Why? Why? Why?

In Psalm 44 the psalmist asks God a question that most of us have asked at one time or another — why? To paraphrase, he is telling God to wake up, come down and help us for we are in a lot of trouble. He acknowledges believing all the fathers have told him about the works of God in the past. Why God? The why question is about God’s seeming rejection of them now. God no longer went out with the armies of Israel for battle. Rather than victory they experienced defeat. God took them out of their land and […]

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Healing the Trauma of Kids in Crisis

The results of a study done by the Harvard Medical School, the University of Michigan and the Casey Family Program found that children in foster care were twice as likely to suffer from PTSD than other children. This is some alarming information and causes us to ask the question why? Are children coming into the foster care system already traumatized? Are children being traumatized while in the system or is it a combination of both? Whatever the answer it means those working in the system with children need to be aware of this reality and how to best help the […]

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Shame on You

Shame is a terrible emotion to feel about yourself. It is not simply that I have done something bad, but I am bad.  Many people have a shamed based identity. Their selftalk is constantly reminding them they are wrong, a mistake, inadequate, and unlovable. This outlook is a major reason they are not overcomers in life. We live in a world under the curse of sin and death. Because of this life can be hard at times. Life is not fair and life is full of adversity that must be overcome. God is well aware of this reality and has […]

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My Life Lens

We all look at life through a certain perspective or lens. For some it is positive; for some it is negative. Another way we can state these two views are the blessed one or the cursed one. The cursed one feels nothing good ever happens to him. The blessed one is amazed at God’s goodness in his life. However, my lens determines what I choose to focus on — the good or the bad. What is reality? Is there such a thing as God’s blessing or His curse on a life? What does it mean to be blessed, and how […]

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My Life Lens

John Hawkins, Sr. Good News   We all look at life through a certain perspective or lens. For some it is positive; for some it is negative. Another way we can state these two views are the blessed one or the cursed one. The cursed one feels nothing good ever happens to him. The blessed one is amazed at God’s goodness in his life. However, my lens determines what I choose to focus on — the good or the bad. What is reality? Is there such a thing as God’s blessing or His curse on a life? What does it […]

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Speak Their Love Language

Everyone wants to be loved and this is the month when our minds and hearts focus on relationships. People talk about falling into and out of love. They wonder, “Why can’t it always be the way it was in the beginning when we first fell in love?” Once that emotional high, known as the infatuation stage, wears off they often feel the relationship is over. This phase of love usually lasts around two years and is greatly affected by our brain chemistry. Our thoughts are obsessing on the person and this is why it is hard to focus on anything […]

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Fear ­ The Boogeyman Under The Bed

A new year and new opportunities. However, many only see new unknowns. The unknown and the unfamiliar tend to produce fear in most people. Fear of what will happen next and where? Fear, worry, anxiety, stress, they are all the same. These are issues people have faced since the beginning of time. The original terrorist was Satan with the fear he pumps into our minds.   What makes us afraid? As little children we are afraid of the dark and the boogeyman under our bed. Perhaps this is why a movie like “Monster’s Inc.” can be so successful. We all […]

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Watch Out For The Grinch

“How The Grinch Stole Christmas” is an annual Christmas program popular with children and even some adults. Have you ever wondered why? Christmas stories and the spirit of Christmas bring hope to earth for a short season. Hope that perhaps peace on earth and good will towards men is a real possibility. For a few days the world becomes a better place. However, as in any story there is always a bad guy trying to ruin everything. Enter the Grinch with his cold heart ruining Christmas for Whoville. With hope shattered is redemption possible? Can an evil person be changed […]

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Authenticity – When Image Matches Reality

Every public figure has an image. On a regular basis there is a news story about some public figure where the image is found to not match the reality. No profession is immune to this disappointing and disillusioning event, be it politician, pastor, business person, teacher or whoever. It has been said, “You impress people from a distance but you impact them up close.” Most of us would like to be a better person and have a positive impact on others, especially those we care deeply about. Why is it we so often can’t measure up to our own ideals? […]

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Mental Health And The Faith

  October is mental health month and many Christians struggle with how they feel about the whole subject of mental health. Is there such a thing as mental illness? Is the Bible alone sufficient to treat mental health issues? Are therapists just giving people a way to rationalize and escape responsibility for their actions? Should Christians take medication for mental issues like depressions and anxiety? These questions rarely get asked about treatment for our physical diseases. Why is mental health different?   What is mental health? The dictionary defines health as, “Physical and mental well-being, freedom from disease, normalcy of […]

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