Thy Word Is My Light

Blog Reduction

2010-11-28T11:53:00.001+01:00

Until now I have run five blogs; that worked well in my “previous” life, but since we moved (the new apartment still requires a lot of work until everything will be completed) and especially since I have started writing books again I simply don’t have time for this any more. Therefore I keep the two blogs I get most feedback on: “Leben auf der Sonnenseite” and “On Life’s Sunny Side”. There will be no more posts on the other blogs.

Regarding Our New Home

2010-09-19T20:04:00.001+02:00

Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. - Psalm 127:1 NIV

Slow Blogging

2010-07-04T14:48:00.000+02:00

As you have probably noticed, I’m not blogging very much at the moment. This is for two reasons: firstly it is summer and at this time of year I usually am not so much in the mood for blogging; secondly I’m just writing my first novel and that takes a lot of time and creativity, of course. So I will reduce my blogging. I will just post when there is something new I feel like writing about. Please be patient with me. In case you are looking for me you can still find me on Twitter and Facebook ;)

Psalm 91

2010-06-05T12:42:00.000+02:00

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust."

Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare
and from the deadly pestilence.

He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,

nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.

A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.

You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.

If you make the Most High your dwelling—
even the LORD, who is my refuge-

then no harm will befall you,
no disaster will come near your tent.

For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;

they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

You will tread upon the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

"Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

He will call upon me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.

With long life will I satisfy him
and show him my salvation."

Pentecost

2010-05-21T16:22:00.000+02:00

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs-we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!" Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?"
Some, however, made fun of them and said, "They have had too much wine."

Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: "Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the morning! No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
" 'In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.
Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.
I will show wonders in the heaven above
and signs on the earth below,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
And everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved.'

"Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. David said about him:
" 'I saw the Lord always before me.
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will live in hope,
because you will not abandon me to the grave,
nor will you let your Holy One see decay.
You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence.'

"Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay. God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said,
" 'The Lord said to my Lord:
"Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet." '

"Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."

Acts 2:1-36 NIV

Church and Politics

2010-05-14T16:19:00.000+02:00

Singing through the Night

2010-04-28T17:14:00.003+02:00

I recently finished reading the German version of this book which is full of impressive stories.

In their darkest times they discovered the most beautiful songs. There are many untold stories of the persecuted church--stories of women who bravely follow Christ at any cost. This stirring book reveals the lives of eleven women in nine different countries around the world. They have lost husbands, children, homes, jobs, or their very freedom and yet continue to praise and serve their Lord. The lessons that these courageous women learned in tough times will help you persevere and endure whatever hardships come your way. Their stories will ignite your passion and gratitude for the basic right to worship God. May they inspire you, too, to sing through the night. "Anneke Companjen says, 'Christians around the world need each other, and we can learn from one another.' This is certainly true for us in the West. We need to read these stories, as they will change the perspective of our own lives and cause us more diligently to pray for our sisters, whose faith radiates the love of Jesus in suffering." (Text from the back cover, taken from the Amazon.com website)

London Easter 2010

2010-04-18T19:17:00.002+02:00

Easter

2010-04-01T18:21:00.001+02:00

Palm Sunday

2010-03-27T17:15:00.001+01:00

As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3If anyone says anything to you, tell him that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away."

This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
"Say to the Daughter of Zion,
'See, your king comes to you,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.' "

The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. They brought the donkey and the colt, placed their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,
"Hosanna to the Son of David!"
"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"
"Hosanna in the highest!"
When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, "Who is this?"
The crowds answered, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee."

Matthew 21:1-11 NIV

Psalm 27

2010-03-07T16:26:00.003+01:00

The LORD is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?

When evil men advance against me
to devour my flesh,
when my enemies and my foes attack me,
they will stumble and fall.

Though an army besiege me,
my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me,
even then will I be confident.

One thing I ask of the LORD,
this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD
and to seek him in his temple.

For in the day of trouble
he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle
and set me high upon a rock.

Then my head will be exalted
above the enemies who surround me;
at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make music to the LORD.

Hear my voice when I call, O LORD;
be merciful to me and answer me.

My heart says of you, "Seek his face!"
Your face, LORD, I will seek.

Do not hide your face from me,
do not turn your servant away in anger;
you have been my helper.
Do not reject me or forsake me,
O God my Savior.

Though my father and mother forsake me,
the LORD will receive me.

Teach me your way, O LORD;
lead me in a straight path
because of my oppressors.

Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,
for false witnesses rise up against me,
breathing out violence.

I am still confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living.

Wait for the LORD;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD.

Psalm 8

2010-02-26T19:34:00.003+01:00

O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory
above the heavens.

From the lips of children and infants
you have ordained praise
because of your enemies,
to silence the foe and the avenger.

When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,

what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?

You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
and crowned him with glory and honor.

You made him ruler over the works of your hands;
you put everything under his feet:

all flocks and herds,
and the beasts of the field,

the birds of the air,
and the fish of the sea,
all that swim the paths of the seas.

O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!

All In Vain?

2010-02-11T17:16:00.001+01:00

It is strange that some people who call themselves Christians, and even some pastors or other theologists, deny that Christ has physically risen – they regard it as unimportant for their faith whether He has risen or not. However, here is what the Apostle Paul tells these people:

But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. – 1. Corinthians 15:12-19

God's Timing And My Impatience

2010-01-27T20:51:00.001+01:00

I must confess I’m impatient again! Even though in my mind I know exactly that God has got everything in His hands, my heart is getting anxious and impatient – in this case without any reason even from a human point of view.

We are currently offering our house for sale and even though it has only been on offer for a little more than a month (and the Christmas and New Year holidays cannot really be taken into account) I feel that we should have a buyer already. Of course this is unrealistic despite the fact that the price is very reasonable and people are interested. Apart from this of course I know that I don’t need to worry, because everything goes according to God’s plan.

However, what makes me impatient is mainly that until we have a buyer we cannot actually make a schedule for moving into our new apartment and I always feel like a boat in a storm when I cannot make plans or at least know long in advance when a certain event is going to take place. God is in control and that is fine, but He keeps putting me to the test of faith by not telling me His plans…

In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps. – Proverbs 16:9

Evidence For The Resurrection

2010-01-13T17:14:00.003+01:00

I just finished reading this book and would like to recommend it to you. Here is the description from Amazon:

When Jesus died on the cross, it seemed that all had been lost. Death had won. But after three days in a rich man's tomb, Jesus appeared…alive! The news was so shocking that His followers refused to believe it until they saw Him with their own eyes and touched His wounds with their own hands. Then Jesus made an amazing claim: In the future, they too would have resurrected bodies like His, bodies that would never deteriorate, age or perish. They would have new life without death or pain in the presence of a loving God forever. But can we really believe His promise? For that matter, can we really believe that the promise was made by a Man who rose from the dead? In this fascinating look at the claims of the Gospel writers and 2,000 years of believing Christians, bestselling author Josh McDowell and his son Sean examine the compelling evidence and conclude that Jesus Christ conquered death and the gravel in clear, concise and accessible chapters, Josh and Sean present the fact s about the resurrection and what it means for readers today.

New Year

2010-01-03T16:24:00.000+01:00

This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before. - Philippians 3:13

Advent Calendar Song No. 24

2009-12-24T08:50:00.000+01:00

Advent Calendar Song No. 21

2009-12-21T08:25:00.000+01:00

Advent Calendar Song No. 16

2009-12-16T08:26:00.001+01:00

Advent Calendar Song No. 14

2009-12-14T08:32:00.000+01:00

Advent Calendar Song No. 7

2009-12-07T08:11:00.001+01:00

Advent Calendar Song No. 3

2009-12-03T08:16:00.001+01:00

Advent Calendar

2009-11-26T19:57:00.001+01:00

I invite you to follow the Advent Calendar on my five blogs from December 1! On each day a Christmas song can be heard on one of my blogs. On which of the blogs the song for the particular day can be found will be published on my Twitter page. Have fun :)

Manifest Destiny?

2009-11-13T17:34:00.000+01:00

Psalm 137

2009-11-04T17:30:00.001+01:00

When this song hit the charts in 1978 and remained no.1 for four months (!!!) in Germany’s Top Ten it became one of my favourites, too. However, I did not know by then that the lyrics of this song (or at least large parts of it) had actually been written thousands of years before and, of course, in another language…

Where Will I Be 365 Days From Now?

2009-10-24T15:08:00.002+02:00

The song by Lutricia Ncneal does not actually describe my current situation, but this question (and with it the song) came to my mind again recently. I have asked this question often in my life and of course after becoming a Christian I asked God this question - without always getting a reply immediately, of course. However, after getting married a little over a year ago and moving into my husband’s house I had not asked this question any more, because it was clear for me that (unless something very extraordinary would happen like one of us would be taken to the Lord early or so) we would live there together at least until he would retire from his job in about 15 years. So I thought I could finally settle here. Anyway, obviously changes are round the corner again! It is now time to sell the house and buy a flat / apartment instead. There are several reasons for it which I have stated in my blog “On Life’s Sunny Side” if you are interested. This means of course that - quite “unexpectedly” – I will have to move again much sooner than I had thought and Hermann will be forced to move out of the house and town he grew up in. Somehow this made me think of what Jesus said of Himself: "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." (Matthew 8:20) Of course it is not that extreme for us, as also in our new home we will have a cozy bed to sleep in and other luxuries which most people on Earth can only dream of (heating, electricity, water from the tap), but I think what the Lord meant was that as His follower you can never know exactly where you will be “365 days from now”. You should always be prepared to move where ever God wants you – that is a thing we have to keep in mind! Of course I’m very curious now where exactly He will lead us, and therefore this situation is becoming quite exciting :)

A Special Gift

2009-10-15T13:18:00.002+02:00

A great idea (not just) for Christmas :)

Please visit the Open Doors Gift Site

Freedom in Christ

2009-10-08T17:19:00.001+02:00

Video by Open Doors

For A Friend

2009-10-01T15:23:00.001+02:00

You are in God’s Hands.

God – and not you and not another person – decides where you will be at what time and what work you will do.

God takes you to your limits, but not beyond them.

Sometimes He allows things to happen which show you that you can only rely on Him and not on other people, not even on other Christians.

Sometimes He leads you into situations where you do not see any way out – but He knows the way.

Relax and be surprised by God – He has got something good for you!

Beautiful Song

2009-09-24T10:57:00.001+02:00

I heard this song last Sunday on the German Armenian online radio HayFM and was immediately struck by the lyrics which proved real faith. I found out that the singer, Armenian born Jasmin Gibb (this is her Canadian husband’s family name), is obviously a true believer in Christ instead of just following tradition like so many of her fellow Armenians do. She has made many other beautiful songs, so it’s worth having a look at her website!

Psalm 1

2009-09-18T20:15:00.000+02:00

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.

Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

10 Things I Thank God For

2009-09-14T18:00:00.001+02:00

1. A roof over my head which is not leaking
2. A working heater, now that it gets colder
3. Enough to eat and drink
4. Health insurance and medical care when I need it
5. Lots of clothes in the wardrobe
6. A warm bed of my own
7. The fact that I can read and write
8. Clean water coming out of the tap
9. Freedom to choose my faith
10. The opportunity to help others who do not have some of the things mentioned above

Back To The Roots

2009-09-06T12:56:00.001+02:00

Who Are You To Judge?

2009-08-30T16:50:00.002+02:00

I found this book very helpful. It shows how to discern in a biblical manner what is wrong and what is right – without false tolerance, but also without self-righteousness! Here is the description from the Amazon website:

Why are we afraid to judge? As 21st century Christians, we have settled down to a complacent form of faith that demands very little of us. However, this type of faith also has little impact on the world. When secular values infiltrate the church, we accept them without a twinge of conscience and congratulate ourselves on our tolerance. In Who Are You to Judge? Erwin Lutzer looks at today's world, and confronts us with our responsibility, as believers in the church of Jesus Christ, to again be a force for what it right . . . not easy.

The Jubilee Centre

2009-08-11T14:10:00.002+02:00

Via Facebook I came across the Jubilee Centre website and there I found lots of interesting resources (articles, books, Bible study) – much food for thought which is always welcome with me ;)

Here are two videos in which the Jubilee Centre’s Executive Director John Hayward explains the institution’s purposes and visions:

Be Thou My Vision

2009-08-04T13:51:00.000+02:00

God's Plans and Money

2009-07-28T11:44:00.002+02:00

I have read two great posts by other bloggers which I would like to recommend to you. One is Along His Path by Sarah Dawn and the other is about Giving Biblically by Josh Pflederer.

Isn’t it interesting that these two posts appear on two blogs I read regularly, just as we are struggling with God’s and our plans for us and with money / giving issues? ;)

We Are All Relatives :)

2009-07-16T13:01:00.002+02:00

From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. – Acts 17:26 NIV

System Believer Or Bible Believer?

2009-07-11T16:47:00.004+02:00

This is the question raised by a book I read recently (unfortunately it is only available in German). It deals with the fact that the teachings, traditions and rules of a particular church of course have an effect on the members of this church. Some follow the teachings and traditions of “their” church without thinking whether these teachings are either biblical at all or – if they are – that there might be alternatives to these. When then people of this kind happen to be in a church of a different denomination they get confused and even question whether that church is bible-based, because it has some different traditions and maybe even teachings than one’s own church. However, the scale to measure a church – one’s own or another one – is always the Bible. And who tells you that your own church or denomination is 100% biblical, if you do not take the time to question it? Of course – first you must be prepared to question your own point of view! As Paul put it:

My brothers, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: One of you says, "I follow Paul"; another, "I follow Apollos"; another, "I follow Cephas"; still another, "I follow Christ." Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul? […] What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building. - 1 Corinthians 1:11-13; 3:5-9 NIV

In case you are able to read German, on my German blog I wrote a review on the book I mentioned. There you can also find the book's data, if you like to read it yourself.

What is the Church?

2009-07-07T11:41:00.002+02:00

One Church Many Tribes

2009-07-02T17:07:00.003+02:00

This is certainly one of the most interesting books I have ever read. Here is a reader review from the Amazon website:

This book is half exploration of the Native experience with the Church, and half examination of how a Christian life should manifest itself in particular cultures. Twiss gives a good general introduction to the spectacularly poor manner in which First Nations peoples have been treated as not merely targets of evangelization, but as believers who did not find the alleged brotherhood of the faith either very brotherly or faithful. It is a sad, disgusting tale, made personal by the account of Chief Spokane Garry.

It is the rest of the book, however, where the hope shines through. Here, Twiss asks the darn good question: Why shouldn't First Nations persons use their own instruments, music, dress, and dance to honor God? Yes, why not? He expands the argument to include aboriginal peoples all around the world, and it is actually applicable to any culture that wonders why it's being fed the Western way as the alleged way things are to be done. He developes a careful, Biblically sensitive mindset on how to think through these issues, such that one can disassociate cultural items from an original context that may not have been consonant with Biblical values, and give them new life in the Christian worldview. It is a great vision of Christ transforming culture. When this type of thinking catches on around the world, the kingdom will grow in leaps and bounds. For anyone who feels their culture, or subculture, has been stepped on by middle-class Western values that someone has tried to hide in God's mouth, this book will help set you free to drum, create, dance, and dress in ways that both make sense to your people and honor your God. (James S. Taylor)

Do Not Be Afraid!

2009-06-29T13:54:00.001+02:00

The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. – Deuteronomy 31:8 NIV

Richard Twiss on Christianity and Culture

2009-06-24T20:00:00.003+02:00

The Way - The Truth - The Life

2009-06-22T14:26:00.002+02:00

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. – John 14:6 KJV

This means that Jesus Christ is not ONE way to God, not even the BEST way to God, but the ONLY way to God! Either you believe it or not – either you are a Christian (you are one of those who believe it) or you are not (you are one of those who don’t believe it). However – if you believe it, there is no “well, that may be the right way for me, but maybe for others it is a different way”. That would not be logical!

Muddy Shoes

2009-06-17T15:04:00.005+02:00

This is a book I particularly enjoyed reading – especially because it opens a world “within” our world which we usually only get to see from the outside. Also it has been written with a lot of love for the people working on the racetracks. Here is a description of the content from the Amazon website:

This story is the true story of a farmer who turned American Baptist minister and ended up a missionary to the race track "trackers" and how he also became a missionary from the racetrack to the churches. God's love within a country boy helped a subculture usually rejected by their communities find God in language they could understand.

Josh McDowell on the Resurrection of Christ

2009-06-13T13:17:00.003+02:00

The thing I like most about Josh McDowell is that he is logical in his thinking. For him faith is not “something you don’t know but just have to believe”. Actually, he came to faith while he was trying to prove the Christian faith wrong. He is one of my favourite authors!

How I Became a Christian

2009-06-11T15:06:00.002+02:00

Very often one comes across stories of people who clung to God in situations of great distress and by this came to believe in Jesus Christ. For me it was not like this. I had a happy childhood in a good family, and my "life crises" were nothing in comparison to what other people have to go through. I have certainly been gifted richer than most people on this earth. So from a human point of view there was really no reason for me to turn to God. Above all I'm very critical and usually do not believe anything unproved. God knew this, of course, as it had been Him Who had blessed me with all these gifts.

I must mention that I have never been living without what usually is understood by "Christianity". My father is a Catholic, my mother is a member of the Evangelical (Lutheran) Church (both churches are concordat churches in Germany, meaning they are closely connected to the state, especially financially, and therefore depending on it - with all consequences). In the tender age of three weeks I became a member of the Catholic Church. I grew up in the Christian tradition, in which the Catholic teaching played a major role and fascinated me for a while with its pomp. I hardly ever had a personal relationship to God, and Jesus Christ existed for me mainly as the "Christ Child" bringing the presents at Christmas, and as a wooden figure at a cross.

As a child at least I had some kind of idea of God. This was different when I was a teenager. Although I have never been a real atheist, my idea of God was a rather impersonal one. The fact that I couldn't quite believe the evolution theory (which not only at school was *sold* to us as the one and only truth) didn't have to do anything with faith, but with my critical mind. I started to quarrel with the Catholic Church, but mainly because of its "dictatory" character which I detested very much.

At the age of 25 years I left the Catholic Church and joined the Evangelical Church. This was not a big issue, my Catholic baptism was recognized and only the entry on my tax card had to be changed (because of the church tax).

However, during the preparation for joining the Evangelical Church something happened which was the beginning of my "journey" to faith that took several years: the pastor gave me a Bible. Of course we had a Bible at home, but only a translation in “ancient” language which was not exactly inviting. The Bible I received now was written in modern German, and as I thought it was time to get at least a little knowledge on the "subject" I started reading. Despite the modern language many parts were still difficult to understand, and therefore I went into bookshops to look for books about Jesus and Christianity. As I didn't know of the existence of such things as Christian bookstores and Bible study aids I read a lot of rubbish, which was so stupid that my critical mind didn't know what to do with that - and I ended up without any help once again. Also the sermons of the pastors very often didn't tell me anything, as they sounded very non-committal to me.

I took the next huge step forward on one of my shopping weekends in Cologne. For the first time I left the main shopping malls and found myself in a small side street. In this street there was a bookstore, and because I have never been able to resist books I entered - and stood in astonishment! Instead of the books which usually can be found in bookstores, this shop had only Christian books. There I found everything which I had been looking for without even knowing that it existed. I don't remember how much money I spent on that day in this single shop, but I had a huge bag when I left after a long time.

At home I immediately started working with my new Bible study aids and read in my books for many hours. The bookstore in Cologne was the first place I went to on each of my shopping trips - unfortunately it was too far from home to "just go there". Then I read in a Christian magazine about a new Christian bookstore in Münster, the town I studied in at that time. Unfortunately there was no address given and only a very vague direction. Nonetheless I started looking for it, and after walking in a wrong direction only once I found it. Since then I'm an "expert" in finding Christian bookstores. I had the address of another bookstore in a different town - and when I was already on my way I remembered that I had forgotten to look up the place in a city map. So I asked an assistant in another store and he asked: "Where exactly would you like to go?" - which is a rather indiscreet question, of course. Nonetheless I told him, and it turned out that the bookstore had moved. So if I had looked up the address on the city map I would have searched for it on the wrong street. These are the things which happen ;-)

I cannot exactly say when my conversion took place, and it was a process rather than a "boombastic" experience. At some time I was convinced finally that there was only this one way, but the beginning was not easy, especially because I was almost alone with my books. In the year 1995 I became chairwoman of a local group of a pro life organisation - and soon found out that "my" new treasurer was a born-again Christian. He became my first "victim". When we met to discuss our pro life activities we usually talked about the activities for 15 minutes, and for two hours he patiently replied to the many faith questions I had.

Before that I had already prayed for a Bible-based church in our town where I could go without having to leave the Evangelical Church immediately - although it looked very unlikely that such a church would ever exist. In August 2000 it was founded - a church which was perfect for me :)

In His Image

2009-06-08T20:42:00.004+02:00

God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him. – Genesis 1:27

It seems strange that this Bible verse always comes into my mind when I see a person who, according to human standards, is “disabled”. The last time I thought of this verse was after my husband and I had met one of the Armenian children we are sponsoring. Sargis is what people call “severely handicapped”, both mentally and physically. This is certainly not how any of us would imagine God! However – remember a quote of Mother Teresa who, asked how she could do all this hard work for the poor and sick people, replied: “I see Jesus in every human being!” Of course this brings us to another Bible verse: ’For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' – Matthew 25: 35-40 NIV - Maybe this is the reason why I think of the “image” verse every time I see a person with special needs – and why little Sargis has stolen my heart within the short time we met!

How God Provides

2009-06-06T20:41:00.003+02:00

By the end of April 2009 we went on a trip to Armenia, to get to know the country, but also to meet the children we sponsor and to visit some relief projects we support. We had saved most of the money for the trip in advance, but then we had some unforeseeable and large expenses (we needed a new car, as the old one suddenly started to act up), so when we paid the bill for the trip we had a deficit of about 900 Euros (app. 1200 USD). However, soon afterwards I found 500 Euros on my bank account which was a “subsidy” by my father for the trip (he did not know anything about our “money problem”). Then we received two cheques from an insurance company which had granted us bonus shares we chose to sell – another 430 Euros. Thirdly we received a credit note by the tax office of 60 Euros. That is how God provides :)

One of my favourite Songs...

2009-06-04T19:44:00.004+02:00

Being Thankful

2009-06-01T16:54:00.001+02:00

I always wonder whether I am thankful enough for the things in my life which most of us would probably regard as “normal”. For me for example it is normal that I have a roof over my head, enough and healthy food to eat, frequent access to clean water, electricity 24 hours a day, a heater which I can switch on if it gets too cold, etc. Also when I’m sick I can see a doctor and get a surgery or medication if necessary and I can rely on the health insurance to pay most or all of the expenses. I have had a proper education, even have a university degree. I can go to church, I have got lots of Bible translations in my language and I do not have to be afraid to be arrested, tortured or killed because of my faith. I’m living in a democracy – which is still a democracy, despite the efforts of totalitarian guardians of “political correctness” to undermine it!

I have a proper roof over my head – like 20% of the world population.

I can read and write – like 30% of the world population.

I own a computer – like 1% of the world population.

I have got a college / university degree – like 1% of the world population.

All this means I belong the minority of “rich” people in this world! Isn’t that a reason to be thankful to the One who gave all this to me? Actually I should be on my knees 24 hours a day – at least mentally!

Pentecost

2009-05-30T15:50:00.001+02:00

And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,
Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,
Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.
And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?
Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.
But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come:
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:
Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:
Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:
Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.
Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.
Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;
He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.
Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,
Until I make thy foes thy footstool.
Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the LORD our God shall call.
And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.
Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.
And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
Acts 2 KJV

Thy Word...

2009-05-28T09:03:00.003+02:00

I had never thought much about this verse, until some years ago it was quoted by a young missionary talking about her work in our church. When she had been sent out to a distant country some years before for her it had been obvious what she would be doing there: go to a remote mountain area to teach the Bible to one of the many unreached tribes who are living in that country. However, while she was still in the mission’s local head quarters to get some final advice before going out into the mountains she fell in love with one of the air plane mechanics there. So – what next? After some time of asking God for an answer and going the usual way she found out that she was supposed to marry this man and stay and work in the headquarters. So now she is there with her husband and her child doing administrative work. Sounds less exciting, of course, but is just as important!

This is how God works sometimes: when you have a “lamp unto your feet ” or “a light unto your path” it means you just see what is right before you on your way. It does not mean there are huge flood lights so you can clearly see the end of the way. Instead it means that you have got a little torch so that you see what is right in front of you – and sometimes not even that! God wants us to rely on Him, so He can lead us step by step, and therefore He only shows us exactly what we need to know to take the next step – and sometimes the result is a huge surprise! Who says life with God is boring? ;)

For a Start...

2009-05-27T17:12:00.003+02:00

... enjoy this song - the "motto" of this blog: