October, 2012: I am now 62 and my last “chick” flew the coop for graduate school this past August, so I am trying to write as full time as I can (given a busy physician/husband, 7 delightful children, five of whom are married to wonderful spouses, 9 grandchildren, and many dear kith and kin). Over the past four years of writing a blog, I seem to have developed a pattern of photo journalism and a penchant for certain subjects, so I’ve decided to try this coming year to organize somewhat by topic (barring interruptions in time or thought). I will generally be trying to post as follows:
Sunday: Rise Up, My Love: Meditations on the Song of Solomon
Monday: Memories from the (usually not too distant) past
Tuesday: Travel adventures (writing a series on the British Isles right now) Wednesday: World Events, commentary on politics, books, or movie reviews Thursday: Tales (stories from nature that might appeal to young people too) Friday: Focus on my family: what’s going on at home or with my kids Saturday: Armstrong Archives: memoirs on nearly 40 years of marriage, what it’s been like being married to a doctor, and thoughts on trying to rear and home school our seven children. These entries are taken from letters I wrote “back home” to my parents, who have long since graduated to glory. My “kids” are now 20-30 somethings. The oldest is a computer programmer married to an artist who is homeschooling their four sons. The second is a dentist married to an actress who is homeschooling their three children. The third is a college professor married to a speech pathologist; they have one baby. The fourth is a writer married to a graphic designer and videographer; they have one baby. The fifth is a dentist married to a nurse. The sixth is working on graduate degrees in piano performance and musicology. The seventh writes and is working on a graduate degree in literature. It was a tough job bringing up their mother, but they all survived and seem to be thriving.
My goal is to encourage and uplift every person who happens by this blog. Where I fail or offend…please forgive!
April, 2008: Hmmm. When asked that in front of a class as a demo for how to interview a patient, I responded, “I’m a woman, a Christian, and a wife.” Over thirty years later, that still holds, although I’d definitely add that I’m a mom. In fact, a motherless mother. Since Alan and I are both babies in our natal families, our parents—were they still living—would be approaching 100. This translates into our beginning to live through the sixties all over again, although we’re not a part of the sandwich generation. We’ve had to give up that comfy feeling of having parents cushioning us like a slice of well buttered bread…and that pressured feeling of needing to take care of both our parents and our kids at the same time. I think we’re more like bruschetta. Our kids are pretty much baked and toasty. Of the seven, only two are left at home, and they are very industrious and independent. That leaves us as the stewed tomatoes! Still, I like bruschetta. Do you?
One of my dearest friends once told me I reminded her of a little red helium balloon bouncing along in the sky. She envisioned Alan as the string that kept me from floating away…and I assume that meant tethered to reality. I buy that. Especially the idea of being a balloon. I feel like my entire existence is totally dependent on the Holy Spirit filling me. Without Christ, I feel like I would have burst a long time ago and be lying broken in a field somewhere. All I am or ever hope to be is His! “I am my Beloved’s, and His desire is towards me” (Song of Solomon 7:10). Or, as Einstein put it, “I want to know the mind of God. Everything else is just detail.” I know that eternity will not be long enough to truly understand the ineffable mind of God, but I have tasted the love of God, and to me, there is nothing more compelling on earth. I want to share His love…to love others in a way that attracts them to Christ, who is truly the best! That’s my passion. I’m passionate about a lot of things, like family and writing and photography and friends, but nothing is as dear to me as Christ!
Coming to Christ
For anyone who may find this site and has not yet heard the good news: God loves us and has made a provision for us to get to know Him and find His love, peace, hope, and joy through being related to Him. Happy is he that has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God
Psalm 146:5. This also carries the promise of eternal life in heaven with God after we die: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life” John 3:16.
So, how do we get “the God of Jacob” to become our help and learn to hope in Him? The Bible teaches us the way to happiness by leading us to God. If you’ll permit me to give my own very compact abstract of the Scripture, this is the simple gospel message I first heard at the age of twelve and have found to be true through the experiences of my life ever since:
God created a morally good and orderly universe and established people in a paradise created especially for them (Genesis 1-2). However, man chose to disobey God (called “sin” in the Bible; see Genesis 3). From that day until the present, all men have the same choice: to obey or disobey God, and all men inevitably refuse to obey God at some point. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God
Romans 3:2. Although the wages of sin is death,
God made a provision for us: the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord
Romans 6:23.
How do we obtain this gift of eternal life? Jesus Christ was God made into a man (John 1:1-14) who came to earth, lived a perfect life for us (Hebrews 4:15), and died in our place (II Corinthians 5:21), for our sins, so that the penalty for sin could be paid (Romans 5:11). By acknowledging our sinfulness and inability to keep God’s laws perfectly (which is God’s requirement for entrance into heaven; see Revelation 21:27), and by simply asking God to accept Christ’s death as payment for our sin and submitting ourselves to his rule in our lives, Christ becomes our Savior, and the God of the Bible—the “God of Jacob”—becomes our God and our help. This exchange is based on God’s unchanging promise: we give him our life and he gives us his eternal life (which is in his son, Jesus Christ; see John 3:15-16). Spiritually, this is known as being “born again” (see John 3:1-21). Once we are born again, it is our “job” to believe in Christ (John 6:29) and trust in him to lead us into truth and goodness. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want
Psalm 23. As we learn to commune with him through prayerfully meditating on the Bible and seeking his wisdom and grace in order to do His will, we will find that we truly are happy as we experience real love, joy, and peace.
This is my attempt to explain the grandest mystery in the universe, God’s love and provision for us as His beloved creation. If you have never heard this good news before, and want to become a Christian, let me review again briefly. Some have said it’s as easy as A,B,C:
- Acknowledge your sin and repent. (Admit that you’ve been running your own life and decide instead to obey God and submit to his authority).
Except you repent, you shall all perish
Luke 13:3. - Believe in the death of Jesus Christ as the complete payment for your sins before God.
Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins
I John 4:10. - Confess Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, accepting his gift of life and giving him your life.
If you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and will believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved. For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation
Romans 10:9-10.
If you have taken this step of faith, please let me know so I can pray for you and encourage you to grow in your faith. Faith grows as we learn the truths of the Bible and put them into practice in our own lives (Romans 10:17). If you have any comments or questions, feel free to write me at kathrynwarmstrong@gmail.com.
May God bless you,
Kathi
hello I came across your site and just got really encouraged! Thank you for your faith =) God bless you and your family and friends..!
This is called insanity. Why would anyone put some superstition before his/her own family and friends?!?
“The patient typically finds himself impelled by some deep, inner conviction that something is true, or right, or virtuous: a conviction that doesn’t seem to owe anything to evidence or reason, but which, nevertheless, he feels as totally compelling and convincing. We doctors refer to such a belief as ‘faith’.”
“No doubt soaring cathedrals, stirring music, moving stories and parables, help a bit. But by far the most important variable determining your religion is the accident of birth.”
“Most people, I believe, think that you need a God to explain the existence of the world, and especially the existence of life. They are wrong, but our education system is such that many people don’t know it.”
“The trouble is that God in this sophisticated, physicist’s sense bears no resemblance to the God of the Bible or any other religion.”
With regard to your misunderstanding of Einstein’s methaphorical ‘God’. Einstein was an atheist.
“Faith is the great cop-out, the great excuse to evade the need to think and evaluate evidence. Faith is belief in spite of, even perhaps because of, the lack of evidence.”
“Science offers us an explanation of how complexity (the difficult) arose out of simplicity (the easy). The hypothesis of God offers no worthwhile explanation for anything, for it simply postulates what we are trying to explain.”
Dear Reason,
No one was present when the world came into existence. The thought that an infinitely complex God spoke everything into existence fits pretty neatly with the idea of a “big bang.” Although the Bible explains things in a simple way, it is nevertheless either accurate in what it states or is as plausible as any other hypothesis about creation. Faith isn’t the great cop out! It’s the great surrender to trusting the One who is ultimately the source of all love, light, and life. It is simply accepting all that Christ did to provide for our salvation and the most wonderful ideology in the world: love the perfect, good God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself. This directs our hearts towards love and unselfishness. How could it be anything but good?
“Faith isn’t the great cop out! It’s the great surrender…”
Sounds like a contradiction to me. You surrender your own thinking to something that is very likely not existant. You surrender your thinking to the doctrine of some misguided church leaders that claim to be the representatives of God on Earth. How dare they?
“How could it be anything but good?”
Nothing bad about love and unselfishness at all, obviously. However, you don’t need religion to develop love and unselfishness, all humans are innately social cause it’s in their own survival’s interest. Religion breeds hate, superstition and intolerance more than anything. The bible in fact is full of horrible violent stories. Religious idiologies all over the world (may they be christian, muslim, jewish or whatever) are exclusive and intolerant. Now which one of them is right? Certainly none of them cause they all exclude each other by definition.
The concepts of sin and hell are so harmful, how dare anyone tell an innocent and innately social child that something she’s done is sinful?! And on the basis of what? A book full of tales and some self proclaimed superhuman priests?!
It is my deep conviction that humanity would be happier and more peaceful if it freed itself from the shackles of religion.
Dear “Reason,”
Wow! I hardly know where to begin in trying to respond. Just a few thoughts:
1. If you surrender your thinking when you discover that you’ve been wrong and something else is right, then it is a happy surrender. In my surrender to God, I discovered that He IS, and He is truth. It was like discovering that 2X3=6 rather than 5. Surrender to the truths of the Bible is a joy that brings peace to my heart. “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them ['cause them to stumble']” (Psalm 119:165).
2. “Religion breeds hate, superstition and intolerance more than anything.” I’m sorry if you feel that way. My experience has been that getting to know the God of the Bible has bred love, freedom to know the source of all wisdom, knowledge, and understanding, and tolerance rather than intolerance. Perhaps many religions are oppressive, but not all of them. Jesus said, “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32).
3. Each religion claiming to be correct does not mean that they are all wrong, but logically it does mean that only one can be right. We each have to examine the evidence and choose what we are going to believe. In a way, I guess you could say mathematics is intolerant because it insists that 1+1=2 despite what any person in particular may assert. Truth stands as true regardless of who believes it or who asserts that it is false. After considering the options, I believe that there is a God and that Jesus was telling the truth when he said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father but by me” (John 14:6).
4. If you don’t believe in God, then you won’t believe in right or wrong, good or bad, sin or hell. Moral constructs presuppose a moral force, generally thought to be “God.” If a child murders his baby brother, most people would say that’s wrong. Would you? Does the term “sinful” seem stronger than the word “wrong” to you? Do you believe in right and wrong?
5. It is my deep conviction that I am much happier and more peaceful since I have submitted to the leadership of the One who loves me more dearly than anyone on earth ever could and who is wiser than anyone on earth will ever be. These “shackles” if you will, are akin to the “shackles” of submitting to wedding vows. Marriage to a terrible person could be unbearable. But, marriage to a godly husband is a joy and privilege. I love having someone whose opinions I trust; I love the companionship of sharing life with someone who loves me and helps me in working through how to live. God is even more wonderful than my husband! Are you married? Is it a good thing in your life? Can you imagine how being in a relationship with a good, loving, omniscient God could be a good thing?
I’m wondering, would you rather continue this discussion via email rather than on my blog? I’m open to either; your choice!
How come you pick and choose when it comes to morals anyway? Doesn’t the bible say “Love thy neighbours as you love yourself” (sorry, not familiar with the exact choice of words)? How can you justify denying your fellow citizens affordable and accessible health care then?
Just to clarify things, I’m not one of your fellow citizens, so this question only interests me on a theoretical basis.
Hi!
I’m in Germany right now and not in a spot where I know how to access my blog, but I’ll be thinking about your question. What country are you from? Are you an atheist, or do you think in spiritual terms at all?
Yes, the Bible does say to love my neighbor as I love myself…and I try and fail. I believe there is a difference between what we try to do as individuals for those around us versus what a government provides. For example…to push your thinking to the extreme, would that mean that any government should provide health care for everybody in the world if they want to be “Christian?”
Blessings, Kathi
4. Look, you don’t need religion to impose moral values on you. Every human being is a moral being by default, by nature. We are born innately social, we are a cooperating species. It would be detrimental to our survival as a species if we murdered our own family or indeed anyone who doesn’t immediately threaten our own survival. How do you think the human race survived hundreds of thousands of years without the oh so moral guidance of the Christian church? We develop empathy without needing any religious influence, we’re neurally hardwired to be empathic.
Religion imposes artificial morals on people.
Please tell me, what’s moral about stoning women to death who love somebody else than their forcibly married spouse?
What’s moral about telling little children that they’ll burn in hell if they don’t do x or y?
What’s moral about sexually abusing millions of kids and covering it up on a large scale over decades, dismissing allegations as “petty gossip”?
What’s moral about telling indiginous tribes how to live, destroying their culture which has developed over tens of thousands of years, longer than any Christian religion?
Just a few examples of what I view as skewed christian morality.
Also, do you only consider behaviours to be “good” when the bible tells you so? How valuable is so called moral behaviour if that behaviour is only executed because somebody tells you so, coerces you to do it, threatens you to do it (“you’ll burn in hell if you don’t…”) or bribes you to do it (“you’ll go to heaven if you do…”)?
missing part
Sorry, your blog software didn’t let me post my reply properly.
Look, it’s not about you personally but about the mindset behind your publications. For this reason I’d prefer your readers to be able to follow the discussion.
1. There is evidence for 2×3=6, there is no evidence for the existence of God, let alone a God who intervenes and guides human behaviour. Your church has actually conducted a study investigating whether prayer helped sick people to recover. Guess what the results were? People who had been prayed for, actually had worse health outcomes than people who had not been prayed for. Possibly a case of too many expectations put on patients. I can find you the source if you’re interested.
2. The tolerance of the Christian church is extremely limited. Where’s your tolerance of homosexuality?
3. Where’s your evidence for the existence of God? Why do you believe in God and NOT in the unicorn or fairies or a teapot flying around in space? It is purely because you were brought up, indoctrinated and brainwashed from a very young age on what to believe. If 2 billion people believe in the emperor’s new clothes, doesn’t change a thing about the truth that the emperor is actually naked.
If you can prove that 1+1 is not 2, mathematicians would be very interested in your argumentation, however no human being has been able to disprove that 1+1=2.
By the way, I’m european and atheist (should be obvious from my posts, shouldn’t it?). About a fifth of humankind are atheist or non-religious and belief in (a) God correlates positively with age, conservative attitude and lack of education. The less you know the more you are inclined to believe what an authority tells you to.
Well, I’ve been thinking about your questions. Are “Humanist” and “Reason” two different people? The numbering seems to go 1.2.3.4. as if the two entries contain connected points by one author, but I also realize my blog must have been acting up while I was gone, and so perhaps the comments are by two different individuals. At any rate, let me try to respond!
1.&3. Is there evidence for the existence of God? EVIDENCE? Yes. Undisputable proof? No. The most convincing proof to me is the complexity of our universe. If I saw a teapot flying around, I would wonder how it worked. If I saw a beautifully decorated china teapot lying on a beach, I would wonder who made it. It would never cross my mind to imagine that it “just happened” to have spontaneously come together as a clump of sand granules that stuck together, fell by accident into a fire until it melted into a perfectly shaped glass pot, rolled into various plants that dyed them, rolled into another fire until glazed perfectly, and then just happened to come to rest on the shore. No, I would marvel at the brilliance of the artisan who made the lovely pot. Similarly, I stand amazed at the ocean’s edge as I watch a beautiful seagull “flying around in space,” swooping over the waves and diving down to spear a fish. I marvel at the brilliance of our Creator. A living bird is so much more complex than a tea pot, and yet we can tell that a tea pot isn’t spontaneously and accidentally generated. How can we imagine that something as wonderful as a living being just by some stunning improbability chanced to spontaneously generate? It is easier for me to believe in an intelligent Creator than to imagine that everything I see exists because of a series of stupendous accidents.
There are also many evidences for the resurrection of Christ. Josh McDowell wrote a book called Evidence that Demands a Verdict, listing many, many reasons for believing both in the existence of God and in the resurrection of Christ.
Finally, and this is something that might not make sense to you, but for those of us who do believe, there is an assurance that comes from testing the Scriptures and finding that “they work.” When we live according to the “Royal Law” (love God; love others), we find a sense of peace and joy that reinforces our faith. The Bible calls it the ministry of the Holy Spirit in our lives. There is a sense that “this is all true,” and it makes our faith deeper and more secure. “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17).” As we pray, we sense God’s Spirit teaching us and guiding us in the way that we should go. In fact, this is not because I was brought up in the Christian church and brainwashed from an early age! My father was an atheist and my mother an agnostic. I became a believer years later when I heard the “gospel”—the wonderful news that Jesus died in my place for my sins so that I could be reconciled to God. I was overjoyed and asked Christ to be my Savior that night! I’ve never regretted that decision and only find an increasing sense of the glory and wonder of God. Perfect love. I have not found it anywhere else on earth. I believe not only because of evidence but also because of experience.
2. Regarding intolerance, I have found that all of us (myself included) struggle to be tolerant of those with whom we disagree. Tolerance in its best form is based on conviction, and it’s hard to tolerate others when we think they are wrong. Jesus taught us to “love one another” and “if it is possible, as much as it depends on you, live peaceably with all men (Romans 12:18).” For me, that means that although I believe God forbids homosexual practice (for our own good), I still treat homosexuals with the respect and dignity they deserve as human beings. God calls us to testify of His love, but it is the work of the Holy Spirit to convince men of sin and their need of salvation, help, and healing. I feel deeply ashamed of people who pretend to be doing the work of God by hurting others, no matter what religious cover they wear. Christ belittled no one, and he hurt no one; his mission was to heal the sick and forgive sins.
4. I agree with you that man is a moral being innately. In fact, that is an argument in favor of our being created in the image of a moral Creator. However, people do sometimes murder other people who are not threatening their survival. We are moral, but we’re not always morally upright. I believe that “sin” occurs when we fail to behave in a morally upright way. The Ten Commandments given in Exodus 20 still stand as a good basis for living in a morally responsible way in relationship to our God and to one another. Things like lying, stealing, cheating, adultery, and lusting for what isn’t ours are common temptations, and to be given guidelines for how to curb our desires in order to be fair with others is a good thing, I think.
You gave good examples of skewed so-called Christian morality, because those are not truly Christian values. Adultery is wrong, but Christ did not stone the woman caught in adultery, he actually saved her from her accusers and then told her, “Go, and leave your life of sin.” Sexual abuse of children is a TERRIBLE crime and should never be covered up. The Scriptures never condone sexually impurity. I’m sure missionaries have failed many times by confusing principles of Christianity and culture. I’ve doubtless done that some with my own children. It’s hard to know what seems right and good to us because that’s what we’ve always done versus that’s what the Scripture teaches. God’s principles for living always stand as true in every culture, but I believe that although each of us will find our lives transformed and our behaviors modified by our new life in Christ, we can still live peacefully within our culture…as much as others will let us. Those who hate God will hate those who believe in Him. That’s part of the sorrow of life as we know it today. Still, God tells us, “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21).
A couple of miscellaneous thoughts: I would be glad to hear the source for your report that prayer is ineffective as an aid to healing. I have always heard the opposite and have seen cases of unusual healing as a result of prayer…including one man at St. Joseph’s Mercy Hospital in Ann Arbor, MI, who revived after being pronounced dead.
Also, “good” to me is what God is. God is good. “Good” behavior is that which models God, who is “gracious, and full of compassion, slow to anger, and of great mercy” (Psalm 145:8). This is the God who tells us: “He hath shown thee, O man, what is good and what the LORD requires of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God” (Micah 6:8). The believer doesn’t do good to avoid hell; he does good because he loves God. I love God because he loves me, and I try to do good to please him because I love him! I know I’m going to heaven, not because I’m “good,” but because Christ was perfect and died in my place. I’m not afraid of going to hell for the same reason. True Christianity is not a religion based on heaven as a reward for “being good” and the fear of hell as a way of scaring people into acting correctly. It is a love relationship with God based on faith in Christ, whereby we have been given eternal life and freedom to walk in the light. It’s wonderful!!!
I had to use a different name and email cause your blog software wouldn’t let me post my reply.
Anyway, I referred to the STEP project when I talked about the prayer study. You can read an overview here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Studies_on_intercessory_prayer
The example of the teapot really exposed what religious delusional people like you are about…twisting the truth. I wasn’t talking about a teapot laying around on the beach. Thanks for twisting my words, Katherine. You know exactly what I was talking about (just go back and read it if you don’t remember) so I don’t think I have to repeat myself.
Dear Reason,
What has turned you away from faith in God? Have you been hurt or betrayed by someone close to you who professes to believe in God?
I was never into faith so it follows logically that there wasn’t anything that turned me away from it. How sad that people like you believe they aren’t right or good unless they follow some self professed religious saviours.
So happy to hear from you!
What makes you believe you are right and good? For me, it is the sense that I have been forgiven for the ways in which I have failed God and man and that the righteousness of God has been imputed to me through faith in Christ…not because I am good, but because Christ is perfect and has given me his righteousness. Now, this doesn’t mean I always FEEL like I’m being right and good at the moment. My sense of whether or not I’m being good is dependent on a combination of things. You might call it “conscience”? I call it walking in the Spirit…a sort of constant sense of communion with God, who is the definition of goodness and righteousness. I ask Him what He thinks I ought to do and then try to follow the prompting in my heart, cross checked by what I know of the Scriptures, which direct us to love the Lord above all else and then to love our neighbors. I get that far, and then I usually stumble, because the end of that is “love your neighbor as yourself.” I have yet to learn how to really be a Mother Teresa, who gave up everything for the sake of those who have nothing. I live a very happy, full, well-fed life and maybe give 10-20% of what I earn (beyond taxes) to help others, but not 100%!
In fact, I have all sorts of faults and weaknesses, but I have great faith in the One who loves me—(AND YOU!)—and all of us. I understand that, “he which has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). I take that to mean that God will keep working in me to make me better. But, that doesn’t make me feel bad, wrong, or unhappy. That fills me with a sense of hope that I will keep becoming better! I am happy now, and I anticipate becoming happier as I get older. When I fail, I ask God (and whoever I’ve hurt) for forgiveness, and then pick up and start again. Forgiveness is a wonderful thing, made available through Christ’s death for us, but it’s only useful if we avail ourselves of it…learning both to give and receive forgiveness. I am content, but I’m motivated to improve.
Does that make any sense to you? How does it work in your life?
Love—in Christ—and prayers,
Kathi
I happened upon your blog and wanted to praise the Lord above for the grace for which you have extended in word and wisdom. God be glorified through the truth of His word and this conversation which will have planted beautiful seeds to anyone who has ears to hear.
I have not been on the blog more than 15 minutes so I don’t know where your precious child stands at this time, but I know she resides with Jesus here or there. I will read further…
My son underwent a liver transplant a few years ago. His upcoming 2 year anniversary is this week. To God be all the Glory!
Samantha
1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear
Colossians 4:6
Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every man.
Dear Samantha, Thank you for writing in! Praise God for your son’s recovery. I hope he enjoys a long and blessed life. Thank you for sharing a little of your life and heart. God is good, even though we so often are not. I am thankful every day for his mercy and faithfulness…that we serve a God who tells us to love and forgive, to “do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God”…who is love, and light, and life and hates evil…who loves us all so much that he allowed Christ to die for us so that we can be reconciled to God and live in peace with God and one another. May we all be inspired to live in that peace and goodness. Bless you!
I enjoyed looking at your blog and found it inspiring. Thanks for making it. God bless you.
-James
Thank you so much! May God bless you too!
Kathi,
I skimmed though the discussion with “reason”. Thank you for patient, sound answers. It’s so nice to finally meet someone on WordPress who is solidly Christian! I invite you to read my “About the Author” section in mine.
I have been through much searching and finally found the truth, as you will see.
Your answers are so clear. Plus, you are kind.
I once heard a pastor say, “The healing begins when the questions end.” One cannot hear “God’s voice” when they have already responded to questions with human logic. Like you, I have not sacrificed my intellect when I became born again. And I gained a continual relationship with God that cannot be surpassed by any questions. I study intently the Word of God bur he hasn’t revealed everything to us. We couldn’t handle it.
And like you, I am very familiar with Josh McDowell. I thnk this is rare in the blog world.
I invite you to read my post “First Voice” I think you’ll like it. I’d be honored if you would. http://simplysage.org/2012/05/13/first-voice/
Congrats on Freshly Pressed, by the way.
Peace,
Alexandria
What a kind response, Alexandria! Thank you! I will follow up with your blog as soon as I get out my morning post! God bless you, Sister!!
And you as well!
I love this post!~ Thanks for a tour of the castle!
You are so welcome! Thanks for stopping by and taking time to encourage me!
Hello Kathi!
I am thankful for people like you. I have always struggled with my faith until an unfortunate (I now consider it “fortunate”) event happened. God sent me his love through a friend who led me to know Him and get closer to Him. I used to have some unpleasant attitudes but I have changed (sometimes I still battle with them with the help of God) and I love what I have become because of His love.
May God continue to use you as His instrument in touching and changing people’s lives.
Thank you!
And, I’m thankful for people like you, who take the time to express their faith journey! May the Lord bless you as you take the grand adventure toward heaven and home!
I love bruschetta!, and our Savior, Jesus Christ. It’s nice to find a kindred spirit. Have a blessed day, MoSop
Umm, the pic identified here as the Mackinac Bridge is actually the Golden Gate Bridge.
Thank you! I’ll have to figure out which picture, but I appreciate the correction.
Hi Kathi,
It’s been awhile since I’ve had a chance to drop by your blog. Hope things have been going well for you and yours!
Anyways, I just wanted to let you know that you’ve been nominated for the Liebster Award. Click the link for full details.
http://rhymenreview.wordpress.com/awards-nominations/the-liebster-award/
God Bless,
Donna
I feel so honored! Thank you for thinking of me. Happily (but sadly for this honor), I now have 218 blog followers, so I don’t think I qualify for your award! Still, I am deeply grateful that you nominated me! Blessings! It’s good to hear from you again. Are you getting ready for your trip?
Hi Kathi, I follow your blog with my blogger profile, and always enjoy reading your posts. I’m a little late to the game, but I came across your conversation with “reason” on this page and just wanted to commend you for your incredibly wonderful, kind and intelligent responses to some very bitter-sounding comments from this person. I just wanted to say that I really appreciated every response, and the Biblical manner in which you did it. I would have really struggled to be so Christ-like with this person. Thank you for sharing your faith so eloquently!
Thank you for your very kind remarks, Andrea! I’m afraid I’m rather a “shoot from the hip” sort of person by nature, so in whatsoever manner my responses did reflect Christ, it was completely a work of His grace in my life! So glad to “meet” you!!