It's a Wonderful Life

It's a Wonderful Life
By Brenda Black

On one day, two men entered my life and I was singularly changed by their impact. The first appeared to be impoverished. He wore a ragged wool coat and a soiled grey shirt and tattered jeans. Thick, scratched and smudged glasses hugged his weathered cheeks as if they feared falling from his face. The second stranger approached me with a quick step that matched his snappy dress. He was as clever and articulate as the former was fumbling and repetitive. I met two men, I heard one message from God.

Thousands of people passed by the promotional booth I manned. Hundreds stopped to purchase a product or ask me questions. I saw rich, plain, tan and toned, flabby, friendly, grumpy and fancy folks. But those two – well, I remember their faces.

With stammering speech he shared his dream with me, the first stranger. He pulled from his coat pocket a roll of cherished papers. After he perused the clean white pages of my brand new book, he unfurled his faded and stained manuscript and told me he was a writer as well. I read some of his poems carefully crafted by a manual typewriter; I couldn't tell how many years prior. He relished my genuine interest. He shared his hopes for publishing them one day and tapped his rough, dirty finger against the page, while he emphasized what God had taught when he first praised the Lord with his clever prose.

I couldn't tell whether his plans were reality or a dream never conceived. Some of his claims seemed far-fetched. He told me one of his poems hangs in the nation's capitol and no president dares take it off the wall. I doubted that he had the means to complete his apparently long-awaited pursuit. But he never knew my reservations. I patiently listened while he shared his creative process. I grasped his hand and shook it heartily, telling him it was my pleasure to visit with him and meet such an accomplished author. I meant it. He smiled widely, revealing tarnished teeth. With a tear in his eye, he thanked me profusely for talking to him like I had done some remarkable feat.

I nearly cried, thinking after he departed, that maybe no one acknowledges him on any given day. He might feel invisible to the masses that never make eye contact with him or read his works, if indeed they are his. But for a moment, I had the pleasure of being my Lord's hands and heart and I saw this man as he wanted to be known, as a fellow writer full of promise and talent.

In a far briefer moment, the small, neatly attired second stranger popped into my booth like a prairie dog pops from his den. In a matter of seconds, he was gone. Then back again. We had only spoken a smattering of words, but I have no idea how long he had been watching me handle the hoards of people that ebbed and flowed in and out of my zone. I was stunned when he spun and returned with outstretched hand and said, “You have a delightful personality and your smile is engaging. You are perfect for this and I pray God blesses your work.” I was overwhelmed and felt like I was in the presence of Second Class Angel, Clarence, from “It's a Wonderful Life.” I hugged him and thanked him for his kindness. As quickly as he came, he vanished into the throng of people. His warmth and generosity toward me lingered like a special-delivery blessing straight from heaven.

What a contrast of circumstances and characters. What a wake-up call for my soul to remember that it always matters how you treat people because all people matter to God.

At some point during the Christmas season, I will watch again the Christmas classic “It's a Wonderful Life” and think back over my own years of existence. I'll wonder at the ever overlapping circles of events that sweetly complicate my world with thousands of acquaintances. I'll recall the times and places where God's hand altered events or surprised me with strangers and I'll be thankful to have participated. It truly is a wonderful life when you stop to count your blessings and when you take the time to be a blessing.

As Clarence says to George Bailey: “Strange, isn't it? Each man's life touches so many other lives. When he isn't around he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he?”

As George realized he impacted others for good, he welcomed a life filled with treasures as well as troubles and said, “I want to live again. I want to live again. Please, God, let me live again.”

No matter your circumstances, whether impoverished or wealthy, whether hungry for attention or eager to give attention; God has a plan and a purpose for you each day of your wonderful life. Be his hands and feet and the bearer of peace at Christmas and always. You never know who needs your encouragement or who is watching.


**Touched by this story? Read more from Brenda in her new book “Were You Born in a Barn?” available online at www.thewordsout-brendablack.com -- order yours today.

Shepherding the Sheep

Shepherding the Sheep

By Brenda Black


"And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.'

"Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.'

"When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, 'Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.'

"So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told." (Luke 2:8-20)

While Mary pondered all the miracles surrounding the birth of the Christ child, I wonder if she mulled over in her mind why shepherds were the first to come calling. They lived in a culture fanatical about cleanliness and shepherds were never clean. They constantly walked about in excrement and touched dead things which left them in a state of ritual impurity. Because of their defiled conditions, shepherds were not allowed to go to the temple to offer sacrifices or to go to the synagogues with other worshipers. Even the most pious shepherd was labeled as unclean and could not come into the presence of God. Then why were these outcasts invited first to view the newborn King?

God always has a purpose. The Nativity account in Luke devotes only 253 words to the unnamed night watchers and their reaction to the announcement of Jesus' birth, but God's choice of sheep-keepers was a major foresight of the ministry that Jesus would demonstrate as he walked on earth. Christ the Good Shepherd started as a sleeping child in a stable. Christ the Good Shepherd lived for his flock by loving, feeding and serving them. Christ the Good Shepherd died as a spotless lamb unto slaughter and rose as a the Good Shepherd who will lead the flock home to safety. The Christmas baby was born a shepherd. Who would understand better the necessity for mankind to be shepherded than those who dealt with sheep on a daily basis.

The believers of Christ are called sheep in John 10:15. Before you feel flattered by the moniker, talk to a shepherd. They'll tell you sheep are docile in nature, but timid and terribly nervous. The news of the Messiah was certain to bring anxiety along with delight. Shepherds would know how to settle the nerves with the comforting words of an angel who told them personally "Do not be afraid..."

Sheep exhibit strong flocking behavior and only a shepherd knows how to take them the right direction. The quicker the shepherds got the news to the masses, the better. Good news of a Good Shepherd would give comfort and hope, and deliver the long-awaited announcement of the Messiah's arrival. Those rugged shepherds knew if they got one lamb to listen, the rest would surely follow.

Flock mentality can be good or it can be fatal. Shepherds are keenly aware that they must do everything in their power to protect those in their care. God's people are susceptible to wickedness and danger. Just as sheep are generally less aggressive than goats, so it is in the spiritual realm where saints strive for peace, while demons push for power. Left together in the same enclosure, goats will harass the sheep. Left without a shepherd, believers are prey to evil doers. Thankfully, God inhabits the praise of His people. The shepherds "returned, glorifying and praising God." Their rejoicing rendered satan powerless. No doubt, demons fled the heralding.

Remember this Christmas that Christ is the King of Kings. But first, he was a Shepherd. Those most willing to calm fears, lead with assuring voices and lay down their lives for the flock, are most blessed indeed. When we shepherd, we look like Christ to others.

**For more animal parables, check out Brenda's new book "Were You Born in a Barn?" at www.thewordsout-brendablack.com


##

800

Yes, Virginia, There is a Savior

Yes, Virginia, There is a Savior
By Brenda Black

What would Christmas look like if The New York Sun editor, Francis P. Church, on September 21, 1897, had been asked whether Jesus Christ were real rather than Santa Clause? And how would thousands of childlike hearts have been changed had he told Virginia the whole truth – Yes, Virginia, there is a Savior.

Only the letters in brackets have been changed from the original text to help us grasp the significance that the son of a Baptist preacher could have had on generations if Jesus were the topic instead of St. Nick.

"Dear Editor--I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no [Savior]. Papa says, 'If you see it in The Sun, it's so.' Please tell me the truth, is there a [Savior]?” -- Virginia O'Hanlon, 115 West Ninety-fifth Street.

“Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge. Yes, Virginia, there is a [Savior]. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no [Savior]! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no child-like faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished. Not believe in a [Savior]! You might as well not believe in [angels]! You might get your papa to hire men to watch ... on Christmas eve to [hear the angels singing], but even if you did not see [the Savior born or hear the proclamation], what would that prove? Nobody sees [Jesus], but that is no sign that there is no [Christ]. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see [angels] dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world. You tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding. No [Savior]! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood. Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas.”

The response to the editorial was sensational! It became one of the most famous opinion columns ever written and was reprinted annually in The New York Sun until the paper went out of business. Oh, that the information would have been truly Good News and not fanciful legend mixed with theology. Then Virginia and her little friends and every man, woman and child that read Church's exposition would be able to experience genuine Christmas cheer and learn of God's favor.

“But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.

“Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.' (Luke 2:10-14)

Of course, there is room for fantasy and frivolity in the life of a child. Imagination is a gift not to be pilfered from the minds of young and young-at-heart. But, when the real story is better than fiction and has eternal rewards that outlast seasonal presents and traditions, aren't we giving them the very best Christmas when we keep Christ as the focus.

“Whatever else be lost among the years, Let us keep Christmas still a shining thing: Whatever doubts assail us, or what fears, Let us hold close one day, remembering its poignant meaning for the hearts of men. Let us get back our childlike faith again.” – Grace Noll Crowell

Now, more than ever the “skepticism of a skeptical age” threatens the reason for this season – Christ the Lord. Keep Christ in Christmas, build faith in the next generation and tell them honestly, yes, my child, there is a Savior.

Hybrid Hounds Won't Be Found in Heaven

You've heard it said - they go together like salt and pepper or peanut butter and jelly; chips and dip or Bert and Ernie. Combining opposites or compatibles is often considered an art form in culinary circles and interior design. It is a publicists dream to market a famous team like Dean and Martin or create a dynamic duo like Batman and Robin. But some things, I contend, are still better left as one. Too much crossing can lead to strange outcroppings that will make one wish they had left well enough alone. For example, consider the craze over hybrid dogs or designer dogs as some call them. They are becoming quite popular, but I wonder if we haven't taken the freedom to intermingle a little too far. It looks to me like we've reinvented the mutt.

The word “Hybrid,” when referring to genetics, is the offspring of genetically dissimilar parents or stock, especially the offspring produced by breeding plants or animals of different varieties, species, or races. In general the word means “something of mixed origin or composition.”

Try these newfangled creations on for size and decide for yourself whether it's a mistake or genius. American Bullweiler – this is a cross between an American Bulldog and the Rottweiler. Envision being attacked and killed with slobber. How about the American Eagle Dog. Take an American Eskimo and breed it to a Beagle. Voila' – you get a cold season tracker who can pull the sled down every rabbit trail he whiffs, knocking you off with low-lying branches as you traverse the Great Divide.

If you want to keep the cattle or sheep rounded up in the snow, an Ausky is your breed. The cross of an Australian Cattle Dog and the Siberian Husky will make livestock driving far more lively if the dog pulls you on skies!

In short, a Bascottie is not an English biscuit. It is a Basset Hound and a Scottish Terrier. Here is the plan: Take a sturdy little dog with short legs, a long head and pointy ears and breed her to a short, heavy dog with a large, round head and droopy ears. Since the front feet of the Terrier are larger than her back feet, put some pounds on her rear quarters with a Basset behind. Not only will their pup's ears hang low and its rump be heavy in tow, he'll also have bushy eyebrows and a beard to drag the ground.

Don't be fooled, a Chiweenie is not something on a Taco Bell menu, but it does sort of look like a burrito with tortillas for ears. If this little hybrid can't win by a nose in a dog race, maybe it could fly across the finish line. Asta la vista, puppy!

I discovered countless crosses with Poodles and Beagles and Labs, Oh my! Borders and Shih Tzu and Pinchers and Poms dotted the hybrid hodgepodge. And there seems to be a penchant for turning upland game dogs or waterfowl retrievers into useless doormats by breeding the sport right out of them.

So it goes – different strokes for different folks. But I wonder what the dogs think about the erratic match making. Is a Labradoodle afraid to get its hair wet? Will a China Jack mess up its crest when it chases a rat? Does a Rat-A-Pap feel naked or a Schnekingese miss its schnoz? Does a Sheprador herd the cattle on dry land or drag them by the nape just as they cross the creek? Is a Petite Goldendoodle really ever certain whether to bark in English, Spanish or French?

While poking fun at dog designers, it is no laughing matter when Christianity is viewed similarly. Faith designers try to redefine truth with hybrid formulas comprised of opposing beliefs and “mixed origin.” The outcome is a worldly, man-made, mutt religion. No real accountability exists if my faith system is based on relative morality. I don't need to worry about my eternal destiny because everyone goes to heaven as a hybrid. You see, without a registry, I can be whatever I want to be and call it Christianity.

The Word of God clearly distinguishes true believers from composite Christians and clarifies the purpose and destiny of each. “There is one body and one Spirit – just as you were called – one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” (Ephesians 4:4-6)

Our registry is written in the book of life by the blood of Christ. If we are not covered by His blood and if we do not bear His Name, we are without identity and destined for destruction. “If anyone's name [is] not found written in the book of life, he [will be] thrown into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:15)

Each breed of dog has historically been developed to be an expert at something – Great Danes hunt lions. Border Collies herd sheep. Blue Tick hounds track raccoon. I detect in many of the new hybrids there is no clear purpose for the combination; many look like obvious mistakes or the product of human amusement. Christians take note - there are consequences for watering down true faith with man-made ideas. The result may actually hinder a genuine believer from utilizing his God-given gifts.

“But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it...It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ...From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” (Eph. 4:7,11-13,16)

Heinz 57 no longer means a mixed bag of canine wonder; it factors into mega bucks for the kennel crowds who develop novel and profitable products. Melting pot religions are just as trendy, but they are ultimately worthless and costly. As for me, I think I still prefer the original version in dog breeds as well as Christianity. At least I can pronounce my pet's breed and not sound like I'm sneezing. And I know what my purpose is – to be obedient to the one true Master who loves me, cares for me and bids me sit at His feet.

Thank You God, Twenty Times

Thank You God, Twenty Times
By Brenda Black

Give thanks where thanks is due. Let's start at the top. “Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not his benefits.” (Psalm 103:1-2) This Psalm of David not only commissions gratitude, it itemizes God's faithfulness, leaving no doubt that the Lord deserves our thanks first.

1. He forgives all my sins (vs. 3)
2. He heals all my diseases (vs. 3)
3. He redeems my life from the pit (vs. 4)
4. He crowns me with love and compassion (vs. 4)
5. He satisfies my desires with good things (vs. 5)
6. He renews me (vs. 5)
7. The Lord works righteousness and justice for the oppressed (vs. 6)
8. He makes his ways known to man (vs. 7)
9. The Lord is compassionate and gracious (vs. 8)
10. He is slow to anger, abounding in love (vs. 8)
11. He will not always accuse or hold a grudge (vs. 9)
12. God is gracious and does not treat us as our sins deserve (vs. 10)
13. He is love (vs. 11)
14. He removes our sin and sees us as perfect (vs. 12)
15. The Lord is our Father (vs. 13)
16. He knows us inside and out (vs. 14)
17. He is everlasting (vs. 17)
18. God will be here for our children and grandchildren (vs. 17)
19. He is on the throne (vs. 19)
20. He is building a home in heaven for his obedient servants (vs. 19)

Let's get things in perspective! We are BLESSED...BLESSED...BLESSED ! Our sins are forgiven, our diseases treated! We walk in light and no longer have to linger in the pit of despair or decadence or deceit! We are loved and nurtured by a gracious God who is ruler of the universe and yet considerate of man!

God gives good things even when He gets blamed for every bad thing that ever happens on planet earth. He renews us and makes us holy with His righteous, fair and perfect justice. The Lord who is higher than the heavens lowers himself to allow us to enter into His presence and know His will and feel His touch. He longs to dry our tears and ease our pain. He is patient and kind and loving.

Though God Almighty has the authority and right to banish society and hurl the earth's inhabitants into outer darkness, He waits. He forgives. He sacrifices His Son and offers us perfect peace so undeserved. He is love!

How can a God who created light and sees past, present and future be so blind to our faults? He chooses to see us through the blood of Christ! He is our Father who knows us because He created us. He knows us because He watches us. He knows us because He longs to be near us. He knows and He cares. He deserves our respect as well as our gratitude.

If you haven't heard enough, how about we go on forever. He promises forever to be here for us, to be here for our children and grandchildren. How thankful I am that we are never alone. How safe we are knowing that God is on the throne. And how privileged we are to have the promise of heaven!

Our response this Thanksgiving should only be: “Praise the Lord, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word. Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will. Praise the Lord, all his works everywhere in his dominion. Praise the Lord, O my soul.” (Ps. 103:20-22)

We are a blessed people who dwell in a blessed nation only because of the blessings poured out upon us from the Lord who benefits us. Never forget to give thanks where thanks is due. Drop to your knees this Thanksgiving weekend and give God twenty.

Beg to Differ

Beg to Differ

By Brenda Black


Vulgar phrases spewed from her mouth as she taunted all who happened down her Brazilian sidewalk. Just as horrifying were her massive deformities that indicated why the verbal assaults from her were self-empowering. The stranger's mouth took the place of arms, hands, legs, feet -- even body. She was a mere stump with a cursing head.

I was a college co-ed on a missions trip. And on the streets of Belem I passed the partial woman with piercing eyes and forked tongue. On every corner beggars pursued me. They graveled and groped or waited to snatch my purse. Our host missionary families warned us and protected our group with wariness and knowledge. But nothing could have prepared me for the shocking site of that pitiful woman, sold into slavery as a beggar and placed out on the street to stare helplessly up at uncaring people who passed her day after day.

The bucket that collected dropping change matched her entire body for size and sat inches from her chest, yet forever out of reach to a limbless, sad life. She did not beg for mercy. She did not endear merciful people. Instead she insulted and cursed them, driving away anyone who might lovingly assist.

Contrary to this woman, a blind man in Jericho found a better way to get the right kind of attention. He was a beggar as well.

“As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus...was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, 'Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!'

“Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, 'Son of David, have mercy on me!'

“Jesus stopped and said, 'Call him.'

“So they called to the blind man, 'Cheer up! On your feet! He's calling you.'

“Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.

“'What do you want me to do for you?' Jesus asked him.

“The blind man said, 'Rabbi, I want to see.'

“'Go,' said Jesus, 'your faith has healed you.' Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.” (Mark 10:46-52)

While the Brazilian woman was merely crude, Bartimaeus was desperately bold and his faith was noted by Christ. The fact that the blind man called Jesus “Son of David,” demonstrated his knowledge of Jesus as the promised Messiah. His begging was a confession of belief. And he dared to proclaim in the midst of a large crowd who had disregarded him and presently rebuked him. Yet he “shouted all the more!”

Maybe the wide-eyed woman daily watched feet glide past her without promise and their indifference ultimately smashed her hope. But blind had its benefits for old Bartimaeus. Concern for the opinion of others vanquished when he sensed help and hope was near. Blindness closed his eyes to pride and shielded him from the impossibilities. As a result, he jumped to his feet when Jesus called him!

If the destitute woman stationed on hard concrete had a hard heart, maybe it was because she never cried out to the One who could soften it. James 4:2 says, “You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God.”

Bart, on the other hand, got specific. He cried out and spelled out exactly what he desired of the Christ – he wanted to see! And Jesus answered his plea.

The haunting sight of that vile woman swearing at well-intending folks who would drop a coin into her pail still crosses my mind. She did not smile nor did she thank them. She just kept swearing. Are we as ungrateful when people try to help? Are we as prideful when we have nothing to offer but our heart and mind and refuse to yield them to Christ? The blind beggar who met Jesus received sight for his eyes and salve for his soul because he surrendered. And he expressed deep gratitude by following the Savior.

The difference between the beggars is belief. “Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved; how precious did that grace appear the hour I first believed.”

The difference between the beggars is hope. “The Lord has promised good to me, His word my hope secures; He will my shield and portion be as long as life endures.”

The difference between the beggars is eternity. “When we've been there ten thousand years, bright shining as the sun, we've no less days to sing God's praise than when we'd first begun.” (Amazing Grace, John Newton, 1831, public domain)

Believers are all beggars saved by grace. We once were lost, now we're found; we were blind, but now we see.

Twilight Not My Type

Twilight Not My Type
By Brenda Black

This may open up a whole can of worms, but when I was recently asked by a wise Christian woman for my opinion on the Twilight series, I had to be honest.

Here's how I replied:

I have not read, nor do I intend to read the series or see the movies. I draw a bold line in the sand when it comes to obvious conflicts with holiness. So vampires, blood diets, immortal beings, erotic conversation between an "old soul" and a teen, etc. run a lot contrary to my tastes and convictions.

That said, many of the reviews I've read present a justification of sorts from the line-walking Christian community. They seem to have discovered enough abstinence and noble character attributes in the main subjects to accommodate their obsession with the series.

My take on that -- you can find whatever you are looking for in any book or movie and weave your own brand of morality out of it. Does that mean Christian youth should be reading these works of fiction? I would not recommend them. There are too many Scriptural and edifying works of literature without the holiness holes in them to be offered as viable alternatives. Is it fair to keep a child out of the social loop? Definitely. I've never seen the need to be worldly wise or to encourage my children to run with the masses. I prefer living in this world as an alien and shining some light in dark places. We can be in the world but not of the world. Feeling the pressure to be with the in-crowd and read a series of fantasy books is a non-issue for me.

I think the greatest conviction for us as adult women professing faith in Jesus Christ may come from the fact that younger women are looking to us for guidance and or validation for their choices. One reviewer on the Twilight series brought the importance of that aspect in for a landing.

"As a 15-year-old, reading those books was a strange experience for me. I didn’t think they were too bad or morally lacking until I heard my old high-school chaplain (a thirty-something woman, I think. Never dared to ask) praise them. And then something inside me clicked, because it struck me as wrong that a Godly woman would find this series good."

And there you have it. After absorbing dozens of pop culture opinions on the topic, I had my justification for following the book of Ephesians rather than the book of Twilight - this 15 year old's conflict.

"Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

"But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person -- such a man is an idolater -- has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them.

"For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said:

"'Wake up, O sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.'

"Be very careful, then, how you live -- not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is." (Ephesians 5:1-17)


Here is one website that had extensive discussion on the topic and presented several viewpoints worth considering. It is from this discourse that I found the young girl's quote.