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5 Strategies to Stay on Track for a 4th Quarter Comeback

By
Kim Brightness
-
4th quarter comeback

“And that ends the 3rd quarter of…”

Your goal. Your vision. Those lofty dreams on your vision board from January. And, you’re getting nervous. Maybe even a tad winded.

We’ve all been there, even as followers of Christ.

You prepared well in the “off” season, ate (the Word of God) right, and passed every battery in practice for your starting position. You’ve dressed out (in the whole armor of God), your circle of cheerleaders has got your back, and the stadium is packed.

There are on-lookers ravaging popcorn – just waiting for you to lose. Then, there are others who are also frantically watching the scoreboard, praying for a miracle, because – you said that “God told me” this was the game for you.

In your mind, the last thing you want to do is make God look bad, embarrass yourself – all to the tune of costly time and effort.

Well, guess what. You don’t have time to worry about any of these “facts” because you walk by faith, and not sight!

Allow me to borrow your focus from the scoreboard (or calendar) and share the following 5 strategies to stay in the game to win it!

1. Keep Playing Until 00:00.

Many of us have no problem starting a thing.  Just look at how many projects, books, businesses, and ideas are buried in the graveyard of our fears and doubts.

Don’t bail on your game and grow weary of doing well (Galatians 6:9) – tired of striving, of running, of pressing. Every press towards the mark ends with a prize (Philippians 3:14)!

Goodness and mercy will not “follow” you to the locker room to quit. When there’s still time on the clock, stay the course and keep moving towards your goal.  The win is in the press to keep showing up – play call, after play call.

2. Don’t Switch It Up, Stick to God’s Game Plan

Typically, if we’re scoreless or feel we’re not winning by the 4th quarter, we begin to call our own plays.

Have you ever told yourself:  “For some reason, God’s plans aren’t working, so I’ll just help Him out.”

Listen, unless God tells you to shift, change, or modify the plays – you keep doing the same thing God told you to do. It matters not what others may call “insanity” – doing the same thing, expecting different results. Insanity to people may just be your God-given keys to great success.

The all-wise God knows best – follow His lead.

3. Keep Your Eyes on Your Ball, Not Someone Else’s Game

Team, we will fumble every time when our eyes are distracted from God and our ball, and focused on what others are doing, saying, or what others have. Flag on the play!

Did you know that God’s plans are tailor-made for you? God is not a plan recycler. There is no copy machine in God’s office! He carefully crafts every plan for our lives with great love and precision (Jeremiah 29:11).

You don’t have to be in awe of someone else’s life – live the winning life God created for you!

4. Focus on God, Not Time

Think about it. How can time run out of the hands of Who made time?

You are a child of the Most High God, who not only created the game, wrote the rules, but He’s also the scorekeeper!

When this really sinks into your spirit, you’ll find that it’s futile to worry about not having enough time left to win. Know that your win has actually already happened! You’re just catching up to the manifestation of the win. And, you’ll do so if you don’t quit.

5. Rely on God’s Definition of Winning

Sometimes, our definition of winning is counterintuitive to how God defines our win. Perhaps you’ve considered the prize to be that promotion, big contract, a best-selling XYZ – when God wanted you to win at the game of being a Finisher. Could your “win” be the muscles and stamina gained that you’ll need in your next season?

Always remember, God will never fail you (Deuteronomy 31:8). He is a loving God with your best interest at heart. Put His objective – the victory God wants you to win – in your heart. Then, failure will never be an option.

So, What’s the Play Call?

Your faith walk is a fight, so fight, Team!

In the game purposed for your life, get smart about not only the enemy’s tactics and schemes (2 Corinthians 2:11), but your own internal doubts, fears, negative self-talk – and shut them down!  Replace them with a scripture from the powerful Word of God. Try searching for a go-to scripture by topic here.

You’re on assignment, folks, and God’s not going to change His mind, nor give up on you.

So, don’t give up on God.

Because you ain’t seen nothing yet!

 

Pew: Government Persecution at Record High, Religious Terrorism at Record Low

By
Christianity Today
-
persecution

Countries with religion-related terrorist activity at a record low of 49 after five consecutive years of decline. Yet 28 nations still suffered more than 50 people injured or killed.

Government restrictions on religion are at a global high.

Social hostility toward religion, however, is at its lowest level worldwide since ISIS.

So says data analyzed by the Pew Research Center in its 12th annual measurement of the extent to which 198 nations and territories—and their citizens—impinge on religious belief and practice.

The 2021 report draws primarily from more than a dozen UN, US, European, and civil society sources, and reflects pre-pandemic conditions from 2019, the latest year with available data.

Matching a peak from 2012, 57 nations (29%) record “very high” or “high” levels of government restrictions—an uptick of one nation from 2018. The global median on Pew’s 10-point scale held steady at 2.9, after a steady rise since the baseline of 1.8 in 2007, the report’s first year measured.

Regional differences are apparent: the Middle East and North Africa scored 6.0; Asia-Pacific scored 4.1; Europe scored 2.9; Sub-Saharan Africa scored 2.6; and the Americas scored 2.0

But across the globe, restrictions are present.

Most common, according to Pew, is “government harassment of religious groups.” More than 9 in 10 nations (180 total) tallied at least one incident. Also common is “government interference in worship.” More than 8 in 10 nations (163 total) recorded incidents.

And nearly half (48%) of all nations used force against religious groups. China, Myanmar (formerly known as Burma), Sudan, and Syria tallied over 10,000 incidents each.

For example, Pew noted: “Renewed fighting between the military and armed ethnic organizations in the [Myanmar] states of Kachin and northern Shan ‘deeply impacted’ Christians, according to …

Continue reading…

Churches May Be Liable for Boy Scouts’ Abuse Suits

By
Christianity Today
-
Boy Scouts of America

Amid the Boy Scouts of America’s complex bankruptcy case, there is worsening friction between the BSA and the major religious groups that help it run thousands of scout units. At issue: the churches’ fears that an eventual settlement—while protecting the BSA from future sex abuse lawsuits—could leave many churches unprotected.

The Boy Scouts sought bankruptcy protection in February 2020 in an effort to halt individual lawsuits and create a huge compensation fund for thousands of men who say they were molested as youngsters by scoutmasters or other leaders. At the time, the national organization estimated it might face 5,000 cases; it now faces 82,500.

In July, the BSA proposed an $850 million deal that would bar further lawsuits against it and its local councils. The deal did not cover the more than 40,000 organizations that have charters with the BSA to sponsor scout units, including many churches from major religious denominations that are now questioning their future involvement in scouting.

The United Methodist Church—which says up to 5,000 of its US congregations could be affected by future lawsuits—recently advised those churches not to extend their charters with the BSA beyond the end of this year. The UMC said these congregations were “disappointed and very concerned” that they weren’t included in the July deal.

Everett Cygal, a lawyer for Catholic churches monitoring the case, said it is unfair that parishes now face liability “solely as a result of misconduct by Boy Scout troop leaders who frequently had no connection to the parish.”

“Scouting can only be delivered with help of their chartered organizations,” Cygal told The Associated Press. …

Continue reading…

Put Your Power Where Your Weakness Is

By
Alecia M. White
-
power

I was watching Sonic The Hedgehog with my six-year-old nephew, one of his faves. I was kinda paying attention, so I’d know the sitch if he brought it up. Anyhoo… this episode was about Sonic (y’all know he runs super fast) making this piercing sound every time he took off.

No one around him could figure out the problem and they couldn’t stand the noise so he had to walk. This became tumultuous for him and he got pretty down about it. Well, his arch-nemesis, Dr. Eggman, was nearby and offered a listening ear. He even gained Sonic’s trust and had a solution to the problem. Contrary to what his friends thought he should do, he decided to give it a go. I mean, nobody else could help, right?

Mmmkay (I know, stick with me), Sonic goes to Eggman dude’s lab and he gives him these special shoes that don’t make that horrible noise. Sonic is super excited and starts running all over the place. No sooner than he shows off his new shoes to his friends, Eggman shows up in this huge robot thing that has an untraceable power source. After a while, they all figure out that these new kicks are powering this evil robot each time Sonic takes off.

The gag is, he can’t take the shoes off. Again, they are in a place where nobody knows what to do. Eggman then says something that made me really pay attention, he said, “I took what was your strength and turned it into your biggest weakness.” Now ain’t that evil, whew!

Okay, here’s where it gets good, that statement must’ve fueled the fire because, at that moment, Sonic starts going around this robot, nonstop, at hyperspeed. At that point, it began to wear down, as it couldn’t handle the pace at which he was supplying the energy. The evil robot goes down, good guys win again.

Redeem Your Power

My point? It’s not too late to take your power back. I know there are times when we get ourselves into unfavorable situations and allow the grief of guilt to knock us down, but get back up! Many times, we are not defeated solely due to our mistakes, but because of our mindset after the mistakes are made. So often, we are tricked into holding onto things that God has already given us the freedom to let go of. Then, there are those times when you get in a bind and go the wrong direction for help. 

So, What’s the Play Call?

Don’t be duped into thinking that the other side of the fence is the side holding the solution. That is a mirage, a smokescreen, intended to trip you up. But I promise if you look to God, He can help you even when no one in your circle can. There is a hymn that simply says, “Take it To The Lord in Prayer”. Here are a few things to remember before you put the enemy’s shoes on your feet:

  1. Allow God to order your steps. Even when you begin to walk down the wrong path, God is able to put you back on course. Don’t be so ashamed that you continue going the wrong way instead of asking for directions. “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: And he delighteth in his way.” Psalms 37:23
  2. You are forgiven. Sometimes, we neglect to change our ways because we have predetermined the magnitude of what we’ve done. We begin deciding our own fate instead of leaving it to God. Accept His forgiveness. “And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.” Luke 7:48 
  3. Move those feet. Yep, swiftly run away from where you previously allowed the enemy to ensnare you. God has anointed your feet to make the devil powerless. I recall, growing up, they’d always say “put the devil under your feet.” I get it now, and so do you. “And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts.” Malachi 4:3
  4. There is always a God way out. Sonic felt as if nobody could help him but the “other side”; remember that God is consistently there with an answer to your problem. “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13

I know you hear the enemy saying: “I took what was your strength and turned it into your biggest weakness.”, but I challenge you to remember what our Playbook says in 2 Corinthians 12:9, “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” 

Ego Trip: 6 Ways Our Ego Can Lure Us Away From God’s Best

By
Keiston France
-
ego trip

Society today does not encourage, celebrate, or teach real humility. Social media alone provides a variety of ways for us to boast about our accomplishments, share all we are doing and express everything we’re thinking. Not to say we can’t share good news or great ways in which God is working in our lives, but there’s a difference between giving God glory and giving glory to ourselves.

Considering the world’s obsession with self-glorification, let’s take a look at a few ways in which our ego trip -ing can keep us from God’s best.

6 Dangers Encountered on an Ego Trip

doers of the word

1. Egos push people away.

Think back to the last time you encountered someone who was full of themselves. You probably didn’t want to be in their presence for very long, right? In Proverbs 27:2 we are instructed to “let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.” Boasting about our accomplishments won’t draw others to Christ or to us. We need to be secure in our identity in Him and know we are valuable to God with or without our achievements. If anything needs to be said, others can say it.

2. Egos hurt people.

As Christians, we want people to be drawn to us so that we can share God’s love with them, but a giant ego will always get in the way.

Sometimes successful people think they are better than others and, as a result, they start to speak and act in ways that reflect that belief. They carry a judgmental attitude, use sarcastic comments and act selfishly, which damages their relationships and inflicts pain. Romans 12:3 (NIV) says, “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.” As Christians, we must remember that the gift we have been given is salvation, not perfection.

3. Egos discourage others.

When people only hear about our victories they may mistakenly think they lack what it takes to be successful because they aren’t you. But 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV) says, “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

As Christians, we can share the struggles, limitations, and obstacles we’ve had to overcome and let it reassure others that they can overcome as well.

4. Egos make people unteachable.

There is nothing wrong with being knowledgeable about something, but when we think we know it all we refuse to listen to others. Proverbs 4:5-7 (NIV) says, “Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn away from them…The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.”

As followers of Christ, we should be cautious about thinking that someone is unable to teach us because of social status, age, education, position, etc. There is always more to learn in life, and God can use anyone to teach us.

5. Egos want the spotlight.

Sometimes when we see people doing what we do or aspire to, we critique them. Matthew 5:16 (NIV) says, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” As Christians, we must recognize the light in others and encourage others to shine as God created them to.

6. Egos take the focus off of God.

People often believe they are in control of their wealth, jobs, relationships, goals, etc. 1 Corinthians 1:31 (NIV) states, “Therefore, as it is written: ‘Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.'” As Christians, we are to recognize and point others to the fact that God alone deserves the glory. Apart from Him, we can do nothing (John 15:5).

How to Return and Unpack from the Ego Trip

If you are battling an ego, be encouraged. This means you recognize how important humility is in your walk with the Lord. The more we work with the Holy Spirit, the more humility will become part of our character. We can make progress!

Prayer, meditation on God’s Word, speaking Scripture out loud and worship are effective keys to victory, and you can also release your faith by encouraging others, offering genuine compliments, expressing gratitude, recognizing God’s role in your success, and having a grateful attitude.

Do this and people will be drawn to you. Not because of your success but because of who you are in the midst of it. Think about it.

So, What’s The Play Call?

  1. How would you honestly say that you manage your acknowledgments of your achievements?
  2. In which areas of your life do you struggle with ego the most?
  3. What would it look like for you to make Christ the Lord over that area?
  4. Name three people you can thank and encourage today, and then do it!

 

Prayer Reserves: Praying Prayers You Need Before You Need Them

By
Alecia M. White
-
prayer

The other day, I got up much earlier than usual and I felt the urge to pray. I pray when I get up in the mornings, but this day it felt different, you know? Anyhoo, I grabbed my blanket, got down on the floor, and went for it.

Once I picked myself up, I got back in bed and went back to sleep. My alarm went off a couple of hours later, so I was ready to begin my day. I got up and brushed my teeth, started my Keurig (got to have my coffee), then went to my room and picked up my Bible. I read a few chapters before I finished getting ready then headed to my home office for work. 

Now, I have been helping to fill in for one of the other departments for my job and I have been taking more calls than I am used to. This particular day, the phone rang nonstop, and seemingly, most of the people on the other line were angry and very rude. Well, it wasn’t my fault and I began to get irritated and upset, mainly because I was only trying to help them.

Although I was growing weary, I remained calm and gave them no reason to suspect that I wanted to be as rude to them as they were being. I took a moment and chose not to answer the next couple of calls, to evaluate my morning to see if I had missed anything. You know, those days when you wake up on the “wrong side of the bed” or “get off on the wrong foot”, or however the sayings go. I had to be sure that neither of those was my portion. I realized they were not, and those callers actually were sitting on my nerve. Yes, it’s okay to admit that people get on our nerves sometimes. God honors honesty. Lol. 

The Power of Reserve Prayers

prayer requestsOkay, this isn’t about my job or me having a rough day. This is actually about the fact that my day could have been much worse – had I not acknowledged the urge to pray.

You see, even though I was upset and frustrated, my time with God that morning was beneficial. My prayer time carried over and was able to calm my spirit so that I didn’t react the way I would have liked. Even on the days when you pray and read the Word, negativity can try to creep in. 

So, What’s the Play Call?

Yes, I was ready to be done for the day because I was tired of maintaining my professionalism, but obviously, that wasn’t going to fly. You will have days when you’re tested even though you’ve kept your end of the bargain by seeking God and calling on Him.

It is then that you will have the chance to see the Holy Ghost at work within you. Here are a few things to remember when your good morning begins to make a U-turn in the other direction:

  1. Don’t stop praying. I learned quickly (not just the other day) that morning prayer is just that, morning prayer. Yes, it gets you started, but continuous prayer (communication) with God is what gets you through the day. “Pray without ceasing.” ‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5:17‬ ‭
  2. It’s okay to shut up. Yep, it sure is. In fact, had I not shut my mouth long enough to hear from God before speaking, I probably would have been in some trouble with my supervisor. “The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭14:14‬ ‭
  3. Patience is a process. Sometimes a grueling one, but a process indeed. “But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” James‬ ‭1:4‬ 
  4. Trust that you will reap the benefits. You see, if you seek God, you give Him room to help you. When He is your help, you don’t forfeit your blessings. I know I felt the urge to lose it over those phone calls, but I didn’t. And by the time each one ended, I could hear the change in the caller’s tone and attitude. I’m sure that will continue to carry over. “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” ‭‭Galatians‬ ‭6:9‬ ‭

The reality is that we have daily issues, and we have ways that we would like to deal with those issues. Our reality, though, is that if we would take the time to meet with God early, He will meet us when we need Him to step in later. 

God Is Our Portion Forever

By
Keiston France
-
god is our portion

God is Our Portion… Share. Serving. Piece.

When we think about the word portion, we think about something allocated to us. It’s a part of a whole, divided among a few or many. And if you have kids, you know that a portion is often disputed.

“His piece of cake is bigger than mine!”
“Her chores are harder than mine!”
“My room is smaller than his!”

Yes, we have trouble with portion sizes, even as adults. What makes us struggle like that? What makes us buck against our portion, whether it’s a portion of finances, of food, of resources, or of work? Many things to be sure, but perhaps one of the things driving that resistance is our sense of entitlement. It’s the idea that we deserve more or deserve less, depending on what’s being portioned out. In either case, the amount of our portion is somehow unfair.

This is at least a part of what’s at the core of Psalm 73. It’s a psalm of struggle; a song of complaint against the perceived unfairness of what the psalmist saw playing out before him. Asaph, the writer of the psalm, looked around and saw that the wicked were prospering. Not only were there no apparent consequences to their actions; it seemed as though their circumstances were continually improving. In contrast, he looked to the lives of the faithful and saw difficulty, suffering, and hardship. But he could not reconcile the portion of each.

That was, until he gained the kind of perspective that only comes when one enters into the presence of God. And having done that, Asaph had an eternal bent on his perspective, and that’s when we get the mighty declaration of the psalm – that for the people of faith…

God is Our Portion!

give backThis is a grace-fueled kind of contentment – one that comes when we stop comparing our portion sizes of stuff to that of others and instead remember that through Jesus, we can have the greatest portion of all. Only through Him does our portion become…God.

When our portion is small, we might feel like we deserve more. And when our portion is large, we no longer feel that we have a need for God. We replace Him with lesser portions over and over again.

In either case, whether we have much or whether we have little – we must come back to the truth that God is our portion. Whether big or small, the earthly portions we have been allocated are all too vulnerable. But thank God for Jesus who has secured something better and longer-lasting for us in Him.

He has secured our portion in God. Think about it.

So, What’s The Play Call?

  1. Are you grateful for things that God has blessed you with thus far?
  2. When was there a time when you showed even a small level of ungratefulness towards things that God has given you?
  3. When life’s portions feel unfair, how will you remind yourself that God as your portion is more than enough?

 

Read it Again: Finding New Insight from Familiar Bibles Verses

By
Alecia M. White
-
bible verses

Have you ever rewatched a show or movie that you’ve seen a million times (exaggeration, of course) and noticed something that you hadn’t before? Well, I was watching an episode of A Different World the other day as if I had never seen the show before, and came to a scene that I can recite by heart.

Mr. Gaines (one of my faves) said his line and I cracked up for about 10 minutes. I mean, I laughed from a good, healthy place. I had never heard that line before, as many times as I have seen this show from 19 such and such until now. I never heard him say it. I even decided to rewind it a few times just to laugh all over again. It was a late-night binge watch too, so I was good and tickled. I’m sure if you were here with me, you would have been over it LOL!

Bible Verses Keep On Giving.

bible versesAnyhoo, this got me thinking about times when I read scriptures over and over and get something different every time. As frequent Bible readers, we can get too familiar with the Word of God and only take scriptures at face value. Little do we know, there is always more if we dig deeper.

This is what God wants from us. That is why our Playbook says in 2 Timothy 2:15, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” Now, that approval is met by continuously delving into Bible verses. It is our instruction manual, our way of life. And many revelations that we look for on a daily basis we can find by taking the time to seek God through His word.

So, What’s the Play Call?

Many times what we are searching for is right in the scriptures. There have been days when I was having a rough time, or just looking for a little something extra as I began to read, and God allowed me to come across it in my study time. In these times, I have found new meaning in a Bible verse that I thought I’d read enough to know.

Here are a few things to keep in mind as you re-read those “familiar” scriptures: 

  1. Keep God’s promises at the forefront of your mind. Some things are “out of sight, out of mind”. And this can be especially true if you are not consistent with reading God’s word. It is easy to get discouraged when you forget what you have coming to you. Read God’s Word to remember His promises. “For he remembered his holy promise, And Abraham his servant.” Psalms 105:42
  2. Act after you read. Sometimes, we must take the time to put God’s Word and instruction into action in order to gain new insight from it. Ask God what He wants you to do with what you’ve read. “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” James 1:22
  3. Always pray. When you continuously pray, you will continuously want to know more about the One you’re praying to. It will cause you to go back and read what you think you already know, only for Him to be gracious enough to reveal more to you. “Pray without ceasing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:17
  4. Read first. I have found that when I choose to read my word before anything else, that is what has the precedent in my mind. God’s Word is free to consume my thoughts when I give Him my brain space before emails, text messages, and social media. “I love them that love me; And those that seek me early shall find me.” Proverbs 8:17

I know you probably read Bible verses every day, but take the time to ask God to show you something new that will enhance your life. I guarantee, it will change your perspective over and over again.

Praying for Haiti After Another Devastating Earthquake

By
Christianity Today
-

Last month, Haitian president Jovenel Moïse was assassinated. On Saturday, a 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck the Caribbean country, leaving more than 1,400 people dead and thousands more injured and displaced from their homes.

The earthquake drew comparisons to the 7.0-magnitude tremor that hit the island in 2010, killing more than 300,000 people according to the Haitian government and injuring nearly as many. In its wake, Haitian theologian Dieumeme Noelliste told CT in 2010 he didn’t expect that crisis would lead his people to forsake their faith:

This is not the first time that disaster has come to us. This may be the most brutal, but two years ago we had four devastating hurricanes and even then the people didn’t turn against God. They’ve suffered many things at the hands of fellow Haitians and remained fast to God. Even during slavery, Haitians were treated brutally but were open to the version of Christianity that the slave owners were preaching. The slaves were even asking for more! I see the church continuing to grow. In these situations, people tend to turn to God. This is their only hope.

More than a decade after the first earthquake, what has changed for Haitian Christians now facing the aftermath of a second devastating tremor? Amid such hardships, have they kept the faith, and how?

CT asked Haitian church leaders and missionaries to share what they’re seeing on the ground, including:

  • Edner Jeanty, executive director, Barnabas Christian Leadership Center
  • Lesly Jules, apologist and author, Objections Rejetées: L’Approche Apologétique Classique
  • Luke Perkins, assistant to the president, Séminaire de Théologie Évangélique de Port-au-Prince

Continue reading…

What Christian Aid Workers Want You to Know About Afghanistan

By
Christianity Today
-

With US troops largely gone from the country and the Taliban now firmly in control, it’s easy to forget that the church was at work there long before America’s “forever war” began—and will remain at work there, in whatever form it takes, now that the war has ended.

Like so many, Arley Loewen knows exactly where he was when 9/11 happened. He was in Islamabad, Pakistan, working with Afghan refugees as an educator, and he had to evacuate the area for safety.

But as a foreign aid worker, there are also other dates he thinks about, memorializing other deaths. Those who spent time on humanitarian work in Afghanistan in the past 20 years get emotional remembering the Afghan and foreign friends, coworkers, and neighbors who died.

On March 27, 2003, a Red Cross engineer was executed by unknown gunmen.

On June 2, 2004, five Médecins Sans Frontières staff were killed on the road between Khair Khana and Qala-i-Naw.

On January 14, 2008, an attack on the Serena Hotel in Kabul killed six.

On July 24, 2014, two Finnish women with International Assistance Mission were shot and killed.

On October 3, 2015, a US airstrike hit a Médecins Sans Frontières hospital and killed 42.

On November 24, 2019, a roadside bomb killed a California man with the UN Development Program and wounded five others.

There are other dark dates, and Loewen, who currently lives in Manitoba and teaches Bible and Muslim-Christian relations at a small Christian college, regularly …

Continue reading…

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They Changed Their Minds about Slavery and Left a Bible Record

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Two businessmen’s unusual conversion in 1700s South Carolina led them to liberate the people they put in bondage. At first glance, William Turpin and his business partner, Thomas Wadsworth, appeared to be like most other prestigious and powerful white men in late 18th-century South Carolina. They were successful Charleston merchants, had business interests across the state, got involved in state politics, and enslaved numerous human beings. Nothing about them seemed out of the ordinary. But, quietly, these two men changed their minds about slavery. They became committed abolitionists and worked to free dozens of enslaved people across South Carolina. When most wealthy, white Carolinians were increasingly committed to slavery and defending it as a Christian institution, Turpin and Wadsworth were compelled by their convictions to break the shackles they had placed on dozens of men and women. In an era when the Bible was edited so that enslaved people wouldn’t get the idea that God cared about their freedom, Turpin left a secret record of emancipation in a copy of the Scriptures, which is now in the South Carolina State Museum. Perhaps it’s not surprising that this story of faith and freedom is mostly unknown. The two men were, after all, working not to attract attention. Neither had deep roots in Charleston or close familial ties to its storied white “planter” dynasties. Turpin’s family was originally from Rhode Island, and Wadsworth was a native of Massachusetts who moved to South Carolina only shortly after the American Revolution. Both had public careers and served in the South Carolina Legislature, but their political profiles were not particularly high. Neither of them appeared to give any of their legislative colleagues the sense that they were developing strong, countercultural opinions on one of the most ...Continue reading...

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