"Heaven is for Real" Reviewed

Heaven is for Real is a terrifically entertaining story about a young 4 year old boy's venture to Heaven and back again. I would advise this book as a read for most anyone seeking encouragement, wondering about Heaven, or just seeking an interesting story written in a different perspective. I would strongly suggest this book for anyone that has lost a small child, a child in the womb, or who has recently lost a loved one in general.

The story centers around 4 year old Colton Burpo, an "all boy" youngster from Iowa, who loves swords, super heroes, and his dad. A misdiagnosis leaves Colton hanging on to life by a thread and sends his dad, a preacher, on a journey that will cause him to question God's love only to see that love confirmed in the most amazing way.

The Burpo family begins to understand what a great blessing God has given them when Colton begins to relate his memories from a trip that no one could fathom - a trip to Heaven. Colton often relates these events in a very 4 year old fashion which adds legitimacy to the story that is told through the eyes of the father.

While any near death experience literature is only as believable as the person recounting the story, there is something very sincere and reassuring about hearing the story told through the eyes of a 4 year old. I would invite you to read Heaven is for Real with an open mind, a believing heart, and a childlike awe of just how amazing God's love for his people really is.

Christians Should Be Ashamed!

Christians should be ashamed. As a Christian myself, I believe I am entitled to say that. I also believe I am just as guilty as anyone. For years America has been sliding down the slippery slope of immorality. At the very center of this decline is the media. Enough is enough. ABC has went too far. I for one, will not go quietly into that good night. ABC has a new pilot television show named "Good Christian Bitches." Seriously? Why not - "Good Muslim Bitches?" or "Good Hebrew Bitches?" Oh, I forgot...the ACLU would slap a restraining order on ABC so quickly their heads would spin. But, for some reason its OK to go after Christians.

Is it just me or does this seem to be a very risky strategy by ABC and parent company Disney? Are ABC execs really saying "come on let's poke Christians with a stick. Let's see how far we can push them. After all, they only make up 80% of our viewing audience."

What it is in all reality is an indictment on Christians in this country. ABC believes that Christians will not stand up for their faith, for their families, and for their values. Why would they believe differently, we have compromised our morality to such an extent that we have reached this cliff. So what do we do now? Nothing - Like usual? Will we sit around and do nothing because doing something requires effort? Or will we finally take a stand? I say enough is enough. Contact ABC. Contact Disney. Even more so contact the sponsors of ABC and Disney and let them know that if this show is on ABC that your money will not go to the sponsors and that your viewership will not go to ABC and that your vacations will not go to Disney. It is about time we stood up for ourselves. Every other religion would, but we are either too lazy, too apethetic, or too disingenuine to do so.

Contact ABC

Also - if anyone has a list of ABC sponsors - please post that in the comments section. Thanks.

The Prince of Screw Ups.

Man have I screwed up in my life. In fact, I have screwed up a lot. I continually do no matter how hard I try to do better. I certainly do not deserve to be a Prince, but yet that is exactly what I am. In fact, the kingdom to which I am an heir is the wealthiest in the entire world. The streets are made of gold. My Father, well, He is the King of Kings. All will one day bow to Him. How bout you? Are you a Prince or Princess? Well, you can be. In fact, my Father is looking for children to adopt. The adoption process isn't hard - consider it a gift. All you have to do is accept it. You see, most people do not understand Christianity for what it is. It is so simple, people make it hard. We think that we are not good enough to have a relationship with the Almighty God. We think He could never love us. We think we are just screw ups. How could we ever measure up to the mighty heroes of the Bible?

Well, the truth is that the heroes of the Bible were screw ups too. Imagine if you will a television announcer making the introductions of the great Bible heroes.

"He had everything he could have ever wanted. He lived in Paradise with the most beautiful woman ever created and all he had to do was follow the rules - But he didn't. And as a result sin entered into the world, he was kicked out of Paradise and God had to sacrifice His only begotten son to restore His relationship to humanity. Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you Adam."

"This lucky fellow survived The Great Flood because he was found obedient to God. He built an ark, watched all the animals come two-by-two, and survived the Flood. Then he became drunk and laid naked for his children to see. This caused a family feud which resulted in him cursing his son Ham and giving his land to his son Shem. Meet Noah."

"This man is the Father of Nations. He is one of the most influential people in the Bible. Yet, he didn't trust God when God told him he would have a son with his wife. He doubted because his wife was old and he decided to try to have a son himself. So, at his wifes behest he had a son with his wife's servant. Then, when his wife had the son God had promised, he ran his wife's servant and his firstborn son off. The son he had with the servant saw his lineage create the Muslim faith while the son he was promised by God watched his heirs lead to Jesus and the Christian Faith. I give you Father Abraham and his sons Ishmael and Isaac."

"Isaac's son, he was a twin who deceived his father in order to steal his brother's birth right and become a great figure in the Bible. In fact, he became known as Israel and from him many nations were formed. Here is Jacob."

"And finally, this great king was said to be a man after God's own heart. He is famous for killing a giant with a slingshot and is likely the greatest king of the Old Testament. Yet, he lusted for another man's wife, committed adultery with her, and then sent her husband to the front lines of battle and had him killed thereby essentually murdering him. It is the Great King David."

You see, my article isn't to mock these Biblical Greats, because they truly did great things and truly had great relationships with God. My point is that everyone is human and we have ALL BLOWN IT. It doesn't matter how badly - God wants to forgive us. He wants to have a relationship with little ole us. He wants to make us Princes and Princesses and heirs to the Kingdom of Heaven. So tell me...screw up. Can you, will you, accept this free gift? Will you be a Prince or Princess today? Or just a screw up?

Prayers for a Friend.

As I type these words today, an older friend of mine from the church is very ill. She is more than a friend, she is the one who first invited me to attend the church to which I now gratefully belong. Her simple act of obedience, in inviting my family (largely strangers to her at the time) to her church has had so many trickle-down affects that it makes me stand in awe of my creator and appreciate what a master weaver he truly is. By obediently following his will, she has brought glory upon God because I now stand truly amazed at all that has come from her simple gesture.

You see, SHE INVITED ME TO CHURCH. So what you may say. Well, SHE INVITED ME TO CHURCH...and...I brought my family - and that is just the beginning of the story. My oldest daughter was saved at this church. Her two best friends were also saved at this church. From the love of this church I have seen my mother come forth and make her salvation public. I have seen my oldest daughter and my wife baptized. And all this because SHE INVITED ME TO CHURCH. But wait, that is just the beginning of the story.

At this church my wife went on a mission trip to Haiti that changed her life. She came back and left her job in order to study medicine so that she could do medical mission work. Then my wife and I sent gifts to Haiti so that children who rarely see Christmas gifts would wake up with presents for the first time in years. My mother was so moved by the stories of the Haiti mission trip that she started a sewing ministry with my grandmother and they now send dresses to orphans in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. All of this because - SHE INVITED ME TO CHURCH. But wait, that is just the beginning of the story.

Today, as I set here typing these words I am intensely praising my God in Heaven for being so amazing as to be able to weave together this incredible tapestry. My prayers are music to his ears and they are as a result of her INVITING ME TO CHURCH.

Prayers be with you friend - your meaning on my life as well as many others you surely cannot grasp.

Tennesseans Send Pro-Prayer Message to Foreign Liberals.

"Don't tread on me" was the message that fans and football players alike sent in Rhea County, Tennessee on Friday night. Soddy Daisy High School had been warned about holding a prayer before its football games by the Freedom From Religion Group from Madison, Wisconsin. The liberal organization tread on three things that Tennesseans hold very dear - religion, football, and state sovereignty. Tennesseans have a reputation as wonderfully courteous people, but they also will circle the wagons when "outsiders" threaten their way of life.

Dr. Jim Scales, the Superintendent for Hamilton County Schools had instructed Soddy Daisy High School Principal John Maynard to honor the request of the Freedom From Religion Group to cease prayers before football games. Rhea County's stadium announcer asked if any fans would like to join the players on the field for a prayer - in light of Hamilton County's dilemma. The entire stadium emptied on to the football field for prayer with both football teams. Perhaps this was the desired goal of the liberals from up north, but as a Tennessee boy myself - I rather doubt it. Kudos for Rhea County and their stadium address announcer and Kudos to the fans at that game.

No-Volunteering for Volunteer State.

I am proud to be a resident in a state known as the Volunteer State. Tennessee picked up that moniker when during the war of 1812 Tennesseans volunteered far and above the average to go fight for our country. Since that date Tennesseans have always had a very high volunteer rate for wars, for humanitarian relief efforts, for anything that requires being a "bit neighborly." From Davey Crockett in the Alamo to Sergent Alvin York in World War I, Tennesseans have been heroic in their volunteering efforts to such an extent that the name has become synonymous with the state. We are proud of our service after all serving others is the Christian way. We have named our sporting teams thusly. Yet, sadly, no one seems to be taking much notice of the fact that middle Tennessee is calling out for help of its own at the moment. Indeed, Nashville and surrounding areas are totally underwater with scenes emerging that look eerily similar to a smaller scale Katrina. Nevertheless, national media outlets are focusing on the oil spill in the Gulf, certainly understandably so, but meanwhile the anguish of the state which has came to the aid of so many is largely being ignored. With 22 dead and counting and untold amounts of damage not yet accounted for, Nashville is a grade A disaster that is only making the back pages. And perhaps in one of the strangest ironies of my day - the only major network giving much attention is Steve Oberman and MSNBC. Perhaps fellow Orange State blogger Rob Huddleston put it best in his blog VOLuntarilyConservative when he stated "you can look out your window for flying pigs now."

For information on donating to a relief effort see the corresponding link.

Gay Policeman Arrests Street Preacher for Denouncing Homosexuality

When the "Hate Crime Bill" was pushed through Congress thereby making it a crime to criticize homosexuality, most did not notice. As Americans we have become accustomed to being apathetic with regard to our legislature. Truth of the matter is that Congress is so out of touch with most Americans that mainstream America pretty much assumes that Congress is going to be screwing up a great deal of the time and that there is nothing new to see here. Christians should certainly take notice of this legislation however as the ramifications of similar laws were on display in the Cumbrian England town of Workington on April 20th.

On this date 42 year old Dale McAlpine, an energy worker that is also a street evangelist, was arrested for proclaiming the Biblical doctrine that homosexuality is a sin. Apparently Mr. McAlpine was approached by Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) Sam Adams and asked if there was a problem. Mr. McAlpine, who had been asking passers-by to repent and seek salvation, replied that there was not a problem.

The PCSO then told McAlpine that "he was gay and he was the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender liaison officer for the police." Mr. McAlpine recalled. ‘I said, “It is still a sin”, and our conversation ended. It wasn’t a loud or aggressive conversation," recounted McAlpine. Mere moments later 3 additional police officers arrived and arrested McAlpine and charged him with making insensitive remarks in public.

Think this couldn't happen in the United States, try reading the hate crimes bill which was pushed through with such little fan fair. Numerous preachers worry that the federal government could even try to imprison them for denouncing homosexuality as a sin.

After reading about Mr. McAlpine I was amazed. I am not sure which amazed me more however, the fact that he was arrested for his actions, or the fact that the police department has a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender liaison. What is this world coming to when we have homosexual police patrol units marching the street arresting people who disagree with their lifestyle. Oh my, you just cannot make this stuff up.