Facing Darkness- A movie you should see

I wrote a blog post warning about a movie you should not watch. But now let me tell you about one you should see. It will be in theatres across the United States on March 30th, so it’s coming up soon! 

I cannot believe the ebola pandemic was so long ago in 2014! Now it’s part of history. But it feels like it was just last year…(I probably have a problem with keeping track of time, haha). What are your memories of that event?
I remember praying that God will prevent the pandemic from spreading and becoming a disaster. I remember doing my nursing clinicals and being aware that hospitals in the United States were on alert for any patients with signs of ebola, I remember reading posters in hospitals listing symptoms that should be reported, I remember praying it would not spread, I remember praying for Dr. Kent Brantly and the nurse in Texas who got infected with ebola, and worried that it was already at a stage of being uncontrolled, worrying we would hear they didn’t make it like so many others in Liberia.

But God (Ephesians 2:4). In His rich mercy, He intervened! I am so grateful for the wonderful ways He answers prayers. I’m sure many saints prayed for Dr. Brantly and the people affected in Liberia. 

The documentary film “Facing Darkness” is about this remarkable story of God’s work through the brave and faithful service of Dr. Brantly who chose to place his life and his trust in the Lord through one of the most trying times of his life. 

Make time to see this movie in theatres. It plays on March 30th, this Thursday! And remember to praise God for sparing us from a horrible pandemic and turning it into an opportunity to spread the Gospel through his servants like Dr. Brantly and Samaritan’s Purse. It could have been a secular doctor who went to Liberia to work and who survived- but God orchestrated events so that it was a Christian, Dr. Brantly who was there. God works in mysterious ways. All glory be to Him!

Prince Rupert’s Drop

When I’m not working, making things, exercising, or doing any other of the things on my “to do” list, I like learning some physics. The funnest way to learn new things is with Destin from Smarter Every Day. I was introduced to his channel by a friend from Ireland. 

Are you wondering what a Prince Rupert has to do with physics?

Prince Rupert was a German from Bavaria, and he brought a special piece of glass that looks like a drop of water, to the British king in 1660. Since then, that glass drop is called by his name. This glass has impressive properties that I’ll let you learn in the video. Glassmakers have known about Prince Rupert’s Drop even since the Roman Empire. The glass drop has also been used as toys around the 17th-18th centuries. It used to be called “Dutch tears” or “Prussian tears” because they claimed to have invented the glass drop. 

In his 7 minute video, Destin takes you on a journey to learn about this mysterious and fascinating piece of glass that continues to amaze people throughout generations.

Whenever I learn about the wonders of physics or chemistry or any other science subject or the world around us, it makes me glorify God for His intricate, perfect, creation!
“Great is our Lord and abundant in strength; His understanding is infinite” (Psalm 147:5)

After watching the video, what do you think?
Have you known about the properties of Prince Rupert’s Drop before this post?
Since we’re on the topic of glass, would you try glass blowing if you had the chance? 

 

 

What Does God Say about Books & Reading?

I love reading; I’m a book collector, and a constant scout for new stories to read. I have a growing list of books I want to read this year…but I might need to get creative with my time to plow through them all.  If you have any title suggestions to add to my reading list, I invite you to share! Then I can blame you if my list grows so long it has to wrap around the earth twice 😉 Nah, I’d be thrilled! I’m not endorsing the books on my list, I still have to check them out and see if they are good books, but the titles and descriptions look solid! 

But what does God think about books and reading? Have you ever wondered? I read an interesting description by Institute for Creation Research on this topic, and I encourage you to read it too! After that, check out my book list below and see if you recognize any book titles, or if you’d be interested to read any of them yourself. 

THE BOOK OF BOOKS

“This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him.” (Genesis 5:1)

The Bible (literally “the book”) contains over 200 references to books. This implies, among other things, God’s approval of communication by books. Our text, containing the first mention of the word “book” in the Bible, indicates that the very first man…. (Continue reading). 

 

A Few Books on my Reading List for 2017

• For the Glory: Eric Liddell’s Journey from Olympic Champion to Modern Martyr by DUNCAN HAMILTON 
• Operation Thunderbolt: Flight 139 and the raid on the Entebbe Airport, the most audacious hostage rescue mission in history by SAUL DAVID 
• Beyond the Call: The True story of one World War II Pilot’s Covert Mission to Rescue POW’s on the Eastern Front by LEE TRIMBLE WITH JEREMY DRONFIELD 
• When God Looked the other Way: An Odyssey of War, Exile and Redemption by WESLEY ADAMCZYK 
• The Forgotten 500: The untold story of the men who risked all for the greatest rescue mission of World War II by GREGORY A. FREEMAN 
• No Greater Ally: The Untold Story of Poland’s Forces in World War II by  Kenneth K. Koskodan 
• Let Me Be a Woman by Elisabeth Elliot 
• Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business by Neil Postman and Andrew Postman
• Violins of Hope: Violins of the Holocaust–Instruments of Hope and Liberation in Mankind’s Darkest Hour by  James A. Grymes
• The Gulag Archipelago by Solzhenitsyn, Aleksandr Isaevich
• Stuff Matters: Exploring the Marvelous Materials That Shape Our Man-Made World by Mark Miodownik 
• Periodic Tales: A Cultural History of the Elements, from Arsenic to Zinc by Hugh Aldersey-Williams
• A Good Place to Hide: How One French Community Saved Thousands of Lives in World War II by Peter Grose

Can you tell I’m fascinated by WWII stories? 

A little bit of politics

First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, (1 Tim 2:1-3).

In America, the presidential inauguration is tomorrow. For some of you reading this on the other side of the world, it already happened. There are a lot of ideas about this election and upcoming president. As Christians, we do not put our trust in men, in presidents and politicians, but if God granted us the freedom to live in a free country where we can vote, I believe we should use those civil liberties to further the Kingdom of Christ on Earth till His coming. Just as Paul the apostle used his civil liberties as Roman citizen often, I think it is Biblical to do so. God can also use people in power to bring temporary relief and benefit to the Church in the world. But we must sustain the blessings of freedom and peace through prayer. 

So I wanted to share this article that shows exactly why the Lord used Trump’s election as a blessing to America and the nations around her.
I pasted the article here, because I don’t trust you will click the link to view it 😉
Plus, it’s short and very well written!

Thank God for Barack Obama (he cleared the field for Donald Trump)
By Arthur Herman

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2017/01/19/thank-god-for-barack-obama-cleared-field-for-donald-trump.html

As America watches Donald Trump take the presidential oath on Friday, it’ll be worth taking a moment to think about what the future will show was a truly providential moment in our history: the presidency of Barack Obama.

It’s time to realize that the eight years of Obama were a gift that kept on giving, one that has cleared the field for Trump in ways we can’t see.

Why? Because in his eight years in office, Obama managed to expose the intellectual bankruptcy of liberalism. He revealed once and for all that it’s an ideology based on a flawed view of reality and of human nature, and that it has been a destructive force in our country going back to the New Deal, and going forward to ObamaCare.

Obama exposed the bankruptcy of the mainstream media and its bogus claims to be an objective information filter, when, in fact, outlets like CNN, NBC and the New York Times are mouthpieces for the Democratic Party.

He exposed the political bankruptcy of the so-called civil rights movement and groups like Black Lives Matter and showed that, instead of trying to improve the lives of African-Americans, they are geared to raise racial tensions for political gain.

He exposed the bankruptcy of Keynesian economics. After eight years of trying to use government borrowing and spending to grow the economy, Obama and his advisers have left us poorer, less competitive and with more adult Americans not working than at any time since the days of malaise in the 1970s.

Four years weren’t enough to expose these truths. It actually took eight years and Obama’s reelection in 2012 to fully reveal the lies, deceptions and fallacies on which his presidency was based.

Eight years for him to hollow out the Democratic Party at the national and state levels, so that Trump enters the White House with a Republican majority in both houses of Congress and with only four states out of 50 with Democratic governors and Democratic majority legislatures. The Democratic national leadership has been reduced to a politburo of septuagenarians and refugees from the SDS.

In the perpetual divide between liberalism and conservatism, Obama has shown us which is on the side of law and order, and which is not. He showed us side which cares about our veterans, and which does not.

He showed which supports our allies like Britain, Japan and Israel, and which does not.

He showed which side cares about national security, and which does not — and which feels free to let a traitor like Chelsea Manning go free.

He showed which is more concerned about protecting terrorists from Americans, including springing them from Gitmo, than protecting Americans from terrorists.

He showed the American people that federal agencies like the IRS, EPA and CIA have become politicized to a degree that makes them ineffective and even hostile to American interests.

He showed this nation and the world that appeasement of our foes, like China, Russia and Iran, doesn’t work, and that when America fails to lead, we are all put in peril…

Finally, after eight years in office, Barack Obama has left official Washington broken, exhausted and paralyzed by partisan rancor. Even Washington now recognizes it’s time for new blood and new ideas, and that whatever happens it’s bound to be better than what we’ve suffered since 2009.

All in all, it’s an opening for our new president like none since Ronald Reagan, or even going back to 1832 and the inauguration of Andrew Jackson.

And let’s face it. After eight years of Obama, Donald Trump has nowhere to go but up.

Instead of New Years Resolutions

 

I cannot believe how quickly 2016 has passed by! For me it has been a very busy year, but also a very fruitful year by God’s grace.

I have experienced many answered prayers and I was humbled and thrilled to see how the Lord would answer specific desires that I prayed. Last year instead of doing a New Year’s Resolutions list, I did something different which I’ll repeat this year too.

Prayer and Goals List for the New Year 

I felt that the most efficient and sure way to see change in my life, to see goals accomplished and dreams granted was through making a prayer/goals/dreams list for the upcoming year. I titled it “Prayer List for 2016”. I added on that list things that were high on my priority list, all the way to smaller things. For example, I put my request to graduate with honors, to pass my final exam in the first try- and both of those were answered. Also smaller things in some people’s eyes (but that meant a lot to me) like getting a pair of roller blades- and that was answered too! I put ministry goals in there as well, such as my apologetics ministry and writing books for little children.

Then I prayed on that list throughout the year.  As time passed, I saw how the Lord answered prayers and I saw my list being check-marked! He granted me my desires for the year! How good the Lord is! Of course, I am not saying that the Lord is there to do whatever you want Him to do- but He loves us so much and delights when we pour out our hearts to Him and entrust our dreams and goals for our life. It is a tangible way to experience God’s love when you see Him answer specific prayers!

So I urge you to make a goals/dreams list and pray on it for the upcoming year instead of making a New Year’s Resolution. Put stuff on there like traveling to The Ark Encounter, or other travel plans, ministry goals, family goals, school goals, and any other thing you have on your heart.

Thanksgiving List of the Previous Year

Along with my goals/prayer list, I made a thanksgiving list too. I recounted all the significant and beautiful events of the previous years and put them all on a long list. I added huge events like our roadtrip to Chicago, all the way to small things like getting compliments on a group project from my teacher, or winning a giveaway, or getting a molar fixed! It may sound ridiculous to some people to list such “insignificant” things, but in all those things I saw God’s hand, His goodness, and lovingkindess, so I wanted to remember them in gratefulness to see how He was with me in the big and little things in life.

What Will YOU be doing for the New Year?