Our Situation - from Ransomed Heart

Let me say this again: the story of your life is the story of the long and brutal assault on your heart by the one who knows what you could be and fears it. I hope you are beginning to see that more clearly now. Otherwise, much of the Bible will not make sense to you. Much of your life will not make sense to you.

I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name. (Isa. 45:2–3)

Doesn’t the language of the Bible sometimes sound . . . overblown? Really now—God is going to level mountains for us? We’d be happy if he just helped us get through the week. What’s all that about breaking down gates of bronze and cutting through bars of iron? I mean, it sounds heroic, but, well, who’s really in need of that? This isn’t ancient Samaria. We’d settle for a parking place at the mall.

If we are in an epic battle, then the language of the Bible fits perfectly. Things are not what they seem. We are at war. That war is against your heart, your glory. Once more, look at Isaiah 61:1:

He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners.

(Waking the Dead , 149–50)

(www.ransomedheart.org)

Resolved by the grace of God

The 2009 crystal ball of the Times Square will fall in a little over twenty- four hours, and American citizens will say good bye to 2008 and ring in 2009. When we welcome the new year with party and fun, we also make personal resolutions to achieve in 2009.

I pledge to lose 15 pounds... I hope I will be able to eat less chocolate... I intend on developing a better relationship with my co-workers.

Don't get me wrong here - most of the resolutions we create are well-intentioned. It is great for people to establish a year-long manifestos to aim for, but is it biblical to make resolutions? In other words, does the Bible encourage us to make our own resolutions?

While reading Tabletalk, a publication of Ligonier Ministries and R.C. Sproul (a year-long subscription gift for Christmas from my parents), Burk Parsons does a super-b job of examining the theology of making resolutions and whether it is biblical-based. I was reminded (and surprised) with the references he provide in his essay.

Let's look at Daniel: "But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's foods or with the wine that he drank." (Daniel 1:8)

And Joseph: "And her [Mary's] husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly." (Matthew 1:19)

Even Paul made many resolutions (1 Corinthians 10:14-32; Colossians 3:12-17), but I'll cite one here from 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12: "To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ." 

Bottom line: the Bible not only gives us permission to make resolutions, but also gives us several examples of various godly men who resolved to live for Him in a particular manner for a particular reason.

Jonathan Edwards, a famous Puritan pastor and philosopher who lived during the eighteenth century in colonial America, made seventy resolutions in his so-called "Resolutions," and his work was commenced with a simple introduction:

Being sensible that I am unable to do anything without God's help, I do humbly entreat him by his grace to enable me to keep these resolutions, so far as they are agreeable to his will, for Christ's sake.

Jonathan Edwards' simplicity impresses me because at a mere age of nineteen (only a few years younger than me), he already knew his weaknesses (do we?) and the destructive nature of his sins, so he made a simple resolution to glorify God and pursue holiness; we should draw from his example to make our own resolutions. First, he had to be reasonable when he makes his resolutions. Second, he needed God's help in keeping his resolutions because he was weak. Third, he had to humble himself and recognize that he cannot do it alone. Finally, his resolutions must be made for Christ's sake (or within God's will) so that He may be glorified. In essence, he is a young man pursuing the heart of God, and wants to glorify Him through every word, deed, and thought he makes - which includes his resolutions.

May we learn from Jonathan Edwards' simple words filled with wisdom on resolution-making for 2009 and beyond!

Advisory Team of the Deaf Teen Ministry Affinity Network

I got an e-mail message tonight at 6:00 pm from Bob Ayres  (www.bobayres.com), a respected colleague of mine involved with Deaf Teen Ministry, inviting me to join the Advisory Team of the Deaf Teen Ministry Affinity Network of the National Network of Youth Ministries. I was humbled that the existing Advisory team and Bob would want me to be a part of their group. As a result, I've decided that I would accept his invitation.

Read the message below if you are interested. I will be adding the link to the Deaf Teen Ministry Affinity Network - check that out!

*~*

Dear Bruce,

On behalf of Chad Entinger, Bob Rhoads, Jeremy Simons, and myself, we would like to extend an invitation to you to join the Advisory Team of the Deaf Teen Ministry Affinity Network of the National Network of Youth Ministries.

You can see the existing members under “About Network” at www.deafministry.org

Due to the nature of this network, there is little work responsibility attached to this role outside of providing advice and feedback. It will not be a burden on top of your already busy schedule. The importance of the Advisory Team is primarily for showing members that the Affinity Network represents a number of ministries and not just a single ministry.

Each member of the team has approved this request and we all hope you will join us. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. We are honored to serve Christ beside you.

Blessings,

Bob Ayres

NNYM Network Coordinator

Deaf Teen Ministry Affinity Network

Model for Deaf ministry music videos

I saw this great music video from D-PAN (Deaf Performing Arts Network), and a question emerged: how are we doing with videos to reach our Deaf teenagers? I think this type of artistic quality - impressive, I must admit - would help Deaf youth ministries to be more creative with their outreach videos and make it more appealing for teenagers. All we need to do is find someone skilled in Videography...

Although the website is a little too liberal for my taste, Project Readon is the first website I found that offers a great idea to use along with videos for the Deaf: captions. By producing quality music videos and adding captions, I believe our teenagers will be able to obtain the Gospel message in yet another way that may prove to be effective.

The YouTube video below is the version without any captions; the link will connect you to Project Readon to view the captioned version.

Link to captioned versionof the music video: Project Readon

Prayer for the USA

Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance.

We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who call evil good,' but that is exactly what we have done.  We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.  We have killed our unborn and called it choice. We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable.  We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem.  We have abused power and called it politics. We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition.  We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression.  We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment. 

Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and Set us free. Amen!

~Billy Graham

Hood Finals Week Completed!

The past week went by like a whirlwind.

And it was also tough. Really tough.

This was my last week of my semester at Hood College, and it means one thing: final exams (my college buddies know what it means at Hood). I took the following classes along with their respective course numbers:

- ECON 328 - Labor Economics

- ECON 305 - Principles of Macroeconomics

- PSY 208 - Psychology of Adolescence (awesome class!)

- MGMT 402 - Business Finance

Except for PSY 208, all of my classes' finals were ridiculously long and hard. I took my exams from Tuesday through Friday, and I basically sacrificed my previous weekend solely to studies. The third floor of Beneficial-Hudson Library has become my second home - I think I have spent approximately 40 to 50 hours studying there this week alone. I gave up my time, sleep, and energy for the sake of finishing well this semester. At times, I felt like quitting, but knowing that the end was approaching, I pressed forward to do my best.

I'm glad to report to you this: I think I did well on all of my exams, especially in my mind-blowing hard class (MGMT 402).

I'm feeling jovial now! One more semester, then hello, World!

More Fun Christmas Facts!

The first printed reference to Christmas trees appeared in Germany in 1531.

The poem commonly referred to as "The Night Before Christmas" was originally titled "A Visit From Saint Nicholas." This poem was written by Clement Moore for his children and some guests, one of whom anonymously sent the poem to a New York newspaper for publication.

The popular Christmas song "Jingle Bells" was composed in 1857 by James Pierpont, and was originally called "One-Horse Open Sleigh."

The real St. Nicholas lived in Turkey, where he was bishop of the town of Myra, in the early 4th century. It was the Dutch who first made him into a Christmas gift-giver, and Dutch settlers brought him to America where his name eventually became the familiar Santa Claus.

Jesus Christ, son of Mary, was born in a cave, not in a wooden stable. Caves were used to keep animals in because of the intense heat. A large church is now built over the cave, and people can go down inside the cave. The carpenters of Jesus' day were really stone cutters. Wood was not used as widely as it is today. So whenever you see a Christmas nativity scene with a wooden stable -- that's the "American" version, not the Biblical one.

Originally, Christmas decorations were home-made paper flowers, or apples, biscuits, and sweets. The earliest decorations to be bought came from Nuremburg in Germany, a city famous for the manufacture of toys. Lauscha in Germany is famous for its glass ornaments. In 1880, America discovered Lauscha and F.W. Woolworth went there and bought a few glass Christmas tree ornaments. Within a day he had sold out so next year he bought more and within a week they, too, had sold. The year after that be bought 200,000 Lauscha ornaments. During the First World War supplies of ornaments from Lauscha ceased, so American manufacturers began to make their own ornaments, developing new techniques that allowed them to turn out as many ornaments in a minute as could be made in a whole day at Lauscha.”

Pearls Before Breakfast

I ran across this fascinating story of an acclaimed violist named John Bell who played in DC Metro at L'Enfant Plaza for free - all a part of an experiment by Washington Post to see if anyone appreciates music in midst of a rush hour traffic. Although this story is a bit long and is written like a novel, this is worth the read. Here's the link:

John Bell's performance at L'Enfant Plaza

This story reminded me of how people acted two thousand years ago during Christmas when Jesus - Israel's long-awaited Messiah - arrived as an infant. Only few people noticed; many probably walked past the stable because they were too busy. May we not become too busy and walk by Jesus' birthday without pausing and admiring the arrival of our King!

Fun Christmas Facts

Since Christmas is approaching, I thought I would get you into the spirit of Christmas. I will be posting a few fun Christmas facts from now and then to help you see different meanings within symbolisms and how Christmas has evolved over the history. Enjoy!

“The "Twelve Days of Christmas" was originally written to help Catholic children, in England, remember different articles of faith during the persecution by Protestant Monarchs. The "true love" represented God, and the gifts all different ideas:

The "Partridge in a pear tree" was Christ.
2 Turtle Doves = The Old and New Testaments
3 French Hens = Faith, Hope and Charity-- the Theological Virtues
4 Calling Birds = the Four Gospels and/or the Four Evangelists
5 Golden Rings = The first Five Books of the Old Testament, the "Pentateuch", which relays the history of man's fall from grace.
6 Geese A-laying = the six days of Creation
7 Swans A-swimming = the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven sacraments
8 Maids A-milking = the eight beatitudes
9 Ladies Dancing = the nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit
10 Lords A-leaping = the ten commandments
11 Pipers Piping = the eleven faithful apostles
12 Drummers Drumming = the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle's Creed

The best selling Christmas trees are Scotch pine, Douglas fir, Noble fir, Fraser fir, Virginia pine, Balsam fir and white pine.

The Christmas turkey first appeared on English tables in the 16th century, but didn't immediately replace the traditional fare of goose, beef or boar's head in the rich households.

The custom of singing Christmas carols is very old - the earliest English collection was published in 1521.

The first Christmas card was created in England on December 9, 1842.

New York City's Empire State Building's world famous tower lights are turned off every night at midnight with the exception of New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and St. Patrick's Day, when they are illuminated until 3 a.m.”

Wanted: Real, Fearless Men for Leaders

This morning, I was digesting this great article from Boundless, a ministry of Focus on Family - Real Men Risks Rejection - and I learned some vital issues that guys will need to consider in a Biblical relationship (and marriage): taking leadership. In spite of the current-day (radical) feminist movement, where women say, "*bleep* guys! We can take care of ourselves," I have met many women throughout my life who have confided to me a counter-culture statement:

Where are the godly men who are willing to risk it all to pursue my heart?"

A few years ago, I had no idea what it means and the potential cost it would be for me to pursue a girl's heart. I have always liked to have a relationship with girls because of the benefits that comes with it (note to my readers: by the word "benefit," I mean someone who listens and share feelings well with, someone who I can spend time with doing fun things, and someone who I can talk with - all short of sexual intimacy). However, I have been learning slowly over the past few months the great beauty of committing myself to a single woman for a whole lifetime, and to take the "until death do we part" vow to a whole new level.

One of the biggest hindrances faced by all single men is pride. While this is not an acceptable excuse for our lack of leadership, we struggle with many kinds of fears in our life - all stemming from the curse of pride. The writer puts it succinctly about the forms of fear guys face:

"Maybe we don't want to risk her rejection, because we've invested a lot of ourselves in what she thinks of us. Maybe we don't want to risk failure, because our self-image is wrapped up in success, including relational success. Maybe we don't want to risk the ridicule of the guys, who'll tease us for not landing someone "better." Maybe we don't want to risk commitment, because we fear being that exposed to another person."

Ladies, I'm speaking here in behalf of all struggling single guys. Please forgive us if we have failed to express our interest in pursuing you. We ask you for your grace and patience while we garner the courage and humility needed to take leadership (and even risk rejection). We are flattered if you are interested in pursuing us, but we ask you to allow us madly and passionately pursue you within the context of a Biblical relationship. That is what drives us to be fully alive, just like the passion God has for His people. And yes, you have our permission to reject us if you are not interested in us.

---

By the way, single guys, I have a few great links for you to explore and help you become bold and fearless godly men!

- Boundless.org just released a free resource: "A Guy's Guide to Marrying Well," and it looks awesome! To get this, go to this link, http://www.boundless.org/guys/, and enter your e-mail address to get this guidebook. It is definitely something I plan to read soon!

- There is a "Define The Relationship" (DTR) assessment that you can take any time you are wondering about whether to initiate a relationship with a girl or to take your dating/courting relationship to the next level: marriage. A great find!

Render to Obama all things that are Obama's

"Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s." ~Matthew 22:21

Since Barack Hussein Obama was elected as a president, a friend of mine mentioned this verse to me, and I've been meditating on it for well over four days. To be honest, the election results was a bit disappointing for me because I wanted McCain to win, in addition to my distrust for Obama due to his questionable history and associations with a few radical individuals.

What exactly does "render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's," and what implications it has to my own spiritual life?

Jesus was discussing the importance of paying taxes to Caesar and giving God our "first fruits" in terms of time, talent, and treasure, but this verse also has an important degree to the current selection of the successor for President Bush.

Although Obama claimed that he would reduce taxes for 95% of the middle-class Americans who earns less than $250,000 per annum (that number has been muddied recently - $120,000 according to Gov. Richardson of New Mexico), I have a strong feeling that our taxes will be increased once Obama takes the presidency. And when taxes increases, people will be more tempted to evade taxes. When people evades taxes, the IRS will be hot on their tails to throw them in the slammer. You know, IRS probably would swallow the key and leave those people to rot until they pay their taxes.

"Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed." ~Romans 13:7

Render unto Caesar all the taxes.

Render unto Caesar all the revenue.

Render unto Caesar all respect.

Render unto Caesar all deserved honor.

Replace the term "Caesar" with "Obama," and you still have the same meaning within this context. Paul encourages us to pay all applicable taxes, report all revenues, give respect and honor to government officials. In fact, it was God who established the government to maintain law and order in this fallen world (Romans 13). God commands us to honor our governmental officials and follow the law of the land, as long as they do not violate God's commandments.

Many of you probably are disappointed with the results of the election, and wish that it would have turned out differently. I share the same sentiments with you, but the American people have spoken on November 4th, 2008. As God's people, we must pray for our nation and the president-elect so that he may successfully lead our nation. We will disagree with some of his decisions, and maybe even become angry with what he does. But do not lose hope, for God is in control here and He has our best interest in His mind.

Remember, my friends: our God is sovereign, and whatever happens in the future is a part of His plan. He will rise up godly and ungodly leaders to lead a nation (look at the Israeli kings throughout 1 and 2 Kings for evidence) in order to accomplish His divine purpose. Barack Hussein Obama was already predestinated by God to lead this nation, and we who profess Christ as our savior and lord of life must give Obama all respect and honor he deserves, and pay our taxes if he demands for money. The money we have are not ours, for they belong to God alone - he just "loaned" them to us to use for His kingdom.

Render unto Obama all things that are Obama's, and to God all things that are His. AMEN.

Election 2008

At 8:01 am, I used the right endowed by the Creator to cast my first ballot for the 2008 Presidential Election. I voted for the following items:

- McCain/Palin as the next president for United States of America (this is is a better alternative than Obama/Biden)

- Roscoe Bartlett as a representative for District 6 of Maryland

- Fischer and Hartings for the Washington County school board

- "No" on Amendment 1 to allow for early voting

- "No" on Amendment 2 to allow video gambling in Maryland

I'm hoping that the following items will be put on the ballot for decision in the future elections:

- Amendment to define marriage between one man and one woman

- Amendment to ban stem cell research on embryos and supporting research on adult stem cell - a more ethical alternative

Tonight after my meeting with a mentor, I will be hunkering at my home to watch the election coverage on Fox News, the most fair news station on the cable.

No matter what happens, God's sovereign will will be accomplished - no president can change his predestinated plans!

TVs Make Teens Pregnant

Here's an interesting tidbit I got from an e-mail newsletter this morning. This article reminds me of the important role people who work with the youth have to help our students to make right media choices. Enjoy the read!

__________

"A new report suggests that television may be playing a starring role  in your child's sex education. In a study of 2,003 teens aged 12-17, scientist Anita Chandra of RAND Research found that children who watched programs with "high levels of sexual content" were almost twice as likely to become pregnant as kids with limited exposure to such shows. The study, which was released today in the journal Pediatrics, is said to be the first to establish a real link between teen pregnancy and racy programming. When asked what shows they preferred, kids admitted to watching "Sex and the City," as well as the innuendo-heavy "Friends," "That '70s" Show," and reality fare. "This might surprise people, but sitcoms had the highest sexual content," Chandra said. Yet for all the glamorization of sex, very little attention has been paid to its consequences. "If teens are getting any of their information about sex from TV, they're very rarely going to get a balanced portrayal," Chandra said. "When there is [sexual content], how often is it coupled with a discussion of [the risks]?" Not very often, according to the Kaiser Foundation. A few years ago, it found that only 10 percent of shows with adult content made a passing reference to the dangers of sexual activity. Of course, RAND's research is far from the first blemish on television's record. Scientists have compiled quite a case against TV, which includes everything from early sexual activity and heightened aggression to an increased rate of STDs. Now that teen pregnancy has been added to the list, I can't help but wonder-when has television been associated with anything positive? While it's easy to become enraged with Hollywood, the burden of protecting our children falls on us. We cannot be complacent about what our kids are watching and expect them to take our values seriously. Sex education-or the lack of it-starts in the home. Don't let your television do the talking. Send your kids a clear message on abstinence before their innocence goes right down the tubes."

Additional Resources: Reuters- Study links teen pregnancy to sexy TV shows

~FRC Action Update, November 3, 2008

Redefining the middle class

I thought that you might be interested in this article: http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/10/31/low-richardson-pegs-middle-class-making/#

Share your thoughts here.

Since it is Halloween, or the eve of all saints, I could not help but be entertained by this picture - truly comical! It pokes fun at Obama's "spread the wealth" comment.

Enjoy, my comrades! Oh, and please do vote!

Fall into Grace

This weekend I got a new take on an old phrase. I had the privilege of being at a church that was born out of failure. Its pastor had a fall from grace forcing him to lose his high position as heir apparent to a 6,000-member congregation and requiring him to give back a very lucrative book deal, but out of the broken pieces of his life, a new thing has begun. I had the opportunity to participate in the new thing that now has gained a level of legitimacy as a new congregation about ready to move into its first building, and it was an eye-opener.

As a result of its unique beginning, this church has attracted people whose life histories have not exactly followed the good Christian housekeeping seal of approval. They are, many of them, rejects from other churches – dropouts due to their own falls from grace.

And as I pondered this, I wondered why it was the exception to the rule to have a church full of broken people. What are churches supposed to be anyway if not communities of those who need Jesus on a regular basis? Unfortunately in many places, church has become more like a group of people who are all fixed up instead of those who are broken. At least that's what we try to be… The First Church of All the Fixed Up People.

The problem with supposedly being fixed is that you have to do something with the knowledge that deep down inside, you know that you are not – that not everybody is telling the truth about themselves, yourself included, but because we are all "fixed," we can't face the truth. In this light, a fall isn't the worst thing that could happen. If it brings you in touch with the real truth about yourself, and a true understanding of God's grace because you need it so much, it could be the best thing that could ever happen to you.

All I can say is, the place where this pastor has fallen to is a much better place than where he was before he fell. And the more I think about this, the more I am convinced that we have the phrase all wrong. You don't fall from grace; you fall into grace. Grace is not up; grace is down. Grace is what you finally understand when you fall. In fact, until you're down and broken, you can't even know what grace is. Oh you may be able to define it, and illustrate it so that it sounds like you know what you're talking about, but you never know grace until it reaches you personally in the depths of your own brokenness. Thus a fall into grace is really a fall into your salvation.

Fall from grace? Impossible. Grace is already down. Grace is what catches you. You can't fall from grace because there's nowhere else to fall. You're already in the arms of God.

                                            ~John Fischer (emphasis mine)

I'll Have A Life... With A Side of Youth Ministry

I read this great article by www.thesource4ym.com, a site dedicated to Part-time and volunteer youth workers, about how to balance one's time for part-time and volunteer youth workers.

Here's the article: http://www.thesource4ym.com/howdoi/IllHaveALife.asp

Enjoy it with a cup of coffee, and be prepared!

DTQuest's 10/20 Monday Memo Devotional

Part II - Practical Application

"There is one body and one Spirit - just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call - one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." (Ephesians 4:4-5)

Paul was explicitly clear about oneness (unity) - one body... one Spirit... one hope... one Lord... one faith... one baptism... one God and Father of all - so we cannot neglect the importance of being unified. What are some of the ways by which DTQ can work with church-based youth ministries? Here are some do-able and useful suggestions:

• Sign up for an account through National Network for Youth Ministries (if you have not done so already, here's the link: www.nnym.org) and join Deaf Teen Ministry affinity network (www.deafministry.org). Encourage the churches with Deaf ministry to join as well! This is one of the main tools I've used this as a youth worker to communicate with various ministries across this region, and this is also the main venue by which we plan our retreats, our second one coming up in January. Very beneficial if everyone's committed to it!
• Actively seek out churches with Deaf ministries. Look up on the yellow pages, Google them up, check out their websites, and even go up to Deaf people to see if they know any! The churches won't come to parachurch ministries for help (except for a few rare cases), so you will have to reach out to those people. Many churches are willing to collaborate with other ministries and missionary organizations because they want people to know Christ. So, be the initiator!
• Connect with Deaf ministry program leaders who are passionate about the youth, and tell them what your vision is all about. Maintaining a regular contact with the church about DTQuest events is also important. Encourage the churches to support your local YFC DTQuest chapter (like ours for YFC-CM DTQuest program) either financially or by providing the usage of facilities. Want to go an extra mile? Set aside an hour for each church every month to sit down and develop or maintain a relationship - a major plus!
• Communicate clearly, communicate well, and communicate often - the churches need to know what you are doing with your ministries! First, tell them your vision using crystal-clear terms! If the churches know exactly what you envision - clear communication - they will be more willing to lend a helping hand either financially or materially. Second, choose several vehicles of communication in order to maximize your message delivery to the churches. Use e-mail newsletters, written letters, catchy flyers, announcement boards, church brochures, a biplane with a sign trailing on its back on Sunday mornings - use whatever it requires for you to inform all the churches about your needs - thus communicating well! Finally, make a mental commitment to keep churches posted about how God has been working in your personal lives and ministries - hence communicating often. The church leadership will appreciate it and might even be willing to invest more into your ministries! All you have to do is tell! Ask, seek, and knock... sounds familiar?
• Pray - this is the most crucial aspect of all ministries! Pray that the One who promises unity will bring local churches together to be the brilliant light of the world. Pray that a true and lasting unity will permeate both your and the church ministries to be an excellent example to the world. Pray for His guidance and wisdom daily. Be honest about your needs. Samuel Chadwick writes: "The one concern of the devil is to keep Christians from praying. He laughs at our toil, mocks our wisdom, but trembles when we pray." Never underestimate the power of a praying saint!

Of course, our ministries' context will differ from region to region, and from individual to individual. Those suggestions are meant to encourage you to seek support from a church (don't limit yourself to only one - be bold), and to give you some tools by which you can experience unity. A final word here: unity is not easy. That's why Jesus prayed for it before he died on the Cross. Paul knew the difficulty of this, and exhorts the early church to pursue this. But the good news is this: unity is made possible through the indwelling Holy Spirit that lives in each one of us! AMEN

You Have Our Attention, Lord

Our friends lost their house
The co-worker lost her job
The couple next door lost their retirement
It seems that everyone is losing their footing
This scares us. This bailout with billions.
These rumblings of depression.
These headlines: ominous, thunderous -
“Going Broke!” “Going Down!” “Going Under!” “What's Next?”

What is next?

We’re listening. And we’re admitting: You were right.
You told us this would happen.

You shot straight about loving stuff and worshipping money.
Greed will break your heart, You warned.
Money will love you and leave you.
Don’t put your hope in riches that are so uncertain.
You were right. Money is a fickle lover and we just got dumped.

We were wrong to spend what we didn’t have.
Wrong to neglect prayer and ignore the poor.
Wrong to think we ever earned a dime. We didn’t. You gave it. And now, tell us Father, are You taking it

We’re listening. And we’re praying.
Could you make something good out of this mess?

Of course You can. You always have.
You led slaves out of slavery,
Built temples out of ruins,
Turned stormy waves into a glassy pond and water into sweet wine.

This disorder awaits your order. So do we.

Through Christ,
Amen

God will always give what is right to His people who cry to Him night and day, and He will not be slow to answer them. (Luke 18:7 NCV)

~Max Lucado

DTQuest's 10/13 Monday Memo Devotional

"I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me." (John 17:20-23)

Jesus, in his famous prayer before he was arrested, prayed specifically for a lasting, unbreakable unity among all believers who profess Christ as Savior and Lord. Jesus knew that unity would not come naturally for humans. It is a great thing to actualize in principle, but it can only be achieved with the presence of Holy Spirit in our lives, bridging whatever our differences are to bring us together with a common mission.

As a friend of YFC DTQuest and a leader for a church-based youth ministry, I would like to delve into a question that has been asked by many of you: How can a DTQuest and church-based Deaf youth ministry work together to reach our teenagers for Christ?

First and foremost, all believers within DTQ and the Church (I am not referring the "Church" as an institution, but as a group of people who declared Christ at their savior and lord of their lives) must have a firm grasp on the core doctrines taught by Jesus Christ. Christ died for us because He loves us and wants us to be one with our Father. It is essential for all believers to believe that we are only saved only by Grace through Christ's death on the cross. That is the fundamental Truth we all must share to be able to reach our teenagers for Christ. If a church or a ministry doesn't share basic biblical truth about Jesus Christ, then unity will never be achieved.

Second, it is important to recognize that DTQuest is an "outreach arm" of the church. I won't deny that it is crucial for teenagers to be with a group of like-minded peers - one of the hallmarks of DTQuest's GROWgroups - but the Bible also teaches and shows us (most clearly in Acts) the important role of the church in the lives of all believers. Only in the context of a local church will people grow closer to Christ. Teenagers won't stay teenagers forever; there will come a time when teenagers will need to become plugged into a local Body of Christ.

DTQuest is part of the fulfillment of the Great Commission that Jesus proclaimed in Matthew 28; the Church also has a commandment to encourage, support, and challenge all people to know God and to fall madly in love with their Creator. AMEN

Freebies!!!

I just LOVE free stuff... who doesn't??? Here's a list of links for free stuff... some are great for sermon series, other for media, and a few will require some digging for some nuggets. All in all, they will empower your ministry and save your money in the long run!

http://vineresources.com/swag
http://www.muddyrivermedia.org/
http://www.openresources.org/
http://open.lifechurch.tv/
http://www.simplyyouthministry.com/freebies.html
http://content.simplyyouthministry.com/ffa08/
http://www.crazychurch.com/
http://www.newspringonline.com/
http://www.pastor2youth.com/
http://www.thesource4ym.com/
http://www.youthministry.com/?q=freebie-library/popularity/
http://www.youthspecialties.com/freeresources/articles/
http://www.dare2share.org/
http://timschmoyer.com/category/friday-freebie/
http://studentministryresources.com/

Enjoy the dibs... share any free links you frequent in the comments section!

Credits goes to www.youthministrygeek.com!

Pro-Life, Pro-Woman - FRC Publication

I received this e-mail this morning from Family Research Council (www.frc.org), and wanted to share this with you. This article reports what the American Psychological Association (APA) won't reveal about the psychological effect abortion has on women. Also, check out the links at the bottom of this e-mail for more information - all fascinating!

"Abortion has more than its share of moral complexities, but a panel of experts at FRC headquarters today showed that it poses an especially dangerous threat to women's mental health. To a capacity crowd, experts and clinicians did what the American Psychological Association refused to do in its latest report on abortion and mental health: told the truth-the whole truth-about the relationship between abortion and depression, anxiety disorders, suicide, and substance abuse. The prevalence of these symptoms among the 30 million women who have had the procedure is climbing at an alarming rate. While the research has yet to give pro-abortion leaders pause, the American people are taking the harmful effects of abortion very seriously. In a blockbuster poll released at today's lecture, the Elliot Institute found that 85 percent of American adults believe that "significant emotional problems" after an abortion are "common" or "very common." Only 15 percent of the people surveyed believe that abortion generally makes women's lives better. Seventy-one percent of participants across the ideological spectrum said that conducting research on these post-abortion complications should be a moderate to high priority. David Reardon, director of the Elliot Institute, hinted at the policy implications of the study. "Politicians who ignore the issue of post-abortion complications are ignoring an important concern of the American people." Of equal concern to pro-lifers is that millions of these women are suffering at the hands of government-funded organizations like Planned Parenthood. The public is ready to address this problem. Is Congress?"

Additional Resources
2008 Post Abortion Awareness Poll Survey Summary [PDF]
Post-abortion Mental Health Effects, Awareness, and Politics

Post your thoughts based on what you have already read, if you feel inclined to do so.

Potpourri of quotes

On economy...

“Lots of other places—from Britain to Australia—took a hit in 1929 but, alas, they lacked an FDR to keep it going till the end of the Thirties. That’s why in other countries they refer to it as ‘the Depression,’ but only in the U.S. is it ‘Great’.” —Mark Steyn

Here is some funny newspaper headlines:

Cheer Up, Everyone!: “Poll: 60% Say Depression ‘Likely”’ —CNNMoney.com

“Issue of Depression Addressed on Campus” —Spectator (University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire)

“Male Depression: Why It’s Undiagnosed and What It Looks Like” —Beliefnet.com

“Is Depression Robbing Kids’ Happiness?” —IBNLive.com (India)

“Depression: Does It Cause Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)?” —wddty.com

“Depression Can Be Funny Too” —Navigator News (Lake Land College, Mattoon, IL)

~****~

On politics...

“Obama has shown that he is a man of limited experience, questionable convictions, deeply troubling associations (Jeremiah Wright, William Ayers, Tony Rezko) and an alarming lack of self-definition—do you really know who he is and what he believes?” —Charles Krauthammer

“Obama could have allied himself with all sorts of other people. But, time and again, he allied himself with people who openly expressed their hatred of America. No amount of flags on his campaign platforms this election year can change that.” —Thomas Sowell

“The short memories of the American voters is what keeps our politicians in office.” —Will Rogers

Some plainly nonsensical quotes from Obama, the demo-gogues, and the Left...

“I believe this is a final verdict on the failed economic policies of the last eight years, strongly promoted by President Bush and supported by Sen. McCain, that essentially said that we should strip away regulations, consumer protections, let the market run wild, and prosperity would rain down on all of us.” —Socialist Barack Obama in Tuesday’s debate, trashing what we like to call “capitalism”

“You have to wonder about what John McCain and his running mate, what their priorities are for America. Privatizing Social Security, gutting Medicare, deregulating healthcare is not putting your country first, it’s putting a radical, misguided, reckless ideology ahead of the interests of your country.” —Barack Obama

Off the deep end: “[Republicans] get to take things out on poor people. Let’s be honest: The fact that some of the poor people are black doesn’t hurt them either, from their standpoint. This is an effort, I believe, to appeal to a kind of anger in people.” —Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA)

Revising history: “We kicked—along with France, we kicked Hezbollah out of Lebanon.” —Joe Biden in Thursday’s vice-presidential debate **“Biden said the strangest and most ill-informed thing I have ever heard about Lebanon in my life. Nobody has ever kicked Hezbollah out of Lebanon. Not the United States. Not France. Not Israel. And not the Lebanese. Nobody. Joe Biden has literally no idea what he is talking about.” —Michael Totten*

Take your own advice: “The truth matters.” —Joe Biden

Non Compos Mentis: “You know, the one thing that really gets to me, which I don’t think many people are discussing, but to me sounds like a little bit of a contradiction is being pro-life yet being pro-hunting—unless you are assuming that animals are not alive. That’s such a huge contradiction to me on the McCain-Palin thing. It just doesn’t fit in my book.” —supermodel Mayra Veronica

From WAY out in left field: “I’m also worried since it’s October that George Bush will do one of three things: Either find bin Laden, who’ve they’ve had somewhere for eight months waiting to bring out... at the ranch... Or, you know, let’s start a war with Iran. That’s always a possibility. And here’s the third thing and I don’t know much about the Bible and I’m not a big rapture guy but I believe George Bush is, and what better way, if your polls are so bad, than to go out by pushing the button and destroying all life on Earth?” —Hollywood producer and director Barry Sonnenfeld

The creme du de coup...

Jay Leno: The [second presidential] debate took place in Nashville, Tennessee, which is perfect—the economy right now is kind of like a bad country song: “I lost my girl; I lost my house...” ... The debate was held in “town-hall” style, which means instead of ignoring the moderator’s questions, the candidates could ignore the voters directly. ... [Congress] passed their $800 billion bailout bill [Friday]. Although some senators who voted for it are now very upset. They thought they were giving themselves a pay raise. ... Congress keeps saying that not only are taxpayers going to get back the $800 billion, oh, they’re going to make money on the deal too. Yeah, yeah. See, now you know where the ‘con’ in congressman comes from. ... The Labor Department has announced that 159,000 people lost their jobs last month. Worst job loss in five years. Here’s the ironic part—all 435 members of Congress still have their jobs. ... The stock market’s so bad now that at closing time, instead of a bell, they play taps.

~All credit goes to the 08-41 edition of Chronicles from The Patriot Post (http://patriotpost.us)

Free Market Status: Dead

The bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers, an international banker with a famous reputation, and the acquisition of Merrill Lynch - my internship site this past summer - by Bank of America Corp. (NYSE: BAC) only added to the list of victims of the sub-prime mortgage crisis that has plagued the Wall Street for the past year. Before that, Bear Stearns, a well-reputed investment banker, was merged rather forcibly by the government with JPMorgan Chase & Company (NYSE: JPM). Our most-wonderful government decided that intervention was in the best interest of our economy's health by taking over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Finally, as the creme du de coup, the government decided to bailout America Insurance Group (AIG) with a $85 billion loan... directly from the taxpayers' pocket (read: every single one of us who earn a dime). This past week alone has been a tough week for the stock market, and it leaves people like myself wondering what will happen in the future with our economy.

As a Management major with a finance concentration and a minor in Economics - hence the reason this topic interests me so much - I have learned one principle that generally is a bad news for the market: big government. When the government decides to grow and expand through control and bureaucracy, that is when the market, our so-called free market, suffers from the strangling hold of the "Big Brother." The bailout of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac is our most recent evidence of government intervention in the capitalistic market. Instead of letting businesses collapse and fail (this is rather painful, but necessary, for the proper operations of a capitalistic economy), the government thinks that they know the answer to every problem, every crisis, and tells us, "We are here to save the day!" I beg to differ.

In fact, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, along with President Bush, has just announced a possible plan for the government to "buy up bad mortgages and other toxic debts," all while using "a 'significant amount of taxpayers' money.'" This proposed governmental intervention will be - read this carefully - "the biggest proposed government intervention in financial markets since the Great Depression." Read more about the government's lifeline to rescue the financial market.

The free market, I fear, might already be dead. Read U.S. Senator Bunning's statement if you think I'm overreacting.

Your thoughts on what's happening in the economy are welcomed.

Pray for Sara Palin's Church

I received this e-mail message from a dear friend of mine today, and wanted to share it with you, since some of the readers are Christians and have great interest in politics. It is important for us to pray for our politicians, especially Sarah Palin, who is being unfairly attacked by the liberal media for non-essential reasons. This e-mail message reminded me that Sarah's life is not only influenced by her choice - the people who knows her at some level will be questioned by the media with a goal of finding subtle mistakes, if any, that might influence Sarah's shot at her VP bid during this election season. Moreover, if there is any flaws found within the church that she attended, the very vitality of the Body of Christ will be affected in that community.

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Greetings to all!

Our pastor here in Bigfork, Montana, Hal Curtis, is friends with the pastor of Sarah Palin's pastor in Wasilla, Alaska. His name is David Pepper and the church is Full Gospel Church of Wasilla, AK.

Three days before Gov. Palin was announced by John McCain as his choice for VP, she came before her pastor to be anointed and prayed over for service to God. She didn't tell the church what was going on....just that she needed their prayer support. During the mere days since the announcement, the pastor and the church have been bombarded with questions from the media. They are trying to get the word out to Christians all over the nation to pray for God's protection of Sarah Palin and of their church. They suspect that the treatment of Jeremiah Wright will pale in comparison to what is coming their way as a conservative Christian body.

When the little Down's Syndrome baby of Todd and Sarah Palin was dedicated a few months ago, their statement to the congregation was 'This little boy is my pro-life statement.' According to David Pepper, Todd and Sarah are very strong in their faith in Jesus Christ and believe God has put them in this position to serve Him.

Let's remember to pray for Gov. Palin and her family as they walk through this very trying time! Thank you so much!

Vicky Creamer

p.s. Please pass this request on to other prayer warriors!

An Enslaved Freedman

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among them are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness." (Declaration of Independence, July 4th, 1776)

Hailed as one of the greatest philosophical documents ever written, Thomas Jefferson (along with the help from John Adams and Benjamin Franklin) wrote the Declaration of Independence and made a bold move against the British Empire to dissolve the colonies' relationship with the Crown. Colonists were fed up with paying taxes, dealing with ignorant Parliament who believes that England is entitled to world dominion, and religious intolerance - expressed through the now infamous Boston Tea Party and witnessed through the mass migration of Puritans. After the submission of this Declaration to the British Parliament, the American Revolution did not conclude until the Treaty of Paris was formally ratified and exchanged by the British and United States parties on May 12, 1784 in France. It required America eight additional years after the signing of the Declaration until she was fully emancipated from England. The effect of the Revolution can still be felt not only in America, but all over the world.

I am eternally thankful for the liberties I enjoy in America. We have achieved a great amount of equality in many ways, let it be racial, economical opportunity, and equal employment opportunity. We are allowed to practice whatever belief system we want to without being threatened by our government. We can bear arms in our houses and use it to defend ourselves against people who intend to do harm toward us. We do not have to fear any unwarranted searches and seizures of our personal property. An impartial jury, by principle, is guaranteed to any of us who have been accused of any wrongdoings, and we are presumed to be innocent unless proven guilty. There are enumerated powers assigned separately for the federal and state governments; no single governmental agency in America has the right or power to usurp the powers reserved for a lesser government. You can say that I am free in America, and I won't deny that. There are many people in the world who are hungry, oppressed, and shackled in a society. I'm grateful for the utterly high price our soldiers who fought in all wars to defend our freedom and perished.

Yet the more I thought about my liberty, the more I realized that it was temporal, only to be enjoyed in this lifetime. Although it makes me feel elated to be blessed in such a way, I realized something crucial: I was still a miserable prisoner. After I take my last breath, what will my liberties meant to me? I cannot bring the freedom I have here into my death. I was still controlled by Death.

In other words, I was a prisoner of hate, greed, jealousy, lust, desires, fear, material items, and fruitless dreams. I was set on pursuing the American dream, to become wealthy and enjoy my life to its fullest. However, I finally realized something: no matter what I do, I cannot get rid of my nagging sense of despair and hopelessness. There was a void in my heart that I cannot fill by things found in this world; this hole, I realized later, was a God-sized one.

I am an enslaved freedman. Although free, my heart is held captive to a higher principle that is apart from this transient world. Just when I thought that the cold iron shackles of slavery would burden me when I sworn my allegiance to God, the freedom I found greeted me like a dear friend. I am not bound to any laws, but to the Law that is characterized by a mind-boggling Grace and unconditional Love. As a captive, I am free to shout. I am free to run. I am free to dance. I am free to live my life aiming to honor, praise, and glorify my King: Christ Jesus, my Lord, Savior, and Friend.

And here's why: my King laid down all the splendor and glory of his God-ship only to come here on Earth as a lowly human, a man who was tempted and tried in every possible way, yet never sinned. He was born under the law, lived for thirty-three years under the law, and died uneventfully under the law. My King was able to heal the sick, make the lame walk, restore the blind's sight, and make the dead walk again. He was arrested, accused and convicted; He suffered unimaginable agony and pain, all while hanging on an accursed tree, the cross, like a common criminal, as a completely innocent man. He did no crime, except for this: He brought forth true freedom into this world. He makes this freedom available to all who choose to believe, receive, and declare Him as their personal savior.

As I meditated on what Christ did, I am reminded that only true freedom can be found in Christ alone. No governments of this world can offer us this assertion. No kings that has lived, is living, and will come in the future can give people a 100% certainty on their freedom. Even the founding Fathers who boldly wrote the Declaration cannot - only Christ can. Apostle Paul sums it up:

"[W]here the Spirit of Lord is, there is liberty. " (2 Corinthians 3:17)

"For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord's freedman. Likewise he who is called while free is Christ's slave." (2 Corinthians 7:22)

I have sworn allegiance to my King, and a Declaration of Independence has already been written, ratified, and sealed with my name through the blood of Christ. Will I find your name among the signers?

DFYouth Ministry Logo Unveiled!

For the past few months, I have been working in a cooperative effort with a church member who happens to work as a graphic designer to develop a new logo for Deaf Fellowship Youth Ministry (DFYouth Ministry). Last night, I added some finishing touch to the logo, and, with excitement and enthusiasm, unveiled our official logo to the church family.

I'm really thrilled to have this project completed because it will allow people to associate our ministry with an image when we do our outreach activities (just like what other ministries do - DeafTeen Quest(r), Focus on the Family, etc.). There are a few subtle messages embedded in the logo that will be clear upon explanation. First, perhaps my favorite feature of the logo, there is a cross with a "I-Love-You" hand sign on the top of the mountain, signifying the unconditional, eternal Love Christ had for us when He died on the cross for our sake. Second, the three crosses on the mountain should remind us who Christ died with - sinners - and the location of His death - the Calvary. Third, the mountain, hopefully, will remind everyone to keep their gaze fixed upward toward Christ. In addition, the mountain also represents the arduous journey that every Christian who profess Christ as their personal savior, Lord, and the King of their lives will make in their lifetime as they pursue to be more like Christ (sanctify themselves). Finally, the arch tells us that with Christ's death, there's Hope in the world (just like the Bible, "His mercies are new every morning") - hence the likeliness of a sun that rises every morning.

This logo is loaded with meaning, I know, but all relevant to the Christian faith! I hope you enjoyed the DFYouth Ministry's logo design, and that you are inspired to embody an unique logo into your own ministries!

Reclaim the Prize: The Call to Overcome our Sex-Saturated Culture

Disclaimer: the ladies that I currently work with in youth ministry are those who I place high respect for their personal conduct and moral standards. As a result of my respect for them, I feel free to talk about this, and am open to any opposing point of views here. I am just speaking here as a youth leader involved in youth ministry concerned with the changing set of values in our culture that impacts not only Deaf teen ministry, but teen ministries everywhere. This article is also written out of my concern for the general welfare of our adolescence.

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Known simply as "The Kiss," Madonna and Brittany Spears participated in an open-mouthed expression of affection on Music Television (MTV), and people say, "Oh, that's just a kiss... that means nothing."

Perfume and make-up ads (such as one to the left) are notorious for showing expression-less faces of young women or women barely dressed posed in a sensuous way that causes women to think, "Oh, this perfume will make men want me. I want to be sexy - ONLY those perfumes and make-ups can do it."

Advertisements by jean companies, especially designer ones, often show a girl and boy rolling half-naked in the ebbing flows of the ocean in passionate embrace. Simple observers will think, "Oh, it is normal to feel that way, especially when wearing that pair of jeans. There's nothing wrong with an expression of love."

Liquor ads, such as those by Budweiser and Miller Lite, often show girls with little clothing being showcased with a bottle. Sex sells, indeed, especially when it comes to beer commercials.

The above examples are just a cursory glance of what our society throws at us on a daily basis, let it be on television, magazine, or billboards. However, I must mention this as well: our teenagers see those images, and more, on a daily basis just like we did. They are led to believe in those messages shown by the media to be the truth.

And they are nothing but lies. Plain and simple.

Today in my Psychology of Adolescence, we watched a video based on the book, Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls, written by Mary Pipher, an adolescent psychologist/therapist. After a bit of research on this book from Amazon.com, I must admit that it was published quite a while ago - 1994. However, much of the information covered in the film was relevant to the predicament faced by our adolescent, especially those of the female sex.

While I watched the video, I became infuriated when I saw a parade of images featuring girls in suggestive clothing peppered with sex-charged comments on magazine covers, in addition to many video clips of 5'11"-and-110-pounds-girls-with-pearly-white-teeth seem happy to hop in a bed with a well-tanned and muscular guy. As many are aware of, the girls are being pressurized to bring the waist line of their jeans lower, their shirt sleeves must be made of as little fabric as possible, their shirt neck line brought down to a revealing cleavage, and the boundaries of what defines an underwear and a pair of shorts become blurred.

The media has sexualized our culture so much that it begins to negatively influence our teenagers and disturbs people like myself who work with the youth, if not only the parents. They continue to bombard our youth with images that only entails them to lower their moral standards, become more "loose" and risky in their behavior, make poor decisions, and succumb to peer pressure that the society puts on them. Interestingly enough, the video pointed out (paraphrased):

The more girls spend their time consuming media, the more likely it is for them to engage in risky behavior (such as alcohol, drugs, sex, to name a few).

Here's a very shocking statistic that I found online that I thought should be shared. Although this does not explicitly state how the media influences our teenagers, the end results of such an influence, among other factors, are startling:

Every day in America, 1,106 teenagers have abortions; 1,295 teenagers give birth; and 7,742 teens become sexually active. (Source: Children's Defense Fund)

Moreover, the level of peer pressure is so great that they are expected to conform with the physical beauty portrayed in the media, and will be ridiculed by their peers for not wearing designer jeans or even the right hair style. If they do not par up to the society's expectations of what beauty is defined as, they are sucked in the morass of depression, eating disorders, and thoughts, if not the deed, of suicide. Even more sadly,

Every day in America, 6 teenagers commit suicide. (Source: Children's Defense Fund)

If this statistic is correct, let's put things in perspective: 42 teens die on a weekly basis, 180 monthly, and 2,190 yearly! If this doesn't cause you to boil with righteous indignation, it should!

The girls are not the only victims here to the influence of the media; our guys are beset with the incessant bombardment of negative influence that gives rise to a whole horde of destructive behaviors. Our men are taught to treat women like objects, something to be exploited. Pornography, sexual addiction, and disrespect runs rampant in the male portion of our society. Women, according to the media, are something that is ready to obey whatever men bid them to do. A terrible thing to say, indeed, but that's what many psychologists and counselors, less youth workers, have observed over the recent decades.

In summation: our adolescence are lacking a sense of self-identity and self-worth. Without those attributes, our adolescents are stuck in a great emotional turmoil; a sense of hopelessness and despair; and may even be forced to compromise their moral standards for temporal happiness.

As a youth worker involved with Deaf teenagers, it is easy for me to say, "All the talk about how much the media influences our students - they don't apply to our teenagers because the research is mainly aimed at those who can hear." However, this line of thinking is flawed because Deaf people are very visual (their brains, according to research, will compensate one's visual abilities to compensate for the unused auditory part of the brain - interesting!) and do readily obtain information. And that made me wonder (and I ask you this question too): how can we effectively minister to our students in this sex-saturated culture?

First, we need to love our students unconditionally, just like God loves us. Our students need to know that they are loved just the way they are. They do not need to be skinny, beautiful, or even a blonde! They need to know that regardless of their race, sex, national origin, sex, and religious beliefs, they are loved! They need to know that they are valued for who they are, not for what the society tells them to be!

Second, our students need to be given a safe, nurturing place where they can freely express their feelings, thoughts, and troubles to a group of believers who will support and encourage them to be the men/women that God intends them to be. This is the key to build a community of believers that truly reflects His Church.

Finally, in order to know how to effectively minister to our teenagers, let them be Deaf or hearing, we must be knowledgeable about our culture's current trends and inclinations by staying up-to-date. We need to know the major movers and pushers in the media that potentially can shape our teenagers' lives, and offer a counter response to them.

There is another important lesson worthy of note that I have  learned: the parents of our youth, not their friends or even us, are the primary youth workers. They interact with their children all the time, both inside and outside their homes, and imparts the most influence on their lives. Youth workers (such as myself) only have a secondary role in teenagers' lives, and we can help our parents do a better job by keeping them up-to-date with the youth culture's ever-shifting landscape. Quite a challenging task, I must admit, but a honorable one nonetheless. I consider it a great honor when the parents of our youth entrusts their lives in our hands and empowers us to help their teenagers mature to become godly people.

Above all things, no matter what happens, no matter how bad things might seem to get, let it be with our media or culture, Jesus reminds us:

"In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world!" (John 16:33 NIV)

Regardless of what message our media feeds our teenagers, what our culture forces our kids, I challenge you: be a revolutionary and overcome our culture with the message of Hope! Help our teenagers reclaim the prize stolen under our teenagers' noses: the sense of and the pride for selfhood. Once done that, also remind them that the God of redeeming love and grace can heal and restore them from the hurts inflicted by our culture, and usher them into a lifestyle characterized by His Love.

A Week Without God

Imagine if there was no God... no hope, no love, no grace, no mercy. Nothingness will reign in our world. Hopelessness and Despair will be our parasites and leave us to be hollow shells of our unique selves. And the days of our weeks would be called:

Mournday

Tearsday

Wasteday

Thirstyday

Fightday

Shatterday

Sinday

(Got this from an e-mail forward, and wanted to share it)

Help My Unbelief - Friday Fragments

I digested this wonderful devotional this evening from Dan Wolgemuth, the president of Youth For Christ - USA, in his "Friday Fragments" weekly newsletter. Enjoy the thought-provoking read!

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Did God actually say… ~ Genesis 3:1

These words, whispered from the craftiest of all creatures, have cascaded through history and into the most intimate and difficult situations that any human being faces.  The shadows of doubt darken the brilliance of God’s promises and commands in a way that dilutes my heart. 

Even this morning, as I was reading through the record of Jesus’ encounter with the father of a son who was consumed by a destructive spirit, I tripped across a word, a single three-letter word, that triggered the very lie that Satan introduced in Genesis. 

All things are possible for one who believes. ~ Mark 9:23

ALL!  You can’t be serious.  This must be one of those classic times when the English language simply does an injustice to the original Greek. 

Like a sprinter out of the starting blocks I raced to my Strong’s Concordance to do a word search.  And as I landed on Strong’s number 3956, I discovered something stunning and amazing… all means all.

Then again… like the same sprinter who is involved in a relay, I handed my doubt off to another companion, to rationalization, to the dismissive excuse of culture or context, to whatever would help me attempt to reconcile the personal promise of Jesus against the present reality of my own experience. 

I chased this doubt across other references in the New Testament only to find an exit ramp into the words of Paul in the book of Romans.  Specifically, the words in the 8th chapter that say: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” 

This proved even more disturbing.  This gave the potent lie of Satan additional dark black soil in which to plant his “Did God really say” lies.  Did God really mean “all things” in this context as well? 

Once again, the dash for evidence, once again, Strong’s 3956.  Once again, all means all.

“All things are possible…”
“…all things work together…”

Let there be no doubt, God, the only God.  The great I AM, has declared, and He has not stuttered, that All means All. 

Immediately the father of the child cried out and said. “I believe; help my unbelief.” ~ Mark 9:24

Even while we hear the whispered hissing tones of the evil lies that invade our soul, may we have the courage to proclaim… “Yes, God did really say that all means all.” 

Help my unbelief.

Christian Counselor fired for her beliefs

While I was checking my e-mail today, I ran into an article by www.onenewsnow.com and couldn't believe what I was reading. Amuse yourselves with the article, and share your thoughts.

http://www.onenewsnow.com/Legal/Default.aspx?id=182208

McCain - The Lesser of Two Evils?

Conservatives hate McCain. I was recently reading a somewhat-sarcastic column by Ann Coulter, a well-reputed Conservative, and she hit many good points about McCain's positions.

I won't beat around the bush here, because it will serve no good to do this, so I will get to the point here. The majority of conservative Republicans don't trust McCain because he is a liberal Republican.

I trust God fully that He will lead us through the next four years (or even eight, if no solid candidate comes forth that generates excitement for the Conservatives and the liberal candidate/president gets booted), but I sometime wonder what the future holds for this country, and for religious freedom in America. I know that my citizenship resides in heaven alone, but I can't help but wonder what America's future will look like for my descendants.

"Oh, this country will still be a Christian one, even with a Democrat president," you may refute. But I have to question that as well...

Will the citizens' freedom of speech be censored through the passage of an ENDA-like legislation (Employee Non-Discrimination Act)? If such a legislation is passed, all non-profit organizations, especially Christian ones and those who holds similar values, will have to hire people whose actions does not match with the Bible's teachings. Or suppose an employee does not agree with one's lifestyle and refuses to hire him/her/it (given that he/she is a transgender, hence the "it"). Shocker here: he could be arrested on the grounds of "discrimination."

Have you visited McCain's campaign website yet? While he does highlight some of the key issues that voters should be concerned about, he's missing several crucial issues that matters to the followers of Jesus/Christians: the sanctity of marriage, importance of families, freedom of speech and freedom to worship El Shaddai, to name a few. On religious matters, McCain has gone as far to label some key religious leaders as "agents of intolerance" in 2000. No wonder Dr. Dobson, a renowned advocate for the stability of American families and founder of the Focus on Family organization domiciled in Colorado Springs, has not endorsed him thus far - perhaps because Dr. Dobson identifies himself with the agents of intolerance?

McCain's history with legislation votes lean toward the Leftists. If he is elected as our president, I would not be surprised if he decides to impose nonsensical taxes such as "windfall" profits on oil companies, ultimately making us pay more at our gas stations. In addition, he will oppose any further legislation for drillings on only 0.01 percent of the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) with fears of its caribou population being driven to extinction. A liberal acting like a Republican in disguise, indeed.

The future of the 2008 election season, with McCain courting for Conservatives' votes, is looking bleak. I will still vote, but it will boil down to choosing the lesser of the two evils: Obama or McCain. No matter what I choose, the dilemma remains: both of those choices are, figuratively speaking, still evil.

And I won't get started on Obama...

"On That Day..." - WaveSTAFF (formerly NewSTAFF) Insight #2

"Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more." Jeremiah 31:31-33 (ESV)

God was given many chances to leave (and even destroy) us because we were unfaithful to Him. But He never did. It brings to mind a book in the Bible that talks about God's love for His people, Israel: Hosea. In this book, God commands Hosea to be married to an adulterer, who has openly committed adultery and is not sorry about it. Even with Hosea's ardent passion for his wife, she continues to lie in bed with other men. How horrible is that for a marriage, even by today's standards!?

God humbled Hosea in the very beginning: "Go, take to yourself a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the Lord" (Hosea 1:2). This was difficult for Hosea to accept, and it would be for me. Confession time: if I was Hosea, I would not have listened to God and, instead, chosen a chaste woman. But what happens here? Hosea follows God and marries a prostitute! The level of commitment that God asks of Hosea is incredible, if not mind boggling. However, God is trying to reveal something about His nature that is guaranteed to challenge us in our daily walk with Christ.

No matter how many different gods of this world we have slept with (money, sex, greed, lust, to name a few), God will remain faithful to His promiscuous wife (read: us), even at a great cost. On that day, as was prophesied by Jeremiah, while people, from the past to the present and to the future, continue to wallow and enjoy their adulterous relationships, God demonstrated His love in this manner: He sent His ONLY son to die on the cross for our sake. God did this because He loves us so much, and His love cannot be measured. It extends as far as East is from the West, and He zealously desires us to give Him our all in all.

At the very hour of our belief, the Mosaic Law ordained by God on stone tablets is permanently engraved in our hearts, actively working through our lives by the indwelling Holy Spirit. The God of Abraham, Jacob, Isaac, and Moses is now our personal Father, and we are His adopted children. Just like Hosea, He has forgiven us for all of our iniquities, and remembers them no longer. How amazing is His grace!

Do our teens realize the magnitude of His grace? When we reach out to our teenagers, do they see God as a distant, impersonal being, even as a judge? Or as someone who is jealous, passionate, full of adventure, and even righteously wrathful? Do they know that He actively pursues our hearts daily like a Shepherd who willingly abandons His flock to find a lost ewe?

As believers, we have been enshrined as ministers of the new covenant. Paul points out: we have been made "competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit" (2 Corinthians 3:6). God has empowered us through the Holy Spirit to do this: to bear a single message of never-ending hope: God is Love, and Love is God. Has every aspect of your lives illustrated this eternal Truth?

It's an Elephant... no, an Airplane... oh shoot! It's a Funnel Cloud in Hagerstown!

I was home on Monday night ironing a dress shirt for my internship when this happened. I live about twenty minutes east of Hagerstown, and a tornado almost touched down in downtown! If it did, it would have caused unimaginable destruction and possibly several tragic losses of life. Now, tornadoes are rare around here, but storms are plenty during hot summer months.

Read for yourself: http://your4state.com/content/fulltext/?cid=18801, and check out the video of the funnel cloud. Also make sure that you check out the slideshow of pictures from the storm.

I'm thanking God that He has protected the residents of Hagerstown through this harrowing experience! I will post a few pictures of the hail storm we had that evening.

Overcoming Barriers: A Profile on Christopher Coleman

"As he went along, he [Jesus] saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, 'Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?'

'Neither this man nor his parents sinned,' said Jesus, 'but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.'"

~John 9:1-3

I ran into his story through one of my social network communities on LiveJournal, and was moved by his testimony. In retrospect, Christopher Coleman was pronounced dead for the first fifteen minutes of his life, and suffers from cerebral palsy. He was assumed to be severely retarded, and had little hope for a successful future as an individual. Only because of his mother's dedication to her son's welfare and relentless faith in Christ Jesus was he able to succeed in the latter part of his life. Christopher later admits that if it was not for his mother, he would not have met Christ and have his life's destiny fulfilled.

Think about this: just when we think we are disabled, God can still work in our lives! Never underestimate the power of God and what He can do for us!

http://www.christophercoleman.net/testimony.html

The Fellowship of the Unashamed

I got this story from my church's weekly newsletter written by our senior Pastor, and wanted to share this with you. This piece was written by an anonymous African pastor years ago, and is a classic! Enjoy.

I have Holy Spirit power. The decision has been made. I must go till He comes and work till He stops me. I’m part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have Holy Spirit power. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I’m a disciple of His. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still.

My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, my future is secure. I’m finished with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, mundane talking, cheap living, and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don’t have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk by patience, lift by prayer, and labor by power.

My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way rough, my companions few, my guide reliable, my mission clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

I won’t give up, shut up, let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, and preached up for the cause of Christ. I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till all know, and work till He stops me. And when He comes for His own, He will have no problems recognizing me – my banner will be clear!

Created for a Reason

I was born a perfectly normal, happy baby. I was my parents' second child. My parents were exceedingly proud of me, and was looking forward to see me grow up as godly child who fears Lord the God with my whole heart, mind, soul, and strength. My parents were blessed with a safe delivery and a healthy baby, because my sister, who happens to be four years older than me, had complications during her birth and ensuing illness that required a prolonged stay in the hospital following delivery. In the simplest sense, I was a healthy boy with a bright future.

Fast forward ten months later.

I was admitted in the hospital after my parents noticed a gray pallor on my face. They were greatly concerned with what I might have, not to mention what was happening to me. After an examination by my doctors, they approached my parents and said sternly:

"Your child has pneumococcal meningitis, and there is only 50-50 chance of him living through this disease. There is also a chance that your child will be permanently retarted and impaired for the remainder of his life, if he manages to live."

My parents' entire lives was changed by this news. Their worlds were turned upside-down. Just when they thought they would have a normal child, they had a child that was gravely ill. There was another infant in the hospital I was admitted to with this illness at around the same time, and she tragically passed away. I do not know exactly what went through my parents' minds, but every time they retold me this experience, it brings them a fresh stream of tears. I was lying in a plastic box in the hospital ward, moaning and groaning from the swelling in my brain caused by a spinal cord fluid buildup, all while my parents helplessly watched, forbidden to touch me. If the pressure in my skull were not relieved soon, hearts shattered in miniscule pieces and unimaginable, indescribable sorrow, in addition to a simple gravestone of an infant who has skimmed life, would be the remnant of an once-healthy infant.

Two weeks later, amidst my doctors' dire predictions of my survival, I was miraculously healed and could go back home. However, if my parents thought that the news about me obtaining this illness was the worst they ever received, my parents' hearts leapt in joy when they received this news that may seem paradoxical in nature:

"Your son is deaf."

---

I have struggled with understanding why I became deaf when God created me first and foremost as an hearing person. Did he make a mistake in His design (I know this is not true because He's infinitely perfect), or did He do this to reveal or teach my parents something? I also wrestled with the notion that God seemed cruel to inflict this terrible illness upon me and endangered my life. Why would a good God do this to me? Why would He put my parents through this experience? Although the answers are beyond the scope of this discussion, if they can ever be answered, I can confidently say this before you with God as my witness: God allowed everything to happen for a reason. Yes, He is sovereign, but that doesn't mean that He controls EVERY single event in the world. He allowed me to contract this disease that made me deaf for a reason. He allowed my parents to endure the heartache of watching helplessly as their infant suffered for a reason. He determined that it was necessary for me to live for a reason.

If it was not for my "disability" (where it is oftentimes a blessing), I would not have met many wonderful people in my lives, begin my Christian journey when I was fifteen years old, traveled to many places across the United States with my school and DTQuest (www.dtquest.org), and be in a wonderful church family at Frederick Church of the Brethren Deaf Fellowship. Moreover, I do not know if I would even know Christ as my personal savior today! If I did not know Christ, I would not have met many wonderful people involved in the WaveSTAFF program (in retrospect, it is a Christian leadership training program for young adults in their twenties). I've been challenged, encouraged, and strengthened by their unconditional love toward me.

To list everything would be exhaustive. My point is this: just when I thought I have enough, Jehovah Jireh (God our Provider) pours out ten thousand times the amount of blessings in my life, literally drowning me! I cannot even begin to repay Him because if I tried to, I would fail miserably. The only sensible thing I could do is to accept it.

Although I may be disabled in the world's eyes, I am fearfully and wonderfully made in His image. God knew that I would be deaf. He knew that I would be born on a particular date, even down to the milliseconds, if not nanoseconds! He was gently watching over my parents during my birth, comforting and reassuring them during my illness, and continues to be faithful to us today. Nothing happens beyond His control. Everything happens for a reason. What may seem to be a terrible (and tragic) thing has turned out to be a life filled with many opportunities that continues to bewilder me.

Recently, I have caught myself grinning to myself when I watch children playing. It reminds me of how God created everything in the world the way it is. He created everything to glorify Him. He created everything because of His uncontainable Love. He created everything because He wants us to be in awe with wonder and amazement. That is why I praise Him continually for everything, even for my deafness. He knows everything that I will do in my life, down to my deepest, most intimate desires of my life.

---

This is one of my favorite verses/sections in the Bible, and it fits perfectly with what I have discussed above. I was moved by this passage found in Psalms 139, and it served as my source of inspiration for my testimony above. Moreover, I love this translation because it has a poetic quality to it (probably because I'm a fool for poems).

Lord, you have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and rising up; you understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. You have hedged me behind and before, and laid Your hands upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain it.

Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven,  You are there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, you are there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me. If I say, "Surely the darkness shall fall on me," even the night shall be light about me; indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, but the night shines as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to You.

For you formed my inward parts; you covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.

How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; when I awake, I am still with you.

~Psalms 139:1-18 (NKJV)