New York seems to love making problems for itself. After previously seeing considerable budget cuts made to the NYPD‚ New York City is now having Nation Guard troops sent into the subways to help combat rising violence occurring within it‚ according to The New York Times. Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul...

Somehow the will of the people never seems to be enough to oust even the most unpopular public officials. But in Los Angeles‚ at least‚ voters have taken an important step in that direction. According to CBS News‚ the expected results of Tuesday's primary election will lead to a runoff...

After the dropout of Republican Nikki Haley on Wednesday‚ the 2024 election has been left to just former President Donald Trump and current President Joe Biden. As such‚ a logical conclusion would be that these two presidential candidates would go before potential voters and battle out their ideas on the...

In the wake of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's endorsement of Donald Trump for president‚ the former president posted what many felt was a very uncharacteristically conciliatory and gracious message of thanks. On Wednesday‚ the Senate GOP chief endorsed the former president after it became clear that GOP candidate Nikki...

How to unleash your full God-given potential March 7 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine‚ according to his power that is at work within us‚to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations‚ for ever and ever! Amen. – Ephesians 3:20-21 One day‚ a man was walking by a farm and saw an eagle living among the chickens. So he stopped to ask the farmer why. The farmer replied that he had found the eagle when it was young‚ began giving it chicken feed‚ and trained it to be a chicken. Since then‚ it had behaved like a chicken and never learned to fly. "Still‚ it must have the heart of an eagle‚" replied the man‚ "and can surely be taught to fly." So he took the eagle to a high mountain and lifted him up to see if he would fly. The eagle was shaking and wouldn't move. Just then‚ he saw two more eagles soaring overhead. When the eagle saw them‚ he stretched his wings‚ began to flap them‚ jumped‚ and soared into the heavens. The eagle never knew his potential until he was encouraged by others to live it out. And in much the same way‚ many people are resigned to the identity they've been given by their circumstances and never truly realize their potential until they are empowered to do so. Maybe you're like the eagle who thinks he's a chicken. Or‚ perhaps you're a soaring eagle who can encourage others to be all that God created them to be. Find your identity in who you really are and live it out. When you do‚ you'll realize your own potential and encourage others to do the same! Prayer Challenge Ask God to help you live out your full potential and teach others to do the same. Questions for Thought Why do you think many people never truly realize their full potential in who God created them to be? What are some areas in which you think you might soar if your full potential was utilized? Visit the Senior Living Ministries website Visit the Senior Living Ministries website The post How to Unleash Your Full God-Given Potential – Senior Living – March 7 appeared first on GodUpdates.

March 07‚ 2024

Dispelling some of the myths surrounding his departure‚ the driving force of the formative days shares his theory on how the band might have collapsed anyway

I don’t live in a field fertile for evangelism. My earthly home is Door County‚ the beautiful Wisconsin peninsula that juts into Lake Michigan. Our year-round population is mostly white‚ wealthy‚ and elderly (all negative predictors for evangelism). Yet the white bobbing heads remind me of fields white unto harvest. I’m helping to plant a home church with the Evangelical Free Church. Half our congregation is made up of people we met at pickleball. Pickleball Pickleball‚ the fastest-growing sport in America‚ is being played on converted tennis courts‚ in prison yards‚ on cruise ships‚ and at churches that are quickly setting up nets on their grounds to meet their neighbors. Half our congregation is made up of new Christians we met at pickleball. Though it caught on first with the elderly‚ pickleball has spread to the young‚ with the fastest growth among those age 24 and younger. It’s inexpensive‚ easy to learn‚ and extremely social because there’s time on the sidelines for conversations while waiting for the next open court. I’m thankful I became one of the avalanching number of players. Not only is it a fun way to get exercise‚ but it kicked me out of my Christian bubble and helped me join God in his adventure of bringing people to himself. Invite Conversations My friend Twila invited me to pickleball‚ and we’re alert together to those God seems to be wooing to himself. We pray for them‚ eager to connect with them if the door opens. As the years have passed‚ we’ve learned a lot about being winsome messengers‚ whether on the court or off. Conversations are low-key‚ and we’ve become good listeners‚ trying to hear what might be keeping our friends from Christ. We don’t preach‚ but neither do we hide who we are. If someone asks‚ “What’s new with you‚ Dee?” I’ll say something that might pique her curiosity‚ perhaps mentioning my recent visit to a prison or how my visiting daughter commented on how our relationship is so much better than it was once. I hope she’ll ask‚ “What happened?” If she does‚ I can tell her how God is changing hearts in prison—or changing my own heart since he revealed my nasty habit of making passive-aggressive comments. If I’m met with silence‚ I let the ball drop—but more often than not‚ she’ll volley back with a question. Go Slow Still‚ many are many wary of “evangelicals.” When one man found out Twila was married to a pastor‚ he told her‚ “I’d like to be friends with you‚ but the Christians I know are really pushy about their faith.” Twila assured him that any faith conversations would only be at his initiative. From then on‚ they talked about their shared interests of gardening and music. One day‚ Twila slipped‚ telling him in her excitement about an answer to prayer. She stopped midsentence to apologize. But now the man wanted to hear‚ and he said‚ “No‚ no—I want to hear‚ for this is who you are.” Their friendship grew deeper. We invited him and his wife over for meals and then to a series our church was doing with the ministry of Alpha. Both put their trust in Christ and began coming to church. More Fruit Marty was a friend I made at pickleball‚ and in time‚ she shared with me the heartache of her older brother’s murder when he was in college. It had devastated her mother and changed Marty’s childhood. We began getting together outside of pickleball to talk about why a good God might allow such a tragedy. One day at pickleball‚ I felt led to invite Marty to a study on the Beatitudes. Marty was hesitant. “How much homework is there?” “Not that much!” I was so eager for her to say yes. Then Twila leaned forward with the truth: “Marty‚ you’ll get out as much as you put into it.” That challenge made Marty want to come. The Beatitudes begin with the importance of facing our sin and admitting our need for forgiveness. “Blessed are those who mourn” means “Blessed are those who mourn their sin.” Marty didn’t like it. She told me‚ “The problem is‚ Dee‚ I’m not a sinner.” I’m so thankful the Lord silenced me‚ for normally I’d have had much to say. Instead‚ I prayed the Lord would somehow show her the truth. Marty was so troubled by the sin discussion that she decided to skip that week’s Bible study and bike through our beautiful peninsula. A half hour into the study‚ Marty burst in‚ her face flushed with excitement. She said‚ “I was riding my bike and God showed me I’m a sinner. But he also loves me‚ and that’s why he died!” A hush came over the living room. There’s nothing in this world as exciting as seeing God give new life. There’s nothing in this world as exciting as seeing God give new life. It might sound silly to say that God is using pickleball to bring people to himself. But we’ve seen tempers tamed‚ marriages repaired‚ and souls saved among our pickleball friends. In an increasingly online and isolated world‚ having a physical place to connect over an interest‚ with time enough to have meaningful conversations‚ has been remarkably fruitful. You could do the same thing in a group that gathers to run‚ hike‚ or discuss books at the library. Praise be to the Lord‚ who can use us anywhere.

“Am I a woman?” “Do I feel like a woman?” “What is a woman?” You probably know someone who is asking these types of questions and who may even feel uncomfortable in her own body. In the U.S.‚ according to the William’s Institute‚ 1.6 million people over the age of 13 identify as transgender. In a study done a few years ago‚ 42% of Americans claimed they knew someone who was transgender. According to another study‚ half of young adults believe that gender can be different than sex assigned at birth. Society is asking questions about gender like never before. How can churches and loved ones offer compassion to those who are suffering in this tension? In a tumultuous sea of cultural confusion about gender‚ Katie J. McCoy sets an anchor by defining female identity through a biblical lens. Her book‚ To Be a Woman: The Confusion over Female Identity and How Christians Can Respond‚ encourages the church to view those drowning under the weight of gender dysphoria with compassion and to offer a lifeline of truth through the gospel. Biology Links to Identity At the heart of the gender confusion is the division of the biological self and inner self. McCoy‚ director of women’s ministry for the Texas Baptists‚ explains: “At its core‚ gender ideology rests on the belief that one’s biological category (i.e. the sexed body) is divisible from one’s personal identity (i.e. the gendered self)‚ that the physical you and the real you are mutually exclusive” (10). The inner self is given priority. This priority can be seen in “affirmative” care‚ which is centered on the patient’s feelings about her gender. Patients may be offered puberty blockers‚ cross-sex hormones‚ and sex reassignment surgeries. The goal is to align the patient’s physical configuration with her feelings. But as McCoy points out‚ “It does little‚ if anything‚ to resolve the underlying psychological problems that plague young‚ gender dysphoric girls” (35). Issues like depression‚ abuse‚ trauma‚ exposure to pornography‚ and autism may need to be addressed before considering gender dysphoria. Christians can bring clarity to the issue by recognizing the unity of the body and mind. McCoy points out‚ “Our physical selves reflect God. They are part of the imago Dei. They are essential and very good (Gen. 1:26–29). The human body has theological significance‚ revealing God’s nature and design” (99). She goes on: “To sever gender identity from biological sex robs the body of its theological meaning and its inherent worth” (101). Care that truly heals must address issues of the mind without diminishing the value of the body. Define Female Identity Care that truly heals must address issues of the mind without diminishing the value of the body. McCoy describes female identity as “socially guided‚ philosophically formed‚ relationally confirmed‚ biologically grounded‚ and theologically bestowed” (8). This multifaceted definition is helpful as she breaks down the main influences in young women’s lives that contribute to rapid-onset gender dysphoria‚ a recent phenomenon largely occurring among young girls who experience a sudden shift in gender identity. Exposure to social media influencers and friends who express gender dysphoria often leads to this coping mechanism for individuals with other psychological issues. According to McCoy‚ these self-reinforcing mechanisms often echo the online advice: “If you’re asking whether you are trans‚ you probably are” (18). Since some aspects of gender are socially defined‚ many assume the entire concept is only a cultural construct. But gender is more than a social construct. McCoy argues gender is “derived from biology” (75). Moreover‚ she warns‚ “Apart from female biology‚ female identity is reduced to an impression of the imagination” (75). Women aren’t make-believe; women are creations of the one true God who created the material world with a particular design. Since female identity is biologically grounded‚ we must learn to value our natural bodies. They point to a Creator who purposefully designed complementary sexes. McCoy writes‚ “Our bodies are like physical signposts for the reality of our Creator God. He not only created them to be good; He created them to be a guide. They reveal order‚ purpose‚ and design” (96). Past the obvious reproductive differences‚ McCoy documents differences between men and women regarding their development and function‚ such as genes and the brain’s inner workings. These differences represent not opposites but interdependence‚ reinforcing the general need men and women have for each other. Our female identity is given to us by the God who created us. McCoy states‚ “Apart from a reconciled relationship with our Creator‚ we will never comprehend‚ much less fulfill‚ the significance of our sexed bodies or our gendered selves” (111). For us to know our truest selves‚ we must know God in whose image we’re made. Hope amid Suffering McCoy frames her response to gender dysphoria in light of redemption. She argues such disordered feelings are a form of suffering (107). The Lord can use suffering for our good and his glory. Healing is possible‚ but it may be a long journey. This is a challenge to believers to persevere‚ to carry one another’s burdens‚ and to be unrelenting truth-tellers. Women aren’t simply creations of make-believe; women are creations of the one true God who created the material world with a particular design. Young women immersed in the turbulent waters of culture are looking for something to anchor their identity. Many are under the false assumption that embracing a new gender identity will stop them from drowning in pain. This is a moment for the church to offer a solution to suffering through the gospel. As McCoy reminds us‚ “[Jesus] gave His own body to recover and restore those who feel alienated from their own bodies” (14). McCoy’s book offers a well-researched‚ organized approach to understanding the modern issues surrounding gender and specifically female identity. It brings valuable insight into how we arrived at this cultural crisis. This resource can help pastors‚ parents‚ and youth leaders present compassionate arguments that being a woman is good‚ true‚ and beautiful.