Atheist or Christian................

Ephesians 4:1 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called,

Since I am on a controversial roll so to speak here’s another one I have been rolling around in my head for a while. If it became illegal to be an atheist would there be enough evidence to convict you? How about me?

Atheist: a person who denies or disbelieves the existence of a supreme being or beings.Atheism: A theory or belief that God does not exist

Preposterous, I know you say you are a Christian, just like I do. The question being how different are today’s Christians from Atheists? Let me give you a scenario and see what you think:

Joe lives in a nice suburban neighborhood. He gets up every morning at 6 AM goes for a morning run while his coffee is brewing. Joe takes a quick shower then gets dressed quickly while drinking a cup of coffee. Once Joe is dressed he hops in the car to commute to the job he hates. Joe yells at other drivers who cut him off in traffic. He is last one to arrive at his business meeting and barely avoids the glare of his tyrannical boss. Joe spends his morning looking forward to lunch, and his afternoon counting the minutes until the day is over. At the end of the day he repeats the commute and arrives home emotionally and physically drained. The rest of his evening is punctuated by screaming children, his frazzled wife, and the game on TV. Then he heads to bed to do it all over again.

John lives in a nice suburban neighborhood. He gets up every morning at 6 AM to finish the extra work from the night before. Then he takes a quick shower and gets dressed quickly while drinking a cup of coffee. Once John is dressed he hops in the car to commute to the job he hates. John yells at other drivers who cut him off in traffic. He arrives in time to set up his presentation, but feels rushed. John spends his morning looking forward to lunch, and his afternoon counting the minutes until the day is over. At the end of the day he repeats the commute and arrives home emotionally and physically drained. The rest of his evening is punctuated by fighting with his teenage children, arguing with his wife, and trying to catch the game on TV. Then he heads to bed to do it all over again.

So who is the atheist? Is it Joe or is it John? Does it even matter?

In today’s society are we living like God doesn’t exist? The things that make us angry are they God given righteous anger or trivial nonsense. The things that give us joy do they come from God or are they the idols we worship. If you never turn on the TV again could you survive? How about if you never opened your bible again? What about if you never went to church again?

So how about some statistics on Christians today:

6% of all religious people have used drugs in the past 12 months and 40% of Evangelicals in one survey used drugs often to a few times per month.

44% of all religious people in one recent survey said they participated in gambling in the last 12 months.

23% of Evangelicals surveyed say they abuse alcohol often.

21% had viewed pornographic materials in the past 12 months.

About 25% neither agreed nor disagreed that sexual intercourse is wrong before marriage.

In fact 68% of Evangelicals said they had engaged in premarital sex and 30% of those said often.

Or what about the statistic that 4% of evangelicals are unsure if they have been born again.

52% of Evangelicals surveyed at one church said they were not involved in serving through their church and had no plans to start.

In fact over 60% felt serving in the church or in the community was not important.

13.6% of all Evangelicals say they read their bible 3 times a month or less.

And the one that always gets me divorce rates in every church stand at 50%.

So what is the difference? In every denomination you will find similar startling flaws. Put simply man has a depraved nature. We easily fall prey to sin. When we aren’t watching for it we find ourselves consumed by all the sins that the bible warns us about.

Romans 3:23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.

Examples of sin in the bible:

Colossians 3:5-6 So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming.

Galatians 5:19-21 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

Your heart will lead you to sinfulness if you let it. You’ve got to stand up for your faith. Live your faith. There has to be something setting us apart from those who believe in the absence of God. If we are chasing all the same things and living in society in the same manner as people who believe in no higher power are we truly any better than atheists ourselves. The bible says:

1 Corinthians 10:31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

2 Corinthians 5:20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.

It is time to stand up for what we believe. To let no doubt be left in the minds of those around us that we have been called to a greater purpose. God gave each of us a book full of tickets. Tickets to Heaven, and all we have to do is pass them out with his message. The ticket to heaven is simple. The bible says: John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. How many people have you told about Jesus today? How many people have you told in your lifetime? If you have the secret to eternal life why aren’t you sharing it with everyone you meet? If you believe something why compromise it for the promises of this world?

Top Ten Reasons Why.......................

1. Religious Persecution

They came for the Catholics, and I

didn't object - For I wasn't

a Catholic;

They came for the conservatives, and I

didn't object - For I wasn't an conservatives ;

They came for the religious leaders, and I

didn't object - For I wasn't a religious leader;

They came for the Evangelicals, and I didn't

object - For I wasn't an Evangelical;

Then they came for me -

And there was no one left to object.

On marriage

Couples in crisis, Michelle Weiner Davis advises, should bring a beginner’s mind to the process of trying to save their relationship. “I want people to start with a clean slate because they have a lot of misconceptions about marriage and how people change and whether people can change,” she said. “There’s this myth that you need two people actively working on a marriage, when at least 50 to 60 percent of my practice involves working with one person. The reality is that if one person changes how he or she approaches his or her spouse, the relationship changes. You can change a relationship, but you have to start by changing your own behavior.” (From article, Divorce is No Democracy” by Mark Wolf, News Staff Writer)

The problem I see in America today is that we have grown used to things being easy. We don't have to kill a chicken or even cook it to have fried chicken. We can have a wonderful meal without ever setting foot in the kitchen. We have fancy cars, fancy houses, and fancy lives. You would think all of this would make us happy. The problem is we've lost something integral to our lives. It's our passion. You see this most prevalently in the divorce rate today. The divorce rate for Evangelical Christians is 50%. The divorce rate for atheists is 50%. The divorce rate for Agnostics is 50%. It is odd to me that there is no degree of difference between Christians and Atheists in this realm.

Why is it the same for both? The reality is so simple that it is right there before you if you will just look. In today's society the lifestyle of Atheists and Christians is not so very different. Atheists get up every day, work too hard, fill their lives with stuff, and feel empty at night. Christians get up every day, work too hard, fill their lives with stuff, and feel empty at night. Yes I know there are amazing Christians out there who are so passionate about who they are that God has filled their lives with more, but for every passionate Christian I can find you 20 who call themselves Christians. Christian in name alone will not change your life.

Matthew 25: 31-46 shows this in the parable of the sheep and the goats. In this parable the true Christians are separated from the false Christians. Jesus looks at the group standing before him and says: "I do not know you." Imagine the pain of hearing those words. He says them to the people who pursued other passions. Nothing in your life can replace Jesus. If something starts to replace him everything begins to crumble. Your marriage falls apart, your finances aren't in order, and your heart feels broken. In this parable the goats are those people who called themselves Christians, but did not live by their faith. They lived by what the world expected of them. In the end they get what the world gets, nothing. Jesus gives life freely, but in return he asks for you to surrender.Galatians 6:14 May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which^[a] the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. Die to this world first and be reborn in Christ. 1John 5:4⁴ For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Through faith you can overcome the world, and you will no longer be a goat.

So the question is why are so many marriages failing? What are Christians doing wrong? I think the answer is so basic and simple that it will surprise you. Christians are not immune to sin. What they are doing wrong is sinning. The greatest sin in marriage is unforgiveness. I love Ruth Bell's quote: " A happy marriage is the union of two good forgivers." Marriage is hard. Most people that I know who have been doing it for 15-30 years will tell you that they spent years wanting a divorce. I have met couples who say they hated their spouse as often as they have loved them. Marriage isn't a fairy tale and that is why Christian marriage fail as easily as the rest. When we are not prepared for the inevitable betrayal and heartache that comes from trusting someone who is a sinner we find ourselves lost. Too many Christians think that if they had waited longer, been older, prepared more, or chosen someone different then things would have been better.
People get from books the idea that if you have married the right person you may expect to go on "being in love" for ever. As a result, when they find they are not, they think this proves they have made a mistake and are entitled to a change -not realizing that, when they have changed, the glamour will presently go out of the new love just as it went out of the old one. In this department of life, as in every other, thrills come at the beginning and do not last... but if you go through with it, the dying away of the first thrill will be compensated for by a quieter and more lasting kind of interest. - CS Lewis
You’ve probably heard of the old military expression, “Surrender is not an option.” when a ship’s captain headed into battle—where surrender definitely wasn’t an option—he would give the order to nail his country’s colors to the mast. After the flags were nailed up high, during the battle there was just no way to lower them and run up the flag of surrender. When the crew realized there was no option but to fight, they became more determined to win the battle. This is the same mind set we’re to have in marriage. Our one option in marriage is to stand our ground, fight off the things that would separate us from one another, and find a way to make it work. (Dr Norm Wright, from the book “One Marriage Under God“)

I believe this with all my heart. We often become addicts of the world. John 16:33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” You too can overcome what the world has designed for your marriage. For the world only has destruction in mind. The world will dole out too much work and not enough time together. The world will spice it up with pornography and infidelity. The world will cook that all in a pot of betrayal. As if that isn't enough the world will serve it to you in a bowl of shame.

It's time for Christians to say no to the world. Be passionate about the things that matter. These things are simple: My God, My husband, My family, My calling............................. If you conform to the world it will slowly destroy the things that matter. Don't believe me look around you. The evidence might be staring back at you in the mirror.

Great quotes on marriage

Real faith

I was reading this and found it very striking. I wonder how many people have real faith?

Real Faith And Rappelling

There are a lot of definitions of faith. What is real faith in God? Some would say it involves believing what the Bible says about God, but that's just partial faith. You can believe everything the Bible says is true and not have real faith. So, how?

Well, last year my son took me rappelling. I don't like open air heights, but he set the ropes, put me in the harness, said he'd hold the ropes from the ground, and I just needed to jump off a 70-foot cliff backwards and everything would be fine. Did I believe the ropes were strong enough to hold me? Yes. Did that mean I had real faith?

No. It wasn't until I jumped and entrusted my life to the sureness of the ropes and the dependability of my son that I had faith. Now, that's real faith.

We can believe everything in God's Word is true, but until we completely entrust our life, and our hope for salvation, into the hands of Jesus Christ, it's not real saving faith.



If you aren't completely trusting your life to him then your faith is lacking! Sometimes we need to take a step off the edge of the cliff and trust him to catch us!

The Rest of the Story

If you believe that God has a plan then what I am about to tell you is no surprise. Years ago a teenage girl had a dream that would prepare her for a lifetime. The story of that dream and where it led her is amazing, but she tells it better. The Dream

Fast forward to February 2010……..In a country far away there is a woman. She is pregnant with a baby. Soon she will give birth to a daughter. I don’t know her story, and I don’t know why but she cannot keep this baby. In December of 2010 in America Alisa and Nathan are talking about a teenager’s dream. They are the American definition of the perfect family; a husband, wife, two kids, and a house in the suburbs. It is a crazy conversation. One of those Weird moments when we discuss things that seem impossible, but our heart cries out about them anyway. Where will the money come from? What will people think?

On March 20^th of 2010 Nathan and Alisa put their trust in God and decide to begin the crazy journey of adoption. On March 29, 2010 hundreds of miles away a beautiful baby girl is born. She is perfect in every way, but she does need medical treatment for her feet. Alisa and Nathan spent April praying and talking about where to begin. In May they attended an adoption conference in MN. It was a long trip from their home in TX. Their trip was an amazing journey, but again you should here them tell the story. ( Trip ) The trip made one thing clear to them. They would adopt a baby, and they would seek that baby from China.

This is where all the cards have to fall into place. You see Alisa was not yet 30 when God started stirring her heart. To adopt from China you must be 30 years old. It wasn’t until May of 2011 that Alisa would be old enough to file the paperwork for a child in China. With this knowledge she still felt the unbelievable pull to start the process. Especially since this process takes at least a year and sometimes more. Once everything is in place and both parents are 30 years old you can receive an LID. That is a log in date, where the Chinese authorities begin to review your information. This is only obstacle that was before them. The biggest obstacle was one that many would have looked at and run from. Alisa had had seizures in the past. This is a disqualification in China’s paper work. Impossible, is what many would call it. Give up your dream some would say. Go somewhere else others would urge. Your family is already perfect well meaning friends would extol.

With faith you can move the mountains, and with God nothing is impossible.Matthew 17:20 He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”Instead of turning and running Alisa and Nathan stood firmly planted in the dream God had given them. There was a little girl waiting they just knew it. She was there in China and she needed them. So they prayed and they fundraised. Nathan ran a marathon, they had a garage sale, they partnered with pillow pets, Alisa started making the coolest hand made products, and so much more. Of course time was passing in both China and America. In December 2010 Alisa and Nathan celebrated Christmas with the knowledge that something was missing. Far away in China there was a little girl who was celebrating her first Christmas without her family. She wasn’t alone because you are never alone in an orphanage, but we all know how hard Christmas can be when you are missing your family. That same Christmas Alisa found an ornament to match the gingerbread family that hangs on their tree. An ornament for a little girl they hadn’t met yet. An ornament that symbolized the love of family, the promise of God, and a future full of joy now hung upon the family tree. I can’t imagine how bittersweet it was to look at the tree with that ornament hanging there.

2011 began with a promise. For Nathan and Alisa the promise was being old enough to adopt a baby from China. For a baby in China it held the promise of a family. Amid crawling, solid foods, hopefully walking, and maybe talking; this baby would also find a home. This year also brought lots of obstacles and heartache to both Nathan and Alisa. In March a little baby in China turned 1 year old, and her family in America prayed for the strength to keep moving forward. They tried for an age waiver in April, but it was declined and so they continued to wait for the magic number thirty. In the meantime they would trust God that their baby was also waiting, and that he would keep her safe during this time of waiting. Finally, Alisa turned 30 and June brought home visits and tons more paperwork. This took up most of the summer, and soon the leaves were changing and fall had come.

Then in October something magical finally happened. Alisa and Nathan were matched with Selah Jie Ya Joy. All of the waiting had paid off. This beautiful girl was going to be there baby. Most of us have babies in hospitals and bring them home a couple of days later. We are experienced in cuddling by the time our child is a few days old. However, some of us have had a baby who couldn’t be held right away. My Hailey spent 4 days in the NICU. I remember the sorrow and the joy that I felt in my heart every time I looked at her. I remember longing to hold her. I remember how hard it was to wait. So I know how Nathan and Alisa felt knowing that they had to wait a little bit longer. In fact October would turn into November, and Christmas would come and go. One more Christmas without Selah, but hopefully the last Christmas without her………………

Alisa and Nathan’s journey hasn’t ended yet; in May they hope to travel to China and bring home little Selah. It breaks their hearts each day they are apart from her. Knowing that she will turn two and blow out candles on a cake without her family is heartbreaking. However, it is all made bearable by the promise of what is yet to come. It is all okay because God has made a way. The Coriells have faith that this will be the last birthday she spends without them, but the journey is not over and they need your help.

Even though I know how amazing God is he still surprises me with his greatness. It's hard for me to comprehend how great he is. How amazing is it that even before she was born God was preparing a place for Selah. He would plant the seed in Alisa's heart. A seed that would grow into a dream and blossom into the family Selah would one day be a part of. Imagine that mother struggling with her choice to not keep Selah. Even as she struggles with the choice God is making a place for Selah. God chose Nathan and Alisa out of everyone on earth. He chose them to be the parents for Selah............

So that my friends is the beginning of the rest of the story.

Now its your turn. You too can be a part of God's amazing plan for Selah, in three wonderful ways.

1. Please pray for my friends. Cover them with your prayers because the power of prayer is the greatest thing you can give them.

2. Share their story. It's very easy to share my blog on facebook. You can copy it into an email too if you like. The more people who know the more prayers and support we can raise, the better.

3. Finally any donation is 100% tax deductable. God is doing something amazing. We can't all save orphans. We can't all save widows, but you can be a part of this. No donation is too small.
Donate Here.

Here is also the link to Alisa's amazing store: Click here

Nothing is Impossible

I want to share with you an amazing story of hope! I don't know where to begin so to start I will share their blog. When We met Alisa and Nathan in Austin over spring break about 2 years ago; I didn't expect their story to change mine. I had known Alisa for quite a few years. She is an amazing Christian woman, but we had never met in person. The short time we spent together in Austin helped to inspire so many spiritual choices Eric and I made over the next year or so. At the time Alisa and Nathan were just beginning the process of adoption. As we spent a windy afternoon together outside of Austin they shared their faith. Alisa shared her hope with me and the plans that God was laying on her heart. At the time it seemed like an impossible dream, and I was simply overwhelmed by it all. And so the journey began, it has been a long journey, but they have come so far. Now almost two years later they are in the final stages of adopting a wonderful little girl. The child they dreamed of adopting two years ago. A child who could not be any luckier. She will have two amazing parents and two wonderful siblings.

This journey has been long. I have often read their blog and seen the heart ache. Many times I read with tears pouring down my cheeks. There have been so many obstacles, but with each new wall God has shown them a way. Matthew 17:20 He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

In May they hope to hold their beautiful daughter Selah Jie Ya Joy in their arms. Although the journey is almost over they are not quite home yet. They still need support from friends and family to make this happen. The cost of bringing little Selah home is huge, and despite saving and fundraising they still need a lot of support. Alisa sells beautiful hand made items with all proceeds going toward bringing little Selah home. They will be working with a wonderful organization in the next months to raise the last needed funds to bring Selah home. This organization raises these funds through helping widows, and their project will renovate a widow's home.

James 1:27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. The both hands foundation takes James 1: 27 to heart. So I am going to do something I never do. I am going to ask you to do three things.

1. Please pray for my friends. Cover them with your prayers because the power of prayer is the greatest thing you can give them.

2. Share their story. It's very easy to share my blog on facebook. You can copy it into an email too if you like. The more people who know the more prayers and support we can raise, the better.

3. Finally any donation is 100% tax deductable. God is doing something amazing. We can't all save orphans. We can't all save widows, but you can be a part of this. No donation is too small.
Donate Here.

Here is also the link to Alisa's amazing store: Click here