![]() Have you ever had one of those days..... and then it didn't end? I (Mia) had one (three) of those days and I am happy to report, "I MADE IT!" A little over a week ago a friend of mine died and so I flew to Nashville to be there for the funeral. Seeing as buying a last minute plane ticket can be quite costly (and I don’t have the spiritual gift of extra funds) I was thankful to secure a buddy pass and fly stand-by which was a huge blessing. The funeral was amazing as we remembered the life my song-writing champion and friend Cindy Wilt-Colville. Seeing all the people that she championed and encouraged, reuniting with friends and song-writers whose lives she changed (me included), praising God and thanking Jesus for eternal life was all bitter sweet as we celebrated this amazing women. Then……… I headed home…... and that is where the adventure began. Standing in the Nashville airport, my first conversation with the US Airways gate agent (sweetest lady) as she re-routed me to Philadelphia was this “I know that no matter where I am re-routed and no matter where I go, it is all under the sovereign hand of God, He’s got me!” To which she said “AMEN!” Little did I know at that point that I would not make any flights out that day or the next day. Little did I know that I would be sleeping in an airport (and by sleeping, I mean not sleeping all night long-just to start the rat race all over again in the morning.) Little did I know that I would walk the length of the Philadelphia airport repeatedly as I scurried from one gate to the next trying to make each and every flight that flew out to Phoenix. Little did I know that every attempt would end up as a loss and I would always be “just the next person on the list” before each and every flight was full. Little did I know how true the statement that I had made earlier that day would be. For me going a night without sleep can be somewhat manageable and as a traveling musician can be quite normal, but as I documented on one of my facebook statuses, my sleep log before this adventure began was already a bit whack and I was reminded how tired and sleep deprived my body already was. Sun: 60 minutes of sleep Mon: 11 hours of sleep Tues: 0 minutes of sleep Wed: 6 hours of sleep Thurs: looking like 0 minutes Thinking this week’s averages are not so hot, but.... I love that God's grace is sufficient! After all attempts on the following day (DAY 2) in Philadelphia failed (I wish I could have tracked how many miles I walked in that airport) and there were no good chances for me to make any of those flights, I was flown to Chicago (my hometown) to try and get a flight out the next day to return home to Phoenix. Why do I tell you all this? I share this for a few reasons. First, because I wouldn't trade it or change anything (except that I wish I would have claimed the only couch in that airport before someone else did.) Secondly, because I learned how to focus when deprived of sleep and to push myself to maintain a positive attitude in spite of it. And lastly, through it, I was reminded how God covers me and connects me with people who need to see Jesus, need prayer and need hope. Because I was “stuck/appointed” to the airport for three days, I got to do all the above. I got to pray for teenagers flying standby who just wanted to get home to their parents. I got to pray for a man too drunk (as evidenced by him passing out and puking) to get on a plane and had to send his children on ahead of him, just to come back the next day and miss his flight again. I got to pray for his wife who appeared to have had enough. I got to offer food and lend my phone to a man from Kenya who had been traveling for three days and had no money, no food and no cell phone. I got to see him get the last open seat on a standby ticket and I got to say good-bye to him as I again stayed behind. I got to build community with my fellow standby stranded friends. I got to sit in an airport overnight and be still….be quiet….talk to my Lord and hear Him talk back to me. Through my second re-routing to Chicago, I got to stop at my favorite food shop and see a dear friend. But the most amazing thing that I gleaned from my time in the airport was this…..I got to set my mind on things above, not on things that are on the earth (Colossians 3:2). I got to trust my Lord to be my guide and provider and to trust Him to know what is best for me. I got to fix my eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of my faith (Hebrews 12:2). I got to be tired and weary and be given strength (Isaiah 40:29). I got to hope in Him and be renewed (Isaiah 40:31). I got to trust in Him alone to give me all that I needed to be godly (2 Peter 2:1-3). I got to practice patience and kindness in frustrating situations and always give glory to God. I got to be DELIBERATE about being a WOMAN of God. It would have been easy for me to become nasty, snippy, agitated (don’t get me wrong, I did call my husband after not sleeping and cry that I was so tired that I could not see straight), but instead, I CHOSE to think on things above and trust God in the midst of my fatigue. He did not disappoint. So three days in an airport with no sleep and getting to see God reign…Nope, wouldn't trade it for the world! God knew what I needed and He knew what He had to do to get me alone to be reminded and taught. I love that He will go to any lengths to train and teach us. That's how great His love is for us! And just because God is so amazing like that, I made the first flight out of Chicago on the third day, landed with about 3 hours to spare before I had to unpack and then repack to head out to Tuscon, AZ for a music ministry event I had to do. Now tell me, was that not God?! On time, all the time!! May I encourage you today and remind you that you have a God that is watching over every detail of your life. He cares and He sees. Times when you are detoured, re-routed, re-planted and none of it makes sense, know, trust that God is behind you, in the midst of it and has gone before you to prepare you for things that only He can imagine…and YOU get to be a part of His amazing plans…even the crazy ones. Be DELIBERATE friends. Rejoice in the Lord ALWAYS, Let your gladness be evident to ALL. (Philippians 4:4) And Finally, sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4: 8-9)
7/21/2014
A Porn Problem...![]() Pornography. There's a topic we probably haven't touched on much at Deliberate Women... A topic that many Christians shy away from or never mention. Maybe it's not personally a problem for you, but it is a looming crisis in our culture, our churches, and our homes. Porn is everywhere. It's one of the biggest businesses in America, legal in every state. The massive porn industry makes more money than Hollywood. In 2007, the porn industry made 13 billion dollars for over 13,000 adult films made versus Hollywood's 8.8 billion dollars for 507 films made. Pornography is simply huge business. Bigger than big. With more total revenue than the revenue from the NFL, the NBA, and the MLB - combined. More revenue than the revenue from CBS, NBC and ABC - combined. Worldwide pornography is a 97 billion dollar business. It's consuming youth in America in more ways than we realize. It's estimated that kids are seeing their first pornographic images as early as age 11. "Sex" and "porn" are in the top five search terms for children under 18. I'd contend that they are seeing their first pornographic images as early as preschool in the form of advertising from Victoria's Secret, Abercrombie, and other entities, some of which are soft core porn. It's also estimated that 20% of pornographic imagery on the internet involves children. It's affecting our churches where 47% of Christians say that porn is a problem in their homes. Fifty-three percent of Promise Keeper men said they had viewed porn in the last week - THE LAST WEEK. That's a problem, a silent one. It's affecting teens when 90% of 8 to 16-year-olds say they have viewed porn online, while doing homework. It's affecting our marriages, as approximately 50% of divorce proceedings cite usage of porn on the internet to be a major contributing factor. It's even affecting our culture's thought pattern on rape and sexual violence toward women, when studies show that men who viewed porn more often believe that a woman who dresses provocatively deserves to be raped and had increasingly aggressive behavioral tendencies. Porn is bad. Porn is wicked. Porn is addictive. Porn is destructive. Porn is a big problem. Every 39 minutes, another pornographic film is made in America. And another pornographic picture is taken. And another. And another. And another. Another child's innocence is taken, another man's or woman's sexuality is scarred and another person's mind is seared with unforgettable images. Porn will stay with your mind. Believe me, I {Alayna} know. When I was younger, I viewed pornographic images on the internet. I read some x rated pornography scenes from "romance novels". I watched porn with friends a few times. And those scenes stay with you, and they affect you whether you realize their potential impact or not. Some people - good, Christian people - are persuaded that watching or reading pornographic content is a beneficial thing, because they believe it will jazz up their sex life or revive a failing sex life. They buy into the lie and consume pornographic video and images that can't be unseen or unread. If you have never experienced the destructive nature of porn, don't buy into any lies about potential benefits of porn or "romance novels". It's all fantasy that has no benefit in real relationships. Real relationships with flawed and sinful people are not what fantasies are made of. The fantasy of porn is a tool of the devil in many ways to destroy our culture from the inside out. It isn't the people involved in the porn industry who are at work against you and your family. From those producing, acting, and selling porn to those consuming pornography, the fact is they are all some one's loved one. Someone's daughter, someone's dad, someone's wife, someone's mom or someone's son. They are all people, in need of love. In need of truth. In need of confrontation, warning, and accountability. People in need of the healing power of Jesus. Maybe you are like me, with images from the past stuck in and affecting your mind. Or maybe you currently have a porn addiction problem, and are in need of help. If so, there are resources available to you. Maybe porn is consuming your teenager or your husband. If so, there is help for your family too. Help and freedom start with the redemptive and powerful death of Christ on the cross, for your sin and mine. Start a relationship with Christ, and you will no longer be a slave to sin and the devil. With new life in Christ, it can still be quite a journey to daily freedom from porn. You will need help. Reach out to your local church and find out if they have a ministry suited to dealing with the sensitive nature of a porn addiction. Seek out Christian counseling. Invest in a great internet filter to help your household keep searches clean, whether intentional or accidental. Teach your children about sex and always keep the lines of communication on this sensitive subject open, or they may turn to the internet to learn about what you're not teaching. Get an accountability partner to hold you responsible. XXX Church is one of the Christian groups leading the way to healing in our sex and porn filled culture. Please check out all their resources for men, women, and students online at www.xxxchurch.com. The road may be bumpy for you, for your family, for your child. But there is always forgiveness when we turn to Christ, even when we are struck by sin and setbacks along the road to freedom. As with any sin, it's the same when we mess up. Confess your sin, accept His forgiveness and keep living life for Him. Facts, figures, and info from: http://stoppornculture.org/about/about-the-issue/facts-and-figures-2/ http://www.xxxchurch.com/men/stats.html ![]() This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. ~Psalm 118:24. I {Mandy} have sung that verse with my whole heart. I've quoted it. I've posted it more than once on social media. Today I'm taking a closer look at those words. I found an image on Facebook the other day from Casting Crowns' Facebook page. The words stung a little. I stared at that block font for a good 30 seconds, unblinking. The quote was: "Do you want to do big things for God? 'Big things for God' is the person sitting next to you right now. Bloom where God plants you." I know the feeling of wanting to do "big things for God." I read about Moses, David, Paul, and other giants of the faith like them and I have a burning in my heart to live life like they did. I want to serve the way they did. I want to have a glorious crown of jewels to throw at Jesus' feet in Heaven one day. But I am realizing that serving God faithfully and "doing big things for God" does not always equate grandiose gestures, being on a stage, or writing a best-selling book. My fame or notoriety does not equal my service to God. The size of my gesture does not necessarily equal how God will move. It seems so simplistic, but the truth is that our greatest contribution to the faith is to serve God wherever we are. Maybe that means being kind to a neighbor by mowing their lawn or getting groceries for them or volunteering to babysit for a frazzled mom while she runs errands and grabs a cup of coffee. Maybe it means cleaning the church or driving someone to an appointment. God can and will take whatever we offer and use it in the way that best glorifies Himself. We need only be willing and available. Let's be careful not to pass up an opportunity to serve our Lord because it doesn't feel "big" enough. I'm learning that what seems "small" to me sometimes has the "biggest" result.
7/7/2014
the incredible gift![]() TODAY, in North Korea, there are at least 30,000 Christians barely surviving the torture of prison camps with no hope of being released. Many work in mines, and stories from survivors talk about severe beatings, being locked in cages, and starvation to the point where mothers and their own children are fighting over bits of food. Most of those imprisoned knew their almost certain fate if they practiced Christianity, but they stood strong for what they believed and took the risk. TODAY, in Sudan, Meriam Ibrahim is being imprisoned for her faith. She was forced to give birth to her baby girl in JAIL. Shackled. Her crime? Being a Christian. When given the chance to renounce her faith, she refused. All she had to do was renounce it, but she wouldn't. TODAY, in Iran, Saeed Abedini, a pastor from Idaho, has been imprisoned for his Christian faith. He was imprisoned and charged while visiting family and finalizing plans for an orphanage he was building there. TODAY, I [Ginny] attended church, sang next to my fellow sleepy church members and got ready to listen to the sermon fully expecting that afterwards, I would pick up my kids from children's church, and we would go on with our day. It was a typical Sunday morning and part of the routine of the week. I didn't worry about our safety. I didn't worry about being discovered and put in jail for raising my hands or praying. During the worship time, I looked around the worship center, and I couldn't help but notice how few people seemed into the worship, and it discouraged me. I know we were all tired and singing in the morning may not be our first preference, but here we were singing songs about Christ's redemption, how He has overcome sin, and in how we stand in Christ alone. We should be excited and overwhelmed by the truth we are singing. Yet, I saw little of this happening, and to be honest, I was going through the motions as well after three long nights of comforting my children from the July 3/4/5 fireworks. Looking around, I wondered why we were so lack-luster in our worship. My thoughts flew back in time to when I was on a mission trip in Mexico. We were serving a group of people who lived literally in a garbage dump. Yet, when we attended a worship service with them, their faith burst from them as they worshipped with their entire beings. These people, who had nothing, worshipped God as if they had everything. In reality, they did. They had eternal security in Heaven and the truth that God was their all in all. Their lives reflected their incredible faith. It is funny how God works. Not soon after those thoughts were running through my head, they showed this video: https://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=WL6KWGNX It is about those who had experienced a lack of freedom to express their faith, and the point of the video was to show us that we truly do have an incredible privilege and freedom to openly practice our Christian faith here in the United States. That freedom is a gift. Governments in many countries of the world don't allow people to practice their faith. It is illegal in many places just to own a Bible or to pray. People have to meet in secret, always wondering when they will be discovered. Yet, they continue to meet, and they soak up every single word they can when they hear the Word of God. They hide God's truths in their heart, for they don't know the next time they will get to hear or read it again. Yet here in the USA, we have an incredible freedom to own as many Bibles as we want, to attend Bible studies, to blog about our beliefs, to pray as a family around the dinner table, to raise our hand when we worship in church. However, do we really appreciate it? While I am so grateful that I live here and have the freedoms I do, I wonder if those living in countries where freedom is non-existent, have a much better understanding of just how precious the truth of God is. Here, we hear someone quote John 3:16 and sigh because we have heard it over and over. It is something we can so easily take for granted. In the almost 40 countries where Christianity is illegal, those words bring a sense of hope that sustain them through imprisonment, beatings, and while they flee to refugee camps. They feel a sense of urgency to share the truth with others despite the fact that they may lose their lives to bring one more soul to the Kingdom of Heaven. TODAY, let us feel that same sense of urgency and take steps to reignite the fire in us. Let us feel a sense of gratitude for the freedom we have to worship God openly. May we soak up the Word of God and reread verses we have read hundreds of times with a new sense of understanding and excitement. Even though we may be tired, let us spend daily time in prayer and studying God's Word. May we share the wonderful redeeming truth of God to others because we CAN share it without fear of death. Let us pray for those around the world who are martyrs for their faith. I will leave you with my favorite quote from the above video. May the words of this quote have the same impact on you that they had on me: "Those without liberty spend their entire lives chasing it. Once found, freedom reshapes how we live. Freedom is a gift." How is your gift of freedom shaping you today? I pray that you will be able to live gratefully and truly take advantage of the freedoms our forefathers fought so hard to give us and that others would do anything to have. Blessings, Ginny |
This space is reserved for Founder Mandy's perspectives and viewpoints of Scripture. Man is fallible, but God is not. It's strongly encouraged that you study the Scripture for yourself and allow the Holy Spirit to guide you in your understanding.
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