A God Who Hears

"If we as parents are too busy to listen to our children,

how then can they understand a God who hears..."

V. Gilbert Beers

Christian Perfection

I am called to live in such a perfect relationship with God that my life produces a yearning for God in the lives of others, not admiration for myself. Thoughts about myself hinder my usefulness to God. God’s purpose is not to perfect me to make me a trophy in His showcase; He is getting me to the place where He can use me. Let Him do what He wants.

My Utmost For His Highest - Oswald Chambers

December 2

Defend Life

America you are beautiful . . . and blessed . . . . The ultimate test of your greatness is the way you treat every human being, but especially the weakest and most defenseless. If you want equal justice for all and true freedom and lasting peace, then America, defend life.

Pope John Paul II

Do Both

We have also become aware of the staggering numbers of orphans in Africa and around the world. In Ethiopia alone there are 4.3 million orphans, and I believe that last year only around 8000 were adopted. Clearly adoption is not the answer to the world's orphan problem (though a beautiful solution for those who are adopted).

As we processed some of this information, I really questioned whether we should adopt. Adoption is expensive, and the amount of money we were spending on this adoption could feed and educate dozens of orphans in Africa. Maybe we were being selfish. Maybe we should just send our money to Africa for orphan care and give up the idea of adopting. As I agonized over this, I e-mailed a friend and posed the dilemma to her. My wise friend's answer was simple: do both. Adopt, because through adoption God is giving us the opportunity to provide a family for a child, and to pour our hearts into him in the way that only a family can. And...continue to care for and provide for orphans somehow.

Susan
Pure Joy

Compassion

Compassion is expressed in the giving up of our wants
to help meet another's needs.

Christianity

Christianity, if false, is of no importance,
and if true, of infinite importance.
The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.

C.S. Lewis

God's Glory

A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word, 'darkness' on the walls of his cell.

C.S. Lewis

Evidence of God

The evidence of God's presence far outweighs
the proof of His absence.

Words

Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind.

Rudyard Kipling

Grace

Grace isn't a little prayer you chant before receiving a meal.
It's a way to live.

Jackie Windspear

Prayerlessness

Prayerlessness is the root of all sin...It is the essence of human arrogance to say 'I can do this' without divine intervention...It is the essence of practical atheism.

P.T. Forsyth

Worship

Worship is giving God the best that He has given you.

Oswald Chambers

10 Questions to Ask Yourself for 2009

What’s one thing you could do this year
to increase your enjoy­ment of God?

What’s the most humanly impos­si­ble thing you
will ask God to do this year?

What’s the single most impor­tant thing you could do
to improve the qual­ity of your family life this year?

In which spir­i­tual dis­ci­pline do you most want to make
progress this year,and what will you do about it?

What is the single biggest time-​waster in your life,
and what will you do about it this year?

What is the most help­ful new way you could
strengthen your church?

For whose sal­va­tion will you pray most
fer­vently this year?

What’s the most impor­tant way you will, by God’s grace,
try to make this year dif­fer­ent from last year?

What one thing could you do to improve
your prayer life this year?

What single thing that you plan to do this year will matter
most in ten years? In eternity?

The Dear's