Yee Haw, It's Her Birthday!

That would be my mom, enjoying her time at the Albequerque Science Museum.  In fact, this picture is a rather accurate depiction of my mom: an avid learner, adventurer, and enjoyer of life.  She has fun, more often than not.  She does not take herself too seriously, and loves every opporunity to learn.  That is probably why she is such an extraordinary teacher as well.

My mom is the family cheerleader, encourager and counselor.  Regardless of the situation, she will highlight the positive in it, the lesson, or what we have to be grateful for.  When she laughs really hard, she wrinkles her nose up, which always makes me laugh even more. 

As a grandmother, there is no comparison.  She loves spending time with her granddaughters and seeing life through their eyes.  She happily explores with them, creates and laughs with them.  Much like Mamo had a knack for doing, my mom has each grandchild convinced she is the favorite and most cherished.

Mom loves well and fiercely.  Quite simply, my mother is incredible.  Happy birthday Mom.  I am thankful God chose to create you and even more thankful he chose you to be my mom.  Here's to many more years, of laughter and learning.

WFW - Psalm 111:2

Psalm 111:1-3  
Praise the Lord. I will extol the Lord with all my heart in the council of the upright and in the assembly. Great are the works of the Lord; they are pondered by all who delight in them. Glorious and majestic are his deeds, and his righteousness endures forever.

It is easy, sometimes too easy, to get caught up in negativity.  Just scroll through facebook statuses and tweets one day.  There are a vast multitude of woes, angsts and complaints being aired for all to see, like, comment, or whatever.  Even the local news seems only to show negative stories (one of the many reasons we do not bother watching, or subscribe to the local paper).

Yet, there are always a few whose words flow with optimism and delight.  Even in the face of challenges or harships, they are seeing the good.  I love those people and I love when they post.  I love the quotes, the scriptures, and the simple comments that give me no choice but to smile.

There have been a few circumstances lately that could easily have me in the "oh woe to me" crowd.  And while there can be a temptation to vent my every frustration, I have found one remedy, one alone that has not failed: Scripture.  When I have spent time reading the Bible, spent some time in prayer, I can combat the negative voices with truth, with the fact that God is good.

How can I be downcast when I am loved by the Creator of this world, the Alpha and Omega, the one who was and is and is to come?  How can I be frustrated when I have been given the hope of eternity and the forgiveness of all my many transgressions?

Where there was bondage, there is now freedom.  Where there was doubt, there is now steadfastness.  When there was fear, there is no assuredness.  Where there was crying, there is no laughter.  Where there was darkness, there is no light.

Ponder the things He has done.  If just for a moment, think of the moments, the people, the gifts, the treasures God has bestowed upon you.  Ponder them.  Ponder the promises from Genesis to Revelation.  Ponder them and be glad.

Oh to love God so deeply, to know Him so intimately, to be filled so fully with his Spirit that we desire to follow him wholeheartedly no matter what.  We are fallen man.  We are fallen man called by a holy, perfect God.  We can live as such.  We should live as such.

 

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WLW: Fitness and Family

 

Topic: With school starting back, it can be difficult to spend time as a family. So how can you incorporate family time into your weight loss efforts?

There are a few ways I attempt to incorporate family time with healthy endeavors.  My favorite of the moment is having my daughter cook with me.  Ok, so I am also attempting to get her to try more foods, I admit it.  We have fun together, and she gets to see how things are put together.  She's a pretty fabulous little helper too.  If she doesn't want to eat something, I remind her she helped prepare it and should at least try the things she helped to make.  Sometimes this works, sometimes, well, she's young and stubborn.

When the temperature is not one million degrees, my all time favorite is to go on family walks.  This may involve my husband or I pulling our child in a wagon, but it is always nice to be outdoors together and in motion.  These are the times I miss Tennessee too.  There were beautiful trees and trails and places to go hiking.  Now that would be fun as a family!  We settle for the flatlands and sidewalks of our neighborhood and enjoy it anyway.

On a completely random side note, this little kitchen gadget is my new best friend.  Seriously, I love it!

Join in the WLW fun by clicking the tab at the top of the post!
 

Lovely Links

 

I enjoy knowing where people go here on the world wide web for various forms of information.  With that in mind, here are a few of recent links that I love:

Clean Eating Recipes at The Gracious Pantry -- so many incredible recipes!

Easy Recipes from Eating Well -- who doesn't like easy?

Sweet workout shirts from View Sport-- show off how hard you workout!

Mod Cloth -- beautiful vintage clothing

Unless you have been living under a rock, you have probably heard of Tip Junkie -- help for everything under the sun

"Power to Change Your World" by Danny McDaniel -- I am about to read this book for the second time.

Jesus Culture -- for some powerful worship music

 

 

And Then, We Wait

 

After a few weeks of a nice high pitched squeal everytime the car was started, the child and I decided it was time to take it in for some repairs and maintenance.  The car is the only one we own so we opted to stay and wait.  You know, it couldn't take that long.

The establishment is wise in that it has a cabinet filled with books, coloring books, crayons and blocks.  Those served to entertain my child for about an hour.  During the second hour, a nice gentleman in a cowboy hat kept us entertained, or maybe we entertained him a bit.  He actually reminded me quite a big of my Uncle Skip, so I liked him instantly.  We discussed a wide array of things, and he reminded me to enjoy the moments know because as a father of grown children, he and his wife miss the early days.  I told him I tell myself that often, to enjoy it because it won't last forever, but some days it's just more difficult than others.

During the third hour, a nice couple who had just dropped their son off at college filled the quiet air with a small flower for my girl, and a magic trick with a penny.  True to form, my child was demonstrating her jumping and singing abilities and telling them all about her dance recital where she got to be a little lamb.  She had them laughing and smiling and rather captivated.

I was asked if I could bring her back in order to keep the customers entertained and happy.  

It was only in the last 15 minutes of our 3 hour wait that I began hearing, "I am tired.  I am hungry.  Can we go now?"  

As we sat their waiting I took note of my child's eagerness to engage with others in the room.  Children seem to inherently understand, we are meant to fellowship, not sit alone behind technology, newspapers, and magazines.  We flourish when we communicate with one another.  I followed my young child's lead and engaged with those around us, and it was worth the wait.

Praying Children

 

Each night before bed, we wind down our day with prayers as a family.  Following that, I get some one on one cuddle time with my sweet one before Daddy comes in as the night's closer.  Before leaving her room, I pray with and for my child.  The other night, as I was praying, this is what took place:

Child:  Mommy, hold on so I can tell God something.

Me:  Ok

Child:  (cupping hands around mouth, whispering) God, I believe in you!  Ok Mommy, you can finish now; I just had to tell God I believe in Him.

In those moments, I am so thankful and humbled.  I find myself loving the purity and simplicity in her prayers, in her profound statement, "I believe in you."   Those thoughts are quickly followed by prayers that my child will always whisper that prayer, that God's voice will be louder than all others throughout her life, that no matter what, she will know God loves her and she will love him.  

I am then reminded of of Proverbs 22:6: "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."  Now is the time to train and sow truth, and as she grows, those things will be in the forefront of her mind.  I know that a person who can recall scripture well is better able to handle a mutlitude of circumstances life throws at them.  

It is when we are in the car and she says, "I just love to worship God," that I know in spite of the shortcomings and failings of her parents, God is working in and through her.  He loves her even more than we do, knows her even more intricately, and loves to hear her singing His praises even more.

Now to convince her to eat her vegetables.

Break Every Chain

Yes Lord, yes!

 

WLW: Changing Seasons

Today's Topic: Since summer is coming to an end, let's talk about it next week. Anytime there is a change in seasons or routines, it can have a negative effect on your weight loss goals. So how can you plan to not let this happen? How will you stay on plan through the change? Or what things to you plan to do differently?

Each year, I happily say goodbye to summer and the days spent in triple digit heat.  While the flexible schedule is nice, to a point, it makes exercising and eating plans somewhat of a challenge.  I prefer the schedule that comes with the beginning of school (or preschool in our case which involves M-F for 3 hours each day).   It is easier to get in an extended workout and ensure I get in cardio on the days I do resistance training.  In all actuality, I am typically healthier fall through spring.  Crazy, I know.

The exercise plan will change because I will be doing a half marathon in December with a friend of mine.  Yes, I have said upteen million times that I will not be doing such events again, but we all know we can't believe that statement.  So, here we go again!  I am working out with a friend MWF which entails all resistance training.  We are having a blast too!  Running is better when I am alone, so that part is taken care of.  I also plan on adding in some indoor swimming to the routine. 

The changing of seasons and cooling of temperatures will also mean more soups and crockpot meals, hooray!  Both of which I love, are easier on the schedule, and healthy.  What can I say, I love when fall draws near!

WFW Psalm 119:80

Psalm 119:80 

May I wholeheartedly follow your decrees, that I may not be put to shame.

 Have you ever done something or said something that left you with a strong feeling of regret?  The memories of the actions or words haunt you, replaying in your mind, reminding you of the poor decisions you have made.

We all have had those moments, right?  We typically regret them because those moments made us feel ridiculous to other people.  But what if we so desired to follow God that we did not want to be put to shame by him even more than we do not want to be put to shame by man?

Dictionary.com defines shame as "the painful feeling arising from the consciousness of something dishonorable, improper, ridiculous, etc., done by oneself or another" (emphasis mine).  What if we longed to follow God so completely that any presence of sin left us with a painful feeling?  I know it is easy to feel pain from the sin of others, to feel the effects of their choices weaved into the fabric of my life.  How deeply though do I feel pained by my own wrong choices?  Words?  Actions?

Oh to love God so deeply, to know Him so intimately, to be filled so fully with his Spirit that we desire to follow him wholeheartedly no matter what.  We are fallen man.  We are fallen man called by a holy, perfect God.  We can live as such.  We should live as such.

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Power to Change Your World by Danny McDaniel

Order by clicking picture, above, or order on Amazon here.  

About The Book (From Danny's site)  
Become a vessel of God’s extraordinary power! 

We live in a world captivated by power. Whether in the business, athletic, or entertainment world, displays of power attract the masses. The mystery solved in POWER—To Change Your World: if God created the heavens and the earth, and if Jesus conquered the devil and holds the keys to death and hell, where is all that power? 

POWER—To Change Your World challenges you to dig deeper into His Word, which is designed to cut through every area of your life to get to the core of your heart and your soul so that your spirit can connect divinely with His Spirit. 

POWER—To Change Your World teaches you how to: 

Live your life without limiting God. 
Have faith in a supernatural, powerful God. 
Live a supernatural life. 

From “Why Should We Stay Stuck?” to “The Signs That Follow Believers” to “Serpents & Poisons” and “Manifestation Gifts of the Spirit,” you will be immediately caught up in the wisdom and truths that saturate every page of POWER—To Change Your World.
 
My Thoughts:
Prepare to be shaken, to be left with a desire for more in your faith and relationship with God. Prepare to realize you have been missing out on what is available through God's work in and through  your life.  I know Danny, and I know his heart.  This book is further proof that he is a man walking obediently in the calling of Christ in his life.  I am sure many will doubt what Danny says, but that's ok.  God radically and completely transformed Danny's life, and that transformation is evident in how Danny writes.  It is evident when you meet him, when you hear him speak, when he reaches to shake your hand.  The tranformation is evident in the power Danny writes about, which is available to all of us.    

Power To Change Your World | Danny McDaniel | Promo from Danny & Diane McDaniel on Vimeo.

Read more about Danny here.
You can contact Danny here.

**I ordered this book myself, I ordered two actually, and posted this review because I chose to.  I have received nothing in return for this review.

I Laughed So Much It Hurt

Sunday afternoon the hubby and I headed out to enjoy Tim Hawkins as a delayed anniversary celebration. I cannot think of a better way to celebrate our nine years of marriage than by laughing our heads off, which we did.

Go ahead, laugh a little today.  

 

And if you get the chance you need to get this book by John Branyan, which is also side splitting hilarious.

 

Yes, Miracles Still Happen

The following is a video of a young woman whom I know; we went to the same college and she is good friends with my sister. Be encouraged friend, miracles still happen.

Power of Words

Matthew 12:36-37 (ESV): 

I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by 
your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.

I saw this image a few days ago and became immediately wrapped in it.  What a powerful picture, what truth it holds.  I do not know who the original creator of this picture is, but I am so glad they chose to create this.

Our words have power, great power, to either destroy or build up.  How well do we choose on a given day?  In our anger, what words do we allow to flow from our mouths?  In our doubts and frustrations, what are we choosing to say?  What kind of impact are they having on those who hear them?

I believe every parent should be given this soon after their newborn child is placed in their arms.  I believe this should hang in every classroom and athletic facitlity.  Every coach and teacher should have this framed and in view.

I have been the recipient of awful, damaging words.  The words spoken to me by authority figures, and sometimes even friends, have resulted in wounds that ran deep.  Only in the last few years have I begun to unpackage and even release those things; that is a long time of having life taking words wrapped intricately around me.

Let me confess, I have also been the giver of such despicable statements.  In anger, frustration, ignorance and immaturity I have spoken words that anything but life giving.  My vile words have wrapped around too many.  When I saw the picture above I was at first heartbroken for the life being choked out of this young man, then immediately gasped as I realized that hand as been my own.  To some, I have been given the opportunity to ask forgiveness.  For others, I pray others have come along and loosened the grip and destruction may words may have caused.

This will also be a great lesson for my child, a visual to see just how powerful words are.  May she use her words well, to build, encourage, and to help others grow.  I also pray for protection about those who would choose to use their words unjustly and destructively.

A few more scriptures on this topic:

Proverbs 12:18 ESV 

There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

Proverbs 18:21 ESV

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.

Ephesians 4:29 ESV 

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

James 1:26 ESV 

If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless.

Psalm 39:1 ESV 

To the choirmaster: to Jeduthun. A Psalm of David. I said, “I will guard my ways, that I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle, so long as the wicked are in my presence.”

May we become people who know the power of our words, and choose to use them well.

Plateaus - WLW

This week's topic: plateaus. It can be frustrating to work hard at losing weight and not see any change at the scale. How do you work past that point and make it to your next goal?

The summer months seem to have flown by at an alarming rate, and I have missed a few WLW posts.  It's good to be back, and I am trying to set aside some time for blogging (ie: my free therapy).  I do hope everyone is doing well, having fun, and treating themselves well.

Now, on to this week's topic: plateaus.  Anyone who has ever lost weight has experienced this, that point in time when the weight will not budge.  We yell at it, we stomp on the scale, we review our eating, we review our exercise plan, and yet, the fat we are working at getting rid of is all too content on staying where it is.

I have a few solutions when I hit a plateau.  The first is the AdvoCare Herbal Cleanse.  The cleanse helps rid my body of toxins and impurities and helps ensure my digestive tract is functioning well.  After a cleanse, I review my eating.  I will change up my eating plan so that I do not eat frut after noon, limit starches and grains, and make sure I am getting plenty of protein, vegetables, and water, water, and more water.  Finally, I will change up my exercise routine.  I will vary the type of cardio I am doing, change the exercises I use during resistance training, etc. 

All of us have a set point that once we have met it, our bodies will fight to stay there.  That number can be lowered however, so all hope is not lost!  Enjoy friends, and take care of your health!

 

Am I Beautiful?

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. John 10:27 

"Am I beautiful?" she asked as her bright eyes looked up at me.  "Do you think I look pretty?"  A moment, a seemingly simple moment, and two simple questions asked by my daughter.  Outwardly they seem so basic.

Within those two questions, I believe her heart was asking, "Do I measure up?"  "Am I accepted?"  "Am I enough, as I am?"  "What is my worth?"

Don't we all ask those same questions?  We want to know we are enough, we are accepted, that we belong somewhere.  We doubt ourselves, our appearances and our abilities.  And in our own way, we are each asking, "Am I beautiful?"

What I know to be true is that daily time in Scripture and prayer leave me with the knowledge that I am accepted, that I belong, in eternity.  I am loved and adored by the Creator of this world, the one who breathed life into this world, the one who chose to sacrifice himself for me.  I belong to Him, he calls me to himself, and the more time I spend with him, the easier it is to distinguish his voice. 

In the moment I turned to face my daughter and said, "Yes, you are beautiful, and you look very pretty.  Even if you didn't have on the princess dress and the crown, you would still be beautiful;" I believe the Lord whispered, "I feel the same about you."

To enjoy more Word Filled Wednesday posts click here..

 

The Look Of Freedom

A week ago, we found ourselves visiting a Life Group composed on individuals from the church we are now attending.  We were told to not be surprised if nearly everyone in the room approached us, asked our names and basic information about it.  That is exactly what happened.  New faces and names came at us, delightful conversation, and many, "we are so glad you are here."

We found ourselves, our child included, at a small table in the back of the living room where I became pulled into a conversation with two other ladies.  The question, "Do you work in or out of your home?" came up.  "Yes," I responded, "a bit of both as I am an AdvoCare Distributor.  I get the best of both worlds, but mainly get to be with my family."  That led into a topic of health and general wellness.  Through this conversation, one of the ladies said, "I cannot do any diet pills or anything that makes me feel jittery, it's too close to the feeling from when I was a meth addict."

Freely, openly, sharing her story.

I was nodding and smiling, but the exact thought in my head was, "What?  Did she just say she had been a meth addict?  I would have never thought.  No, surely she didn't say that, no one shares something that big that quickly."

But I was wrong.

A woman walking in freedom, freed from bondage of drug addiction, a woman passionate about sharing how God radically changed her life does in fact share her story, within only a few minutes of conversation.  She explained she had been addicted for 25 years, and it came to the point that she said, "God, whatever it takes."  It took a federal indictment, one which she thanked God for.  She said she went to prison, quit the drugs, and cigarettes too (which she stated was much harder to give up than the meth, and they way she said it had me laughing), and has been clean ever since. 

Her open and frank manner took me off guard until I realized, that is what freedom looks like.  She shares her story to glorify Christ, and glorify Him she does.  She did not seem to care what others would think of the choices she has made in her past because she is so solid in who she in in Christ now.  Beautiful, no?

This woman who was once trapped in the bonds of addiction now glimmers in the radiance of freedom.  The sparkle in her eyes, the ease in which she told her story, the sorrow in having been down that road, the joy she now has, that is the look of freedom.

 

A Pocket Full Of Daisies, and Thankfulness

It was a nice morning for a jog today, it really was. With music turned on and setting my pace, I set out for an unknown number of miles, simply wanting to exercise outdoors. The street were relatively quiet, as most are before the sun begins its ascent. A cool breeze gently swept by and only a few fellow joggers were out.

 In the quiet, in the beauty of the morning spent using this body God gave me, I found myself near tears. Yes, muscles were beginning to tire, but more than anything, I was overwhelmed with thankfulness. Were it not for the sleeping streets, I may have yelled out, "Thank you Lord, thank you!" Rather than shouting with my mouth, I shouted with my heart and mind, "Thank you! Yes, thank you Father!"

As this wonderful all encompassing thankfulness carried me along my course, I realized something profound: I was thanking God for things yet to come. I was praising Him for things that we are praying for but are yet to happen. I was thanking Him, in advance, in faith that He will go about doing these things.

It is true, I have been thanking Him, throughout the day, for the dreams He has placed in my heart, for seeing them come to pass even though they have not done so...yet.  But I trust and believe they will.  I believe God is the author and perfecter of my faith and my eyes will be set on Him (Hebrews 12:2).

Even now I can hear the whispers, God is fighting for me (Exodus 14:4), and I have no choice but to be thankful.
 

Wandering With Purpose

Deuteronomy 29:2-6:  Moses summoned all the Israelites and said to them: Your eyes have seen all that the Lord did in Egypt to Pharaoh, to all his officials and to all his land.  With your own eyes you saw those great trials, those signs and great wonders.  But to this day the Lord has not given you a mind that understands or eyes that see or ears that hear.  Yet the Lord says, “During the forty years that I led you through the wilderness, your clothes did not wear out, nor did the sandals on your feet.  You ate no bread and drank no wine or other fermented drink. I did this so that you might know that I  am the Lord your God.”

There have been quite a few transitions taking place in our household as of late.  The biggest of which is our visiting another church.  Why the change?  All we can say is that we were prompted by the Holy Spirit one morning, and since then have been praying for wisdom and discernment as to whether or not the location of our church home was in need of a change.

Unlike many stories you may hear, ours is not a story of becoming upset, disgruntled, offended, or anything of the like.  The place we have been is a place filled with loving, incredible people.  The place we believe the Lord is taking us is also filled with loving, incredible people.  So why the change?

As I was out running this morning, I began thinking of my time in Israel, specifically, the time we spent in the Wilderness of Zin.  I loved it there, was intrigued by it, and the view once we had climbed out of it?  Completely breathtaking.  While I have heard many people discuss the time the Israelites spent in the Wilderness as a time of great discipline (which is true), I also see it as a time of great refining.  There were habits and beliefs that needed to be changed.  Sin needed to be removed and restoration needed to take place.  The old wineskins needed to be replaced by the new.

I feel, in many ways, that the past three years has been very much a purification process for us.  Much like the Israelites in the Wilderness, had we been released sooner than the time needed, so much would have been missed.  We would miss how God is working, would take for granted the roads He is taking us down today.  We have needed that time, in so many ways, both individually and as a family.  It has been a time filled with many lessons, the releasing of strongholds, growth and refining.  It has been a very needed time.

Now, we feel, is the time for us to move forward.  It's wonderful and exciting and refreshing.  We look forward to going to the land God has for us, to seeing Him work and unfold His purposes in and through us.  It is an exciting time, and one we would not have had if God had not loved us enough to plant us in a rich wilderness.

Joshua 1:7-9:  “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.  Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

 

Moooooved

The recent events surrounding Chik-Fil-A have been discussed for a time now. I have listened and observed all sides, sometimes becoming weary on how often the main point is missed. I disagree with you; therefore, I hate you. Makes total sense. Or not.

Today I came across this article, which I think states things pretty well.  I found myself nodding in agreement at the close of the article:

What we are seeing today is a massive cultural shift that permits leaders to label Christians as intolerant and bigoted simply for expressing their views about how society should function. But strangely enough, the same social ostracism and cultural condescension are not extended to Muslims and faithful adherents to other religions. No, the prejudice appears to be directed toward Christians who dare to speak publicly about their deeply held religious convictions.
That’s why, at the end of the day, this conversation isn’t really about marriage, gay rights, or restaurant permits. It’s not about the cultural divide between north and south, liberal and conservative.
It’s about Jesus. It’s about the radical sexual ethic He put forth in His teaching – a moral zealousness that hits our current culture’s sexual permissiveness head-on. And it’s about His forgiveness offered to all sexual sinners, so long as we agree with Jesus about our sin and embrace Him instead.
As weary as we may be of the culture wars, the Chick-fil-A controversy is a harbinger of further ostracism to come. In the United States, the words of Jesus are coming to pass for those who hold tightly to His vision of sexuality: You will be hated because of Me. 
So how should we respond? We’ve got to go beyond boycotts and political statements and feigned offense at perceived persecution. We’re called to love those who ostracize us, not boycott back. So let’s trumpet the message that Jesus is for all kinds of sinners, from the self-righteous deacon to the promiscuous transsexual, no matter what kind of vitriol comes our way.
The world tells homosexuals, “It gets better.” The church tells homosexuals, “Jesus is better.”
And that is why this boycott is really about Him.

A radio dj, while discussing these recent events, stated something to the effect  of Dan Cathey saying he did not know his comments would cause such a political controversy and that he will be more mindful to avoid these types of questions in the future.

If Mr. Cathey were standing before me I would implore him to not step away from such questions.  The problem, as I see it, is that too many of us remain silent because we are afraid of hurting another's feelings, the backlash we may receive, or being the odd-man out.

What would have happened if people would have stood up and spoken out when Hitler began his reign?  As trains filled with crying, screaming Jews went by, what if Christians spoke out against these acts rather than simply raising their voices as they sang hymms?  What if we all, when given the opportunity to share truth, spoke it?  What if we spoke in love, not attemped to out shout those who disagree.  What if we stated, simply, what we believed and why, then gently cared for the person to whom we spoke?

We are so quick to complain and wail against all that is wrong in our society, yet so slow to stand up and take action against those things.  When believers?  When will we stand and be counted?

Thank you, Mr. Cathey, for speaking truth, in answering honestly a question that was asked of you.  God forgive us should any of us go silent when given the opportunity to speak, regardless of what others may say about you.

**I'd also recommend you read "How Do You Kill 11 Million People?" by Andy Andrews.