What If You're Wrong Part 2 by Shalene

For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him" (Psalm 103:11).

I posted a video from YouTube yesterday, by one of my favorite artists, Nichole Nordeman. The video was for the song What If, and in the dedication on her CD jacket, she states the song is "for a friend who thinks this Jesus stuff is nuts". For all you friends, neighbors, loved ones and every one else, What if you're wrong? I have a relative by marriage that asked us this question before we were believers, and I never really thought about it. (Once again, I chose not to hear the Truth in her words.)

Do you think that the He's "just another nice guy", that He was a dreamer, that He was certainly a special person, but not the Son of God? Do you think the crown of thorns is "no more than folklore"? And what about the Bible, do you choose not to believe that it is the Word of God? What if you're wrong???

If you're right, then NOTHING. Nothing as in, this life means nothing, there is no point to any of it. Does that make you feel good? If you're right, then there is NOTHING to look forward to, and no one will know that all the believers out there, myself included, were just foolish to believe in Him. Because there is NOTHING after this life.

But what if you're wrong? What if there is "hope you've never dreamed of hoping for"? What if the moment you pass from this earth, you learn that you were wrong? You will spend eternity wishing you had listened and believed. Because at that moment, you will believe, but you won't be able to do ANYTHING about it. I urge you, read the book of John. It tells all about who Jesus was, and why He came. I don't want you to be wrong. Because what if you are???? What if He is love??????

Lord, today I pray for all the unbelievers that choose to remain thinking that belief in You is foolishness, I pray for their eternal souls. I pray that you give me the words to minister to these lost souls. I pray that they see the Love that You are. Lord I know that you are Truth and Light and Love like I could never imagine. It is beyond my comprehension and beyond any explanation. But Lord, I want to try. I pray that You help me to reach those that would be saved by Your message of salvation. I pray this in Jesus' Holy Name, Amen.


What If by Nichole Nordeman

Simply Talking to God by Shalene

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 NKJV

In my experience as a Christ follower, I have had to learn what it means to pray continuously. This seems like such an impossible feat, when you first contemplate the thought. I mean, how can you really pray continuously? Well, I've learned that praying continuously is exactly what it seems.

To pray continuously is to have an ongoing conversation with God. For me this ended up being a lot easier than I thought it would be. You see, I'm a talk to myself type of person. Only now, instead of talking to myself, I talk to God. When something is making me happy, I automatically thank God for it. When something is making me sad or upset, I tell God about it. I thank Him for everything, good or bad, because I know He has a divine plan for it all. I think of those around me that are unbelievers, and instead of day dreaming about what I could do to witness to them, I ask God to show me. When I see a homeless person, on the corner, I ask God for protection over them, and ask if there is some way that I can help.

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things. Philippians 4:8 NKJV

I am not for one moment suggesting that I am perfect in my prayer life. But, I did want to share my methods for praying continuously. Perhaps you have a better way. There are also other ways to communicate with the Lord. I also like to memorize scripture that is particularly relevant to my life at the moment. (It's all relevant, all the time, but some Scripture speaks to me especially "loudly".) How do I do this? Well for me, I use the concordance in the back of my bible, find the scripture verses that correspond to that particular topic, and write in on my bathroom mirror in dry erase marker (it comes off much easier than lipstick or eyeliner, trust me, I've tried both.) In that way, I have to see it every time I'm in there. As an added benefit, so does everyone else that visits that room. Surprisingly enough, I've had the chance to witness to others because of the writings on my mirror. :) My husband and I also use this method to minister to our children on occasion. Speaking aloud scripture is a wonderful way to speak to God in prayer.

Keep your heart with all diligence,
For out of it spring the issues of life
Proverbs 4:23 NKJV

I am also a strong proponent of guarding your heart by what you see, watch, and listen to. Some would not agree with me, but I truly feel that watching or listening to things that are not of God is not "guarding your heart." That leads me to my next method for praying: I pray through the songs that I sing. This is also one way in which I worship Him. When I am singing a song, it's usually one that is stuck in my head, and I only listen to Christian music. Therefore, the only thing stuck in my head is words to my Lord. You may not like this method, or it may not work for you. Of course, you may find that none of these methods work for you and you must find your own. There is no wrong way to pray to the Lord, so long as your heart is earnest, and your prayers are too. I pray that these ideas will help you in your daily endeavors to pray continuously, and that your life will be blessed by this practice.

--Lord, today I thank you for the opportunity to share the ways that I talk to you. I thank You that You want to be in constant contact with me and with all of Your creation. I pray that I and the others that read these words will find joy in their daily communion with You. I pray these things in Jesus' Holy Name. Amen.

My Interview with Hannah. (One last interview just for fun.)

At the risk of boring you all to tears, I am posting one last interview. My MAS sisters and I all agreed that we should all interview each other just for fun. I will post the rules, in case you do want me to interview you, but for this blog, I think this will be the last one for awhile. Though I thoroughly enjoy these, I'm not so sure you do, so first the rules and then the interview.

1. Leave me a comment saying "Interview me."
2. I will respond by emailing you five questions. I get to pick the questions.
3. You will update your blog with a post containing your answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

And now on to the interview:

Hannah: You mentioned to me that you had a cat. What is your cat’s name and how long have you had him/her?

Shalene: Our cat's name is Molly. She is a Tiffany, which means she is a very small, very skittish cat. (The term "scaredy cat" fits her perfectly!) My husband had her for about a year and a half before he met me, so she's been a part of this family for about 9 years now.

Hannah: You have shared with us your testimony of how you came to Christ. You also mentioned prior to receiving Christ, you considered Christianity hypocritical. What specific examples led you to that conclusion then?

Shalene: Well, it wasn't so much Christianity that I viewed as hypocritical, as Christians. When I was a child and went to church, there were many families that had more money than we did. It was very clique-ish and I felt left out, often. Later, when I looked back on the fact that other than one bible study teacher, no one even bothered to care that we were gone, I just didn't feel the love that Christians are supposed to show. There is also another big church in our area that has been around since I was a small child. That church was always known for being the church that all the wealthy people went to, and just didn't seem to reach out. Now, I don't know if any of that is true, but at the time it seemed believable. Add to that the fact that I just didn't want to believe that Christianity and God were true, and it was easier to say they were hypocrites. That way, I didn't have to look at my own behavior.

Hannah: How do you view Christianity now?

Shalene: Well, unfortunately, there are still a number of people out there that call themselves Christians that just don't seem to epitomize what Christianity is all about. Especially now that I know that being a Christian means being a Christ follower. Not just following a bunch of commandments. It's not my place to judge any of them, and I am by far, not perfect in this regard either. However, now I can say that I believe the foundations of Christianity with all my heart. I believe in God, and I believe in His Divine Son as my Lord and Savior. I believe 100% in loving my neighbor as myself, regardless of their financial, social or any other status. And I believe in the Holy Word of God, as being true and infallible.

Hannah: After your trip to Spirit West Coast, your posts have had a purposeful, direct message. What was the catalyst for this change? How has your writing changed prior to the trip to now?

Shalene: I really don't think that Spirit West Coast had anything to do with it. I think my prayers prior to and since have had everything to do with my writing. I also don't agree completely that my writing has really changed as far as being direct and purposeful. I still have days when I don't seem to have a purpose. I think that perhaps it only seems that way, because I had a few hard hitters right after returning. I pray each day and with each post that a message that glorifies God is shared with my readers. One change I think that HAS taken place is that I now try to place accurate, relevant scripture within each post and I've lost my fear of offending. I couldn't say exactly when I lost that fear, but if it was after Spirit West Coast, maybe it was just the break from writing for almost a week and the Spirit moving in me while I was gone.

Hannah: If you had a chance to meet and counsel with one of the biblical characters: Sarah, Ruth or Esther, who would you meet with and why?

Shalene: Well, I think it would have to be Ruth. She places herself in a strange new place, where she was an outsider. She dug in and did what she had to do and she won the man she was going after in a very uncommon way. (Well maybe not so uncommon, but certainly not the acceptable way.) I can relate to that. If I said any more, I would be revealing confidences that are just not necessary to reveal about other people, so I'm not going to explain any deeper. I hope you can understand. :)


That concludes this interview. I hope you have been enlightened by my sharing of myself. And as I said before, this will be the last of the requested interviews for quite some time. :) Blessings to you and yours. Thank you Hannah for those great questions!

There is no "MORE" to this post.

Purposeful Ministry by Shalene

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. Acts 1:8

Yesterday, I wrote about how we could change the world by having a purposeful ministry in our blogs and our websites. Today, I want to touch on what it means to have a purposeful ministry.

What does it mean to be purposeful?

Purposeful is defined as having intent. Is it your intent to spread the Word of God and His Good News to all that come into contact with your blog and/or website? How do you do this? Is it obvious to others that your love of God is first and foremost in your life? I don't mean you need to go "Holier- than- thou" on them, but is it clear to all that read your content, that you are a Christ follower? Or is it just a vague idea hidden somewhere as a sidenote?

What does it mean to minister and/ or to witness?

I am aware that not all are comfortable being teachers, and few are qualified to be evangelists or pastors. I am certainly not qualified to be either, though I like to think I'm a fairly good teacher. Having said that, I want to make clear that while helping others to learn to read their bible, and learn the contents within, is of utmost importance, (It is God's Holy Instruction Manual, after all.) there are also other ways to minister and witness to others as well.

I believe the most effective means of doing this (aside from teaching bible study) is to be authentic and transparent. What does that mean, you ask? Let's take transparent first: Being transparent means letting others know that though you are a Christ follower, you are still human. They see the way you live your life, and how God's presence influences it. It means showing your motives, so to speak.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort. 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 ESV (emphasis mine)

Being authentic is very close to the same thing. It means not only letting your motives show, but the reasons behind them as well. It means showing the real you. Warts and all. Many unbelievers get the impression that Christians are hypocrites (and sometimes, unfortunately, they are correct.) They also get the impression that believers have it easy. That we don't have the same problems they do, because we put on our mask of peace. We're afraid to let the world know that while we have peace, it is only through trust in Him that it exists. Not because we don't have issues and moments of utter human-ness.

For we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead 2 Corinthians 1:8-9 ESV(emphasis mine)

So to those of you that want to be purposeful, transparent and authentic in your faith, I say Praise God! For you are doing much the same as Paul did, in his ministry to the early churches.

For our boast is this: the testimony of our conscience that we behaved in the world with simplicity and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God, and supremely so toward you. 2 Corinthians 1:12 ESV (emphasis mine)

---Lord, today I pray that I might be purposefully authentic and transparent in all my dealings. That this ministry you have blessed me with will touch others according to Your Plan. I pray that the others that you have also blessed with the talent and responsibility to reach others will pray the same prayer. I pray that I reach believers and unbelievers alike, that Your Name alone would be glorified. I pray these things in Jesus' Holy Name. Amen.

Changing the World by Shalene

Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? 1 John 5:5 KJV

I've been reading a lot of Christian blogs and visiting a lot of Christian websites lately. In doing so, I've had a thought. That is: What would happen if we all had a purpose in our blogs and our sites? Could we change the world? The answer is a resounding YES! Everyone of us that is a Christ follower, can change our world by using our sites and blogs to glorify the Lord. Whether that be by teaching the Holy Word of God to others or by sharing our own faith in our daily lives.

I wonder, how many of you that have a blog or site really understand that you have a responsibility, given to you- by God- to minister to others with the gifts that God has given you? Do you even see it as a ministry? If you're teaching the Word of God, surely you do. If you are "just" sharing your life, you may not see it as such. Let me impress upon you, it is! Your life may touch someone in a way that makes them want what you have. And that is the Holy Spirit guiding your every day, and a love of God that surpasses all understanding. Do you see it people?

We as a society have gotten complacent about sharing our faith. We have become closet Christians. That is not what Jesus instructed us to do!

And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. Mark 16:15,16 NKJV

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen. Matthew 28:18-20 NKJV

These two scriptures are known as the Great Commission and it was Jesus' last instruction to us before He ascended into Heaven. This instruction does not change simply because we live in a time when sharing our faith is inconvenient or might be an embarassment. How sad that you could be embarassed by the One that loves you unconditionally and died for you??? Perhaps some of us have forgotten that it was certainly not easy or convenient for the first disciples to share their faith. They were beaten, imprisoned and killed for it, for goodness sake!

So I say this, take your love of God and turn it into PASSION! Love your God and show the world that you love Him. I will endeavor to do the same. I too fall into times when I'm not comfortable sharing my faith, though I thank the Lord it doesn't happen often. Perhaps my way is not your way of doing things. That's ok. Just do it in way you can, so long as it glorifies Him, and you will be obeying Him that commissioned you.

--Lord, today I pray that You continue to move in me, so that I obey Your holy instruction to make disciples of nations. I pray that you give me the wisdom in my methods and the discernment to know when. I pray that You allow me to move others so that they want what I have: the eternal salvation that You bought at so high a price, I cannot fathom, a Peace that surpasses all understanding, and a glorious love that none can replace. I pray that you move others to want these same things. I pray for all my brothers and sisters in Christ that you would move them to want to move mountains for you. I pray all these things in Jesus' Holy Name. Amen.