July 2017 – Godinterest

July 31, 2017January 15, 2024

Poem: The Unravelling of a Christian Marriage

Marry the wrong person, everyday is Martyrs Day.
Marry a lazy person, everyday is Labour Day.
Marry a rich person everyday is New Year’s Day.
Marry an immature person, everyday would seem like Children’s Day.
Marry a cheater or liar, everyday will become April Fool’s Day.
And if you don’t get married, everyday is Independence Day!

Marriage is the only school where you get a certificate before you start.
It’s also a school where you will never graduate.
It’s a school without a break or a free period.
It’s a school where no one is allowed to drop out.
It’s a school you will have to attend everyday of your life.
It’s a school where there is no sick leave or holidays.
It’s a school founded by God on the foundation of love.
The walls are made out of trust.
The door made out of acceptance.
The windows made out of understanding
The furniture made out of blessings
The roof made out of faith.

Be reminded that God is the only Principal and you are a student,
Even in times of storms, don’t be unwise and run outside.
Keep in mind that, this school is the safest place to be.
Never go to sleep before completing your assignments for the day.
Never forget to communicate with your classmate and with the Principal.
If you find out something about your classmate (spouse) that you do not appreciate.
Remember your classmate is also just a student, not a graduate.
God is not finished with him/her yet.
So take it as a challenge and work on it together.
Do not forget to study the Holy Book (the main textbook of this school).
Start each day with a sacred assembly and end it the same way.

Sometimes you will feel like not attending classes, yet you have to.
When tempted to quit find courage and continue.
Some tests and exams may be tough but remember,
the Principal knows how much you can bear and yet it’s a school better than any other.

It’s one of the best schools on earth;
joy, peace and happiness accompany each lesson of the day.

Different subjects are offered in this school, yet love is the major subject.
After all the years of theorising about it, now you have a chance to practice it.

To be loved is a good thing, but to love is the greatest privilege of them all.
Marriage is a place of love, so love your spouse.

Whether you’re married, engaged, or still single, we hope that you have found wisdom and encouragement in this poem about marriage.

July 28, 2017January 15, 2024

5 Books that Radically Influenced My Life

Guest Post by Brian Ahearn

I’m a reader. I love to read. Funny thing is, when I was young I hated reading. That was probably a function of having to read certain books versus getting to read what I wanted to. Once my love of reading took over it was pretty much the case that I’d read a book a week. That pace has slowed down in recent years with the explosion of Ted Talks, podcasts and other media for getting good messages out, but I still read several books a month.

Because I read so much people often ask me about my favorite books. What I’ll share with you are the five books that have radically influenced my life.

The Bible When I really began to take my Christian faith seriously I read through the entire Bible many times. In fact, I ended up writing my own commentary, a thousand-page Word document, where I put down thoughts about what I was reading and learning. My inspiration was to give the document to my daughter Abigail so she would know what dad thought about God.

I equate all the years of reading to eating and living healthy. What I learned day-to-day became the foundation of my thinking, actions, and shaped my worldview. I believe any good thing within me is a result of my relationship with God.

The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People I read Steven Covey’s best selling book in the early 1990s. The habit that struck me most was his admonition to “Begin with the End in Mind.” I took Covey’s advice and wrote a personal mission statement. In that document, I put down thoughts about how I wanted to be remembered when it came to my faith, family, personal well-being, and career.

The reason The Seven Habits was so influential was because I posted my mission statement and have read it, or parts of it, for more than 25 years. It’s been a guiding force in who I’ve become and who I’m still striving to become.

Influence Science and Practice I was introduced to Robert Cialdini’s work in 2002. His emphasis on how to ethically persuade people appealed to my moral side. The research based approach appealed to my analytical side. It was a match made in heaven!

It’s not uncommon for many people to spend nearly half of their waking hours trying to persuade others. My goal with Influence PEOPLE is to help them enjoy more professional success and personal happiness. If you read Influence Science and Practice and apply what you learn you’re guaranteed to have more success and happiness. I confidently write that because the science proves you’ll be able to move more people (your boss, coworkers, direct reports, loved ones) to action.

Man’s Search for Meaning I’ve written about Viktor Frankl’s book on a number of occasions. The following quote stands out above all else in this great work,

“everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms— to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”

It sounds trite to say,

“It’s not about what happens to us, it’s about how we respond.”

However, when you read about Frankl’s account of the horrors he and others experienced, but how so many found meaning in their suffering – some in death – you begin to realise life is about how we choose to respond.

The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs was written by Carmine Gallo. I took seven typed pages of notes on this book! As I read I would flip over to YouTube to watch Jobs present to solidify my learning.

The reason I added this book to my top five is because it had a tremendous impact on how I present. Presentation, be it in a workshop, keynote or when consulting, is primarily what I do with influence. Arguably, nobody did better than Steve Jobs so why not learn from the best?

To Do This Week: I highly encourage you to look into one of these five books. It’s my sincere hope that they have as much positive impact on your life as they’ve had on mine. If you can’t do that, how about sharing some of your book recommendations in the comments section. Thanks!

Brian Ahearn, CMCT ®, is the Chief Influence Officer at InfluencePEOPLE. His Lynda.com course, Persuasive Selling, will teach you how to ethically engage the psychology of persuasion throughout the sales process.

Originally Published on July 24, 2017

Featured in: Best Advice, Careers: The Next Level, What Inspires Me, Writing and Editing, Your Career

July 25, 2017January 15, 2024

What Would Jesus Do? Do You Really Want to Know?

Once upon a time, a mother made her son a wristband. On it was written: WWJD? The phrase “What would Jesus do?” (often abbreviated to WWJD) became popular in the United States in the 1990s and as a personal motto for adherents of Evangelical Christianity who used the phrase as a reminder of their belief in a moral imperative to act in a manner that would demonstrate the love of Jesus through the actions of the adherents.

The WWJD movement started in 1989 when the youth group at Calvary Reformed Church in Holland, Michigan, studied Charles Sheldon’s 1896 novel, In His Steps.

But the message of WWJD should not be taken for granted due to overexposure. As simple as it seems, sometimes the question—What would Jesus do?—still leaves people wondering. However, its not hard when ones considers that Jesus said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. #Love

…Little Girl Lost | Our Souls Purpose. There once was a little girl, she was sweet and loving, the way a child is. She had blonde hair and was ever so tiny. She loved everyone she knew, she looked at the world through eyes that had not been wounded by this world. Now the teenager turns into a young woman, wife, and mother. She feels the light but she doesn’t live in the light… What would Jesus do?

Heart Touching Examples of Documentary Photography on Godinterest. What would Jesus do?

What Would Jesus Do? Do You Really Want to Know?

Mandatory Prayer to promote wellness. The United States Marine Corps recruits take a moment for mandatory prayer before lights out at 9:00 P.M. in Parris Island, South Carolina, January 6, 2005. Recruits go through a twelve-week training program where the objective is to instill self-discipline and confidence, high moral standards, warrior spirit, basic military knowledge and individual skills, physical fitness and wellness as a way of life, respect and love of Country and Corps. Now one might be arrested for leading soldiers into prayer, however, What would Jesus do?

#love letters

True love never grows old. We love seeing old couples. It gives us hope that love can still stand the test of time.

How God’s Broken Through My Walls This year has been all about learning about the character of God, and also about the character of me. Everyone has thinking patterns and world views that need adjusting; the biggest one for me this…What would Jesus do?

What Would Jesus Do? Do You Really Want to Know?

…..What would Jesus do? Remember the less fortunate this Christmas, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger…

What Would Jesus Do? Do You Really Want to Know?

Beyond the fad

“What would Jesus do?” is an irrelevant question for many people because they don’t know who Jesus is. Before we can ask the question “What would Jesus do?” we must ask ourselves whether we know Jesus. Knowing Jesus begins with reading about His life, teachings, and claims in the Bible.

So what would Jesus do? He would seek the Father for the strength and wisdom to embrace, restore, confront, teach, serve, and equip the people around him.

This phrase should drive us back to the gospels to take a fresh look at how Jesus lived. The fad phase of WWJD may be over, but we need to hold on to the phrase even whiles posting images on Godinterest and keep asking ourselves—What would Jesus do? It’s a great question. But remember: If you’re not sure what Jesus actually did in his life, then you’re just guessing at what he might do in yours.

July 25, 2017January 15, 2024

The Creationist Group Are Building a Life-size Noah’s Ark

In the rolling hills of rural Kentucky, a ship the length of nearly two football fields and the height of a five-story building is rising from the ground.

Young Earth’ Creationists Making $90m Full-scale Ark to ‘bring the Bible to Life’

This isn’t just any ship, but Noah’s Ark, as described in the book of Genesis in the Bible.

The modern-day ark designed by Indiana firm Troyer Group will open in July 2016. Ken Ham, president and founder of Answers in Genesis, the group behind the plan said that “this Ark will be one of the ‘wonders of the modern world’.

The $90 million boat, dubbed the Ark Encounter, will be the eventual centerpiece of a religious theme park aiming to illustrate the story of the legendary great flood, in which God instructs Noah to build an ark to save his family and a pair of each of the animals in the world. The first phase is expected to cost $73 million.

Ark Encounter Will Be the Largest Timber-frame Structure in the Usa When It Completes in July 2016

LeRoy Troyer, the project’s lead architect stated that, “the vessel, like an Amish barn, is being built with a technique called timber framing, which uses wooden pegs and joints in lieu of nails”.

According to LeRoy Troyer, “the sea-faring craft is being built in accordance with sound, established engineering practices of the biblical era and will be 510ft long, built using solid wood, pinned together and covered with pine tar”.

The wood being used in the construction has come from areas damaged by plagues of beetles or from sustainable forests, according to the organisation.

“We believe the construction of the Ark took about 100 years,” added Troyer. “So Noah had to have a lot of faith.”

Ark Encounter will be located near sister attraction the Creation Museum in the city of Williamstown and will feature a curved bow, stern and sides and contain three floors of exhibits.

Ken Ham, president and founder of Answers in Genesis said “the ark would open for “40 days and 40 nights” from 7 July 2016, a reference to the number of days rain is said to have fallen during the biblical flood.” Ark Encounter is expected to receive one to two million visitors in its first year.

There is also the chance to learn about how the earth was created in six days by God around 6,000 years ago. Scientists estimate the earth is actually around 4.5bn years old, but Dr Nathaniel Jeanson, a research biologist at Answers in Genesis, said some of the data leading to that conclusion could be skewed.

“A global flood would have dramatically affected geological processes worldwide,” he said. Young earth creationists believe the flood that caused Noah to set sail was around 4,000 to 5,000 years ago.

Unlike Noah’s handcrafted boat, Ark Encounter will not hold livestock. Regarding the question of how Noah would have managed to fit two of all the world’s animals into his ark, Jeanson said it was a misconception that all the animals of today were stuffed into the ship’s hull.

Instead, according to young earth creationists, it was the ancestors of modern-day species that were taken by Noah, and the animals we know today descended from these Animals. Although, scientific consensus is that animal life originated from tiny organisms billions of years ago.

The Ark Encounter’s website has a useful FAQ section for those wanting to know more about this undertaking.

Ham says “the Ark Encounter will present America and other nations with a reminder about the bible’s account of the ark as reminders in the world which helped ensure that people would not forget the truths of God’s Word are increasingly being removed from western culture, including the US”.

“Nativity scenes, Crosses, and Ten Commandments displays have been banned from many public places,” he writes. “The words ‘Merry Christmas’ are being replaced with ‘Happy Holidays’. Creation, the Bible, and prayer have been eliminated from the public education system.”

Rebuilding the Ark would provide “a sign (or a reminder) to this world that God’s Word is true”, Jeanson said.

Up to 900 staff are expected to be employed in the vast 324-hectare-park, which will also eventually feature themed restaurants, the Tower of Babel, the parting of the Red Sea and an expanded large petting zoo in later phases of the park’s development.

July 1, 2017January 1, 2018

Isolation

So, I started going to a new gym recently. It has locks on the lockers already, pretty cool huh, one less thing you have to remember to bring. The only thing is, the other day, I locked myself out. I didn’t lock myself out when I was in my workout clothes, no, that would be too easy. I locked myself out after that after I came back from the showers in nothing but a towel.

Yeah. So, I was pretty embarrassed I’m standing there in a towel that barely covers all of my important parts, trying to see if I could jimmy my way into the locker. I mean in the movies you can break into anything with only a towel on so why couldn’t I?

Yeah, so after my towel nearly fell off I walked around the locker room looking for someone who worked there. I went to the bathroom. I tried to look like I knew what I was doing because I was so embarrassed to be stuck in a towel in this stupid locker room! Finally, I decided to try to call the front desk because no way in heck was I leaving this locker room in a towel.

The phone didn’t connect. I could feel my face getting red. I was alone. I was in the midst of perfectly fit women, and my hot mess self couldn’t figure out how to even work the flippin locker. I was calling myself all sorts of names in my head. Finally, I broke down; I asked another woman if she could get someone to let me into my locker.

She did, she didn’t even laugh at me. Instead, she told me she did the same thing earlier. Then another woman around the corner said that she had just done the same thing the day before.

I still felt embarrassed, but ya know what, it helped to know that I wasn’t alone.

See, that’s where the devil wants us, especially us Mama’s who are raising the next generation. He wants us thinking that we are alone, that we are isolated, and that we carry shame all on our own.

That’s not what God wants from us though. God calls us for fellowship, hospitality, and to love one another. We need people around us to not only keep us on the path of righteousness but to keep us from thinking that we are alone on this journey.

Isolation is one of the best tools the devil uses to try to devour his prey.

Let’s be really real here; this Motherhood stuff can be hard. We love with all our hearts these little humans that also drive us so crazy we are ready to pull our hair out. I’ve heard it said that “Motherhood isn’t for the faint of heart.” I feel like that statement is the understatement of the year.

Every kid, typical or special needs have their own challenges. Every mother no matter what her circumstances have her own set of challenges. I feel like some of us get lost there though. We realize that we have it hard, we realize that our life is difficult, and we think no one else can understand. We don’t want anyone else to think that we don’t love our kids as much as we do. Maybe we don’t want people to know that our children aren’t perfect.

So we don’t share our struggle. So we keep it all inside. So we put on a front for the whole world and let no one in. I’ve got news for you, no one’s kid is perfect. Even the family that seems so put together, even that family has struggled. One of their struggles may be is that no one takes them seriously when they are trying to share their struggle.

Isolation is so easy to fall into when you enter Motherhood.

You can be a mother who thinks she has it all together or at least one who wants everyone else to think she has it all together, so you get your info from the internet instead of asking a friend that has maybe already walked down a similar path. You may be the mother who feels like she’s never good enough and is just ashamed of how much she feels she’s messing up, so you won’t dare ask anyone for help, for fear of judgment. You could be a mother anywhere in between those two, just afraid of someone thinking less, so you isolate yourself.

I wrote about my struggle for asking for help in my book “They Call Me Mom” in a chapter about never asking for help.It’s important that every single one of you reading this know that you are not meant to do this alone. No matter how much you think your life is hard or that no one will understand, God meant us for fellowship. We all must find someone who we can trust.

Don’t fall into the lie that you are the only one in this circumstance.

Read Ecclesiastes 4:9-10