They often say that a baby is like a blank canvas, ready to be painted with life’s experiences. However, this canvas isn’t entirely blank, as certain factors like illnesses can be passed down from generation to generation. Nevertheless, the idea that a baby is a vessel waiting to be shaped remains compelling.
If we consider this notion, it leads to intriguing reflections on the story of Jesus. When Jesus, the divine being, laid down his divinity and became a baby, it can be seen as a form of symbolic death. The Jesus who presumably had a distinct personality ceased to exist in the same way, and he was then raised in a human context. His character would have been influenced by his surroundings, but with a unique twist – his development wasn’t solely shaped by humanity, but also guided by God.
What makes this story extraordinary is that Jesus wasn’t influenced by mere mortals but by the divine. Additionally, he would have been taught by angels, adding another layer to the shaping of his character. It’s plausible to imagine that his character, while shaped by the human experience, carried a divine essence that set it apart.
As the narrative goes, when Jesus, after his human life, was restored to his full divine power, it’s mysterious to ponder what it felt like when all the knowledge and experiences from his previous existence came flooding back. This enigmatic transformation and combination gives rise to the concept of the creation of a “God-man” – someone who has now experienced both the limitations of humanity and the boundless power of divinity. How awesome, how wonderful and what a sacrifice.
In essence, Jesus underwent a symbolic death twice – first by laying down his divinity to become human and then by returning to his divine form after his human death. This profound journey is often viewed as the creation of a bridge between the divine and humanity, connecting two realms in a way that transcends ordinary understanding.
For the shepherds watching over their sheep, it started as a quiet night. Then suddenly an angel was standing in front of them! Of course, they were terrified, but the angel said, “Do not be afraid”. The angel announced that he was bringing good news that would give all the people great joy.
This was not just good news; it was life-changing good news. The Saviour had been born, and he was going to deliver us out of all the trouble we were in. And how could the shepherds know who he was? The angel said, “You will find a baby wrapped in cloth and lying in a manger”. Without any notice, an entire army of angels appeared, not coming to terrify the world but to surround them with praise about God’s plan for a peace-filled world.
As You enter the New Year remember the promise of Christmas: God’s peace, God’s invitation to the world to start over again. The invitation still stands… Come to Bethlehem. Come and be a part of something new: a new King, a new Kingdom, a new way of life.
How do you respond to this invitation and become part of this new Kingdom? By faith- believing in Jesus. When we believe, we will want to start over. Then Jesus says, you must be born again. Jesus says, today come and have a new life and become a child of God.
The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.” (Luke 2:10).
Let’s Pray
Yahshua, show me the way to the manger, so that in seeing you, I may believe and in believing, have eternal life. In Christ’s name, Amen.
Do you know that your negative or positive future can be determined by how you see the present? In the Old Testament, there was an Israelite woman who was about to give birth. She had just heard that the Ark of the Covenant which housed God’s presence had been stolen. She was so upset about it that she named her baby boy Ichabod, which means “the glory has departed.”
Notice what this woman did; she named her future by what was happening in her present. She could have just as easily named him “the glory will return,” but she was so focused on the negative, so caught up in where she was at that moment, that she defined her future by it. Don’t ever name your future by your present-day circumstances. You may have had some hard times in the past, but get that “Ichabod” spirit off of you.
Today, it may look like you’re stuck in a rut, and you don’t really see how you could ever rise any higher, but don’t speak defeat over your life. Instead, name your future: blessed, prosperous, successful, victorious, healthy, whole, strong, talented, creative, wise. Declare what God’s Word says, so that you can move forward in the destiny He has prepared for you!
“You will also declare a thing, and it will be established…” (Job 22:28, NKJV)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, thank You for the blessed future that You have prepared for me. Father, today I choose to come into agreement with Your Word, and speak Your blessing over my life. God, keep me close to You and show me Your ways, in Christ’s Name! Amen.
Albinism is the “congenital absence of any pigmentation or coloration in a person, animal or plant, resulting in white hair, feathers, scales and skin and pink eyes in mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish and other small invertebrates as well.”Varied use and interpretation of the terms mean that written reports of albinistic animals can be difficult to verify.
For ages, Judith had a feeling that she would struggle to become pregnant. There wasn’t a medical explanation for this — it was simply a niggling fear.
She and her husband struggled to believe they would ever become parents after years went by without her becoming pregnant. “I found myself getting anxious and desperate,” Judith first wrote on Love What Matters.
“The fear remained no matter how hard I tried to stay positive. However, Eight years down the line, my husband and I decided to go for our second round of IVF. The first of which failed, as well as other various procedures and fertility treatments. Every ultrasound visit after that was horror”
Judith
The couple could hardly contain their joy when that second round of IVF proved successful.
Judith was carrying twins — a boy, Kamis, and a girl, Kachi.
It felt remarkable that after all these years, their aspirations and dreams of a family were about to be real.
However, mum’s joy quickly turned to horror as doctors broke the news that Kachi was “at risk and might not make it”. “Every ultrasound visit after that was a nightmare as Kachi was far behind in growth whiles Kamsi did great.
“Finally, at 37 weeks, I had to be induced immediately because I was told that Kachi had stopped growing..” After the birth Nurses let Judith hold her daughter briefly before she was whisked to the NICU.
“The first time I saw her, I wondered if the nurse was handing me my baby, or someone else’s,” Judith said. “I waited a few seconds for someone to tell me there was a mix-up?” “Soon the joy of seeing them both healthy surpassed any other feeling at that instant.”
“How did I get black and white twins?”
Several days later Judith and her husband were told that their baby girl had albinism.
“I loved my princess like every mother would love her baby but worried about her condition,” Judith said.
“I worried about her future, how society would treat her, how she’ll be accepted.
“Gradually, worry turned to sadness and I started questioning “I envied other black babies and thought, ‘Why me? Why was I the one to have an albino baby?’
“How did I get black and white twins?”
“I threw the braille sheets in the garbage”
Unfortunately, medical professionals were quick to affirm Judith’s worst fears and told her that Kachi would struggle to see and would likely need to learn to read braille.
“I couldn’t imagine Kachi reading with braille and threw the braille sheets in the garbage.” She said
“She’s so smart and has a strong personality. She knows what she wants and will always go for it. “I always tell her how beautiful she is, because she really is.
“I’m not sure she`s aware of her uniqueness at the moment, but eventually she’ll know.”
“It’s my responsibility to educate her and teach her to love herself no matter what.
Albinism
Albinism affects the production of melanin, the pigment that colours skin, hair and eyes. It’s a lifelong condition, but it doesn’t get worse over time.
People with albinism have a reduced amount of melanin, or no melanin at all. This can affect their colouring and their eyesight.
Albinism is caused by faulty genes that a child inherits from their parents.
Symptoms of albinism
Hair and skin colour
People with albinism often have white or very light blonde hair, although some have brown or ginger hair. The exact colour depends on how much melanin their body produces.
Very pale skin that burns easily in the sun and doesn’t usually tan is also typical of albinism.
Eye colour
Someone with albinism can have pale blue, grey or brown eyes. Eye colour depends on the type of albinism and the amount of melanin. People from ethnic groups with darker pigmentation tend to have darker coloured eyes.
Eye problems
The reduced amount of melanin can also cause other eye problems. This is because melanin is involved in the development of the retina, the thin layer of cells at the back of the eye.
astigmatism — where the cornea (clear layer at the front of the eye) isn’t perfectly curved or the lens is an abnormal shape, causing blurred vision
photophobia — where the eyes are sensitive to light
nystagmus — where the eyes move involuntarily from side to side, causing reduced vision; you don’t see the world as “wobbling” because your brain adapts to your eye movement
squint — where the eyes point in different directions
Some young children with albinism may appear clumsy because problems with their eyesight can make it difficult for them to perform certain movements, such as picking up an object. This should improve as they get older.
How albinism is inherited
The two main types of albinism are:
oculocutaneous albinism (OCA) — the most common type, affecting the skin, hair and eyes
ocular albinism (OA) — a rarer type that mainly affects the eyes
Autosomal recessive inheritance
In most cases, including all types of OCA and some types of OA, albinism is passed on in an autosomal recessive inheritance pattern. This means a child has to inherit two copies of the faulty gene (one from each parent) to have the condition.
If both parents carry the gene, there’s a 1 in 4 chance that their child will have albinism and a 1 in 2 chance that their child will be a carrier. Carriers don’t have albinism but can pass on the faulty gene.
X-linked inheritance
Some types of OA are passed on in an X-linked inheritance pattern. This pattern affects boys and girls differently: girls who inherit the faulty gene become carriers and boys who inherit the faulty gene will get albinism.
When a mother is a carrier of an X-linked type of albinism, each of her daughters has a 1 in 2 chance of becoming a carrier and each of her sons has a 1 in 2 chance of having albinism.
When a father has an X-linked type of albinism, his daughters will become carriers, and his sons won’t have albinism and won’t be carriers.
If you have a history of albinism in your family or you have a child with the condition, you may want to talk to your GP about getting a referral for genetic counselling.
A genetic counsellor provides information, support and advice about genetic conditions. For example, you can discuss with them how you inherited albinism and the chances of passing it on.
Albinism is usually obvious from a baby’s appearance when they’re born. Your baby’s hair, skin and eyes may be examined to look for signs of missing pigment.
As albinism can cause a number of eye problems, your baby may be referred to an eye specialist (ophthalmologist) for tests to check for conditions such as nystagmus, squint and astigmatism.
Electrodiagnostic testing is also sometimes used to help diagnose albinism. This is where small electrodes are stuck to the scalp to test the connections of the eyes to the part of the brain that controls vision.
14-Year-Old Is Raped in Parents’ Basement, Refuses to Have an Abortion: “This Baby Will Be a Gift From God”.
P.J, became pregnant after being raped by a man who was supposedly a friend of a friend when she was 14 year olds.
P.J grow up in a military family and with very protective parents who weren’t typically the kind to let their kids hang out with just any and anybody.
However on one occasion the teen’s friends invited P.J to hang out with a boy from the military who was home for Christmas leave and her parents were comfortable with that.
P.J. friends got together in her parents’ basement, and P.J. was then raped right in front of several over people who all remained silent about what actually happened.
The truth about what had happened in the families basement came out five months later after P.J. found out that she was pregnant.
P.J.s parents were horrified and felt a sense of guilt and shame about the whole situation and P.J.s mom admittedly considered taking their daughter to get an abortion.
Angela is pro-life, but in the past would have made an exception in the case of rape or incest.
“I really thought I would take her to terminate the pregnancy,” Angela explains. “I was pro-life but with exceptions. I didn’t want to do that, but I was always told it was the thing to do in the case of forcible rape. My husband, however, said he couldn’t have anything to do with the death of a child. That it was still a human life. Everywhere we went, friends and religious people were very adamant that we should terminate.”
Angela P.J.s mom struggled continuously with what happened and was completely and utterly at a loss of how to best care for her daughter. Many close friends and family members were encouraging her to help P.J. terminate the pregnancy, but her husband, Doug, was encouraging the opposite. Angela was reminded of her own experience with abortion.
“In college, I got pregnant and I went to a health clinic. I was 24 weeks, and I had an abortion. My mother forced me to because she didn’t want to be embarrassed by my poor choices. We never spoke about it again. I have never gotten over it.”
A baby from rape is ‘something beautiful from something terrible’
Not wanting to repeat past mistakes and P.J. to suffer with regret that she was forced to experience every day of her life Angela came to the realisation that even when life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that it is something that God intended to happen. A friend called Angela and referred her to Trisha, who runs a Birth Right. She begged her to take P.J. there before they made any decisions.
“Trisha was the first person to say it was going to be okay. She was the first person who actually encouraged us to keep [the baby]. As a woman, even if you’re pro-life, you’re told there’s nothing worse you can do to a rape victim [than tell her to keep her baby]. I’ve been told by everyone, especially the media, that abortion is what you do. Trish gave us Rebecca Kiessling’s pamphlet. We prayed about it and it was the best thing we had ever done. After we left Birth Right, P.J. cried–not because she was upset–but she said she felt relieved and like we were in a safe place. She said she knew Miss Trisha had her best interest at heart. When we heard [the baby’s] heartbeat, it was over for me. This child will be a gift from God. P.J. spent a lot of quiet time reflecting. She had a wisdom I didn’t have. Her strength and wisdom is what got us through.”
It wasn’t P.J.’s choice to be attacked, but it was her choice to keep the baby. P.J.’s family decided to throw a baby shower and then she prepared for James to make his grand entrance into the world. While the circumstance was horrid, the life of this beautiful baby was well worth celebrating!
While the circumstance was unfortunate, the life of this beautiful baby was completely worth celebrating!
Something that seems so “obvious,” isn’t actually legislation, which is unbelievable.
P.J. gave birth to her son, James, in the fall of 2011. However, after the authorities investigated the man who raped her, they uncovered some disturbing facts that may severely endanger both P.J. and James because where they lived, there were no laws presently in place to protect women and their children conceived in rape from the rapist. The rapist is legally permitted to seek custody and parental rights.
In addition the rapist had previously raped another male and was in the process of being discharged from the Army for illegal drug use. Thankfully, the rapist’s attempts at getting partial custody of James failed.
“The minute we laid eyes on this child, we didn’t once equate him to the rapist. He’s just as much a victim. He has healed our family in ways we can’t explain. He is the most amazing gift from God. I don’t even know how to put it in words.”
Today, P.J. attends a women’s Bible study once a week, and she prays with James every day, constantly reminding him that he has always been wanted and loved and as for their decision not to terminate the pregnancy, well, Angela couldn’t be more grateful.
Pregnancy is a potential result of rape. It has been studied in the context of war, particularly as a tool for genocide, as well as other unrelated contexts, such as rape by a stranger, statutory rape, incest, and underage pregnancy. The current scientific consensus is that rape is at least as likely to lead to pregnancy as consensual sexual intercourse, with some studies suggesting rape may actually result in higher rates of pregnancy than consensual intercourse.
Wikipedia
What happens after birth is completely up to you; there are always options. ALWAYS people to help.
Facts about rape.
Low estimate of the number of women , according to the Department of Justice, raped every year: 300,000
Percentage of military victims who get an “involuntarily” dischargecompared to percentage of charged and accused who are discharged with honor: 90 percent involuntary to 80 percent with honor
Everyone wants a name that is unique. Traditions and customs define people, their thoughts, and opinions, their lifestyle, etc. One such lifestyle is to choose a name and Christian or Biblical names are a mirror of passing down faith in the younger generations to come.
You may be searching for the perfect Christian name and with so many to choose from, one of the most difficult decisions for a parent will be to pick the best name. To make things simpler, we have collected some popular Christian baby names, their meanings, and origins for you to find the right one.
In Hebrew, it means Elijah is 'Jehovah is God'.Elijah holds Number 8 position in 2017. Famous personalities- American Actor Elijah Wood, Rugby player Elijah Taylor, American Wrestler Elijah Burke, Scientist Elijah McCoy
In Hebrew, it means 'exalted', 'enlightenment' , high mountain'.In 2017, it holds the 59th position. Famous personalities- Actor Aaron Ashmore, Musician Aaron Copland, Athelete Aaron Hernandez, Painter Aaron Douglas, Producer/Screenwriter Aaron Spelling.
An enduring classic, Elizabeth means "consecrated to God." It was the name of John the Baptist's mother in the Bible, and Elizabeth Seton, the first American saint. With its huge array of nickname options (including Eliza, Lisa, Beth, Betsy, and Ellie, to name a few), it's no wonder it's still in the top 15 baby names for girls.
The world went from
calling a ‘clump of cells’ nonhuman, to allowing abortions when the clump of
cells begins to ‘look human’, accepting third-trimester abortions, and now
pushing for the termination of babies moments before birth, or in some cases,
just after birth. It seems that what they are seeking is an all-inclusive
licence to kill.
Just the other day,
a cousin wanted help with writing up an argument for a school debate. The
debate? Whether you agree with abortion or not, and why. She took the pro-life
route, but not without some backlash for it. Another pro-choice family member
said that the world did not need any more unwanted children and that women who
were not ready to have children and take care of them must abort their babies
to save the rest of the world some trouble. I sat there for a moment, merely
listening to the debate going back and forth. The pro-choice side was quite
strong and appeared to be winning, but I decided to speak up and deliver one
line: you will answer to GOD for what you have done, I hope you’re ready for
it. Everyone sort of looked away, looking for something to say, but as they
were supposed professing Christians, they had nothing to say. Murder is murder,
no matter the stage of life. The excuse that a woman should have a right over
her own body at the expense of the growing baby in her stomach is weak. No
amount of getting angry or violent will change that fact.
I believe that most
people reading this are aware of what the Scriptures say about murder, life,
and being known by GOD before even conception has taken place. The most
beautiful verse about growing life is Psalm 139: 13-18, verses that I take
comfort in during times of uncertainty concerning my purpose and worth. As
Believers, we know that we can turn to GOD’S Word and find the words that we
need to overcome whatever challenges we are facing, but the rest of the world
does not. They are hellbent on living their lives as they will, not accepting
the consequences for their choices. Every problem must be looked at in context,
but sin does not need a framework to be considered sin, it just is because GOD
has said it is, and murder is a sin. For example, a young cousin of mine has
recently fallen pregnant due to her promiscuous lifestyle. She is 18 this year,
and instead of being in her last year of school, she is only beginning her high
school year as she has failed several times. This can be blamed on her lack of
school attendance. You dig deeper, and you’ll find that she was not disciplined
as a child growing up, in fact, she was primarily left to live her life as she
wished. Both her parents have now passed away due to AIDS, and she lives with
family members but does not respect them. Most of my family wanted her to get
an abortion because her baby would mean one more mouth to feed as she is not
working. According to the world, this context for abortion would be acceptable,
but to GOD it is not. What they are saying is that a life should be
extinguished due to the mistakes of the mother. So, if I was to use their
reasoning then the family of a murder victim should be allowed to kill the
murderer’s mother, father, siblings, or child to atone for what the murderer
has done. It doesn’t sound so acceptable when used in another situation, does
it?
Another family
member had a botched abortion, by botched I mean that the baby lived. She is
also living with HIV, and the father of the child is also HIV positive. We all
(or should) know that HIV can be avoided being passed down to the foetus;
however, her situation led her to take the abortion route. She already has
three children by three different men, does not have a stable job, and is an
alcoholic. She does not take care of her children, in fact, two are now
considered adults and can mostly defend for themselves. The last born is taken
care of by family members. The local clinic told her to have an abortion due to
these circumstances, but she waited until she was five months to do so. Off to
the hospital she went to remove the child from her womb, thinking that she
would not have to deal with another baby in her life. They removed the baby,
put it in a black bag, and tossed it on the cold floor of the morgue. A nurse
entered the morgue several hours later only to find mewling noises coming from
the bag. She opened it and realised that the aborted baby was alive! This sent
the hospital into a panic. They quickly got the baby into an incubator and
informed the mother that the baby was alive. Could you imagine the shock? For
the next five months, the baby was kept in an incubator, damaging her eyesight
in the process. When she was finally allowed to be taken home, the mother was
told that her baby would never be able to walk, talk, and would likely die as a
toddler. To top it all off, the baby was HIV positive. Ten years later, the
little girl is walking, and though she cannot speak, she uses sign language.
She is the sweetest little girl with a cheeky attitude of her own and is well
aware of all that goes on around her. She goes to a special school, is learning
how to write more clearly, and loves anything to do with drawing and colours.
In short, she is a girl like any other, even with her special needs.
Abortions can bring
about emotional trauma that may not be experienced immediately after, but let
me tell you that when it comes to bite your rear end, it takes a chunk. I know
of an old woman who is riddled with guilt for the two abortions she had as a
young woman. It gets so bad that she becomes gravely ill and has to be admitted
into hospital and put under observation. Her mind comes and goes, sometimes not
recognising her living children and calling out for those who have died. Her
reasons for abortion were tied to the hard times of the country when Apartheid
was still in effect. She is a black woman who had had relations with white men
(I do not know if it was rape) resulting in two pregnancies. She managed to
abort two of those pregnancies for fear of being found with a mixed-race child,
but she was not able to do so with her third pregnancy. Now as an old woman,
those abortions have come back to haunt her and do not give her peace.
Of course, the
argument of high-risk pregnancies also comes up. Let me stress here that I may
speak frankly, but I do not feel disgust for the people but for the sin. People
will say that a medical reason to abort the baby is acceptable, especially if
it puts the mother at risk. Also, if the baby is to be born with a deformity,
then it would be better to abort the baby before he/she is born. I hear what
the argument is, but my stand does not change. Abortion is wrong because it is
murder. People would sooner laugh in my face when I say that Jesus is the Great
Physician than listen, but it is true. Do you not think that He would be able
to save both mother and child? Do you not believe that He can help that child
with the deformity? The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is within us
today if indeed we are His. Nothing is impossible for GOD, but only if we
believe. To doubt is to tell Him that we do not believe that He can do anything
for us. He created the world, for goodness sake, will He not help a mother in
need? But the world chooses to reject Him still, and even His own people doubt
His power to heal. People would sooner find an excuse for their sin than humble
themselves and fall to their knees before Him to seek grace and mercy. Or,
worse yet, His own people deny that He still performs miracles and wonders in
the world today.
Forgiveness is
available to those who have had abortions in the past but regret having done
so. If you serve our Sovereign LORD, then you should know that He will forgive
you for there is no condemnation for those who believe. He scatters your sins
away and makes you clean. Do not miss this opportunity due to your guilt. He
loves you in spite of your sin, but you need forgiveness from Him and yourself
to be set free.
All I know is that
the GOD we serve does not change, neither is He cold to the plight of people.
He loves us all, but not all of us are His. He loves the downtrodden, the
deformed, the unwanted- all of them! The world may reject them, but Jesus
stands with open arms to accept them. What He did back then He can do today,
and what He considers sin is a sin no matter the reasons the world may give. At
the end of the day, you need to understand that there are consequences to
everything, and perhaps you will not experience those consequences now and go
about your life as you want to. But when you stand before the Ancient of Days
and give an account of your life, do not say that you were not warned.
Unless you have lost a child, you can never really sympathize with a woman who has suffered a miscarriage. It is a different kind of pain that a parent carries with them on a daily basis until they are able to reach some sort of acceptance or peace about it. Or perhaps we want to believe that they have either accepted the loss or gained peace because we do not want to ‘deal’ with that person. I do not believe that we do it out of selfishness- the reason is more complicated than that. How do you co-mourn when you did not ever meet the child? How do you offer up empty words of comfort when you know that the parent will not want to hear them? Who wants to hear: “Don’t worry, it’s all in GOD’S hands”, or “You will have another one, just have faith”, or even “Pray and ask GOD for strength”.
It has been nearly 34 years since the death of my brother, and I know that my mother has never truly fully healed from that. Jonathan was her first child and she carried him to term, but when he was taken out of her womb, he was stillborn. He may not have been a miscarriage, but he was still a life that was taken away before he got the chance to live. However many months you have carried that child in your womb, that connection is there. Whether you wanted that baby or not, that connection remains. So when you lose that child, a part of you seems to die with that child. Yes, you continue on with your life- you return to work, you eventually have more children (in some cases) and you raise them with all the love that you can give. However, you are not going to forget about that lost child. Every now and then, you wonder about the child, what they could have become, what their personality would have been like, who they would have resembled more. You dream of what could have been and, in some way, you even blame yourself for their death.
A mother’s womb is meant to be a place of security, but instead of producing life, it became a place of death. Perhaps you feel that you have failed as a woman, a wife, and a mother. The emotions that you go through are deep and painful, far deeper than we can ever imagine. Your thoughts are a place of darkness and woe. What can we, as the outsiders, really say to bring comfort?
As Believers, we are meant to rejoice with those who rejoice and to mourn with those who mourn. The truth is, we have become so wrapped up in our own worlds that we struggle to find the words to say, or just how to be around a parent who has just suffered a miscarriage. Many of us feel uncomfortable and awkward- do we pat your back in an effort to offer some physical comfort without ‘overstepping’? Do we quote scripture in an effort to explain away the tragedy and possibly downplay the pain that you are going through? Should we bring ready-made meals to lessen your worries? The question is, do these actions and words show you that we are really mourning with you? Some people will pretend that it didn’t happen, others will avoid you like the plague, worried that you are going to break down in front of them and embarrass them in public (it’s true). Others simply cannot handle seeing that amount of pain in others and will run, while others are simply insensitive and will offer up the same old useless words.
What can we do? What should we say? Can we hug you and let you lean on us when you’re weak? Can we cry with you, for your baby, the little being that we did not get to meet? Can we sit with you and listen as you tell us of your pain, your anger, and possibly the guilt that you feel? Will you provide us with your child’s name so that we may acknowledge his/her individuality? Can we sit with you in your silence, offering our presence as comfort? When ‘sorry’ will just not do, what can we say? We could never profess to understand your pain, it would be an injustice to pretend as though that life didn’t exist, and it would be insensitive to assume that you can ever replace your lost child with another one.
To every parent that has miscarried: at times we outsiders find it difficult to express our sadness for your loss. I personally mourn for every child lost, whether through miscarriage, abortion or other causes. While I cannot understand your pain because I have not experienced such a tragedy, there are many of us who want to truly mourn with you, to offer the comfort that only a person who is close with our LORD can offer. We would gladly take on some of your burdens to give you a moment’s rest from your deep pain. I speak to both the mothers and fathers- find a brother or sister in Christ and share that burden with them. Let them take on that burden in spirit so that you may find rest and eventually open yourself up to receive the comfort that Jesus wants to give you. Woman of GOD, you have suffered through a miscarriage, but that burden that you carry is not yours alone.
Recently I’ve been on a spiritual journey that includes deep prayer, meditation, and mindfulness to help me to connect with God. At the same time, I’ve also been on the hunt for some low-impact stretching that could potentially help with chronic pain in a natural way.
Meditation and stretching. Put those two together and what do you get?
Yoga.
So, I’ve said I need to stretch. And I find that meditation brings me closer to God. These all naturally come together in the form of yoga. But, as a Christian, should I do yoga? Am I allowed? Will Jesus love me less?
Well, first, let’s see”¦what does the Bible say about the word “yoga”? Nothing. Zero. There’s no record of that word being used.
So now what do I do? Since the Bible doesn’t talk about yoga specifically, I have to use the brains God gave me to dig a bit deeper. Then I can determine how best to deal with this current cultural trend.
Let’s start with a few of the basics:
Yoga began as a spiritual disciple in Hindu which includes breath control, meditation, and static postures of the body. Some people who practice yoga are active Hindus or Buddhists. Many are not.
In the western world, yoga is a broad term that is often descriptive of people engaging in the physical body postures that encourage strength and stamina. Sometimes this is combined with meditation for mental strength, but not exclusively. Some yoga classes used sacred words such as “Om”, “Namaste”, and certain chants that hint to Buddhism and Hinduism. Other classes make no reference to the spiritual world at all and are simply a form of physical exercise. Yoga potures have Sanskrit names that have spiritual meanings. Many times these are replaced with English names that simply describe the form the body is taking. (For instance, “lotus” has become “criss-cross applesauce”.)
The word “yoga” in Sanskrit means “yoke” or “union with God”. God tells me to not worship another god, and I must obey.
So I know that yoga started as an ancient spiritual practice of another religion which should lead me to move forward with caution. But I also know that Jesus came to redeem all things.
Is it possible to engage in a moderated form of yoga that feeds our Christian souls, or should we avoid it altogether? Can we be aware of the potential pitfalls and dangers of the spiritual side of yoga and then practice it in a meaningful way with a Christian bent and attitude?
The famous American minister John Piper seems to think that we can’t. He says we should avoid yoga completely, citing it as antithetical to Christianity.
Don’t get me wrong, I think Piper has some good things to offer. But in this situation I tend to think that maybe he’s throwing the proverbial “baby out with the bathwater”.
Christians have often taken “secular” symbols or practices and re-stored them into something that is healthy and even God-glorifying. Take Christmas, for example. December 25, the day on which we now celebrate Jesus’ birth, was reclaimed from the pagans. That date was redeemed from a pagan holiday to a Christian celebration.
Jesus has come to redeem all things. Even pagan holidays. Possibly even stretching and meditation and breathing?
Over the ages, Christians have used wisdom and the discernment to choose what is right for them as individuals and as a Body of believers. To apply Jesus’ redemption to various non-Christian things.
“Everything is permissible but not everything is beneficial.” 1 Corinthians 10:23
So I need to decide if yoga could be beneficial (or detrimental) to me. In my case, I truly believe God has given me the wisdom and discernment to be able to stretch and strengthen my body without accidentally worshipping a false god. I even believe that I can meditate and breathe while I simultaneously reflect and contemplate how incredible God is. All without slipping into the devil’s snare.
But I am aware that this may not be the case for all people.
Personally, think that I can apply the idea of a “yoke” or “union with God” in yoga to my relationship with Christ. But that doesn’t mean I’ll just sign up for any yoga class that is offered. I need to be wise and first ask questions about how spiritual a class is before taking it. For my own purposes, I tend to learn at home with videos, so there’s not much of a risk of me getting caught in an awkward situation. If something gets a little weird, I can just turn it off.
Holy Yoga is a practice that is gaining traction, offering the grounding of the Gospel while reframing the positive aspects of yoga in a Christian way.
“Holy Yoga embraces the essential elements of yoga: breath work, meditation and physical postures. In all of these elements, Christ is the focus of our intention and worship.”
So as I‘m making a decision about yoga (or anything in my life!), I need to ask if it creates a risk of becoming a detriment to my walk with Jesus. If so, then I absolutely shouldn’t do it! But if yoga can be practiced in a way that is healthy to my body and mind, while drawing me closer to Christ with mindfulness and meditation, then is it possible that even John Piper can’t argue with that?
LONDON — Nearly two years ago, the “Commission on Religion and Belief in British Public Life” published a report on the role of religion in society. The paper made it clear that Britain is no longer a Christian country in any meaningful sense and should be systematically de-Christianized due to the decline of church-going and the rise of Islam and other beliefs.
Britain Is No Longer A Christian Country
The commission has attracted particular controversy because of the authority of those behind it. Patrons include Rowan Williams, the former Archbishop of Canterbury; Lord Woolf, the former chief justice; and Sir Iqbal Sacranie, the former general secretary of the Muslim Council of Britain.
“Britain is no longer a Christian country and should stop acting as if it is, a major inquiry into the place of religion in modern society concluded in 2015, provoking a furious backlash from ministers and the Church of England.”
The report triggered a argument as it was condemned by cabinet ministers as “seriously misguided,” while the Church of England said it appeared to have been “hijacked” by humanists.
Remarkably, the overall decline of religion in Britain has coincided with the arrival of three million migrants who tend to have more religious belief than British Christians. In particular, the visual impact of Islam, most obviously expressed in the proposal for a 9,000-capacity ‘super-mosque’ in east London that was rejected by planners about 18 months ago, might give the impression that migration has brought a religious revival to Britain.
You Can’t Throw the Baby Out With the Bathwater
Inevitably, the question of what is to be done about our national Christian institutions will soon arise. Is it appropriate that we are still invited to swear on the Bible in court?
Down The Inquiry Rabbit Hole
The Commission on Religion and Belief in Public Life document said that faith schools are “socially divisive” and the selection of children on the basis of their beliefs should be phased out. The report claimed that the number of Church of England bishops in the Lords should be replaced with imams, rabbis and other non-other non-Christian clerics as well as evangelical pastors. The report also backde moves to cut the number of Church of England bishops in the Lords and give places to imams, rabbis and other non-other non-Christian clerics as well as evangelical pastors. It also recommended that the coronation service for the monarch ought to be overhauled to include other faiths and that thought for the Day on BBC Radio 4’s should include non-religious messages. And it recommended new protections for women in Sharia courts and other religious tribunals — including a call for the government to consider requiring couples who have a non-legally binding religious marriage also to have a civil registration. Most controversially, perhaps, the report also called for a rethink of anti-terror policy, including allowing students to voice radical views on campus without fear of being reported to the security services.
Some will find this sad, others as a sign of progress, but the greater majority will view it with indifference.
Educating The Public
Given all that, why do Christians in the country have so much political and educational power?
“England has an established Church. Its bishops sit in the House of Lords. The Queen is both head of state and also supreme governor of the Church of England. One of the monarch’s titles is Defender of the Faith.”
Because of this, Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith has told the Daily Telegraph that claims the UK was not a Christian country ignored “both historical and constitutional reality”, its not fact. The Bible features heavily in the architecture and decoration of the Houses of Parliament, paying silent tribute to its significance in English jurisprudence. Most British law is ultimately derived from the codes of law within the Bible, of which the Ten Commandments is pre-eminent.
“The Equality of All People Before The Law is Another of The Bibles Legacies.”
In short the social institutions and safeguards, as well as many of the benefits people take for granted, were supported by the understanding of human life which was found within the Bible. In this sense, the foundations of Britain’s culture and society can truly be said to be biblical.
The report is dominated by the old-fashioned view that traditional religion is declining in importance and that non-adherence to a religion is the same as humanism or secularism.
Today, as people are facing ever more clearly the perceived threats of global war, the Bible, with its vision of man’s position within creation and responsibility under God to care properly for it, still has a major contribution to make to the future of all humankind.
Professor Pavel Matousek, a Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) Senior Fellow and Chief Scientific Officer of Cobalt Light Systems Ltd, has pioneered revolutionary techniques for analysing the chemical composition of materials and co-founded a highly successful spin-out company. He has helped develop and commercialize award-winning laser technologies that detect liquid explosives at airports, rapidly check the quality of pharmaceutical products, and that may one day non-invasively diagnose breast cancer. Pavel states:
“I Am Very Excited about What I Do and Driven to Answer Questions in Front of Me, Unravel Complex Problems and Deliver Something Useful to Society.”
STFC science writer James Doherty meets the Laser Man.
Pavel, what first got you interested in physics?
I became fascinated by the stars and Universe while growing up in the Czech Republic. I joined an astronomy society at secondary school and it became clear I wanted to study physics. I got very interested in laser physics during my MSc at the Czech Technical University in Prague. It is a very dynamic field.
When did you arrive at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL)?
I joined as a research associate in 1991, and went on to complete my PhD in ultra-fast Raman Spectroscopy at RAL, awarded by the Czech Technical University. I’ve been here almost 25 years to the day.
So what is Raman Spectroscopy?
It is a technique that involves shining a laser beam at the surface of a material, and then observing the colour of light scattered from the point of illumination. This typically provides information about the chemical composition of the material’s surface. C.V. Raman observed the effect in 1928 and subsequently won a Nobel Prize.
You pioneered a technique called Spatially Offset Raman Spectroscopy (SORS): What is it and how does it differ from normal Raman Spectroscopy?
“We couldn’t have developed the SORS technique without the instrumentation and long term research continuity available at the Central Laser Facility at RAL”
SORS is a technique that we stumbled across in the Ultrafast Spectroscopy Laboratory (ULTRA) by chance. We had assumed that photons could only be detected at the illumination point but we were wrong. Some photons migrate sideways through the material then emerge adjacent to the illumination point. As these photons have interacted with molecules deeper inside the medium, they provide information about internal chemical make-up: SORS probes deeper into the material. And the further you move from the illumination point, the deeper you see into the medium. The process
involves large photon migration distances, often extending to several centimetres or more. This came as a big surprise.
“SORS involves probing at one location and detecting at another. Our minds, and those of others, were constrained by our perception of how the Raman Spectroscopy process worked but once we made this serendipitous discovery, we quickly realised it had potential major applications.”
What kind of applications?
“The Range of Potential Applications for Sors Is Staggering.”
Insight100 (Cobalt Lights Systems Ltd) scanner for noninvasive analysis of bottles at airports.
Using micro-SORS for non-destructive analysis of painted layers in Art
We immediately realised SORS could determine the chemical make-up of substances by non-destructive means. This could have applications in bio-medicine, chemistry, security, forensics, heritage, and beyond. But we first focused on pharmaceuticals, and developed novel ways for analysing the chemical make-up of manufactured drugs.
We swiftly filed 8 patents, which became the basis of our company Cobalt Light Systems.
Cobalt Light Systems is perhaps best known for its airport security scanners. Can you describe how these work and their impact to passenger travel?
Security scanners represent the second generation of technology developed by Cobalt. To date there are around 400 operational units in 70 airports across Europe and Asia. They are used to scan traveller essentials, such as medicines or baby milk, and compare their chemical make-up to a database of potentially explosive substances. Suspicious substances are automatically identified and flagged. For example, the technology avoids passengers having to drink liquids (e.g. baby milk) in front security officer to prove they are not dangerous, which is clearly safer and more hygienic. It has also contributed to new legislation, and is expected to lead to a relaxation of the complete ban of taking liquids on board a plane in the future.
The scanners are currently the size of a microwave oven but right now we are launching a SORS handheld device. This should have further applications for first responder teams called to spillages of unknown substances and fire fighters attending chemical fires.
First off, we used instrumentation at STFC’s Central Laser Facility to demonstrate the basic capability to detect the SORS subsurface signal. Once we made the discovery in 2004, we worked closely with STFC’s Technology Transfer Office SIL (formerly CLIK) and Business and Innovations (BID) to develop, optimise and protect our ideas. There was a complex path to navigate from discovery, to optimising SORS, building a prototype, and ultimately to securing investment in 2008. BID/SIL coordinated the company at all levels and provided the support necessary to achieve this goal.
“My story illustrates the national and international importance of STFC. If its determination to deliver impact on science was absent, the chain from a fundamental discovery to Cobalt Light Systems’ product would have been broken. STFC responded appropriately at every stage. And this is just one example of how STFC contributes to the UK’s know-how economy.”
What are you working on currently?
I’m focused on developing novel non-invasive medical screening techniques, including diagnosing bone disease such as osteoporosis (jointly with STFC’s Prof Tony Parker and University College London’s Prof Allen Goodship), and I’m working with Professor Nicolas Stone of Exeter University on non-invasive breast cancer screening.
In addition, I’m collaborating with Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche in Italy to apply the SORS technology to objects of art on microscales. For example, we can scan different layers of paint to determine compositional information essential in restoration and preservation of artefacts.
How will the medical applications benefit patients?
Patient benefit could be enormous. Current diagnosis techniques for osteoporosis are around 60-70% accurate as they sense only mineral content. SORS on the other hand has a high specificity for mineral and collagen content – both of which determine bone strength – and so holds considerable promise for providing improved diagnostic accuracy. SORS could also be used to classify breast or prostate tumours as malignant or benign without needle biopsy. This would reduce patient stress and save medical provider costs.
However, medical problems are challenging as the human body is complex and variable. These applications are probably still 7-10 years away.
Why do you do this research?
This is where my passion and interest lies – I’m very excited about what I do.
“As You Push the Boundaries of Technology and Make New Discoveries, the End Goal Always Changes. This Is the Nice Thing about Science.”
Thank you sweetie ?