I made an interesting--and encouraging--discovery today. I was reading an article on-line about author Donald Miller (bestseller Blue Like Jazz) and found out that he has started a foundation to provide mentoring programs for fatherless sons.
Miller, who grew up without a father, has written a book about his experiences and reflections: To Own a Dragon. I haven't read anything that Miller has written. He's one of those 30-something popular writers who writes in that Christian stream-of-consciousness "let me share my story" style. I don't know how good his stuff his (it's usually a personal principle of mine not to read anything that tops the bestseller charts), but I am a fan of what he's seeking to accomplish through the Belmont Foundation.
Miller grew up in Houston, and his church there began a mentoring program for the fatherless. Miller says this influence in his life kept him "from a life that would have caused pain to many."
As Miller worked on To Own a Dragon, he began to think about the possibility of an organization that would offer formal mentoring programs to churches. The Belmont Foundation was begun to help churches develop long-term mentoring programs to effect lifelong change in the lives of fatherless children.
The Foundation's research has compiled some compelling statistics about the effect mentoring can have. Visit the Foundation's Web site at www.belmontfoundation.org for more information about Miller's vision. It's exciting to see that someone "who has been there" sees the church as the place where the fatherless should be able to find the help and support they need and is actively doing something about it.
8/30/07
8/29/07
Suffer for Christ:Revelation 2:8-11
Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you in prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.
The persecuted church today often cites these verses from Revelation, the text for last Sunday's sermon on persecution and suffering. The message to this second of the seven churches comes to a body that is accused of no wrongdoing. It raises the question: Are times of persecution of the church times of purification as well? The message that comes to this church comes from One who knows what it is to be persecuted.
Verse 9 tells us that Christ knows this church. He knows that it stands faithfully for the truth. He also knows of its affliction and poverty. The reference here most likely is to physical poverty, as persecution is often economic in nature, in ancient and modern times. Christ also knows those who are slandering the church, another type of persecution that occurs today. This happens when, for example, the media misconstrues the church's beliefs on issues like homosexuality. We also learn from this verse that the persecutors of the church at Smyrna were Jews, the physical descendants of Abraham. John calls them here a "synagogue of Satan." These Jews are not really Jews at all because they will not acknowledge the Messiah.
Christ tells these afflicted believers in Smyrna not to fear suffering, the devil, and the duration of their suffering. Suffering is a natural part of the life of the church of Jesus Christ. And clearly Satan is behind these attacks; this is a spiritual warfare. The "ten days" is an expression of the fullness of persecution, but the duration of persecution is always limited.
The church at Smyrna is reminded to be faithful to the point of death. We have been called to endure, and we can endure persecution. We are reminded that those who are faithful will be given the crown of life; no one can take eternal life from us (cf. John 11:25). Those who hear this word of the Spirit can be comforted with the promise that those who overcome will not be hurt by the second death, which is eternal death in hell (cf. Revelation 21:8). The second death cannot touch the child of God.
It is interesting that this sermon comes as I finish up my book project on the persecuted church. For those who follow the news on those who are persecuted, there were some interesting events this week. First, great news from Afghanistan: The remaining 19 South Korean hostages are in the process of being freed. They were captured by the Taliban six weeks ago. Two were killed, and two were freed earlier. South Korea has agreed to pull out its troops by the end of the year (which it had already planned to do), and it has said that it will not allow missionaries from its country to come to Afghanistan.
And in Turkey, where three Christian men were brutally murdered by Islamic radicals in April, a devoted Muslim has been chosen to head the government. This cannot be good news for the church in Turkey. Turkey wants to be admitted to the EU and wants to be viewed as a modern nation, so the new head of the government has said that he will keep his religion separate from his politics. Many in Turkey were hoping for a more secular leader, because it is nearly impossible for a Muslim to separate faith and politics. We can pray for the poor, struggling church in Turkey that this Muslim politician will be an exception.
The persecuted church today often cites these verses from Revelation, the text for last Sunday's sermon on persecution and suffering. The message to this second of the seven churches comes to a body that is accused of no wrongdoing. It raises the question: Are times of persecution of the church times of purification as well? The message that comes to this church comes from One who knows what it is to be persecuted.
Verse 9 tells us that Christ knows this church. He knows that it stands faithfully for the truth. He also knows of its affliction and poverty. The reference here most likely is to physical poverty, as persecution is often economic in nature, in ancient and modern times. Christ also knows those who are slandering the church, another type of persecution that occurs today. This happens when, for example, the media misconstrues the church's beliefs on issues like homosexuality. We also learn from this verse that the persecutors of the church at Smyrna were Jews, the physical descendants of Abraham. John calls them here a "synagogue of Satan." These Jews are not really Jews at all because they will not acknowledge the Messiah.
Christ tells these afflicted believers in Smyrna not to fear suffering, the devil, and the duration of their suffering. Suffering is a natural part of the life of the church of Jesus Christ. And clearly Satan is behind these attacks; this is a spiritual warfare. The "ten days" is an expression of the fullness of persecution, but the duration of persecution is always limited.
The church at Smyrna is reminded to be faithful to the point of death. We have been called to endure, and we can endure persecution. We are reminded that those who are faithful will be given the crown of life; no one can take eternal life from us (cf. John 11:25). Those who hear this word of the Spirit can be comforted with the promise that those who overcome will not be hurt by the second death, which is eternal death in hell (cf. Revelation 21:8). The second death cannot touch the child of God.
It is interesting that this sermon comes as I finish up my book project on the persecuted church. For those who follow the news on those who are persecuted, there were some interesting events this week. First, great news from Afghanistan: The remaining 19 South Korean hostages are in the process of being freed. They were captured by the Taliban six weeks ago. Two were killed, and two were freed earlier. South Korea has agreed to pull out its troops by the end of the year (which it had already planned to do), and it has said that it will not allow missionaries from its country to come to Afghanistan.
And in Turkey, where three Christian men were brutally murdered by Islamic radicals in April, a devoted Muslim has been chosen to head the government. This cannot be good news for the church in Turkey. Turkey wants to be admitted to the EU and wants to be viewed as a modern nation, so the new head of the government has said that he will keep his religion separate from his politics. Many in Turkey were hoping for a more secular leader, because it is nearly impossible for a Muslim to separate faith and politics. We can pray for the poor, struggling church in Turkey that this Muslim politician will be an exception.
8/25/07
Best City for a Single?
A special report on Forbes.com ranks the best U.S. cities for singles, and surprisingly, Grand Rapids does not make the top forty (yes--I'm being sarcastic). Some truly surprising statistics are included in the article, though. Singles in America make up 41 percent of adults age 18 and over. Also surprising: according to the report, most Americans can expect to spend fully half their lives unmarried.
So what factors shaped the selection of the forty best cities for singles? Forbes.com looked at the largest urbanized areas in the country and judged them on culture, nightlife, job growth, the cost of living alone, online dating, the number of other singles, and, what Forbes describes as an elusive quality, cool.
Of course the article explains that singles are no longer just those people who are somewhere between adolescence and marriage. Singles in America are a widely diverse group, ranging from those living with members of the opposite sex to those becoming single mothers by choice (and why any woman would choose to become a single mother will forever remain a mystery to this mother who had single motherness thrust upon her).
Once you understand the methodology the researchers used, it becomes obvious why Grand Rapids did not make the top forty. Here's how it worked:
*Coolness: Researchers asked adults from across the U.S., "Among the following U.S. cities, which one do you think is coolest?" NYC comes to mind for me, Chicago--but let's be honest. Grand Rapids and "cool" just don't go together, unless you're talking about the weather in May.
*Cost of Living Alone: This index was determined by the average cost of a metro area's apartment rent, a Pizza Hut pizza, a movie ticket, and a six-pack of Heineken. Entry-level salary data was also factored in. Interesting... If I lived in New York or Chicago, I probably wouldn't eat Pizza Hut pizza because there would be better options. Of course the six-pack of Heineken would be quite appropriate here in Grand Rapids.
*Culture: Determined by the number of museums, pro sports teams, and live theater and concert venues, as well as the university population. This speaks for itself.
*Job Growth: Determined by the projected percentage of job growth over the next five years for each metro.
*Online Dating: Determined by the number of active profiles in each city listed on dating site Yahoo! Personals. Speaking, unfortunately, from very definitely past personal experience, I've never checked Yahoo! Personals, but other sites don't seem to offer many Grand Rapids options.
*Nightlife: Based on the number of restaurants, bars, and nightclubs per capita. Fairly irrelevant category to the single parent with children at home.
*Singles: Based on the percentage of a metro's population above the age of 15 that has never been married.
And the top ten? San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago, Washington, San Diego, Seattle, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Philadelphia.
In spite of the odds against me, however, this single girl has found Grand Rapids to be a most satisfactory location for singleness, probably because I'm having the most amazing dating experience of my life. And so for me, San Francisco, New York, or Chicago have nothing to offer in comparison to the elusive cool I've found right here in Cutlerville. And, to quote one of my favorite single parents, Forrest Gump, "That's all I'm going to say about that."
So what factors shaped the selection of the forty best cities for singles? Forbes.com looked at the largest urbanized areas in the country and judged them on culture, nightlife, job growth, the cost of living alone, online dating, the number of other singles, and, what Forbes describes as an elusive quality, cool.
Of course the article explains that singles are no longer just those people who are somewhere between adolescence and marriage. Singles in America are a widely diverse group, ranging from those living with members of the opposite sex to those becoming single mothers by choice (and why any woman would choose to become a single mother will forever remain a mystery to this mother who had single motherness thrust upon her).
Once you understand the methodology the researchers used, it becomes obvious why Grand Rapids did not make the top forty. Here's how it worked:
*Coolness: Researchers asked adults from across the U.S., "Among the following U.S. cities, which one do you think is coolest?" NYC comes to mind for me, Chicago--but let's be honest. Grand Rapids and "cool" just don't go together, unless you're talking about the weather in May.
*Cost of Living Alone: This index was determined by the average cost of a metro area's apartment rent, a Pizza Hut pizza, a movie ticket, and a six-pack of Heineken. Entry-level salary data was also factored in. Interesting... If I lived in New York or Chicago, I probably wouldn't eat Pizza Hut pizza because there would be better options. Of course the six-pack of Heineken would be quite appropriate here in Grand Rapids.
*Culture: Determined by the number of museums, pro sports teams, and live theater and concert venues, as well as the university population. This speaks for itself.
*Job Growth: Determined by the projected percentage of job growth over the next five years for each metro.
*Online Dating: Determined by the number of active profiles in each city listed on dating site Yahoo! Personals. Speaking, unfortunately, from very definitely past personal experience, I've never checked Yahoo! Personals, but other sites don't seem to offer many Grand Rapids options.
*Nightlife: Based on the number of restaurants, bars, and nightclubs per capita. Fairly irrelevant category to the single parent with children at home.
*Singles: Based on the percentage of a metro's population above the age of 15 that has never been married.
And the top ten? San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago, Washington, San Diego, Seattle, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Philadelphia.
In spite of the odds against me, however, this single girl has found Grand Rapids to be a most satisfactory location for singleness, probably because I'm having the most amazing dating experience of my life. And so for me, San Francisco, New York, or Chicago have nothing to offer in comparison to the elusive cool I've found right here in Cutlerville. And, to quote one of my favorite single parents, Forrest Gump, "That's all I'm going to say about that."
8/20/07
Taking a Break
It looks like fall outside, feels like fall outside--but it should all change in time for next Monday when Katie and Jonathan return to school. But summer is winding down, and it has been a busy one, but not without its pleasant moments--sitting on the patio with Henry on a warm summer evening watching Katie and Jonathan chasing fireflies, taking afternoon walks with my girlfriends at work, and just enjoying the beauty of the flowers, birds, and summer clouds.
Today I received the page proofs for Better Than Life, what in June looked like a daunting project--crashing a book, writing/compiling 128 pages by August. I remember at the very beginning, before I'd even begun to write, our publisher told someone that I'd finish "ahead of deadline, like Annette always does." When I heard her say that, I thought, "There's a first time for everything." But she was right-- I did finish ahead of deadline, and instead of 128 pages, it will be 160. And I have to say that I'm satisfied with the results.
Researching and writing about the persecuted church has affected my thinking on so many things: the fellowship of Christ's suffering, loving our enemies, the necessity of standing up for Jesus, and the greatness and creativity of a God who can use even horrible circumstances to accomplish His purposes. I've learned a lot, and if those who read the book come to a better understanding of the plight of our Christian brothers and sisters throughout the world, it will have accomplished its purpose.
So because summer is nearly over, the book is in good shape, and Jonathan went with his grandparents to visit family in West Virginia, Katie and I are headed to the Windy City for a couple of days. We don't have a schedule, and there are no planned activities--except for an obligatory visit to the Cheesecake Factory. We're just going to make some memories before the summer of '07 leaves us forever. One thing I can say for certain--there will be no blogging during the trip. This will be a writing-free week for me.
Today I received the page proofs for Better Than Life, what in June looked like a daunting project--crashing a book, writing/compiling 128 pages by August. I remember at the very beginning, before I'd even begun to write, our publisher told someone that I'd finish "ahead of deadline, like Annette always does." When I heard her say that, I thought, "There's a first time for everything." But she was right-- I did finish ahead of deadline, and instead of 128 pages, it will be 160. And I have to say that I'm satisfied with the results.
Researching and writing about the persecuted church has affected my thinking on so many things: the fellowship of Christ's suffering, loving our enemies, the necessity of standing up for Jesus, and the greatness and creativity of a God who can use even horrible circumstances to accomplish His purposes. I've learned a lot, and if those who read the book come to a better understanding of the plight of our Christian brothers and sisters throughout the world, it will have accomplished its purpose.
So because summer is nearly over, the book is in good shape, and Jonathan went with his grandparents to visit family in West Virginia, Katie and I are headed to the Windy City for a couple of days. We don't have a schedule, and there are no planned activities--except for an obligatory visit to the Cheesecake Factory. We're just going to make some memories before the summer of '07 leaves us forever. One thing I can say for certain--there will be no blogging during the trip. This will be a writing-free week for me.
8/16/07
Exciting Adventures
The Selden family is an adventure waiting to happen, as we realized yet again earlier this week. The cousins, Elizabeth and Garrett, were visiting from Indiana, so to show them a good time, we all headed out to . . . Archbold, Ohio, of course!
"Why Archbold?" you ask. Archbold was the scene of many family outings of the past as it was only about 5 miles west of Wauseon, the town where I grew up. So we went on a pilgrimage. For those of you who are unaware of the amazing tourist opportunities in Ohio, Archbold, Ohio, is the home of the famous Sauder Village, Sauder Heritage Inn, Sauder Barn Restaurant, and the Sauder ready-to-assemble furniture factory and corporate headquarters that at one time employed my mom.
Anyway, the quaint Sauder Village is where we would often take the children for fun when my parents still lived in Ohio and we visited them there. Unfortunately, upon our arrival Monday, we learned that the village is closed on Mondays. Not to worry, though, we had reservations at the lovely Sauder Heritage Inn, so the cousins spent a lot of time in the pool. A good time was had by all.
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