#faith – Page 3 – Tattoo It On Your Heart

Did Jesus Really Die on Good Friday and Other Fascinating Questions

We rob ourselves when we skim the surface of scripture rather than exert the effort to dig deeper for the treasures of truth embedded in God’s Word. Bible study leader and award-winning author Stephanie Pavlantos mined God’s Word to bring us a greater understanding of the intersection of Old Testament prophecies about Jesus, (God incarnate, the Messiah) and His New Testament fulfillment. Stephanie brings to light the fascinating Hebrew religious law and culture, the many intricate events leading up to, and the crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

Did Jesus really die on Good Friday? What is the significance of the Passover feast and the Passover lamb? See God in the details, how He overlooks and wastes nothing and much more in this faith building thought provoking presentation. And there’s more!

Moonlight, Streetlights and Stage Fright

Moonlight spilled across the page and streetlights twinkled below when I penned my first piece, a poem, at nine years old from the lofty perch of my 14th floor bedroom windowsill. The opening line to my second poem read: “Tis the time when the north wind doth blow.”

My latest poetic endeavor is a rap song. Yes you read that right. I said I’m writing rap. And no, I’m not sharing it today. And yes, I’m as surprised as you are.

But, “He is not a tame lion.”

Jesus calls us to run toward fear which tries to thwart obedience to our call, to honor Him and serve others with the gifts He gives.
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So, wide eyed and trembling, I showed up to present a poetry workshop with friend and award-winning poet and writer Patricia Tiffany Morris at the kind invitation of Writers Chat in honor of #PoetryMonth.

For those who claim they don’t like poetry—this post is for you too! You just may change your mind with this collection featuring several authors.

PART 3: Law Enforcement Series: Police Chief Scott Young of New Hampshire ~ Retired & Re-hired, A Heart to Serve & Mentor

Chief Scott Young, a U.S. Marine veteran, retired after faithfully serving 20 years as police chief in Stafford, New Hampshire. Retirement didn’t last long, though. Chief Young raised the bar with his example when, at the request of the Barrington, NH Police Department, he returned to law enforcement as a patrolman to help train and mentor new and ranking police officers,

Chief Young comes from a lineage of police officers, starting with his grandfather and uncles. Now he, two of his sons, and his brother continue their family story of service to our nation and their communities. His family history also includes generations of service as Marines and firefighters, with several continuing this tradition. What a gift Chief Scott Young and his family are!

But as much as Chief Young loves serving in law enforcement, he shares there’s something even more important to him.

My Interview with Civil Rights Icon Ambassador Andrew Young

What an honor and a delight to speak to Civil Rights Icon Ambassador Andrew Young and share this video interview with you. Ambassador Young was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s trusted friend and top strategist in the #CivilRightsMovement. He celebrated his 90th birthday on March 12th, 2022. (Happy Birthday Ambassador Andrew Young. Thank you for your example and lifetime of service to our country and the world.)

The Invitation

“Did you mean to extend this invitation to me?” I know—not exactly a professional response to an invitation to be a guest on someone’s show, but an honest question nonetheless. I responded to another invitation likewise the same week. (More on the other soon.) I mean, who am I? Certainly not an industry professional, nor have I published a book yet, though I’m working on a couple. But often it’s the lessons learned on the journey that prepare us for our destination, and my goal is to glorify God and encourage others along the way. Fear tries to imprison, but God invites us beyond ourselves to dependence on His craftsmanship. Sometimes it’s messy. The way is steep and sometimes we stumble, but God’s strength is made perfect in weakness, scripture says. Good thing.

Honored to share about faith, obedience, and my writing journey with Dr. Katherine-Hutchinson Hayes on her podcast. I pray it provokes all who struggle or strive to excel in God’s call, to step out of their comfort zone and walk it out in their skin.

Angelina Lives! ~ A Hope Filled Pro-life Story

We live in a time where many demand their rights, but few rise to their responsibilities. In some ancient cultures, they sacrificed their children to pagan gods. Today, many sacrifice their children on the altar of convenience, self-preservation, and pleasure. Man’s short-term solutions based on his desires and emotions often cause more significant problems in the long term.

Fourteen years ago, I witnessed a young mom withstand a tirade of angry faces, phone calls, angry words hurled in public places.

“Get a *?#*!#! abortion!” they said.

“No!” the mama said. She would not take the life of her child. — Angelina lives! I took her newborn pictures, and today I have the joy and honor of introducing you to her via this inspiring 12 minute video conversation below, followed by some engaging resources offering help, hope, and healing to those in similar situations.

Part 1 ~ Law Enforcement Series: A Master Police Officer, Veteran, Former Atheist, and His Extraordinary Wife

Master Police Officer Lewis has served in Virginia for 15 years. He was an active duty U.S. Naval officer for eight years and then in the reserves. He is also a former atheist. Officer Lewis and his wife Mickey adopted their two children from South Korea. Their son is on the autism spectrum. Mickey is a complex trauma survivor and a licensed professional counselor in practice for 15 years. She specializes in trauma treatment: working with abuse victims, sex trafficking survivors, and first responders—those struggling with PTSD.

Support for Veterans and a Centenarian Speaks

First Class Petty Officer Francis W. Preston, a 102-year-old U.S. Navy veteran, served in the Pacific during World War II. Fran shares his journey from sailing the war-torn seas to becoming a soul seeker.

Domenick Lasorsa is the grateful son of a navy veteran with a heart to serve others, to give back. Domenick shares about support for military veterans and their families in this short, upbeat, informative video.

How a Mail Carrier’s Mistake Saved Me from Suicide

Disappointment set in when there was no response, but I figured the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association had thousands of correspondence to monitor a day and probably wouldn’t see mine.

“Lord, I just want some of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association team to see my article and be blessed by what I said about Billy and their magazine.” I prayed when I tweeted the link to my 2018 blog post entitled What #BillyGraham Meant to Me in answer to a #HealthyFaith Chat question on Twitter.

Several days later, I was stunned to receive the following message from BGEA’s Twitter account:

“Hi Rachael! I’m a website writer at Billy Graham. My team recently came across your incredible testimony involving Decision magazine, and we’d love to have an interview with you and write an article. Is that something you’d be willing to do?… — Lizzy Long”

#IfMyPeople ~ Battle for the Soul of a Nation

Four hundred years after pilgrim and American forefather Edward Winslow settled in Plymouth, Massachusetts, his descendant returns to lead the charge to battle for the soul of our nation.

Pastor Greg and Suzanne Winslow, former missionaries to Mexico, church planters, and founders of If My People New England and Hidden Manna Ministries from NH share about their upcoming adventure and the part you can play. They also cover the state of the Church and America, how to navigate these turbulent times, the power of prayer, and more in this video interview. (Welcome back, Pastor Greg and Suzanne.) 🙂