The Blessing of Pain: Embracing God's Goodness in the Midst of Grief

"God, who foresaw your tribulation, has specially armed you to go through it, not without pain but without stain." (C.S. Lewis)

When dealing with life's hardships, it must be realize that mankind walks in a limited perspective of what he or she believes to be so. For the Jews, Jesus' death was a mistake. Over 2,000 years later, we perceive it to be the ultimate story of redemption.

The Jews anticipated victory when Jesus came on the scene. Assumedly this was the leader they had hoped would deliver them from their oppressors and rule as their king. God's people were right to suppose their Messiah would deliver them...but not in the form they had hoped.

Remember Meriam: Chained, Jailed, and Sentenced to 100 Lashes and Hanging

“Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.” (Hebrews 13:3)

In our society, it is easy to become so entangled in our own life that we forget our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world who are endangered because of their faith. 

But Christ commands us to remember those that are in prison, as if we were there with them.

If His word implores us to do this, should we not be burdened by the news of those around the world imprisoned, tortured and killed for their faith?

Recently in Sudan, 27 year old Meriam was imprisoned because she named the name of Christ. She was sentenced to 100 lashes because of her marriage to an American Christian, and death by hanging because she would not renounce her faith. 

What would you do in that situation?

I often wonder what it would be like to be in her shoes facing a choice between being put to death or denying Jesus, my Savior. What would you choose?

She chose death. At the time she was pregnant with her second child, and now both of her children are with her in prison.

We are to remember those who are in prison. We are called to remember Meriam and her family...as if we were there with them.

Last week, 40+ organizations gathered in front of the White House and the Sudan Embassy to protest Meriam's case. Shortly after the protest, the State Department broke the silence and officially condemned Sudan for its conviction and imprisonment of Meriam! 

Maybe you are wondering what you could do to help this sister of ours? Most importantly, you can pray! Pray that God gives her peace whatever happens to her and her children, that she would be released, that her children would be allowed to be reunited with their father and that the whole family’s faith would remain strong.

Also, you can talk about Meriam on your social media using the hashtag #RescueMeriam. Please visit www.rescuemeriam.com and sign a petition that will go to your senators, congressmen, the White House and the Sudan Embassy. 

Remember, your sister is in that prison with a death sentence… Pray as though you yourself were there in that prison with her. 

For more information about what you can do, visit www.mutenomore.com and www.rescuemeriam.com.

Written by Sandie Jalbert

Is Facebook Stealing Our Time?

"The biggest deception of our digital age may be the lie that says we can be omni-competent, omni-informed, and omni-present." (Kevin Deyoung, Crazy Busy)

Whether I'm in line at Chick-fil-A, checking out at grocery store, or relaxing with my family, Facebook is a world where I can go at any second of the day. It has a strange pull to my heart because I feel connected to people. I get an adrenaline high when one of my new profile pictures has 50 more "likes" than my last one. My popularity hinges off of the volume of comments on how beautiful I am. This unrealistic virtual world influences my moods and behavior. 

When I Refuse to Give the Lord Control Over My Time and Priorities

"We don’t expect to be able to buy anything we want, because we know there is a limit to our money. But somehow we live as if time knew no bounds, when in fact time is much more limited than money. Wealth can be created, but no one has the ability to grow more time." (Kevin DeYoung, Crazy Busy)

I waste time. Do you? This post is a glance into my own heart and the realization that I don't "Redeem the time" in a way that glorifies God. Like most Millennials, I've bought into the lie that I can manage the high demand of social media, enjoy an active social life with my friends, keep up a busy schedule and devote time to ministry projects. Deceptively, I believed I could manage my life in this fashion but recently God revealed the blunt truth:

"It's time to grow up"