{"title":"Life Issues","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"marriage-on-the-rock","title":"Marriage on the Rock","description":"\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; float: left;\" src=\"https:\/\/glowcentral.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Marriage-c2-196x300.jpg\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003eWith his head in his hands and tears in his eyes, he told me, “My marriage is on the rocks!” Like a ship wrecking on a rocky coast, his marriage was breaking apart. Countless couples go through this sad and painful experience every year. Children in these broken homes often feel devastated, abandoned, and betrayed. They long for the safety and security of home.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003eHow do couples fall out of love? What leads them to renounce their “till death do us part” vows? It could be the stress of finances, children, or family responsibilities. It could be that they neglected their relationship and grew complacent. Maybe they directed their attention elsewhere. Perhaps unrealistic expectations set them up for failure. Whatever the case, there is hope! The following tips can help you and your spouse steer away from the “rocks.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p5\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eWhere’s Your Focus?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003eSome people expect their spouses to be perfect while forgetting that they are less than perfect! Jesus once asked a question similar to this: “Why do you see the speck that is in your [spouse’s] eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? . . . First take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your [spouse’s] eye” (\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eMatthew 7:3-5\u003c\/span\u003e, ESV). Jesus was reminding us that no one is perfect. Instead of looking at our spouse’s shortcomings, we can try to be more patient, accepting, and supportive. Let’s focus on making positive changes in ourselves!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p5\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eGood Communication\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003eMany say they have good communication. By this they usually are referring to the fact that they talk a lot. However, talking is only a small part of good communication. Healthy communication involves assertiveness and active listening. Assertiveness is the ability to express our feelings, likes, dislikes, and desires. Active listening requires us to pay close attention to what the other person is saying, especially the feelings being expressed. Often, when someone speaks to us, we simply respond or react. But in active listening, we listen to understand, and then tell the other person what we heard. This helps us understand what the other person means and feels. It also helps the other person feel heard and understood. The Bible teaches, “Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger” (\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eJames 1:19\u003c\/span\u003e, ESV). That’s why a wise person once said that God gave us two ears and one mouth so that we would listen twice as much as we talk.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p5\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eConflict Resolution\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003eA proverb states, “A meal of bread and water in contented peace is better than a banquet spiced with quarrels” (\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eProverbs 17:1\u003c\/span\u003e). Conflict is present in every relationship at one time or another. Couples experience conflict over money, in-laws, sex, child-rearing, time, roles, responsibilities, and much more. We don’t need to eliminate conflict in order to have a happy marriage. Rather, the key to a happy marriage is to manage conflict in healthy ways.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003eWhen a discussion becomes heated, how should we handle it?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003e• Take at least 30 minutes to calm down (go for a walk, take a relaxing shower, pray, or another calming activity).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003e• Set a specific time together to discuss the disagreement.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003e• Limit the discussion to the current issue. Never bring up past failures. (They should have already been forgiven!)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003e• Focus on the issue—not each other. Avoid phrases like “You never,” “You always,” “You should,” or “You shouldn’t.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003e• Brainstorm! Write down as many strategies as possible for solving the problem. Do this without stopping to analyze them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003e• Discuss and evaluate the pros and cons of each solution. Narrow down the choices.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003e• Choose a strategy both spouses feel good about. Agree on what each spouse will do to carry out the solution.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003e• Set a time to follow up on how things are going.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003eWhen we’re busy, it’s easy to forget the last step—but it’s an important one. Following up gives the chance for continual growth. Conflict does not have to destroy our marriages! Instead, we can learn to manage it in a positive way.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p5\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eForgiveness\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003eWe have all said or done something, at some time, to hurt our spouse, or vice-versa. We may be angry and even resentful. We may hold a grudge for a long time. But resentment is like drinking a vial of poison and expecting the other person to die. Resentment and hatred hurt us and our relationships! The healthiest and best thing to do when our spouses hurt us is to forgive them. Scripture teaches, “Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you” (\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eEphesians 4:32\u003c\/span\u003e).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eForgiving does not mean that we deny or excuse the harm that was done. Instead, forgiveness is letting go of resentment toward the other person. Someone once said that forgiveness is setting the prisoner free only to realize the prisoner was you.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p3\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eMarriage on the Rock\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p4\"\u003eEvery marriage faces challenges from outside and from inside. Outside pressures include our jobs, traffic, the economy, school, weather, in-laws, and more. Inside pressures would be bills, laundry, our different tastes, parenting, illness, finances, sex, and on and on. All these pressures can push our marriages against the rocky shores of life. A spiritual foundation helps our homes withstand the storms of life. Jesus taught that if we would apply His words to our lives and marriages, we would be like “a smart carpenter who built his house on solid rock. Rain poured down, the river flooded, a tornado hit—but nothing moved that house. It was fixed to the rock” (\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eMatthew 7:24-25\u003c\/span\u003e).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eResearchers have concluded that one of the greatest strengths couples have is a common spiritual experience. Your marriage does not have to be on the rocks! God offers to build your marriage on the Solid Rock of His word and of His Son. The Bible is full of practical advice for a life-lasting relationship. For instance, Paul writes, “This provides a good picture of how each husband is to treat his wife, loving himself in loving her, and how each wife is to honor her husband” (\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eEphesians 5:33\u003c\/span\u003e). Also, “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor” (\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eRomans 12:10\u003c\/span\u003e, ESV). One more time, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves” (\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003ePhilippians 2:3\u003c\/span\u003e, ESV). Build your marriage on the Rock!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch6 class=\"p1\"\u003eUnless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are taken from THE MESSAGE, copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Scripture quotations marked ESV are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.\u003c\/h6\u003e\n\u003ch6 class=\"p1\"\u003eCover design: ©www.typofire.com\u003c\/h6\u003e","brand":"Giving Light to Our World","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42250065969335,"sku":"MOR","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0631\/6553\/0295\/files\/Marriagec2Rock.jpg?v=1706717159"},{"product_id":"media-and-the-brain","title":"Media and the Brain","description":"\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"margin-right: 15px; margin-bottom: 15px; float: left;\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/glowcentral.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Media-and-the-Brain-cover-196x300.png\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYears ago, just before the highly-anticipated release of the iPad, a journalist asked Steve Jobs, “So, your kids must love the iPad?” The journalist assumed, of course, that the children of Apple’s founder must enjoy unrivaled screen time with constant access to the latest tech devices.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWell, not exactly. Steve Jobs explained in the interview that his children had never used an iPad! Not once. If the journalist imagined a home littered with devices always in use, he was wrong. In the home of Apple’s CEO, family members ate meals together and talked about meaningful topics.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor the rest of us, though, it seems that entertainment and social media have saturated our lives. We may even praise its benefits and conveniences. But could modern media be the greatest distraction from life’s most meaningful activities?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAddiction\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe average teen now spends nine hours per day on entertainment and social media.\u003ca href=\"#_edn1\" name=\"_ednref1\"\u003e[1]\u003c\/a\u003e The average parent logs nearly eight hours per day of entertainment.\u003ca href=\"#_edn2\" name=\"_ednref2\"\u003e[2]\u003c\/a\u003e Even toddlers now use mobile devices. 97% of toddlers receive regular screen time,\u003ca href=\"#_edn3\" name=\"_ednref3\"\u003e[3]\u003c\/a\u003e and most of them have zero parental interaction while using the media.\u003ca href=\"#_edn4\" name=\"_ednref4\"\u003e[4]\u003c\/a\u003e The average child will spend more time watching television by the age of six than he will spend in conversation with his father over his entire lifetime.\u003ca href=\"#_edn5\" name=\"_ednref5\"\u003e[5]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDeuteronomy 6:7 portrays human relationships very differently. Instead of text messages and social media posts, God designed the family for togetherness. He instructed families to talk about His commandments throughout the day. “Talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.” Morning and evening, walking and talking, eating and worshipping, God designed families to be \u003cem\u003etogether\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFast forward to the 21\u003csup\u003est\u003c\/sup\u003e century. Researchers were astounded when they examined the brains of enthused iPhone users. Brain scans showed a literal \u003cem\u003elove relationship \u003c\/em\u003ewith the iPhone. They didn’t just like the phone or enjoy the phone. Interacting with their phones activated the same brain circuitry as interacting with and loving a family member or spouse!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen you begin having a love relationship with a piece of hardware, while spending less time with your loved ones, Matthew 24:12 is being fulfilled. In the last days “the love of many will grow cold.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDepression, Loneliness, Isolation\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSocial media was supposed to produce the most connected generation in history. Ironically, it has given rise to the highest rates of loneliness ever recorded. Heavy social media users are 2.7 times more likely to be depressed than those who use less social media.\u003ca href=\"#_edn6\" name=\"_ednref6\"\u003e[6]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou know the culture is struggling when you see these odd symptoms cropping up: A South Korean inventor recently revealed a couch with mechanical arms that can hug you. It’s designed to feel like you are being held close by a loved one.\u003ca href=\"#_edn7\" name=\"_ednref7\"\u003e[7]\u003c\/a\u003e Then there’s the cuddling with strangers craze—a real thing.\u003ca href=\"#_edn8\" name=\"_ednref8\"\u003e[8]\u003c\/a\u003e Lonely? Hire a professional cuddler. Inventors have also now designed social robots for preschoolers\u003ca href=\"#_edn9\" name=\"_ednref9\"\u003e[9]\u003c\/a\u003e and the elderly.\u003ca href=\"#_edn10\" name=\"_ednref10\"\u003e[10]\u003c\/a\u003e They can now have social experiences … with a robot? These strange phenomena didn’t exist just a few years ago. They reveal a deep social and spiritual deficit that is going unfulfilled by the shallow online social experience. We desperately need to replace the virtual with the real. We need to return to God’s design for human relationships (like the family and the church).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEntertainment media saturation has become so extreme that psychiatrists are now diagnosing actual media addictions.\u003ca href=\"#_edn11\" name=\"_ednref11\"\u003e[11]\u003c\/a\u003e According to the American Medical Association, there are 19 million video game addicts in America. Five million gamers even clock in at 40+ hours per week.\u003ca href=\"#_edn12\" name=\"_ednref12\"\u003e[12]\u003c\/a\u003e According to data collected by researcher George Barna, entertainment media addiction is the most serious and widespread addiction in America today. \u003cem\u003eThe majority\u003c\/em\u003e of Americans qualify as addicts to their favorite media.\u003ca href=\"#_edn13\" name=\"_ednref13\"\u003e[13]\u003c\/a\u003e Dr. Nicholas Kardaras is an addiction recovery specialist and author of the book \u003cem\u003eGlow Kids\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003ca href=\"#_edn14\" name=\"_ednref14\"\u003e[14]\u003c\/a\u003e “I've worked with hundreds of heroin addicts,” he explains. “It’s easier to treat a heroin addict than a true screen addict.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe addiction problem could even apply to you. Maybe you’re not even fully aware of it.  Feel like you can’t go a day without your favorite entertainment or social media? Take heart.  The Bible gives invincible hope to the addict. It promises absolute victory in Christ (1 Corinthians 15:57, 1 Corinthians 10:13)!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe founding president of Facebook, Sean Parker, admitted that Facebook was deliberately designed to hook users. Their applications, he explained, are “exploiting a vulnerability in human psychology.” Each like and comment were designed to be “a little dopamine hit” to keep users posting. “God only knows what it’s doing to our children’s brains,” he said.\u003ca href=\"#_edn15\" name=\"_ednref15\"\u003e[15]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSimple Pleasures\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIndeed, God does know how modern media affects our brains. As our loving Creator, God designed our brains to experience abundant joy in Him (John 10:10). He has the only antidote to our media saturation problem.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe beauty of nature,\u003ca href=\"#_edn16\" name=\"_ednref16\"\u003e[16]\u003c\/a\u003e the joy of family relationships,\u003ca href=\"#_edn17\" name=\"_ednref17\"\u003e[17]\u003c\/a\u003e tasty and nutritious food, serving others,\u003ca href=\"#_edn18\" name=\"_ednref18\"\u003e[18]\u003c\/a\u003e studying His word,\u003ca href=\"#_edn19\" name=\"_ednref19\"\u003e[19]\u003c\/a\u003e physical labor,\u003ca href=\"#_edn20\" name=\"_ednref20\"\u003e[20]\u003c\/a\u003e gardening,\u003ca href=\"#_edn21\" name=\"_ednref21\"\u003e[21]\u003c\/a\u003e worship, Sabbath rest\u003ca href=\"#_edn22\" name=\"_ednref22\"\u003e[22]\u003c\/a\u003e—these are God’s ways to an abundant life. And recent research studies show that each one of these actually increases happiness levels! On the other hand, studies consistently show more media consumption produces lower levels of happiness and higher levels of boredom.\u003ca href=\"#_edn23\" name=\"_ednref23\"\u003e[23]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnfortunately, though the Bible is “sweeter than honey” (Psalm 119:103), God’s word captures little interest these days. Why? After all, the Bible is the most printed, best-selling, most read book in history. Well, Proverbs 27:7 says that the “satisfied” person “loathes the honeycomb.” We’ve become so satisfied and overstimulated with modern media that the Bible seems uninteresting. Media has distorted our mental taste buds.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, if you talk to anyone who has done a 30-day media fast, you’ll hear the opposite. It goes something like this: “When I started my 30 days of abstaining from media, it was hard and even painful. But soon I realized how much time I had for better activities! I started to \u003cem\u003eenjoy\u003c\/em\u003e reading my Bible. I had more time to spend with loved ones, in nature, and on other simple pleasures.”\u003ca href=\"#_edn24\" name=\"_ednref24\"\u003e[24]\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Bible promises that God withholds no good thing from you (Psalm 84:11). He satisfies the desire of every living being (Psalm 145:16). Does some media addiction occupy too much time and brain space in your life? If you give up those distractions, you may moan and groan at first. But your mourning will be turned to joy (John 16:20)!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGod invites you to try it: “Taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8). If you exchange some of your media time for time in God’s word, you will find new meaning and purpose in a life lived in relationship with Jesus. “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (John 17:3).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch6\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#_ednref1\" name=\"_edn1\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003eScripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.\u003c\/h6\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e[1] https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/health\/kids-health\/kids-spend-astounding-nine-hours-day-front-screens-researchers-n456446\\\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"#_ednref2\" name=\"_edn2\"\u003e[2]\u003c\/a\u003e https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/health\/health-news\/role-models-parents-glued-screens-9-hours-day-n692541\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"#_ednref3\" name=\"_edn3\"\u003e[3]\u003c\/a\u003e http:\/\/pediatrics.aappublications.org\/content\/early\/2015\/10\/28\/peds.2015-2151\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"#_ednref4\" name=\"_edn4\"\u003e[4]\u003c\/a\u003e https:\/\/medicalxpress.com\/news\/2016-06-parents-tvs-tablets-electronic-babysitters.html\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"#_ednref5\" name=\"_edn5\"\u003e[5]\u003c\/a\u003e Media Talk 101, Seminar by Philip Telfer\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"#_ednref6\" name=\"_edn6\"\u003e[6]\u003c\/a\u003e https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/life-style\/health-and-families\/health-news\/social-media-depression-facebook-twitter-health-young-study-a6948401.html\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"#_ednref7\" name=\"_edn7\"\u003e[7]\u003c\/a\u003e https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/money\/nation-now\/2016\/03\/31\/strange-chair-hugs-back-furniture\/82458644\/\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"#_ednref8\" name=\"_edn8\"\u003e[8]\u003c\/a\u003ehttps:\/\/www.google.com\/search?q=cuddling+with+strangers\u0026amp;rlz=1C1PRFI_enUS746US746\u0026amp;oq=cuddling+with+sStrangers\u0026amp;aqs=chrome..69i57.2219j0j7\u0026amp;sourceid=chrome\u0026amp;ie=UTF-8\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"#_ednref9\" name=\"_edn9\"\u003e[9]\u003c\/a\u003e http:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/2015\/10\/05\/feds-spend-440885-for-robots-to-tell-preschoolers-stories.html\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"#_ednref10\" name=\"_edn10\"\u003e[10]\u003c\/a\u003e https:\/\/www.telegraph.co.uk\/science\/2017\/01\/11\/ai-robot-friend-launched-chat-play-games-lonely-elderly\/\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"#_ednref11\" name=\"_edn11\"\u003e[11]\u003c\/a\u003e https:\/\/www.psychologytoday.com\/us\/blog\/here-there-and-everywhere\/201407\/internet-gaming-disorder-in-dsm-5\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"#_ednref12\" name=\"_edn12\"\u003e[12]\u003c\/a\u003e http:\/\/www.vulture.com\/2017\/02\/video-games-are-better-than-real-life.html\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"#_ednref13\" name=\"_edn13\"\u003e[13]\u003c\/a\u003e https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/author_blog_posts\/290490-media-exposure-addiction\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"#_ednref14\" name=\"_edn14\"\u003e[14]\u003c\/a\u003e https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Glow-Kids-Screen-Addiction-Hijacking\/dp\/1250097991\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"#_ednref15\" name=\"_edn15\"\u003e[15]\u003c\/a\u003e https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/news\/the-switch\/wp\/2017\/11\/09\/facebooks-first-president-on-facebook-god-only-knows-what-its-doing-to-our-childrens-brains\/?utm_term=.75a588f106f6\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"#_ednref16\" name=\"_edn16\"\u003e[16]\u003c\/a\u003e http:\/\/time.com\/4662650\/nature-happiness-stress\/\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"#_ednref17\" name=\"_edn17\"\u003e[17]\u003c\/a\u003e https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/life-style\/health-and-families\/health-news\/the-secret-of-happiness-family-friends-and-your-environment-2053053.html\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"#_ednref18\" name=\"_edn18\"\u003e[18]\u003c\/a\u003e https:\/\/greatergood.berkeley.edu\/images\/uploads\/Post-AltruismHappinessHealth.pdf\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"#_ednref19\" name=\"_edn19\"\u003e[19]\u003c\/a\u003e https:\/\/greatergood.berkeley.edu\/images\/uploads\/Post-AltruismHappinessHealth.pdf\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"#_ednref20\" name=\"_edn20\"\u003e[20]\u003c\/a\u003e https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Working-Hands-Office-Fixing-Things\/dp\/0141047291\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"#_ednref21\" name=\"_edn21\"\u003e[21]\u003c\/a\u003e http:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2011\/HEALTH\/07\/08\/why.gardening.good\/index.html\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"#_ednref22\" name=\"_edn22\"\u003e[22]\u003c\/a\u003e http:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/fact-tank\/2007\/12\/14\/happiness-and-religious-attendance\/\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"#_ednref23\" name=\"_edn23\"\u003e[23]\u003c\/a\u003e https:\/\/www.kff.org\/other\/event\/generation-m2-media-in-the-lives-of\/\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"#_ednref24\" name=\"_edn24\"\u003e[24]\u003c\/a\u003e http:\/\/www.captivatedthemovie.com\/\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Giving Light to Our World","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42250093985975,"sku":"MAB","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0631\/6553\/0295\/files\/Media-and-the-Brain-cover.png?v=1706717444"},{"product_id":"am-i-good-enough","title":"Am I Good Enough?","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAm I Good Enough?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRyan grew up a religious person. He enjoyed having a little fun here and there, a harmless practical joke now and then. But he regularly attended worship services. He married a lovely woman, and they sang beautifully together as she played the old piano. They mostly performed songs about God’s love. Their favorite said, “I’ve wandered far away from God; now I’m coming home.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut then his wife found another man. From there, Ryan’s life quickly fell apart. He had one problem after another, until finally he went to prison for selling stolen cars. Home from prison at last, he took a new job—still breaking the law—and returned to prison for a few more years.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLate in Ryan’s life, as family and an occasional friend tried to persuade him to return to God, he quietly let them know, “I’m not good enough for God to take me back.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHave you ever felt that you were never good enough? Maybe one or both of your parents made you feel that way. Maybe it was the students at school. Or your teachers. It might have been your boss. Or all of the above. Somehow you just knew that you didn’t meet the expectations of the important people in your life—people whose love and respect you most wanted and needed. And if you weren’t good enough for them, how could you EVER hope to be good enough for God?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eClimbing Stairs on Your Knees\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMartin Luther felt that way, too. The beliefs and superstitions of his religion filled him with fear of God as a cruel dictator, a harsh judge. As a young man, he constantly feared that he would upset or offend God. The more he thought about it, the more guilty he felt. He tried hard to find pardon and peace by fasting, studying day and night, beating himself, until at last his health was gone and he still felt only guilt and despair.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinally, when everything seemed hopeless, a new-found friend brought him a completely different idea of God. The older man showed Luther in the Bible how he should stop looking at himself, stop thinking about the terrible punishment for breaking God’s law. Instead he should look to Jesus, his sin-pardoning Savior. “Instead of torturing yourself on account of your sins,” he said, “throw yourself into the Redeemer’s arms. Trust in Him.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn one last effort to find freedom from his sins, Luther began to climb “Pilate’s staircase” (a long flight of stairs) on his knees. Suddenly he heard a loud voice saying, “The just shall live by faith”—there is nothing you can DO to save yourself. The idea that man can save himself by his own works is at the foundation of every false religion. God does not require you to do some dreadful, difficult thing in order to have the forgiveness of sin. You don’t need to make long, tiring pilgrimages or perform painful penance to gain His forgiveness. Romans 3:20 says that no person can be declared righteous and forgiven, except by faith.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEvery effort to live a righteous, holy life through your own strength is doomed to failure. The Bible says that there is NO ONE who is righteous—not even one. ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of God—every person in the world (Romans 3:10, 23)! Then is your case hopeless? Is mine?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou might think you have been too bad for God to love. But even if you have been very sinful, the worse you are, the more you need Jesus. There is only one “unpardonable sin”—only one sin that God will not forgive (Matthew 12:31). It is to stubbornly refuse throughout your life to accept God’s invitation to repent and let His Holy Spirit work in your life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you deliberately choose to continue sinning, there is no sacrifice, nothing that you can do, that will cover your sins (Hebrews 10:26). But He has promised that if you confess your sins to Him, He is faithful and just—completely fair—to forgive you from sin and to cleanse you from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). Whoever tries to hide his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and gives them up, will receive God’s mercy (Proverbs 28:13). Christ said that everyone who has sinned is “a slave of sin” (John 8:34). Sin does produce guilt. Guilt can be a heavy load to carry, damaging its victim not only spiritually and emotionally but even physically and mentally. The cure—the antidote—for guilt is forgiveness, which gives a clear conscience and peace of mind. Jesus assured, “If the Son [Jesus Christ] makes you free, you shall be free indeed” (John 8:36).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDon’t think that you can ever be “good enough.” Only Jesus can be. Yet God still expects obedience to His law. No one is capable of obeying God in every thought and word and action. It is only through His power and by His Holy Spirit that people can ever be changed. As you trust God completely, and as you daily search for His will in your life, you will desire to do what He wants. It is by faith—by complete trust in Jesus Christ and His death on the cross for your sins—that God, the Father and Judge of all mankind, accepts Christ’s righteousness in the place of human failure. God then treats you and loves you as He does His own Son, Jesus.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow to Respond to the Enemy\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSatan wants to destroy your faith and your hope so that you will give up on God. He wants you to believe that you are too bad for God to save, that your case is hopeless, that you have been too bad for God to love you and forgive you. Satan may make you believe that you cannot come to God until you have made yourself good enough. You can answer Satan’s accusations with God’s promise that “the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out” (John 6:37). Tell the enemy that Christ’s blood shed on the cross cleanses from all sin. If you take even one step toward God in repentance, He is listening, waiting eagerly for you to give your life to Him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs Martin Luther’s friend told him wisely, “Listen to the Son of God. He became man to give you the assurance of divine favor.” He assured Luther that we have a kind heavenly Father, and counseled him, “Love Him who first loved you.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJesus loves to have us come to Him just as we are, sinful, helpless, and dependent. We may come with all our weakness, our foolishness, our sinfulness—our messed-up lives—and fall at His feet in repentance. He wants to encircle us in His love, to heal our wounded lives, and to clean us from all our sins. It is true that God hates sin, but He loves every sinner. He sent Jesus to our world so that everyone who chooses to accept His love and forgiveness can experience the peace and joy that come with freedom from guilt.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou may, like the apostle Paul, say, “Jesus Christ came to save sinners, of whom I am chief” (1 Timothy 1:15). Yet Jesus would have died for even one sinner. John 3:16 assures us that God loved the world so much that \u003cem\u003ewhoever\u003c\/em\u003e believes in Him will not perish (die eternally) but will have everlasting life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat “whoever” means Ryan. And it also means YOU.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eScripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Giving Light to Our World","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42251351457975,"sku":"AIGE","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0631\/6553\/0295\/files\/AmIgoodEnoughCoverweb.jpg?v=1706739054"},{"product_id":"evolution-impossible","title":"Evolution Impossible","description":"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eEvolution Impossible\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"335551550\":6,\"335551620\":6,\"335559740\":300}' data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eEvolution’s explanation for all the varied life forms on earth is an impossibility. That’s the perspective of a growing number of scientists who are willing to take the bold step of saying so. Following are four of the many compelling reasons to reject evolution compiled by scientist and author John F. Ashton MSc, PhD.\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"335551550\":6,\"335551620\":6,\"335559731\":432,\"335559740\":300}' data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"335551550\":6,\"335551620\":6,\"335559731\":432,\"335559740\":300}' data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eImpossible Mutations\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"335551550\":6,\"335551620\":6,\"335559740\":300}' data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eScientists today still cannot produce evidence demonstrating that large-scale evolution is even possible. Now some readers may already be thinking—hold on, scientists observe evolution taking place. True, we see small evolutionary changes in animals that have adapted to their environment. But you will find those changes always produce the same—or a similar—type of organism. It may have a slightly different shape or color. It may possess some relatively minor biochemical differences. It may even be classed as a different species—but it is still the same type of organism. Scientists now understand these changes come about either as a result of mutations altering the DNA of the organism or parts of the DNA code being switched on or off. \u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"335551550\":6,\"335551620\":6,\"335559731\":432,\"335559740\":300}' data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eDNA is a very large molecule that encodes the processes necessary for an organism to live and reproduce. If parts of that code are altered, this can cause structural changes—which, incidentally, are almost always harmful. Many evolutionists believe that given a long enough time, such small changes can eventually result in the evolution of vastly different organisms with new and different body parts, thus constituting a new “order” of animals or plants. But despite the claims of many nature documentaries and science texts, this type of evolution on any large scale has never been observed. It is true that relatively small beneficial single-gene mutations (i.e., affecting DNA that encodes a single trait) can sometimes occur. An example of this is seen in microorganisms that by random mutations developed the enzyme nylonase. (This allows them to digest nylon as a food source.) However, nylonase is a relatively simple protein, which does not even compare with the amount or extent of massive DNA changes needed for a fish to evolve into an amphibian—or any analogous major changes in organisms. It is not merely a matter of having enough time for many small changes to accumulate. Even the smallest steps would require such huge genetic changes that many honest scientists have concluded it is so improbable as to be essentially impossible—and this is their assessment when it comes to the smallest steps! Furthermore, DNA has inbuilt repair functions designed to limit major mutations. DNA is actually designed to prevent the evolution of a new type of organism.\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"335551550\":6,\"335551620\":6,\"335559731\":432,\"335559740\":300}' data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWhen we consider the amazing diversity of species living today—we have discovered about two million species in existence—with an estimated 100 million to 200 million different types of species living in the past, each with its own unique DNA code, we have to ask ourselves a question: “What is the origin of all the complex DNA code which produces the incredibly complex creatures and functioning ecosystems that we see around us?” There is absolutely no evidence that random mutations can produce complex advanced information that can result in the high performance wing systems of insects and birds, the reproductive systems of mammals, and the sonar systems of bats and whales—let alone the human mind.\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"335551550\":6,\"335551620\":6,\"335559731\":432,\"335559740\":300}' data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"335551550\":6,\"335551620\":6,\"335559740\":300}' data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eDating Methods\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"335551550\":6,\"335551620\":6,\"335559740\":300}' data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eOn to another question. How old are fossils? Some radiometric dating methods give values of millions to hundreds of millions of years for the rocks surrounding fossils. But when we examine the data, we find that dating rock layers can give vastly different ages depending on the method used. For example, a particular rock formation in the Grand Canyon has been dated at 516 million years, 892 million years, 1,111 million years, 1,385 million years and 1,588 million years depending on the method used.* So how old would you say that rock was?\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"335551550\":6,\"335551620\":6,\"335559731\":432,\"335559740\":300}' data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eVolcanic rocks formed during a 1950s New Zealand eruption were subjected to modern radiometric dating techniques. Although the rocks were known to be only 50 years old, the dating methods gave ages ranging from hundreds of millions to thousands of millions of years.* If these methods assign old ages to recent rocks, how can we know with confidence the age of any rock?\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"335551550\":6,\"335551620\":6,\"335559731\":432,\"335559740\":300}' data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eCarbon-14 dating, the only method that actually dates the fossils (and not merely the rocks around them), appears to be the most accurate technique. It can give dates only in thousands (as opposed to millions) of years. Recent discoveries of soft tissue and DNA fragments in fossils, including dinosaur fossils supposedly millions of years old, support the carbon-14 ages of only thousands of years for the fossils.\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"335551550\":6,\"335551620\":6,\"335559731\":432,\"335559740\":300}' data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cb data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe Cell\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"335551550\":6,\"335551620\":6,\"335559740\":300}' data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eFinally, current evidence indicates it is impossible for life to start by itself. Textbooks sometimes refer to this as abiogenesis or the chemical evolution of life. The first living cell would require hundreds of different types of very large molecules, including the genetic code compounds (RNA and\/or DNA) to form by themselves. These molecules are difficult if not impossible to synthesize in the laboratory let alone form naturally—and most are relatively unstable, readily breaking down into smaller inactive compounds. Moreover, millions of copies of some of these molecules would be necessary to provide concentrations sufficient to make hundreds of biochemical reactions go in just the right direction at just the right rate—in order to have life. \u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"335551550\":6,\"335551620\":6,\"335559731\":432,\"335559740\":300}' data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eMathematical modeling indicates this is absolutely impossible to happen by chance alone. In fact, if we take a live single-cell E. coli bacteria and make a small hole in its outer membrane, its chemical reactions are so disrupted that the cell will die. Furthermore, no human can make it come back to life. All the chemical components are still there, but we cannot restart the hundreds of chemical reactions simultaneously in just the right state of disequilibrium—the requirement for life.\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"335551550\":6,\"335551620\":6,\"335559731\":432,\"335559740\":300}' data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWhen we consider the scientific knowledge we have about life on earth, we can say with certainty that evolution alone as an explanation for the diversity of life on our planet is totally impossible. Instead, science reveals evidence of an awesome intelligent designer operating at least on some level. Why not consider what the Holy Bible claims?—a loving Creator God formed our world, but an enemy, called Satan, has been seeking to obliterate the evidence of His creative acts. The Bible does not stop there. Not only did God plan for your existence, the Bible’s last book, Revelation, claims He has a plan for a recreated earth with everlasting happiness for you. \u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"335551550\":6,\"335551620\":6,\"335559731\":432,\"335559740\":300}' data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e*For more information about the scientific studies showing that life on Earth did not evolve, see \u003ci data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eEvolution Impossible: 12 Reasons Why Evolution Cannot Explain the Origin of Life on Earth\u003c\/i\u003e by John F. Ashton PhD, Master Books, Green Forest, 2012.\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"335551550\":6,\"335551620\":6,\"335559740\":300}' data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eCover images: ©SensorSpot\/E+\/Getty Images\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"335551550\":6,\"335551620\":6,\"335559740\":300}' data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"335551550\":6,\"335551620\":6,\"335559731\":432,\"335559740\":300}' data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Giving Light to Our World","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42251460804791,"sku":"EI","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0631\/6553\/0295\/files\/EvolutionImpossibleCover.jpg?v=1706740798"},{"product_id":"help-for-loneliness","title":"Help for Loneliness","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eHelp For Loneliness\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"201341983\":0,\"335551550\":2,\"335551620\":2,\"335559731\":432,\"335559739\":200,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"201341983\":0,\"335551550\":6,\"335551620\":6,\"335559739\":200,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter placing 37,760 silent phone calls to directory assistance, a 44-year old Japanese man explained that he simply wanted to listen to the kind voices of female telephone operators. He confessed to making around 900 calls per day from his mobile phone. “When I made a complaint call once, the operator dealt with it very kindly,” he told police.\u003cspan data-fontsize=\"12\"\u003e1\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"201341983\":0,\"335551550\":6,\"335551620\":6,\"335559731\":432,\"335559739\":200,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the setting of the most technologically connected world ever, the current generation is facing an epidemic of loneliness. Some of these lonely people suffer unseen in nursing homes; others grab headlines when, in an apparent final attempt to be known, they gun down a classroom of children. Far more of the lonely \u003ci\u003eseem\u003c\/i\u003e connected and normal but long for deeper and more meaningful relationships.  \u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"201341983\":0,\"335551550\":6,\"335551620\":6,\"335559731\":432,\"335559739\":200,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhether or not you \u003ci\u003efeel\u003c\/i\u003e lonely is not the whole issue. When we fail to have close, supportive relationships, our own health suffers. In the middle of illness we are not as strong. For example, Harvard University published data on 2,835 women who were diagnosed with breast cancer over a ten-year period. The research team looked at each woman’s social support. Compared to women who were well integrated socially, those who were socially isolated showed more than double the risk of dying from breast cancer during the decade-long study. Additionally, the socially isolated women were 67 percent more likely to die from any cause.\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"201341983\":0,\"335551550\":6,\"335551620\":6,\"335559731\":432,\"335559739\":200,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis remarkable finding is not unique. The medical literature reminds us that loneliness is not only tragic, but can also physically damage our bodies.\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"201341983\":0,\"335551550\":6,\"335551620\":6,\"335559731\":432,\"335559739\":200,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"201341983\":0,\"335551550\":6,\"335551620\":6,\"335559739\":200,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eStrategies To Combat Loneliness\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"201341983\":0,\"335551550\":2,\"335551620\":2,\"335559731\":432,\"335559739\":200,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFortunately, you are not doomed to live a life of loneliness. Here are seven powerful strategies that can help you become more connected with those around you. You don’t need to implement all seven. However, the more you put into practice, the better the likelihood that you will expand your social connections.\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"201341983\":0,\"335551550\":6,\"335551620\":6,\"335559731\":432,\"335559739\":200,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eStep out of your comfort zone to meet like-minded people\u003c\/b\u003e. If you’re a gardening enthusiast, join a local gardening club.If you want to make a difference in your community, why not join a service organization? Look for clubs and organizations in your city or town that interest you. Check online, in the old-fashioned Yellow Pages, in the newspaper, or call your local chamber of commerce.\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"201341983\":0,\"335551550\":6,\"335551620\":6,\"335559731\":432,\"335559739\":200,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eGet a pet.\u003c\/b\u003eCompanion animals are a great tool for making friends. If you’re having trouble connecting with people in your neighborhood, consider adopting a likeable dog from the local shelter. In the context of walking your dog, going to a dog park, or even running errands with your pet, you’ll likely be surprised how much social interaction is created.\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"201341983\":0,\"335551550\":6,\"335551620\":6,\"335559731\":432,\"335559739\":200,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eSeek out those lonelier than yourself.\u003c\/b\u003eIf you don’t feel very connected in your workplace, look for someone else who seems to be a loner. If that individual rejects your attempt at friendship, try to develop relationships in a setting where your attempts are more likely to be accepted. As already mentioned, extended care facilities have many lonely people and are easy to find. Why not contact a local nursing home and see if the administration would allow you to share something to brighten someone’s day? Your initial visit might involve giving away a potted plant or some of those already-read books on your bookshelf.\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"201341983\":0,\"335551550\":6,\"335551620\":6,\"335559731\":432,\"335559739\":200,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eVolunteer.\u003c\/b\u003eMany workplaces don’t encourage the development of close social ties. Today’s neighborhoods and apartments often seem engineered to insulate and isolate rather than to create connectedness. However, stepping into a volunteer position often provides an opportunity to engage with other staff (and often those you serve) in more meaningful ways. Furthermore, medical research shows that volunteerism itself is health enhancing.\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"201341983\":0,\"335551550\":6,\"335551620\":6,\"335559731\":432,\"335559739\":200,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eReconnect with family.\u003c\/b\u003eMake family time a priority—even if there are tensions in your relationships. Although emotionally difficult, one of the most powerful socially-connecting practices is making wrongs right and fixing broken relationships. If you’ve isolated yourself from a family member who wounded you, why not lovingly confront him or her and communicate your willingness to forgive? \u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"201341983\":0,\"335551550\":6,\"335551620\":6,\"335559731\":432,\"335559739\":200,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn the other hand, if you have good relations with children or grandchildren, plan to strengthen those ties. Many of today’s activities don’t maximize social interaction. Entertainment-based family time tends to be big on the entertainment and small on the family.\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"201341983\":0,\"335551550\":6,\"335551620\":6,\"335559731\":432,\"335559739\":200,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003col start=\"6\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eConnect on a vertical level.\u003c\/b\u003eThroughout history some of the world’s most lasting friendships were founded on a common spiritual foundation. Regardless of your spiritual roots, why not consider a fresh reading of the Bible? Arguably no single book has promoted social connectedness in North America more than the Bible. A great place to start is with the New Testament’s four gospels. Many scholars believe that the Bible was written not only to connect you with the Divine, but also with other people.\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"201341983\":0,\"335551550\":6,\"335551620\":6,\"335559731\":432,\"335559739\":200,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePutting it all Together\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"201341983\":0,\"335551550\":2,\"335551620\":2,\"335559731\":432,\"335559739\":200,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003col start=\"7\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eHarness synergy.\u003c\/b\u003eEach of the preceding six strategies can be powerful by itself. However, if you do more than one at the same time you can multiply their impact. Since most of us (even lonely people) are busy, the more we can accomplish with a single activity, the better. Consider the following:\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"201341983\":0,\"335551550\":6,\"335551620\":6,\"335559731\":432,\"335559739\":200,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli data-listid=\"4\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eCombine a refocus on spiritual things with volunteerism and community service\u003c\/b\u003e. Help a church or other faith group that is actively making a difference in your community. For example, more congregations are getting involved in health initiatives. If you’re having trouble finding one, check out the websites of community-based health programs that work closely with houses of faith such as CREATION Health (creationhealth.com), The Complete Health Improvement Program (chiphealth.com), or The Nedley Depression Recovery Program (nedleydepressionrecovery.com).  \u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"201341983\":0,\"335551550\":6,\"335551620\":6,\"335559685\":0,\"335559731\":432,\"335559739\":200,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli data-listid=\"4\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eMake family time a time of spiritual growth.\u003c\/b\u003e  Whether you’re a single parent with an only child, a grandparent with limited access to your grandchildren, or a busy person living at home with more than one adult and multiple children, you can still make this work. When you can get even a couple of people together for ten minutes to read from spiritually uplifting material, you will find connectedness. Social scientists testify to the value of such content-rich family associations. The reading and discussion will bring you closer together and help ensure that your children or grandchildren know how to express themselves with more than a tweet or text message.\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"201341983\":0,\"335551550\":6,\"335551620\":6,\"335559685\":0,\"335559731\":432,\"335559739\":200,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003col start=\"8\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eGet Professional Help.\u003c\/b\u003eThis final point serves as a bonus strategy—one you probably won’t need if you’re already carrying out some of the preceding strategies. However, if loneliness has moved to depression—and you have thoughts of harming yourself or others—reach out and tell someone. If you don’t know where to turn, try the toll-free National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255).\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"201341983\":0,\"335551550\":6,\"335551620\":6,\"335559731\":432,\"335559739\":200,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eConclusion\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"201341983\":0,\"335551550\":2,\"335551620\":2,\"335559731\":432,\"335559739\":200,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe man who placed 37,760 phone calls to directory assistance faced the same loneliness you may be facing right now. Ultimately, there is only one Being who can satisfy your thirst for deep connection and unfailing friendship: God. He says, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you” (Jeremiah 31:3). God doesn’t hang up, give up, or give the cold shoulder. Why not check out the Bible study plan offered on the back panel? \u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"201341983\":0,\"335551550\":6,\"335551620\":6,\"335559731\":432,\"335559739\":200,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-fontsize=\"10\"\u003e1\u003c\/span\u003ehttp:\/\/news.sky.com\/story\/448338\/man-makes-37760-silent-phone-calls\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"201341983\":0,\"335551550\":6,\"335551620\":6,\"335559739\":200,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eScripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"201341983\":0,\"335559739\":200,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"201341983\":0,\"335559739\":200,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Giving Light to Our World","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42251481153719,"sku":"HL","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0631\/6553\/0295\/files\/HelpforLonelinessRGB.jpg?v=1706741397"},{"product_id":"is-there-hope-for-the-future","title":"Is There Hope for the Future","description":"\u003cp\u003eIt’s no secret that Planet Earth is a mess these days. Major news networks almost constantly carry shocking reports of deadly natural disasters, terrorist atrocities, violent crimes, political corruption, and economic woes. We hear of spiraling heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, even among young children. Such boiler-point pressures are taking their toll on everyone seeking to maintain sanity amid chaos.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEven if you and your family have managed to escape many of these difficulties, most homes still struggle with daily living. Countless fathers have so many bills to pay that they spend little quality time with their children. Many mothers are so overwhelmed with home responsibilities that they often sink beneath the strain. Caught in the middle of previously unimaginable stresses, children grow up too fast, face tougher times in school, and often develop harmful habits. Many kids spend thousands of hours playing addicting video games, some of which have inspired violent crimes. Instant Internet access also exposes even young boys and girls to bizarre sexual temptations that contaminate the soul. What can concerned parents do? What kind of world will our kids inherit? Is there any real hope for the future?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProphecies and Promises\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf life on earth is weighing you down, have you considered \u003cem\u003elooking up? \u003c\/em\u003eAs amazing as it seems, the Bible contains stunning prophecies that not only pinpoint our chaotic generation (see 2 Timothy 3:1-5), but also offer hope for everyone. In that sacred volume, God Himself has an ultimate solution for our out-of-control world. He soon will send Jesus Christ back to earth to right all wrongs, destroy evil, and usher in permanent peace. Based on current signs being fulfilled all around us (see Luke 21:25-28), \u003cem\u003ethat Day is coming soon. \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTwo thousand years ago, Jesus was about to die an agonizing death on the cross for our sins, be buried, rise, and ascend to heaven (see Mark 15 and 16). Just before all this, Jesus left us with this promise:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eLet not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also \u003c\/em\u003e(John 14:1-3).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eDid you catch that? \u003c\/em\u003e“I will come again,” our Savior promised. But how will He come? By reincarnating Himself? By appearing as a ghost? No. The Bible is clear that Jesus Christ’s return will be cataclysmic, highly visible, and exceedingly loud. His coming will result in the physical resurrection of dead people worldwide. Paul wrote:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eFor the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord \u003c\/em\u003e(1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAccording to Paul, when Jesus returns to earth, His feet won’t even touch the ground. On the contrary, God’s people will be “caught up” to Him. So if you see someone walking around on earth claiming to be Christ, don’t be fooled. \u003cem\u003eIt won’t be Him,\u003c\/em\u003e but an imposter (see Matthew 24:24-27). Adding more clarity, Peter also predicted:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBut the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. . . . Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells\u003c\/em\u003e (2 Peter 3:10, 13).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA Total Remake\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNotice that Heaven’s plan isn’t to slap a Band-Aid on a global crisis. God won’t use peace treaties, the United Nations, earthly governments, moral legislation, law enforcement officers, or any proposal initiated by fallen men to permanently solve earth’s deadly woes. Ultimately, such measures won’t work anyway. Instead, He will utterly eradicate evil by melting “the elements . . . with fervent heat.” All pollution, global toxicity, gross immorality, and wickedness will be “burned up.” Then God Himself will recreate “new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” Now don’t miss this:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAnd God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new” \u003c\/em\u003e(Revelation 21:4-5).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHow exciting! In spite of the dreariness we observe around us, there’s hope for us all. Amid trials that thicken daily, God longs for us to \u003cem\u003elook up! \u003c\/em\u003eDon’t be discouraged. Read His book. Pray. Confess your sins. Trust Jesus. He will forgive and help you.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYet make no mistake about this one thing: Until Jesus returns, life won’t be a picnic in the park. Lucifer remains intensely active behind the scenes (see Revelation 12:12). The Bible even warns that our ancient enemy will attempt to counterfeit Jesus’ return by using “all [his] power, signs, and lying wonders” (2 Thessalonians 2:9). Don’t be duped by the devil.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUnmistakable Arrival\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGod’s word is clear. “Behold, He [Jesus Christ] is coming with clouds, \u003cem\u003eand every eye will see Him”\u003c\/em\u003e (Revelation 1:7, emphasis added). Jesus Himself also predicted that He will descend in the clouds “in the glory of His Father with His angels” (Matthew 16:27). Clearly, nobody will miss it. As myriads of powerful angels escort the King of Kings back to earth, no one will mistake His arrival. So again, don’t be seduced by satanic counterfeits—even ones that work miracles.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDear friend, although there is no earthly solution to earth’s unsolvable woes, take heart. God knows our difficulties, trials, and struggles. “Let not your heart be troubled” is our Savior’s encouraging word to each of us. He has made an unbreakable promise: “I will come again” (John 14:3). Until then, don’t give up. Hold on. Pray for your friends and relatives who need God’s grace. The good Lord will hear your prayers. With His help, be a shining light in the surrounding darkness. “The darker the night,” someone wisely stated, “the brighter the stars.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUntil Jesus returns, “be strong in the Lord” (Ephesians 6:10). When King Jesus returns, He Himself will establish everlasting peace in God’s new earth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWill \u003cem\u003eyou \u003c\/em\u003ebe there?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e---\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eScripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Cover image: ©www.iStockphoto.com.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Giving Light to Our World","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42251502092471,"sku":"IHFTF","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0631\/6553\/0295\/files\/IsthereHopefortheFuturecoverfinal.jpg?v=1706741873"},{"product_id":"talking-with-god","title":"Talking with God","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTalking With God\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"335551550\":2,\"335551620\":2,\"335559731\":432,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"335551550\":2,\"335551620\":2,\"335559731\":432,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePrayer is the opening of the heart to God as to a friend. Not that it is necessary in order to make known to God what we are, but in order to enable us to receive Him. Prayer does not bring God down to us, but brings us up to Him. When Jesus was upon the earth, He taught His disciples how to pray. He directed them to present their daily needs before God, and to cast all their care upon Him. And the assurance He gave them that their petitions should be heard is assurance also to us.\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"335551550\":6,\"335551620\":6,\"335559731\":432,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eOur Need to Pray\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"335551550\":2,\"335551620\":2,\"335559731\":432,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJesus Himself, while He dwelt among men, was often in prayer. Our Savior identified Himself with our needs and weakness, in that He became a suppliant, a petitioner, seeking from His Father fresh supplies of strength, that He might come forth braced for duty and trial. He is our example in all things. He is a brother in our infirmities, “in all points tempted as we are;” but as the sinless one His nature recoiled from evil; He endured struggles and torture of soul in a world of sin. His humanity made prayer a necessity and a privilege. He found comfort and joy in communion with His Father. And if the Savior of men, the Son of God, felt the need of prayer, how much more should feeble, sinful mortals feel the necessity of fervent, constant prayer. \u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"335551550\":6,\"335551620\":6,\"335559731\":432,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur heavenly Father waits to bestow upon us the fullness of His blessing. It is our privilege to drink largely at the fountain of boundless love. What a wonder it is that we pray so little! God is ready and willing to hear the sincere prayer of the humblest of His children, and yet there is much manifest reluctance on our part to make known our wants to God. What can the angels of heaven think of poor helpless human beings, who are subject to temptation, when God’s heart of infinite love yearns toward them, ready to give them more than they can ask or think, and yet they pray so little and have so little faith? The angels love to bow before God; they love to be near Him. They regard communion with God as their highest joy; and yet the children of earth, who need so much the help that God only can give, seem satisfied to walk without the light of His Spirit, the companionship of His presence. \u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"335551550\":6,\"335551620\":6,\"335559731\":432,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"335551550\":6,\"335551620\":6,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe Key to Overcome\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"335551550\":2,\"335551620\":2,\"335559731\":432,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe darkness of the evil one encloses those who neglect to pray. The whispered temptations of the enemy entice them to sin; and it is all because they do not make use of the privileges that God has given them in the divine appointment of prayer. Why should the sons and daughters of God be reluctant to pray, when prayer is the key in the hand of faith to unlock heaven’s storehouse, where are treasured the boundless resources of Omnipotence? Without unceasing prayer and diligent watching we are in danger of growing careless and of deviating from the right path. The adversary seeks continually to obstruct the way to the mercy seat, that we may not by earnest supplication and faith obtain grace and power to resist temptation. \u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"335551550\":6,\"335551620\":6,\"335559731\":432,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePray in your closet, and as you go about your daily labor let your heart be often uplifted to God. It was thus that Enoch walked with God. These silent prayers rise like precious incense before the throne of grace. Satan cannot overcome him whose heart is thus stayed upon God.  \u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"335551550\":6,\"335551620\":6,\"335559731\":432,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eConditions of Prayer\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"335551550\":2,\"335551620\":2,\"335559731\":432,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are certain conditions upon which we may expect that God will hear and answer our prayers. One of the first of these is that we feel our need of help from Him. He has promised, “I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and floods on the dry ground” (Isaiah 44:3). Those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, who long after God, may be sure that they will be filled. The heart must be open to the Spirit’s influence, or God’s blessing cannot be received. \u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"335551550\":6,\"335551620\":6,\"335559731\":432,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur great need is itself an argument and pleads most eloquently in our behalf. But the Lord is to be sought unto to do these things for us. He says, “Ask, and it will be given to you.” And “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things” (Matthew 7:7; Romans 8:32)?\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"335551550\":6,\"335551620\":6,\"335559731\":432,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf we regard iniquity in our hearts, if we cling to any known sin, the Lord will not hear us; but the prayer of the penitent, contrite soul is always accepted. When all known wrongs are righted, we may believe that God will answer our petitions. Our own merit will never commend us to the favor of God; it is the worthiness of Jesus that will save us, His blood that will cleanse us; yet we have a work to do in complying with the conditions of acceptance. \u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"335551550\":6,\"335551620\":6,\"335559731\":432,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother element of prevailing prayer is faith. “He who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6). Jesus said to His disciples, “Whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them” (Mark 11:24). Do we take Him at His word? \u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"335551550\":6,\"335551620\":6,\"335559731\":432,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"335551550\":6,\"335551620\":6,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eNothing Too Big for God to \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eCarry\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"335551550\":2,\"335551620\":2,\"335559731\":432,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKeep your wants, your joys, your sorrows, your cares, and your fears before God. You cannot burden Him; you cannot weary Him. He who numbers the hairs of your head is not indifferent to the wants of His children. “The Lord is very compassionate and merciful” (James 5:11). His heart of love is touched by our sorrows and even by our utterances of them. Take to Him everything that perplexes the mind. Nothing is too great for Him to bear, for He holds up worlds, He rules over all the affairs of the universe. Nothing that in any way concerns our peace is too small for Him to notice. There is no chapter in our experience too dark for Him to read; there is no perplexity too difficult for Him to unravel. No calamity can befall the least of His children, no anxiety harass the soul, no joy cheer, no sincere prayer escape the lips, of which our heavenly Father is unobservant, or in which He takes no immediate interest. “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” (Psalm 147:3). The relations between God and each soul are as distinct and full as though there were not another soul upon the earth to share His watch-care, not another soul for whom He gave His beloved Son.\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"335551550\":6,\"335551620\":6,\"335559731\":432,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the book \u003ci\u003ePeace \u003c\/i\u003e\u003ci\u003eAbove\u003c\/i\u003e\u003ci\u003e the Storm, \u003c\/i\u003eoriginally titled \u003ci\u003eSteps to Christ.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eScripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Giving Light to Our World","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43952217358519,"sku":"TWG","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0631\/6553\/0295\/files\/Talking-with-God-web-196x300.jpg?v=1732338261"},{"product_id":"where-is-god-when-i-m-hurting","title":"Where Is God When I'm Hurting?","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWhere is God When I’m Hurting?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"201341983\":0,\"335551550\":2,\"335551620\":2,\"335559739\":200,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"201341983\":0,\"335559731\":720,\"335559739\":200,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe day begins. Any given day. A family of five starts a drive across town. The crash is sudden. Metal, plastic and flesh are torn apart. Three are dead and two are severely injured. But the drunk driver in the speeding truck that hit them is merely bruised. Why? \u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"201341983\":0,\"335559731\":432,\"335559739\":200,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA terrible dictator seizes control of an entire nation, and millions suffer his abuses. Why? \u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"201341983\":0,\"335559731\":432,\"335559739\":200,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe doctor says, “I have some bad news,” and then he sadly explains that you have cancer. Why?\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"201341983\":0,\"335559731\":432,\"335559739\":200,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEvery day stories like these unfold. Sometimes we merely hear about them secondhand or on the nightly news, and other times the story is our own. Once we steady ourselves from the shock, we can’t help but ask the most natural question in the world: if God is all-powerful and all-good, why do we suffer at all? It’s hard to imagine a bigger or more important question. And we all ask it sooner or later. \u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"201341983\":0,\"335559731\":432,\"335559739\":200,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot many possible answers are available. Think about it. Either God is \u003ci\u003ewilling\u003c\/i\u003e to prevent bad things from happening and can’t, in which case He is not all-powerful. Or God is able to prevent bad things from happening but He’s \u003ci\u003eunwilling\u003c\/i\u003e, in which case He is not good. Or, there’s a third option: God is both able and willing, but God is love, in which case there is a line that even Almighty God will not cross, and that line is our free will.\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"201341983\":0,\"335559731\":432,\"335559739\":200,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Bible teaches the third position, and a better or more comforting answer is impossible to imagine. In short, the human story, as told in the Bible, goes like this:\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"201341983\":0,\"335559731\":432,\"335559739\":200,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e“God is love” (1 John 4:16). This is the basic, fundamental truth about God.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e“God created man in His own image” (Genesis 1:27). That is, God made humans with the capacity to love like God loves—by the exercise of free will.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHaving been made with free will and therefore with the capacity for love, mankind has “sinned and fallen” from the glorious moral position of his original creation (Romans 3:23).\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eButhere isgood news: God has developed an incredible rescue plan by which any and all human beings who so desire will be saved “by grace…through faith” (Ephesians 2:8)—not by imposed power of force, but by the drawing, transforming power of God’s love. Love is the only way God can destroy evil and suffering while at the same time preserving our free will and with it our ability to love.\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"201341983\":0,\"335559731\":432,\"335559739\":200,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eIs It Fair?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"201341983\":0,\"335551550\":2,\"335551620\":2,\"335559731\":432,\"335559739\":200,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo the short answer to why we suffer is that we and other human beings—in the past and in the present—have chosen evil, and suffering is the result. It’s not fair. It’s not even reasonable. Sin is, by definition, unfair, unjust, hurtful, and wrong. It’s downright brutal. But one thing it is not: sin is not God’s will. God does not want us to suffer. But neither does He want to make us slaves or robots. To be human is to be free, and to be free means we can either choose good or evil with their respective effects. \u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"201341983\":0,\"335559731\":432,\"335559739\":200,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe plain truth shows that love cannot exist without free will, and free will by its very nature allows for bad choices to be made. So when we say that if God were good He would not allow anyone to ever do anything to cause pain to oneself or to anyone else, we simply are not making logical sense. The opposite is actually true: precisely because God is good, He must allow us to make choices, both good and bad, and experience their outcomes. God always and only wants us to choose good, but He will not force us. God never wills evil or the pain that attends it. We do. Suffering is the by-product of human choices, not God’s. That is the sober reality of freedom. \u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"201341983\":0,\"335559731\":432,\"335559739\":200,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYet God is so good that He cannot remain isolated or insulated from our suffering. According to the Bible, He is “touched with the feeling of our infirmities” (Hebrews 4:15, KJV). Speaking of God’s relation to human pain, the prophet Isaiah said, “In all their affliction He was afflicted” (Isaiah 63:9). God so deeply loves each member of the human race that Jesus basically said that anything we do for or against one another is as if we did those deeds to Him (Matthew 25:41-45). All suffering touches God. He is aware of all the tears we cry and the sorrow, grief, or anguish behind them. King David sang of God’s deep sympathy: “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book” (Psalm 56:8, NLT). Love is like that. It suffers with those who suffer. \u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"201341983\":0,\"335559731\":432,\"335559739\":200,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eNothing Too Big for God to \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eCarry\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"201341983\":0,\"335551550\":2,\"335551620\":2,\"335559731\":432,\"335559739\":200,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut the story gets even more amazing. Not only does God feel our pain in His heart from a distance, He literally plunged down into our pain to make a way of ultimate escape from it. Jesus Christ came to “taste death for everyone” (Hebrews 2:9). “He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. . . . He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities . . . and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:4-6). The greatest evidence of God’s love in the face of our pain is that He shares it. He has not left us to suffer alone. That God came into our world and voluntarily experienced our suffering makes the God of the Bible totally incredible.\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"201341983\":0,\"335559731\":432,\"335559739\":200,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhatever comes your way, here are two unchangeable truths you can be sure of: first, God is love and He loves you personally. Second, God will ultimately make all wrongs right and heal the wounds this world has given you. When Jesus suffered and died on the cross, He proved that God loves fallen, suffering humanity more than His own life. His death ensured that all who put their faith in Him will have a glorious future completely free from all suffering. The promise of the Bible, made sure by the death of Christ on the cross, is for you:\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"201341983\":0,\"335559731\":432,\"335559739\":200,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e“God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away\u003c\/i\u003e” (Revelation 21:4).\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"201341983\":0,\"335559731\":432,\"335559739\":200,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnless otherwise noted, Scripture is taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. \u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"201341983\":0,\"335559739\":200,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eScripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"201341983\":0,\"335559739\":200,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"201341983\":0,\"335559739\":200,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCover image: ©delihayat\/Vetta\/Getty Images\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"201341983\":0,\"335559739\":200,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"201341983\":0,\"335559739\":200,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-ccp-props='{\"201341983\":0,\"335559739\":200,\"335559740\":300}'\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Giving Light to Our World","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43952251076791,"sku":"WIG","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0631\/6553\/0295\/files\/NEW-Where-is-God-Cover-v3-c1-web.jpg?v=1732338781"}],"url":"https:\/\/glowcentral.org\/collections\/life-issues.oembed","provider":"Giving Light to Our World","version":"1.0","type":"link"}