Christians Read

Does Religious Liberty Still Exist? by Vicki Hinze

Posted on January 21, 2019 by Vicki Hinze

WHY CHRISTIANS CAN’T SIT THIS ONE OUT

This article could be about many topics. Today it’s about politics and religious liberty. Both drastically impact our lives, like it or not, and that’s why we can’t afford to sit either out.

Many Christians feel that we’re Constitutionally guaranteed the freedom of religion and that ends debate. While it’s true Americans have the guarantee, the truth is, religious and other freedoms are under attack and have been for many years. So what’s different? Why now must we pay closer attention and use our voices?

Rather than get into a long detailed discussion, let me pose a few questions that will make the reason clear:

Are you aware:

1. Judicial nominee faces Senate scrutiny over Knights of Columbus membership?

Washington D.C., Dec 21, 2018 / 02:00 pm (CNA).- A judicial nominee faced questions from Senators this month about whether membership in the Knights of Columbus might impede his ability to judge federal cases fairly. The Knights of Columbus say that no candidate for public office should have to defend his membership in a Catholic service organization.

Read the article

This raises concerns across the spectrum of what will be deemed unacceptable or inappropriate religious ties–this time and next.

Many notable leaders explicitly state that Christianity is under attack?

Evangelist Franklin Graham said he believes Christianity has been attacked and marginalized by “anti-Christ” media and a liberal government and that it is time for Christians to become more active in politics.

Read the article

Some Christians are praying for President Trump to fail because he doesn’t meet their standards of what a Christian should be?

I am not going to include the written statements I have seen on that subject. First, we’re not to judge. Secondly, we’re instructed to pray for our civil authorities. Here is an article on that:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2017/01/20/you-should-pray-for-donald-trump-no-matter-how-you-voted/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.017adfbaa93b

Numerous religious leaders have spoken to how much the current president is doing to support religious freedom. On that, I have strong (and many) opinions. But my opinions are insignificant. What is significant is that if our president fails, we lose. If we lose, America loses.

We all know history has been being rewritten. That faith and its rightful place in our nation is under duress. Many attempt to marginalize it, many attempt to eradicate it.

I’m reminded of a story about Cuba. When it was taken over by Castro. People there didn’t think he’d take their businesses. He did. They didn’t think he’d take their homes. He did. They didn’t think they’d live isolated in a country where they had no voice and could pay the steepest of penalties for simply speaking what they saw is truth. They did and have.

It happened there. It’s happened in many countries around the world. At a time when there is talk of a state banning the bible (see links below), of people of faith not being fit to serve in political office, of socialism, which is a repeatedly failed pathway to communism that often bans religion, being pushed in schools and universities, we must each make the call. Do we sit on the sidelines and watch the erosion or do we engage, get involved and walk the walk as well as talk the talk?

That is a decision each person of faith must make. There is no judgment on anyone regardless of their decision. Nor is there absolution for watching religious freedom evaporate and then claiming unawareness or disbelief that it happened.

Let this serve as a warning. The attempt is being made. Whether or not you permit it to continue is up to you.

Links:

http://joemiller.us/2018/04/warning-state-ban-bible-sales/. Some dispute this, but it bans books that interfere with the “conversion therapy” on genders. Ban any work that involves “sexual orientation change.”

https://radio.foxnews.com/2018/04/24/could-california-ban-the-bible/

http://www.thefinaledition.com/article/bible-to-be-banned-in-arizona-under-state-law-forbidding-ethnic-studies.html

The point is only this: There is dispute on the intention of the cited. The dispute is not my point. It is this: Why in a country where we have religious liberty and it is NOT to be infringed upon, must we be concerned the Bible will be banned?

WHY AM I WRITING ABOUT THIS TODAY?

At the end of last week, a group of students went to DC for the pro-life march. The following day, they visited the Lincoln Memorial. While there a native American man playing a drum was observed by the students. That man later claimed to media outlets that the students slurred him, intimidated him, and he was concerned for his safety.

The media ran with that story. The students were doxxed online, threatened by “adults”, and school officials threatened to suspend them for their alleged actions.

After being publicly reamed and shamed, raw footage of the purported incident was released. I watched it. I saw the drummer get very close to a student–who blinked frequently at being so close to the drumstick. He stood, smiling, and didn’t utter a word. On watching, I honestly believed the boy was just enjoying the drumming and observing. At no time did even his expression reflect ill-will. He didn’t move. Just stood watching.

Later, it was revealed that this drummer was an activist and had been involved in similar situations before. If you want more information on that, I’ll leave you to it.

An attorney stepped forward to defend the students at no charge. The school shifted position and urged people to stand up for the students. That set off a firestorm on social media under the hashtag .#ExposeChristianSchools, where some were trying to paint them as horrible institutions.

Many stepped forward to defend the students, and yet they were harmed and under threat for something that didn’t happen. The turmoil in their lives, the dangers heaped on them by those who didn’t wait for the facts before creating havoc, was clear.

That was one reason. The firestorm against Christians Schools was another reason. And finally, just thinking back over the past couple of weeks to the things that are irrefutably anti-Christian was the final straw.

Watch the footage. Read the media reports that haven’t been deleted or amended. Look at the social media posts and tweets.

The alarms, for me, blared. We’d better stop sitting on the sidelines and step up. We’d better stand with the leaders who stand with us. Pray for them. Support them. Because if we don’t, they will lose, and if they lose, we lose. Religious liberty will be a fading memory. I–we–can’t let that happen.

Note: Check “Comments” for further updates.

Posted in Bridget A. Thomas, Kristin Writes Billerbeck, Vicki Hinze | Tagged religious liberty | 3 Comments

Looking Forward to That Day by Jim Denney

Posted on January 19, 2019 by writinginoverdrive

Opinion by Jim Denney, author of Answers to Satisfy the Soul

I once interviewed supermodel Kim Alexis at her home in Laguna Hills, California. Kim met me at the door, all smiles and warm California hospitality. She wore blue jeans, her hair was up in a pony-tail, and she wore little make-up. She quickly put me at ease and we talked about her childhood, her modeling and acting career, and her deep Christian faith.

kimalexis Kim is also an athlete and a former marathon runner, and she told me an amazing story about her running coach, a man named Hank. It was Hank who persuaded Kim to enter her first marathon in Jacksonville, Florida. He ran beside her the entire race, holding her hand as they crossed the finish line.

Hank and Kim had known each other for about ten years when Hank was diagnosed with cancer. He underwent treatment and the cancer went into remission for a time, but it eventually returned.

The last time Kim saw Hank, she and her husband Ron were in Florida for a charity event. They met Hank and his wife Jody for dinner. “At one point,” Kim told me, “Hank leaned over and said, ‘Kim, it’s all through me.’ That’s all he said about the cancer. It was like he wanted me to know it was serious, but he refused to dwell on the negative. The next moment, he was talking and joking like he didn’t have a care in the world.”

I asked Kim how old Hank was at the time.

“Fifty,” she said. “He looked healthy. But over the next few months, the cancer just ravaged him. His weight dropped to ninety pounds and he couldn’t even walk. But he never believed he was going to die. I called Hank and Jody a number of times — they lived in Arkansas — and he’d always say, ‘I can’t wait to beat this thing so I can get out and run again.’ “

Not long after one of Kim’s phone conversations with Hank, she was in a Los Angeles studio, recording radio commercials. “A studio sound booth is very quiet,” she told me, “like a prayer chapel. I had about twenty scripts to read, and while I was recording the spots, I suddenly had the strangest feeling. I had a strong impression that Hank was in the sound booth with me, standing behind me. The feeling was so strong I turned around to see if he was there.”

I asked, “Was it just a feeling that someone was in the booth with you? Or was it specifically Hank?”

“Oh, definitely Hank,” she replied. “I knew it was him. I sensed his presence for ten, maybe fifteen minutes. The taping took about an hour, and as soon as I got out of the booth, I called my husband. I said, ‘Ron, is there something going on with Hank? I just had the strangest feeling about him.’ He said, ‘Jody just called. Hank died about an hour ago.’ And that was just when I had sensed his presence. I don’t know how these things work, but I believe he came to tell me good-bye, because we’d been such good friends.”

Kim’s experience is not scientific proof of the reality of the soul, the immortality of the spirit. But it’s difficult to discount or dismiss such an incident. This story affirms the words of Ecclesiastes 12:7, “And the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.”

A day is coming, and it’s not far off for any of us, when this perishable body will put on the imperishable, and this mortal body will put on immortality. On that day, death will be swallowed up in victory.

I’m looking forward to that day. Are you?

_________________________________________

Note: You may also enjoy my op-ed piece on Walt Disney’s impact on the American space program. You’ll find it at the FoxNews.com website: https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/walt-disney-deserves-credit-for-our-progress-on-the-moon-and-mars-not-just-mickey-mouse.

And don’t miss my interviews with Christian romance writer Robin Lee Hatcher (author of Who I Am With You and An Idaho Christmas: Past and Present), and Christian science fiction writer Kerry Nietz (author of Amish Vampires in Space and Fraught). Visit my website at Writing in Overdrive. See you there!
_________________________________________

battle-before-time-cover-1

Note: Battle Before Time, the first book in my newly revised and updated Timebenders series for young readers, has just been released in paperback. Click this link to learn more.

And if you’d like to learn more about how to write faster, more freely, and more brilliantly than you ever thought possible, read my book Writing In Overdrive, available in paperback and ebook editions at Amazon.com. —J.D.

Jim Denney also blogs at Writing in Overdrive and Walt’s Disneyland.

Posted in Jim Denney, Uncategorized | Tagged death, Immortal Soul, Immortality of the Soul, Kim Alexis, Soul, spirit, Supermodel, victory | Leave a comment

The Wedding Shop

Posted on January 17, 2019 by Bridget

I recently read The Wedding Shop by Rachel Hauck and wanted to share my thoughts on the book with you.

This book tells the story of two different women. One woman, Cora, lives in the 1930s and runs an esteemed wedding shop in Tennessee. Brides from miles around flock to this shop because it is simply the best. Cora hopes that one day she will be the bride, and she is certain that the captain she has been seeing will be her groom. But he is the captain of a river boat, and she only gets to see him when he happens to be in town. Often they go months without seeing one another. Meanwhile, her good friend is there by her side, when her beau is not.

Present day, Haley, who is a former Air Force Captain, has returned to her home town in Tennessee. Her best friend recently passed away, and Haley also went through a bad break up. These two events have caused Haley to feel a bit lost. To everyone’s dismay, Haley decides to reopen the old wedding shop.

This book was such a treasure to read. I really enjoyed the way the author intertwined to the two stories and the two eras. And the book had a lot of twists which kept me on the edge of my seat, waiting to see the outcome for the main characters.

I enjoy books that can take us away from the troubles of daily life for a bit. But on the other hand, I also appreciate it when those books make us ponder real life. Hopefully this can then help us learn a few valuable lessons along the way. This book had both aspects that I was looking for – a light, easy read which also made me think. Through this book we consider the fact that anyone is susceptible to sin. Sometimes it is knowingly, and sometimes we are naive to all the circumstances. When we realize this, it helps us to not be so quick to judge others. This book also touches on forgiveness of others and ourselves, the grace of God, and extending mercy to those around us. In the world we live in where everyone seems to be angry about something, I think we all could use a bit more forgiveness, grace, and mercy.

I definitely enjoyed and recommend this book. It was both entertaining and enlightening. Happy Reading!

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Tums in My Pocket by Julie Arduini

Posted on January 16, 2019 by juliearduini

I love how God uses the daily things to teach, challenge, and inspire me. Last week of all the things to give me an a-ha moment, it was a packet of Tums.

Yep. Tums.

My guess is I needed them because of holiday eating that I’m still trying to get under control. But on that day I knew I’d be traveling most of the day and feared I’d have heartburn. I threw a small packet of the chalky relief into my pocket and went about my day.

Hours later, the heartburn flared.

Ugh. It was the last thing I wanted to deal with. It was such a busy day. I pushed through the agenda with a fiery chest wishing there was relief.

It took hours for me to remember the healing was right there in my pocket and had been all along. I had Tums in my pocket the entire time.

At first I laughed at myself, and then I was frustrated. I could have saved so much of the day pushing through had I accessed the Tums the moment I felt the heartburn start.

Then, the Jesus nudge whispered to my heart, no longer feeling on fire.

“Imagine how I feel when you’re struggling for a solution and I’ve been in your pocket the entire time, just waiting to help?”

Yeah. That.

How many times have I ran first to my husband to vent, or created a prayer chain on messenger, or made a beeline for the cupboard where those chocolate mint cookies offered me nothing but more heartburn and a bigger waistline?

I hate to confess that, but it’s true. There are so many times I’ve needed rescue, answers, healing, and provision and every time I had the Answer in my pocket and went about it as if no help was available.

In my reading of late, every theme that I’ve walked away with is He is present. He is not only there in the situation I’m struggling with, He’s ahead of me, already there before it happens, and already at the place where there’s resolution. He cares. He is with me. Always.

The praise in that moment was it wasn’t condemnation, and that’s how I knew it was the Lord. It was an a-ha, “you’re right, Jesus,” experience where I am praying to have a faster reaction time.

To stop before I run to anyone and anything and access the Answer. The Healer. My Provider. My Savior. My Friend.

The Tums in my pocket, if you will.

I haven’t been perfect in that pursuit. Our daughter has health challenges that takes my observation and then the wisdom and discernment to know how best to treat her. I get so wrapped in that cycle I forget to pray. The “prayer warrior” women message to stand in the gap and I forget to pray for my own child.

Ugh.

But.

He is a Way-Maker, and I shake off my missteps and keep on keeping on.

I encourage you to do the same.

He is Our Tums in the Pocket and so much more.

May we access Him first in our circumstances.

***

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Can these two surrender the lies they are believing and realize they are amazing?

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Posted in Julie Arduini | Tagged Deliverer, encouragement, friend, Healer, healing, heartburn, Jesus, Julie Arduini, prayer, Savior, Tums in My Pocket by Julie Arduini, You're Amazing | Leave a comment

From Thankfulness to Joy by Nancy J. Farrier

Posted on January 14, 2019 by Nancy J. Farrier

joy-01

Here we are starting a whole new year. A year full or expectation and hope. A time when some choose to make resolutions and often break them before the end of the first week. That used to be me. I was not at all good at resolutions so I started off the year with discouragement.

Some of you may remember from last year that I mentioned I don’t do resolutions. Instead, I pray about choosing a word for the year, a word that will change my life for the better and make me a better person.

Last year, my word was Thankfulness. With the changes I faced in the coming year – changes I didn’t want – I had no idea how to be thankful, but I learned. Sometimes being thankful proved almost impossible. Still, with God’s help, I learned to give thanks no matter what. A great lesson to learn.

This year, I wanted an easier word. Something that came more naturally to me. A word that didn’t require work or change. Ha! That didn’t happen.

When I prayed, I kept coming back to the word joy. Joy. Did you know you can give thanks without feeling joy? Well, I could. I may have learned to give thanks, but that is as far as it went. Now I felt the nudge that I needed to add joy to my thankfulness.

Thus began a search of scriptures to see what the Bible has to say about joy. Many times joy is associated with music and worship. I began to put on music while cooking or doing dishes. Not rap or heavy metal for me. I put on a playlist of my favorite worship music and sing along, harmonizing and enjoying the chance to praise God.

I am also reminded of the acrostic my daughters learned in Sunday School. As I ponder the acrostic, I realize the perfect truth of it. I will apply this to my life this year and see how God changes my heart.

J – Jesus – Always put Jesus first. When I find myself without joy, I can stop and consider what Jesus would want me to do. How would He react to the situation? How would He see this and how can I do likewise? Seeing through His eyes get my focus off self and in an outward healthy direction.

O – Others – Looking to Jesus also helps me focus on others before myself. Is there someone I can help in some way? Maybe by a prayer, an encouraging note or some more visible need that I can meet. There is no greater joy than doing something for Jesus by helping someone He brings to mind.

Y – Yourself – Because I am human I will make sure my needs are met. What I need to avoid is making self the focus before anything else. By keeping this acrostic in order – J – O – Y – I will find balance and bring joy to my life.

Will this be an easy task? I think not. That’s why I have all year to practice. This is better than a resolution, which once broken, is usually tossed by the wayside. If I get out of step with JOY I can simply start again when I realize my mistake.

I wish you all a year of Thankfulness and Joy.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit. Ps. 51:12

Posted in Nancy J. Farrier | Tagged joy, New Years, Thanksfulness | 3 Comments

What is Truth? by Jim Denney

Posted on January 12, 2019 by writinginoverdrive

Opinion by Jim Denney, author of Answers to Satisfy the Soul

Truth sculpted by Olin Warner (completed by Herbert Adams) in bronze, the left door of the main entrance of the Library of Congress Building. Photo: Public domain.

Kathy Myatt has been a missionary nurse in Brazil, an instructor in pediatric nursing at Tennessee State University, and an instructor in psychopathology and psychopharmacology at Gordon Conwell Seminary. She recalls a patient she observed while working at a psychiatric hospital in Colorado.

The patient was admitted to the hospital while undergoing an extreme psychotic episode. A doctor interviewed and examined him, and the man claimed to be Jesus Christ. The doctor prescribed the powerful medication Haldol (haloperidol). After two days on the medication, the man no longer claimed to be Jesus, but insisted that he was the “fourth member of the Trinity” (apparently unaware of the numerical paradox his claim implied). After a few more days on Haldol, he revised his claim: “I’m one of the Beatles,” he said, but declined to state which one.

Finally, after a week of treatment, the man gave his right name and identity. With continued treatment, he returned to his family and was able to function in his normal life once more.

This man had suffered a serious psychotic episode due, in part, to an imbalance of a neurotransmitter (dopamine) in his brain. His psychosis caused him to lose contact with reality. With medical help, he regained his grasp of the truth about himself and the world around him.

After relating this story, Kathy Myatt asked a crucial question: Since the underlying assumption in our culture today is that “truth” is merely a matter of personal perception, personal preference, and subjective experience, why medicate the man? After all, we are increasingly told that there is no such thing as objective truth. So why not let him go on believing he is Jesus Christ? “What if he was right?” asks Myatt. “Who were we to say that he was indeed not Jesus Christ — or one of the Beatles?”

There’s a refrain I hear all the time, and perhaps you do, too: “You have your truth. I have my truth. There’s no such thing as objective truth.”

So is truth really important? More to the point: Is there even such a thing as truth?

Motto at Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville. Photo by Americasroof, used under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5 Generic license.

Some years ago, I was posting on two Internet bulletin boards, testing ideas for a book I was writing by debating those ideas with people online. Most of the people I interacted with were college-age.

More than half of the young people I exchanged views with said they did not believe in objective truth or absolute right and wrong. When I cited the Nazi Holocaust or recent school shootings as examples of absolute evil, many disagreed. They refused to label even these horrifying crimes as “evil” or “wrong.” A sampling of their responses:

“There’s no such thing as evil, only a perception of evil.”

“People don’t set out to do evil — even school shooters probably think they’re doing a good thing.”

“Good and evil, by their very nature, are subjective. What’s evil to one person isn’t necessarily evil to everyone else. There is no real evil — just a bunch of opinions.”

“Evil is subjective. Morality is relative. Next to my interests, the interests of my fellow man are irrelevant.”

I had a fascinating online discussion with the young man who posted that last statement. I wrote, “You say ‘Evil is subjective’ with such objective finality. How do you objectively know that evil is subjective?”

He replied that it didn’t matter if it was objectively true. Why? “Because,” he wrote, “as far as I’m concerned, I’m all there is. I cannot prove that god, or even you, exist. So I’m all that matters, and to heck with everyone else.”

I pointed out that this was an old idea called solipsism — the belief that one’s own self is the only reality. I added, “Something for you to think about — assuming, of course, that you exist.”

His reply: “I was disappointed when I learned a few months ago from my history teacher that I wasn’t the first with this perspective. He called solipsism the ‘quintessential teenage philosophy.’ But don’t worry about me existing, it’s you I’m worried about.”

It was a cordial exchange — but chilling nonetheless. Such discussions showed me how deeply entrenched the post-truth mindset has become. Again and again, I’ve seen the slogan parroted: “Everything is relative.” But everything is not relative. Truth is not a matter of opinion. Truth is what is real regardless of opinion, regardless of whether anyone believes it or not.

These words of Jesus are inscribed in marble on a wall at CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia: “And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). Photo: Public domain.

The fact that a generation has lost faith in the very existence of truth is one of the great silent tragedies of our culture. As Christians, we are called to proclaim the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the world — but how can we persuade the people around us that Jesus is (as He claimed) “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6) if those people don’t believe in truth?

Hours before He went to the cross, Jesus prayed for His followers, “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17).

The idea that truth is objectively knowable is essential to the Christian faith. God told Israel through the prophet Isaiah, “I, the Lord, speak the truth; I declare what is right” (Isaiah 45:19). The apostle Paul writes that God “wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). Jesus told his followers, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32).

And when Pontius Pilate decided to wash his hands of Jesus, he asked aloud, “What is truth?” Two thousand years later, people are still parroting, “What is truth?” — then washing their hands of Jesus.

Do our friends and neighbors and co-workers believe in the existence of objective truth? Do they believe it’s important to believe the truth? Do they see us living the truth? Do they hear us sharing the truth?

If we want to share Christ with the people around us, maybe this would be a good place to begin:

“Do you believe in the existence of truth?”

_________________________________________

battle-before-time-cover-1

Note: Battle Before Time, the first book in my newly revised and updated Timebenders series for young readers, has just been released in paperback. Click this link to learn more.

Jim Denney also blogs at Writing in Overdrive and Walt’s Disneyland.

Posted in Jim Denney, Uncategorized | Tagged Education, evil, Good and Evil, Jesus, mental illness, Moral Relativism, morality, Objective Truth, Psychosis, Solipsism, The Truth Will Set You Free, truth | Leave a comment

Teaming Up (by Hannah Alexander)

Posted on January 8, 2019 by alexanderhodde

The pressure is on to create as I’ve been promising readers more books this year–and that means new books, not just new editions of books that have been published before. Life changes, however, and I’m not the same person I used to be. I wrote thirteen unpublished novels in fourteen years–with the rejection letters to prove it–before finally seeing those manuscripts find homes at publishing houses. That’s a lot of determination, I realize, but I simply had more determination then. I was much younger.

So after more than 30 novels with traditional publishers, and several indie titles, I’m finding a new system to keep me moving forward and getting those words written every day. Jim Denney’s book, Writing in Overdrive, is a huge help to keep me moving forward. So thank you, Jim. You’re a true encourager. My husband, Mel, who provides research and editing for our books, is also a great encourager.

Something else I’ve found recently that has really helped me to keep producing is the buddy system with a long-time writing friend, Kristin Billerbeck. When you’re working with a publisher, you always have a deadline and an editor urging you on. When you’re publishing independently, I’ve found that it really helps to have another writer urging you on daily. So as Kristin and I hold one another accountable, we find that we have been able to move forward toward our goals. We both plan to have three new novels completed this year. Each. Yes, that’s a lot for us, but if we keep moving forward, I think we can do it.

Latest Release:

Do you have your buddy system in place? Living the Christian life is not meant to be a solo venture. After moving for the second time in two years, Mel and I have discovered how much we miss having a church home. We’re still looking, but we have made some new Christian friends who are also actively seeking God’s will in their lives. That means a lot.

Do you have a small group, a Sunday school class, Christian friends you meet with weekly to discuss the Bible? Maybe, like me, you’ve found that you’ve “been there, done that,” and have slowed the forward push. Maybe you don’t read your Bible as often as you did when you were younger. Or maybe you’re reading it more. Good for you! Perhaps you could share some of the insights you’ve discovered with another Christian. Share the wealth.

Wherever your Christian walk is today, is there someone you could share it with? I’ve found that, as with writing, it’s much easier to grow when someone else is growing with you. It’s more fun to share.

http://www.hannahalexander.com

Posted in Hannah Alexander | Tagged buddy system, help from friends, making deadline | Leave a comment

Who is Mary Poppins? And Why is She Singing That Song?

Posted on January 5, 2019 by writinginoverdrive

Opinion by Jim Denney

Let’s talk about Mary Poppins Returns. And if you haven’t seen it yet, relax — there will be no plot spoilers in this post.

Bert and Mary Poppins perform a medley of songs from Walt Disney’s original Mary Poppins (1964) in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland in 2015. Photo: Jim Denney

I expected to love this new Poppins movie — and I did. Oddly, it is both a sequel and a remake of Walt Disney’s original Mary Poppins. It takes place a generation later than the first film, during the Great Depression, and the Banks children, Jane and Michael, are now grown. That makes it a sequel. Yet the film is structured like the original, which makes it feel like a remake.

Emily Blunt as Mary delivers a charming performance, a just-right balance of prim and prissy propriety along with wild and magical fun. She doesn’t try to mimic Julie Andrews but inhabits the role in her own practically perfect way.

The story, the casting, the performances, the music, it’s all wonderful. The ending? Joyous and just right. While there are no songs that lodge in your soul like “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” or “Just a Spoonful of Sugar,” the songs by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman (Hairspray) are wildly inventive toe-tappers.

I was, however, disappointed by one song in the film — “A Cover Is Not the Book.” Performed by Mary (Emily Blunt) and her lamplighter friend Jack (Lin-Manuel Miranda), it’s probably the catchiest, most rollicking song in the movie. The lyrics will probably fly over the heads of most children and many adults, because it’s sung in a rapid-fire patter style. But the song is not about books. It’s about sex. It’s a series of double entendres strung together and set to lively music.

The problem for me is not merely that there is a bawdy song in a Mary Poppins movie. The problem is that the song violates the Mary Poppins character and undermines the soul of the movie. And who or what is this magical character, Mary Poppins? I’ll get to that in a moment.

The creator of Mary Poppins, P. L. Travers, was not a Christian in a conventional sense, though she did believe in God. She once said that the Mary Poppins tales, which she conceived while recovering from a serious illness, were gifts from God, and she cited the words of C. S. Lewis: “There is only one Creator; we merely mix the ingredients He gives us.”

One of the strangest aspects of the Mary Poppins character is that she is unexplained. Neither the original books nor the two Disney films offer a word of explanation for her enchanting powers or her origin. So what kind of creature is Mary Poppins? Let’s see — she comes down out of the clouds, out of the Heavens, you might say, and she ministers to a family in need, and especially the children. She is totally selfless and giving, asking nothing for herself. She can be stern, and even cross, but she is always loving, wise, generous, patient, and knows exactly what to say in every situation.

So what is she? She’s an angel, of course. A guardian angel.

P. L. Travers in 1924. Photo: Public Domain

I don’t know if Travers consciously thought of Mary as an angel. I’ve never read an interview in which she said so explicitly. But I think that, at the very least, Travers’ unconsciously invented a reimagined heavenly messenger who comes to the Banks children in their hour of need. Mary performs the functions that guardian angels perform.

Unfortunately, according to Mary Poppins Returns, she is an angel who sings risqué songs at the Royal Doulton Music Hall.

The song didn’t spoil the movie for me. I loved Mary Poppins Returns. Truly loved it. But unlike Walt Disney’s original Mary Poppins film and character, I can’t say that this new Mary Poppins is practically perfect in every way.

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Note: Battle Before Time, the first book in my newly revised and updated Timebenders series for young readers, has just been released in paperback. Click this link to learn more.

Jim Denney also blogs at Writing in Overdrive and Walt’s Disneyland.

Posted in Jim Denney, Uncategorized | Tagged A Cover is Not the Book, angels, Emily Blunt, Guardian Angels, Julie Andrews, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mary Poppins, Mary Poppins Returns, morality, Motion Pictures, movies, P. L. Travers, Walt Disney | 2 Comments

Let’s Make 2019 a Great Year

Posted on January 3, 2019 by Bridget

I love a new year. A clean slate to start fresh. Time to turn over a new leaf, focus on goals, and see dreams come to pass.

I run into a new year with enthusiasm, thinking this will be the year that I will get everything right. However, most years nothing ever really changed. I would wonder where the months had gone. I couldn’t believe I didn’t make any progress towards my goals. Everything appeared to be the same way one year prior.

But 2018 was different. In 2018, rather than making New Years resolutions, I started new daily habits which made all the difference. In 2018 I saw my writing goals accomplished, my spiritual walk improved, and my life in general seemed more joyful.

One of the daily habits that I started to do consistently in 2018 had to do with journaling. When I was young, my journals consisted of complaining and ranting. This obviously made journaling a negative experience. And in the end, I would never keep up with it. But now when journaling, I only focus on positive things.

There are three aspects of journaling that I focused on in 2018: Gratitude, Goals, and Reflection.

Gratitude: One aspect of my journaling each night always consisted of gratitude. Every night I would write down at least five things I was thankful for. This always brought contentment to my life. Even when I had a bad day, I could find good things that happened during that day. This also helps us to see God’s love overflowing in our lives. We see all the blessings He bestows upon us each day.

Goals: Also when journaling I would write down my goals. These goals often had to do with my spiritual life. For example, I might write something like “Draw closer to God.” This helped me keep my priorities in the forefront of my mind and make better decisions. For example, if drawing closer to God was a goal for me, then I would get up early to read my Bible, even though I would prefer sleeping in.

Reflection: At the end of each day, I would ask myself: “What did I learn today?” Again, for me, this had to do with my spiritual or emotional life. I might have written down an answer something like, “Some people might not understand and might disagree with your decisions, but in the end, you cannot allow other people’s opinions to alter your path.” This time of reflection brought a bit of perspective to my day, as well as to any difficult situations I was dealing with.

Now as I look back on 2018, I can see how it was one of the best years yet. I stayed focused on my goals, published two books, and overall had a fulfilling year. I plan on continuing my journaling time in 2019. As seasons of life change, some of the aspects of our journaling might change. I think it is important to keep gratitude as a daily practice. As Christians I believe our journaling time should focus on the Lord and our spiritual walk. Writing down our prayers and things we learn through the Word are also great ways to capitalize on our journaling time. Perhaps you will consider incorporating some of these ideas in your 2019 daily habits? Either way, I am praying that each of you find blessings and growth in 2019!

Happy New Year!

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Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

The Broken Ornament by Julie Arduini

Posted on January 2, 2019 by juliearduini

This season I have been working on my inside. As a woman with confident faith, I didn’t think that was anything I’d be dealing with, especially since this year was significantly better than years past.

Funny thing about my plans. They were mine, and not God’s.

I felt the stirring late summer. Like a turtle, retreat inside the shell. I read more and really marked up my online Bible, drinking it all in. I felt simple praying wasn’t quite enough. I don’t meant to imply this is the process for all, but when God is really moving and my thoughts run deep, I have to find a place at home where I can be flat on the floor. Emptied out. Of all the places, this fall I’ve retreated to a literal closet, lamenting, laying, praying and staying on a bunch of clothes.

Then I went to a conference and my takeaway was to read up and go deeper for healing. Was it for me? Someone else? For ministry purposes? I didn’t know, but I was obedient. There were books that were recommended and I took my time with them. The pain described wasn’t the same, but I felt things floating up to the top like old sediment. Hurts I intentionally and unintentionally stuffed from decades to even days before.

Once I finished the books, I felt the next step (for me, again, I’m not saying this is a general process,) was to get to the root. As I started working on this part, word pictures came to mind. I have been writing in my journal everything I can remember that was a wound I never dealt with. Either I brushed it off or it was too much to deal with.

It has been so, so hard.

I’ll share more in future posts, but I do want to share a word picture I had when praying. I felt like it was for a friend who is going through a similar journey of discovery and healing in Christ, but it has brought me comfort, and I think it might for someone out there, too.

I see a glass tree ornament shattering on the wooden floor. Pieces everywhere. So much brokenness. But the Master’s hands, our Heavenly Father’s hands that created us down to each strand on our head, pieces that ornament back together. When finished, it does not look the same.

The ornament looks BETTER. The brilliance is beyond what I can describe. The glass pieces make a beautiful mosaic that just sparkle and shine. It is a work of art. It is so much more than a tree ornament. It is a showstopper.

The Shattered Ornament, in the Master’s Hands, becomes more brilliant than it ever was.

I don’t quite understand this season. My life certainly hasn’t been the worst thing ever by a long shot, but in dismissing my challenges and feelings, I think God has a bigger plan.

But He’s got to shatter some stuff to rebuild.

I don’t love it. It is scary, honestly. The depth of what I’m feeling sometimes is a rawness I haven’t explored.

But I’m surrendering it all, because He’s faithful.

(First posted at juliearduini.com)

Posted in Julie Arduini | Tagged Bible, Christ, Christianity, Faith, God's plan, Julie Arduini, prayer, The Broken Ornament by Julie Arduini | Leave a comment

Happy 2019 by Tara Randel

Posted on December 31, 2018 by tararandel

I’d like to take this time to wish you a very happy, healthy, prosperous and safe new year. Soon it will be 2019 and we have another wondrous year to look forward to. I don’t know about you, but I’m excited about what is to come.

I don’t make resolutions, not that there is anything wrong with them, but I never feel like I can carry them out. Yes, I’m a list maker and I love process, but for some reason resolutions seem limiting. I love the idea of seeing what the new year brings and then going with the flow. God has so much in store for us, so many moments that in our wildest imagination we could never come up with on our own. That is the beauty of faith; trusting in God at all times and knowing that even with the things we hope for, God makes everything richer and better.

So on New Year’s day, I hope you take the opportunity to rest in the Lord. Reflect on 2018 and then focus on what lies ahead. Build on the things that did work last year, discard those that didn’t or file them under lessons learned. Take the first day of this new year to pray, meditate on His word and spend time basking in His presence. I can’t think of a better way to usher in a new year.

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If you didn’t have a chance to get a copy of my Christmas book, Our Christmas Promise, the authors of the 12 Days of Heartwarming Christmas are offering our books for a limited time at 99 cents. From now until 1-1, take advantage of the sale!

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Heartwarming Christmas Town

Tara Randel is an award-winning, USA Today bestselling author of twenty novels. Family values, a bit of mystery and of course, love and romance, are her favorite themes, because she believes love is the greatest gift of all. Look for her next Harlequin Heartwarming romance, HIS HONOR, HER FAMILY, available February 2019. Visit Tara at www.tararandel.com. Like her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/TaraRandelBooks. Sign up for Tara’s Newsletter and receive a link to download a free digital book.

Posted in Tara Randel | Tagged contemporary romance, Faith, meditate, New Year, prayer, reflect, sale, Tara Randel | Leave a comment

Respect for Old Books

Posted on December 29, 2018 by writinginoverdrive

Opinion by Jim Denney

00-GodInTheDock I make my living writing brand-new books and putting them up for sale. So while the following quote from C. S. Lewis may not further my economic interests, I believe this is sound advice we all need to hear.

In 1943, Lewis wrote an essay called “On the Reading of Old Books.” Here’s an excerpt from that essay (you’ll find the entire piece in God in the Dock: Essays on Theology and Ethics by C. S. Lewis):

It is a good rule, after reading a new book, never to allow yourself another new one till you have read an old one in between. If that is too much for you, you should at least read one old one to every three new books.

Every age has its own outlook. It is specially good at seeing certain truths and specially liable to make certain mistakes. We all, therefore, need the books that will correct the characteristic mistakes of our own period. And that means the old books. . . .

Nothing strikes me more when I read the controversies of past ages than the fact that both sides were usually assuming without question a good deal which we should now absolutely deny. They thought that they were as completely opposed as to sides could be, but in fact they were all the time secretly united — united with each other and against each other and later ages — by a great mass of common assumptions. We may be sure that the characteristic blindness of the twentieth century — the blindness about which posterity will ask, “But how could they have thought that?” — lies where we have never suspected it. . . .

None of us can fully escape this blindness, but we shall certainly increase it, and weaken our guard against it, if we read only modern books.

In view of C. S. Lewis’s advice, I’ve made a list of 25 of my favorite books that are 50 years old or older. Most are novels, two are nonfiction (both deal with the Holocaust), and two are short story collections. I limited myself to a single work from each author (though I would have loved to include four or five titles each by Lewis and Bradbury). Here are my top 25 authors and books that are at least half a century old (aside from the books of the Bible, of course):

Edgar Allan Poe, Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque (1840)

Herman Melville, Moby-Dick; or, The Whale (1851)

Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1865)

Mark Twain, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876)

Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island (1883)

Thomas Hardy, Tess of the D’Urbervilles (1891)

Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness (1899)

00-Hemingway L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900)

Jack London, The Call of the Wild (1903)

E. Nesbit, The Story of the Amulet (1906)

Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows (1908)

Ernest Hemingway, The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway (stories published between 1923 and 1957)

Aldous Huxley, Brave New World (1932)

John Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath (1939)

Arthur Koestler, Darkness at Noon (1940)

Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl (1947)

Viktor Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning (1947)

George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949)

00-Perelandra C. S. Lewis, Perelandra (1943)

Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451 (1953)

J. R. R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings (1954/1955)

Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird (1960)

Robert A. Heinlein, Stranger in a Strange Land (1961)

Madeleine L’Engle, A Wrinkle in Time (1962)

Kurt Vonnegut, Slaughterhouse Five (1969)

What are your favorite old books. What are the timeless classics you have reread again and again, and that you never tire of reading? You don’t have to list 25 — how about the top five or ten?

I look forward to hearing from you.

Posted in Jim Denney, Uncategorized | Tagged Advice for Readers, C. S. Lewis, God in the Dock, Jim Denney, New Books, Old Books, Perelandra, reading | 2 Comments

The HOPE in Seeing Jesus by Nancy J. Farrier

Posted on December 24, 2018 by Nancy J. Farrier

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My breath caught. I stopped and stared at the dead cholla cactus. Nestled close to those wicked spines was a small mammillaria, possibly the mammillaria grahamii. A mammillaria “in the wild,” something I’d never seen before. I couldn’t wait to take pictures and show my family.

Over the next few weeks I kept watch for more mammillaria and soon learned to spot them with more ease. They were usually nestled under a larger cactus and since they aren’t big I had trouble seeing them. But as I practiced, I became more adept, even spotting them under different plants and a few out in the open.

I didn’t get to see them often because I had to walk a long distance to get to the area where they grew. Then one day, as I trekked down a road I had traversed many times, there under a bush was a little mammillaria, one I had walked past many times and never noticed. A couple of weeks later, I spotted one very close to my house. Who knew it was there? Why hadn’t I noticed them before?

I began to ponder this phenomenon, “seeing” the cactus when I hadn’t before. What did it mean that I walked right by them many times without noticing when they are a plant I love? And why was I seeing them now? As I pondered, I realized there were correlations with this mammillaria lesson and my “seeing” Jesus, especially during such a busy time of year.

I’d like to share these in an anagram of the word, HOPE.

H—Hunger: After I spotted that first mammillaria, I had a hunger or a strong desire to see more. I couldn’t wait to look and often thought of them. There is so much busyness during the Christmas season, so much to do. I want to have a hunger, a strong desire, to see Jesus instead of forgetting to watch when I have so much to do. I must be willing to have Him at the forefront of my mind all the time.

O—Open: Be open to seeing. When I first began to search for the mammillaria, I thought they would only be found under the cholla cactus. Then I noticed them under bushes and other cacti, but I still thought they would be in a sheltered area. Next, I noticed a few that were out in the open. Last, my husband pointed out one that was nestled in a rock completely unprotected. Sometimes, I put Jesus in a box by expecting Him to be in certain places and not others. I must learn to be open to finding Him in unusual places. If I want to see Him, I need to be open to seeing Him where He’s at, not just where I expect Him to be.

P—Practice: I had to work at seeing those tiny little cacti. When I found this little mammillaria “forest” I was beyond excited. The tallest one is only about two inches high. fullsizeoutput_9a8 They are so tiny and difficult to spot. It took practice. Likewise, seeing Jesus takes work. Not only do I have to hunger for Him, I have to practice looking for Him. He can be seen anywhere at any time, but I have to work to train my eyes to see.

E—Expect: I began to expect to see those cactus on every walk and I wasn’t disappointed. Each time I would spot a new one in a different place. This Christmas I want to expect to see Jesus. Whether I’m opening gifts, cooking a big dinner, holding my breath around the inebriated relative, or relaxing on the couch after a long day, I want to see Jesus in the midst of all the busyness and joy. He probably won’t be the one in the middle of the room wearing the reindeer antlers and the flashing necklace of Christmas lights, but He will be there.

My hope for you this Christmas is that you truly “see” Jesus. The hope you have in Him will bless you this Christmas season and for years to come. Merry Christmas and have a blessed day.

Posted in Nancy J. Farrier | Tagged Cactus, Christmas, Hope, Mammillaria Grahamii, Seeing Jesus | 2 Comments

Tracking the Star of Bethlehem

Posted on December 22, 2018 by writinginoverdrive

Opinion by Jim Denney

Last week, I wrote about J. R. R. Tolkien’s belief that the Birth of Christ is the great unexpected “plot twist” in human history, when our story turns from tragedy to triumph, from darkness to light. Tolkien wrote that the story of the first Christmas, the story of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ, “begins and ends in joy. It has pre-eminently the ‘inner consistency of reality.’ There is no tale ever told that men would rather find was true, and none which so many skeptical men have accepted as true on its own merits.”

In fact, it was Tolkien’s discussion of these ideas with his atheist friend C. S. Lewis that persuaded Lewis to acknowledge that God is God, and that Jesus is His Son. Read more about Tokien’s impact on the “sidecar conversion” of C. S. Lewis in last weeks’s column, “The Christmas Eucatastrophe.”

Sculpture depicting the Star of Bethlehem at the Templo Expiatorio de la Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain. Photo by Rosa Mª O.M., licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Spain license.

The story of the birth of the Son of God is certainly good news — but is it true? According to Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus was born in the little village of Bethlehem, about five miles south of Jerusalem. Some Persian astrologers, the Magi, supposedly saw a star shining in the East, and they followed the star to Bethlehem and presented gifts to the baby Jesus. Is this strange, improbable tale the story Tolkien would have us believe is true?

In fact, some astonishing evidence has surfaced to support the Gospel account. Attorney Frederick Larson used a computer program to create a sky map for Jerusalem in the years 3 and 2 B.C. In his research, Larson discovered what he believes was the actual Star of Bethlehem.

Since ancient times, star-gazers have associated the planet Jupiter with the birth of kings. In September 3 B.C., at the time of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, Jupiter was in close conjunction with the “king star,” Regulus. Larson believes that when the “king planet” came in conjunction with the “king star” on the Jewish New Year, the Magi believed it signaled the birth of the King of the Jews.

The “King Star” Regulus, photographed by Scott AnttilaAnttler, licensed under terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2.

In his DVD documentary “The Star of Bethlehem,” Larson explains that Jupiter would have been visible near Regulus from September 3 B.C. through June 2 B.C. After seeing the “king star” rising in the east, the Magi journeyed to Jerusalem to find the newborn king. After their audience with King Herod, the Magi left Jerusalem and turned south to Bethlehem.

“To qualify as the Star,” Larson said, “Jupiter would have to have been ahead of the Magi as they trekked south from Jerusalem to Bethlehem. Sure enough, in December of 2 BC if the Magi looked south in the wee hours, there hung the Planet of Kings over the city of Messiah’s birth.”

Jupiter, the King Planet (photo: JPL/NASA).

At that time, Jupiter exhibited what astronomers call “retrograde motion” so that it appeared from Earth to have temporarily stopped in its orbit, relative to the background stars. The Magi would have noticed when the “king planet” came to a stop, exactly as described in Matthew 2:9: “. . . and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.”

This happened on December 25, 2 B.C. That’s the date we celebrate as Christmas—and it’s the date that Joy entered History. Tolkien called the joy of the first Christmas “Joy beyond the walls of the world, poignant as grief.”

That is the Joy we celebrate in this season. That is why we sing, “Joy to the world! The Lord is come. Let earth receive her King!”

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Note: You may also enjoy my op-ed piece, posted yesterday, on Walt Disney’s impact on the American space program, including Apollo 11 (the first human landing on the Moon). You’ll find it at the FoxNews.com website: https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/walt-disney-deserves-credit-for-our-progress-on-the-moon-and-mars-not-just-mickey-mouse.

Note: Battle Before Time, the first book in my newly revised and updated Timebenders series for young readers, has just been released in paperback. Click this link to learn more.

Jim Denney also blogs at Writing in Overdrive and Walt’s Disneyland.

Posted in Jim Denney, Uncategorized | Tagged Birth of Christ, C. S. Lewis, Christmas, Christmas Star, Frederick Larson, J.R.R. Tolkien, joy, Joy to the World, Jupiter, King Planet, King Star, Magi, Regulus, Star of Bethlehem | Leave a comment

A New Tradition

Posted on December 20, 2018 by Bridget

December – a month that seems to spin by in a whirlwind. We blink and before we know it Christmas has come and gone. Every year I vow that THIS year will be different. THIS year I will slow down and savor the quiet moments. THIS year I won’t allow the stress to get to me. THIS year I will put the whole reason for the season, Jesus, first.

Ah but those things don’t ever really come to pass like I imagine. I scramble to get all the gifts bought and wrapped. I hurry to get all of our Christmas cards in the mail. In a frenzy I run here and there with those last-minute errands.

One thing that I am learning is that there is a twelve-letter word that can break us. This word can make all the beautiful things around us look dull. This one word can create stress. And if we are not careful, this one word can ruin our Christmas.

What is the word? … Expectations.

We all have expectations surrounding Christmas. We have conscious or subconscious thoughts about Christmas (and the month of December in general) of how we expect things to go. Sometimes our expectations are set too high and cannot be reached. In the end, this will only cause us to feel disappointment and more stress.

One of the things we all love about the holidays are traditions. It might be baking with our loved ones, setting up a Christmas village, singing Christmas carols, an ugly sweater contest, or Aunt Betty’s fruit cake.

Well I say we start a new tradition – let go of our expectations.

So what if we don’t get all the Christmas cards out right after Thanksgiving? So what if we get to bed late because we are up wrapping gifts? So what if we have to bring a store bought instead a homemade cake to the holiday party?

All of these things that seem flawed really make up the perfect Christmas. What a blessing that we have family and friends to send cards to (even if they are later than we’d like). What a blessing that we had the money to buy those gifts (that kept us up late wrapping). And what a blessing that we will be fellowshipping with friends (even though we didn’t have the time to make a homemade cake).

When we let go of our expectations, we begin to see the blessings that are right in front of us. And this includes the ultimate blessing – Jesus. The Prince of Peace. God’s Word in the flesh. Emmanuel. Our God with us. When we stop and linger on the miracle that came down from heaven to save us, all of our expectations seem to fade away.

I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and blessed New Year!

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