Kisses from God: When God is in the waiting

Kisses from God: When God is in the waiting

It was my usual routine of rising around 5:30 (body-clock, not by choice). I went out to the kitchen to get a tea and there was a mess from the day before. I never do dishes and such at night because I am a morning person, so I even cook dinner in the morning some days and have it ready before 10 a.m. As I was cleaning, washing, preparing; etc. the “feel-sorry-for-myself” bug began to bite. I was moaning inwardly about how I do this stuff every day and no one even knows it. They just have a fresh breakfast, clean dishes, folded laundry and a hearty lunch and dinner. Yes, I work, part-time, but this routine has been part of my life for 34 years, daily. I have never achieved the dreams I thought I was destined for, so I was be-moaning that too.

Suddenly I heard that familiar voice inside my thoughts and He said to me,” She rises up early and cares for the needs of her family.” God was encouraging me in the midst of my self-pity. For those who may not know where this quote is from, it’s from Proverbs 31. I avoid this Proverb as much as I can because it details a woman that I think I can never be.  Let’s read some of it below:

10 An excellent wife, who can find? For her worth is far above jewels.11 The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain.12 She does him good and not evil All the days of her life.13 She looks for wool and flax and works with her hands in delight.14 She is like merchant ships; She brings her food from afar.15 She rises also while it is still night and gives food to her householdAnd portions to her maidens.16 She considers a field and buys it; From her earnings she plants a vineyard.17 She girds herself with strength and makes her arms strong.18 She senses that her gain is good; Her lamp does not go out at night.19 She stretches out her hands to the distaff, and her hands grasp the spindle.20 She extends her hand to the poor, and she stretches out her hands to the needy.21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household, For all her household are clothed with scarlet.22 She makes coverings for herself; Her clothing is fine linen and purple.23 Her husband is known in the gates, When he sits among the elders of the land.24 She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies belts to the tradesmen.25 Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she smiles at the future.26 She opens her mouth in wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.27 She looks well to the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.28 Her children rise up and bless her; Her husband also, and he praises her, saying:29 “Many daughters have done nobly, But you excel them all.”30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.31 Give her the product of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates. (Prov. 31)

Pretty daunting list, huh! No wonder I have avoided it.  I highlighted the one God spoke to me this morning for you.  But as I read the list just now, I felt His kind prodding that there were other things on that list that I do as well, and He is pleased with me. He also pointed out one that I could work more diligently on, as well.The point is, God let me know that He is pleased with me this morning! There can be no higher praise in all the world.  It was like what we do with our kids when they are hurting from a fall. We call them close and we kiss their hurt. There is no magic in that kiss, not to physically heal the wound, but just the sense of being loved and cared for is enough to send a child skipping off believing all is right now. Just because of that act of caring, that kiss on a wound.  God kissed me this morning in a place I have been hurting, and there can be no greater blessing in all the world.  Pour out your heart before Him this morning, Dear Believer, and may He kiss you where you hurt.

By: Carole L. Haines

Is Organ Donation A Sin? Should Christians Donate Their Organs?

Organ donation is the donation of biological tissue or an organ of the human body, from a living or dead person to a living recipient in need of a transplantation.

General misconceptions connected to Christianity and organ donation  have made many people think that the act is prohibited by their religion  when in reality, there little or  no rules that actually prevent people from receiving  blood transfusions or organ  transplants.

Some religious denominations are against organ donation, but major religions by and large allow the act and even encourage it. Some profess that the teachings of  Christianity and organ donation go hand in hand.  However, within each religion there are different schools of thought, which means that views differ.

Heart and Lung Transplant Success After 2.5 Years.

It’s safe to say that most  Anglican, Protestant and Catholic scholars agree that the organ donation is a beautiful selfless act.

Protestant denominations have given their seal of approval to organ donations. The Lutheran Church refereed to  the act as manifestation of sacrificial love for people who are in need. The Presbyterian Church has encouraged its members to have Universal Donor Cards. The Seventh Day Adventist Church has a pediatric heart transplantation floor in its California hospital. Even the Amish, who have been seen to generally avoid  modern technology, allow organ donation in order to help others.

The Church of England has declared that it is the duty of a Christian to donate one’s organs. But the church stated that there are different views on whether an opt-in system was proper.

We believe  that Christianity and organ donation  are entwined  with each other as Christians we are taught to love our  neighbours.

The Merit of Self-Sacrifice    #Godinterest .

The Catholic Church has voiced out its support to donation. The late Pope John Paul II praised the work of transplant surgeons during an international conference in 2000, but he asked them to avoid transplants with stem cells. Former Pope Benedict XVI has announced that he is an organ donor.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Quakers do not object to the practice and leave it up to their members if they want to put up their organs for donation or have transplants.

Love one another is the most basic teaching of Christianity and we believe organ donation is one example of how you can apply it to your life.

Remember there is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. (John 15:13) Being an organ donor is the Christian way of showing you care for your neighbors.

Visual Journalism for a Cause: The Waiting List | the Visual Student.

Most would agree that nothing’ could possibly be worse than when a chance to donate an organ is missed because of a  false belief that donation is prohibited.

 

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Jesus Christ the Original Blood Donor.

Ever Thought of Jesus as a Blood Donor? For  Ephesians 1.7  States “In Him We Have Redemption Through His Blood, the Forgiveness of Our Trespasses, According to the Riches of His Grace.    Christians should be encouraged to help others in need and look upon organ donation as an act of love, and a way of following Jesus’ example.

Sacrifice and Helping Others Are Key Themes Across All Forms of Christianity, and Therefore a Decision to Donate Organs Is Seen as a Positive Thing.

Is organ donation prohibited by your religion? Do you agree with organ donation?

Godinterest a Christian Social Network

Digital-Journal-LogoGodinterest.com allows members to upload and share photos from across the web with other users and create boards.

For those who love the social media site Pinterest but want to share within a Christian environment Godinterest could be a safe family friendly Christian alternative. A new online photo-sharing platform which strives to have Christian content, the site has been developed by Dean Jones a devoted Christian.

Jones, a 35-year-old Project Manager from London said, ” The popular photo-sharing Web site Pinterest.com is known for allowing its users to post a wide range of content. However, we are mindful of the values that we as Christian’s are bound by. Godinterest will enable our users to share within an Christian Social Network.“

However, should Christians use social media?
Jones said, “In today’s busy world, I believe that Christian ministries need to engage the public with social media and that there is added value in doing so. However, learning even the basics of social media can be a daunting task that’s why like Pinterest, Godinterest was designed with the beginner in mind, this means that people can easily create an account that they can use to market and brand their business.”

Godinterest is presently being used for organizing ideas including Church events, travel planning, inspirational quotes, home decorating ideas, meal planning and advice, wedding or event planning, activities for children, or any combination of ideas one’s heart desires.

When asked what’s special and about Godinterest Christian Social Network? Jones stated the following points:

  • Share Button – “Following in the footsteps of Pinterest’s Pin-It Button, The Godinterest share button makes it easy for users to collect the things they find on the web. After its installed, users just need to click ‘Share on Godinterest’ whenever they see something they want to share.”
  • Visual Imagery – “Imagine getting to do window-shopping of all the best and most creative things in the Christian world without having to go to the mall. Would you rather browse a beautiful shop or a list of items in a catalog? It is the use of visual imagery that sets Godinterest apart (in an important way) from traditional (text based) bookmarking sites.”
  • Organised Sets – “Godinterest has a way to organise these single images into sets. This adds a layer of value (Christian quotes, books, music and so on) to an otherwise Godinteresting photo.”
  • Self Expression – “Another innate human trait, there is a need to leave our mark on the world, to show how we see and experience God worlds. This shows up in how we decorate homes and trips we’ve been on, restaurants we have enjoyed, putting our spin on another person’s picture.Godinterest boards are a form of this self-expression, whether in the topics that interest users, or how they choose to fill a godinterest board to make it inspirational!”
  • Social Sharing – “Once we create something, we naturally want to share it with others. In this respect, I think Godinterest (just like Pinterest) lends itself better to social sharing far more than other services do. Think about how all the distasteful stuff that ends up in the news feed in other sites. But, contrast that with something created by someone else that you might find personally relevant, or at the very least simply amazing.”
  • Simple User Interface – “Want to increase participation in something? Lower the bar on what’s required.”
  • Discovering New Sites – “Use Godinterest to discover more Christian sites and products.”
  • Posts – “Unlike the posts on other sites, the posts on Godinterest have no expiry date.”

Godinterest could also offer both parents and teachers an easy, engaging way to share resources with other parents.

Jones said, “Did you ever notice all of the bulletin boards and posters covering the walls of most classrooms? Teachers have been part of the bulletin board culture for ages. Godinterest gives teachers the ability to do the same thing in a virtual environment. Boards provide a virtual space for teachers to share activities, lesson plans, and ideas.”

Savvy Christian business owners could use this social media site to market their business.

Jones said, “Godinterest Christian Social Network is a fun way to put all of your favorite Godinteresting in one spot, but be aware, it is very addictive! If you serve a congregation, educators or families, you could have a great friend and outreach tool in Godinterest. “

Free registration includes access to all of the website’s features, including sharing images with friends, following friends’ updates and creating boards.

Read more here!

 

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