this page.
Why does your partner treat you like that? Get Meaning from Madness and get the explanation for what drives disordered behavior. (It's in the Relationship Pack and the triple pack.)
Are you sick of being drawn back to someone who hurts you? Would you like to understand how to enable a healthy, loving relationship in your life? (It's in the Relationship Pack and the triple pack.)
Have you been reading excerpts for a while? Are you ready to buy Tears & Healing and get serious about change? (It's in the Relationship Pack and the triple pack.)
One reader: "Thank you so much for sharing your story ... you have helped me to release a lot of stress and tension and I feel I can move on."
© 2006-2011 Richard Skerritt, Author and Publisher
http://tearsandhealing.com/
Dalkeith Press, Inc. is an independent, direct-to-reader publisher in Kennett Square, PA, USA. Our Site is http://dalkeithpress.com/
(Blog Disclaimer: I do not own anything. All information from e-letters, re-posted here for educational purposes only.)
NARAL President to Resign
via Carol Tobias,
President of NRLC (National Right to Life Committee)
In an exclusive interview with the Washington Post’s Sarah Kliff released tonight, NARAL (National Pro-Choice for America) President Nancy Keenan announced that she would be stepping down from her post at the end of the year.
Kliff writes in her story:
In other words, Nancy Keenan’s conclusion is something we have known for years: the post-Roe generations are pro-life – and more passionately so than their parents’ generations and their pro-abortion, post-Roe counterparts.
We know from Gallup that 61% of the country believes abortion should be illegal in all circumstances or legal only in a few circumstances. We know from Gallup that 45% of the country self-identifies as pro-life. We know from Gallup that 51% of Americans believe abortion is morally wrong. And we know that when those questions are asked of the post-Roe generation, the numbers tend to skew higher.
More important, I know that none of this would even be possible without you and the work you do with National Right to Life and our nationwide network of state affiliates and local chapters. Every day you are educating your communities, touching hearts and changing minds. Every day, you are helping us make a difference for the most defenseless members of our society.
Look back to 2003 when the New York Times Magazine quoted David J. Garrow, a hard-core pro-abortion "legal historian" at Emory University, as stating, “There’s been so much media attention over the last seven to eight years on partial-birth abortion, we shouldn't be surprised that some of it has had an effect on 12-to-14-year-olds, and it is a public relations coup for the National Right to Life Committee."
The other side has noticed. And they’re “worried.”
Keep up the great work. Together we will win…for their lives.
President of NRLC (National Right to Life Committee)
In an exclusive interview with the Washington Post’s Sarah Kliff released tonight, NARAL (National Pro-Choice for America) President Nancy Keenan announced that she would be stepping down from her post at the end of the year.
Kliff writes in her story:
In recent years, Keenan has worried about an ‘intensity gap’ on abortion rights among millennials, which the group considers to be the generation of Americans born between 1980 and 1991. While most young, antiabortion voters see abortion as a crucial political issue, NARAL’s own internal research does not find similar passion among abortion-rights supporters.
In other words, Nancy Keenan’s conclusion is something we have known for years: the post-Roe generations are pro-life – and more passionately so than their parents’ generations and their pro-abortion, post-Roe counterparts.
We know from Gallup that 61% of the country believes abortion should be illegal in all circumstances or legal only in a few circumstances. We know from Gallup that 45% of the country self-identifies as pro-life. We know from Gallup that 51% of Americans believe abortion is morally wrong. And we know that when those questions are asked of the post-Roe generation, the numbers tend to skew higher.
More important, I know that none of this would even be possible without you and the work you do with National Right to Life and our nationwide network of state affiliates and local chapters. Every day you are educating your communities, touching hearts and changing minds. Every day, you are helping us make a difference for the most defenseless members of our society.
Look back to 2003 when the New York Times Magazine quoted David J. Garrow, a hard-core pro-abortion "legal historian" at Emory University, as stating, “There’s been so much media attention over the last seven to eight years on partial-birth abortion, we shouldn't be surprised that some of it has had an effect on 12-to-14-year-olds, and it is a public relations coup for the National Right to Life Committee."
The other side has noticed. And they’re “worried.”
Keep up the great work. Together we will win…for their lives.
Imprisoned pastor (Youcef) speaks out
by Jordan Sekulow
www.aclj.org
Pastor Youcef has released a letter to his supporters.
It is the first time he has been allowed to make a public statement in nearly a year and the first time the world has heard from him since his execution order was upheld.
Youcef's spirit in the face of his persecution is remarkable. He writes, "[T]hough my trial due has been so long, and as in the flesh I wish these days to end, yet I have surrendered myself to God's will."
The letter, which he sent to Present Truth Ministries, goes on to thank everyone who has been working, speaking out and praying on his behalf, saying:
"I do believe that these kind of activities can be very helpful in order to reach freedom, and respecting the human rights in a right way can bring forth great results in this. I want to appreciate all those are trying to reach to this goal."
His words are inspiring, and you can read his entire letter on our Tweet for Youcef page at http://ACLJ.org/Nadarkhani.
Please share this inspiring news by forwarding this email and sharing our link on Facebook and Twitter.
It's important that you encourage your friends and family to sign up to our Tweet for Youcef campaign today.
We are also continuing to press the U.S. Senate to unanimously pass a resolution demanding Pastor Youcef's release. The U.S. House of Representatives has already passed a similar resolution, and it's time for the Senate to act. Take action; sign our new petition for Youcef today.
Thank you again for your actions, prayers, and tweets on behalf of Pastor Youcef.
www.aclj.org
Pastor Youcef has released a letter to his supporters.
It is the first time he has been allowed to make a public statement in nearly a year and the first time the world has heard from him since his execution order was upheld.
Youcef's spirit in the face of his persecution is remarkable. He writes, "[T]hough my trial due has been so long, and as in the flesh I wish these days to end, yet I have surrendered myself to God's will."
The letter, which he sent to Present Truth Ministries, goes on to thank everyone who has been working, speaking out and praying on his behalf, saying:
"I do believe that these kind of activities can be very helpful in order to reach freedom, and respecting the human rights in a right way can bring forth great results in this. I want to appreciate all those are trying to reach to this goal."
His words are inspiring, and you can read his entire letter on our Tweet for Youcef page at http://ACLJ.org/Nadarkhani.
Please share this inspiring news by forwarding this email and sharing our link on Facebook and Twitter.
It's important that you encourage your friends and family to sign up to our Tweet for Youcef campaign today.
We are also continuing to press the U.S. Senate to unanimously pass a resolution demanding Pastor Youcef's release. The U.S. House of Representatives has already passed a similar resolution, and it's time for the Senate to act. Take action; sign our new petition for Youcef today.
Thank you again for your actions, prayers, and tweets on behalf of Pastor Youcef.
Pastor Youcef's Attorney Arrested
via ACLJ.org
Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani's Iranian attorney has been convicted and sentenced to nine years in prison for defending human rights.
The judge in this case is known as one of Iran's worst human rights abusers and is commonly referred to as the "Judge of Death."
The ACLJ has been working with Pastor Youcef's attorney to secure his freedom. Now, with no legal representation in Iran, Pastor Youcef is essentially facing the Iranian regime alone – no advocate to keep him alive and to keep the appeals process going.
Sign our new Petition to free Pastor Youcef today.
Pastor Youcef's attorney will soon begin serving his time in one of Iran's harshest prisons, and no other Iranian attorney will represent him.
We must increase any and all pressure we can on Iran.
Urge the U.S. Senate to unanimously pass the resolution demanding Pastor Youcef's immediate release.
Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani's Iranian attorney has been convicted and sentenced to nine years in prison for defending human rights.
The judge in this case is known as one of Iran's worst human rights abusers and is commonly referred to as the "Judge of Death."
The ACLJ has been working with Pastor Youcef's attorney to secure his freedom. Now, with no legal representation in Iran, Pastor Youcef is essentially facing the Iranian regime alone – no advocate to keep him alive and to keep the appeals process going.
Sign our new Petition to free Pastor Youcef today.
Pastor Youcef's attorney will soon begin serving his time in one of Iran's harshest prisons, and no other Iranian attorney will represent him.
We must increase any and all pressure we can on Iran.
Urge the U.S. Senate to unanimously pass the resolution demanding Pastor Youcef's immediate release.
ChristianMovies.com May Special #2, Meet Gavin MacLeod & Rich Christiano (May 27th)
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1997-2012 © ChristianMovies.com
(Blog Disclaimer: I own nothing. All information from ChristianMovies.com e-newsletter, re-posted here for informational purposes only.)
Hal Lindsey Report (5-18-12): The Real Issue, Marriage, War to Peace to War?, United They Stand Again, Time to Listen, Grant Jeffrey Tribute
(Blog Disclaimer: All information from Hal Lindsey Media Ministries. Not my own. Video uploaded to YouTube by OmniChristianVids3. Thanks.)
The topic on everyone's mind the last few days has been President Obama's recent announcement that he now supports same-sex marriage. Beyond the political implications of his "evolved" flip-flop (actually, a double flip-flop since he supported same-sex marriage as a legislator in Illinois before he opposed it as a candidate for President), the real issue involved here is not the acceptance of homosexuality in our society.
Legalizing same-sex marriage is not the same as accepting homosexuals as a part of our culture. Rejecting same-sex marriage does not mean that you are rejecting your gay child, friend, or co-worker. And accepting and loving your gay children or friends does not require the codifying of a catastrophic redefinition of marriage into a law of the land.
When the government says that marriage is no longer exclusively a union between a man and a woman, it effectively places society's seal of approval on the alternative. This seal of approval, in turn, actually encourages our young people to pursue those lifestyles they perceive to be officially sanctioned by society. That's the very danger cited by opponents of the legalization of marijuana and other narcotics.
On this week's program, I'm going to examine some of the practical and historical arguments against same-sex marriage. I'm also going to revisit a few minutes of my teaching on "The Divine Institutions." In it, I'll discuss what the Bible has to say about it and why it is important to protect the Biblical institution of marriage.
Also, this week I'll tell you about something historic that is happening in Israel. Last week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu formed a national unity government with his main rival, the Kadima Party. The new government now controls 94 of the 120 seats in the Knesset. This strong and stable a super-majority in the Knesset has not been seen in Israel since the national unity government formed by Prime Minister Levi Eshkol on June 1, 1967 -- just 5 days before the beginning of the Six Day War.
In 2012, Israel's major threat does not currently emanate from Egypt and its other neighbors like it did in 1967. Today, Israel feels most threatened by Iran and its mad drive to secure nuclear weapons -- weapons that it publicly pledges to use against Israel.
Given the ambivalence of the Obama administration toward Iran's ambitions, a unified and stable government will be necessary if Israel determines it must act alone to stop Iran. Today, Israel has that government.
Finally, it's been 43 years since my book The Late Great Planet Earth was published. When it first came out, it was so off-the-beaten-path as far as religious literature was concerned, that many bookstores refused to carry it in their "Religion" section. Instead, they preferred to place it with science-fiction or occult books. That was a favor to me that only God could have arranged! As a result, The Late Great Planet Earth went places no Christian-themed book had ever gone before.
My book offered evidence from Bible prophecy that "the end of the world as we know it" was close at hand. It turns out that that idea was just a bit too far-out for folks in 1970 to accept. But a lot has changed in 43 years. This month, an Ipsos Poll conducted for Reuters News Service in more than 20 nations found that 1 in 7 people believes the end of the world will occur within his or her lifetime. In the United States, that number rises to 1 in 4! Maybe that's because what I saw 43 years ago can be seen in the headlines of our newspapers every day now.
And that sense of urgency that the man-in-the-street is now feeling is precisely why we need to be prepared and ready to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with those around us when the opportunity arises. All you have to do is tell the unbeliever what you know and have experienced in your life. The Holy Spirit will take care of the rest. And the Bible says that the Shepherd's sheep will know His voice when He calls them. Time is short and many of our friends and loved ones and neighbors may never have the chance to hear His voice again. So be ready to share when the time comes.
Last Friday night, my friend and colleague, Grant Jeffrey, "slipped the surly bonds of earth" and went to be with his Lord. In this space last week, I asked you to join me in prayer for Grant's complete healing and recovery from a massive heart attack. But sometimes our earthly concept of healing and recovery may not be what God has in mind. By the next morning, Grant was experiencing the greatest healing of all -- he was with his blessed Savior. Grant had suffered pain for many years, but now he'll suffer no more.
Please continue to pray for his precious wife Kaye as she navigates through this difficult and immensely lonely time.
We'll miss you, Grant.
Don't miss this week's Report on TBN, Daystar, Inspiration, CPM Network, various local stations, www.hallindsey.com or www.hischannel.com. Please check your local listings.
God Bless,
Hal Lindsey
mail: HLMM, P.O. Box 470470, Tulsa, OK 74147
email: comments@hallindsey.com web: http://www.hallindsey.com
Jack Van Impe Presents (5-19-2012) #1221
(c) J.V.I. Ministries - http://www.jvim.com/ - Jack Van Impe Presents #1221 (2012-05-19)
Headlines:
Can President Obama run on his foreign policy record?
Putin takes back Russia's nuclear button...
Iran may go nuclear later this year...
Product Offer of the Week: DVD "Awake America: The World's Final Warning" which can be purchased by phoning the telephone number on the video or by going to the JVIM Ministry online store: https://ww2.micahtek.com/nexolive/nJVISelector.cfm?rDATA1=SHOPPING
Thanks to CallOutToJesus on YouTube for uploading the videos there and the descriptions.
5/15/12
"I think I'm going to go to hell."
Ray Comfort shares the Gospel with Pablo at Cerritos College.
http://www.livingwaters.com/
http://wayofthemaster.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/thewayofthemaster
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