If Only...

Throughout the first 16 verses in chapter 48 of the book of Isaiah, God reminds Israel how He will consistently fulfill the prophecies He had promised so they can not give credit to idols or any other excuse. He didn't have to tell them what He was going to do ahead of time...but He did, so they would know it is Him.

This chapter falls hot on the heels of all of His prophecies against Israel and how they will be carried into captivity by Babylon. He also specifically has named Cyrus of the Medo-Persian Empire 100 years before he is born and that he will be the one to conquer Babylon. God doesn't want any dispute...He says He will do it...and we know from history, that He was true to His word.

Then in verses 17 through 19 are the verses that shake me up every time I read them:

17 "Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel,
'I am the LORD your God, who teaches you to profit,
Who leads you in the way you should go.
18 If only you had paid attention to My commandments!
Then your well-being would have been like a river,
And your righteousness like the waves of the sea.
19 Your descendants would have been like the sand,
And your offspring like its grains;
Their name would never be cut off or destroyed from My presence." (Isaiah 48:17-19, NASB)

This past week, I was asking Why Doesn't the Simple Thing Work Anymore? I do believe our lack of suffering has great influence on our perceived need for a Saviour. But what does God say to Israel in the passage above? "If only..."

Yes, those commandments were essential to vitality, nourishment and life. Their descendants could never be counted "If only..." Can we apply this to ourselves and learn some lessons? Absolutely!

Think about this: We were all called to 'Go and make disciples, baptize them and teach them God's commandments'. (see Matthew 28:19-20) We were, by design...created to replicate our faith in others...a sort of "birthing", if you will. Why doesn't that happen in our lives until our spiritual descendants are "like the sand"? Is it only the Billy Grahams, the Chuck Swindolls and the Max Lucados that are destined to father so many spiritual children?

I don't think so.

And Jesus taught that the greatest two commandments summed up everything else that God commanded. Love the Lord, your God with all your heart, soul and might and Love your neighbor as yourself. (see Luke 10:27) These were the two at the top of the list and they were uncompromisable.

Maybe I'm taking the Scripture above too liberally...and simply...but, then again...maybe not. How do we point people to the Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, bring innumerable others into the knowledge of God's saving Love so that their name will never end (a.k.a. eternal life)?

"If only..."

I Love a Little Mistake

Sometimes, I'm either in a hurry, or I'm not very focused or my heart is just too distracted...and then I sit down to spend some time with Jesus and I "accidentally" look up the wrong verse. Today, that's exactly what I did when turning to one of the Scripture references in Jesus Calling. Over the last few years though, I have found some of those "mistakes" to be some of the most meaningful Scripture readings I've ever had.

I was supposed to turn to 2 Thessalonians 3:16 and read about peace, but instead,  I went one book too far and found what I needed for the moment in 1 Timothy 3:16:

"By common confession, great is the mystery of godliness,
He who was revealed in the flesh,
Was justified in the Spirit,
Seen by angels,
Proclaimed among the nations,
Believed on in the world,
Taken up in glory."

I don't precisely know why, but this was very reassuring to me when I read it. Here's a few possibilities though:

• This "confession" I make daily...that He is LORD...is common. I am never alone in believing it.
• How does He make us "godly", or more like Him? It's a mystery, so I need to quit trying to figure it out.
• His flesh, His Spirit and even the angels testify who He is so...
• He should be proclaimed everywhere and believed

The final line almost left me a little sad. But here's one more thing that the reassurance of this Scripture gives me...just as all of this proves to my faith that He is Who He said He would be...I can hang my faith on the promise that He's coming back too!

Amen!

Fairhaven Rescue Mission

In my ongoing effort to Publicize What God is Doing, today's highlighted ministry is Fairhaven Rescue Mission of Covington, Kentucky. Fairhaven's website is fairly basic, and they would like for people to either call or e-mail them if there is interest in volunteering.

Opportunities to serve include:

• Chapel speaker/Bible study
• Meal service
• General assistance
• Field trips
• Special events/projects
• Light maintenance
• Donation pick-up
• Thrift store

Every month, Fairhaven serves thousands of meals, provides housing to homeless men each night, offers clothing, transportation to appointments, family emergency assistance and teaches living skills. There are also nightly chapel services for men, a weekly Bible study for women and home and hospital visits to those whom they serve.

I will continue to reiterate...do your own research and if this is a place you feel the Holy Spirit leading you to give or to serve...don't question the feeling...or the wisdom...or even the practicality of it...just do it, and you will be blessed!

It Doesn't Take Long for Change

The body is a remarkable thing...as it is designed by its Creator to be. I have been juicing two weeks and one day. I have not strictly juiced, but when I have eaten food...about 90% of my choices have been healthy. Why I find the body to be so amazing is that I could probably recount for you just exactly what has not been good for my body by how the food has affected me.

I've experienced this in the past also:

• Eliminate all dairy for two weeks, then have some cheese and you get runny nose and congestion the next day
• Detoxify your body completely then attempt to switch to organic soy milk (this was about nine years ago) and feel it burn all the way down to your stomach...clarifying that you are indeed sensitive to soy
• During that same detoxification, continue to use your old Mary Kay eye makeup and watch as your eye turns red, itchy and swollen because your body is saying, "There is no way I am letting you put that c--- back on me!"
• After having eliminated meat from your diet, have a small amount and you'll have heart burn like never before for the rest of the night

Such was the case with my beautiful meal pictured above last night. It was my oldest daughter's last home economics meal for the semester and I let her choose anything she wanted. She selected Olympian burgers which were very yummy. I had the smallest burger available and ate it along with all of the colorful, beautiful fruits and veggies you see in the photo. 

But I should have known based on my past experience with attempting to eat Vegan a couple of years ago...when you eliminate items from your body...that are just not good for your body...your body will let you know it...and quickly! So while I was thrilled to not make dinner and it was delicious...I have to remember in the future to continue to abstain from red meat. It is just too challenging for my stomach enzymes to digest and I do not enjoy heartburn.

The good news is, I'm also becoming adept at distinguishing how much wheat is too much wheat and the same goes for sugar. Discerning, listening to and obeying our God-given body cues are the best way to stay on track with our health. But I adamantly recommend a thorough detoxification first. Your body really does come alive and your senses awaken when you get all of that clutter out. No joke...the water in my shower even feels hotter when I'm cleansed and eating well!

The best thing about listening to your body is that when you do have something that irritates, you can also ask yourself what you need to eat or drink to get yourself back on track. Last night...for me...it was a mango, kiwi, orange juice, coconut water smoothie. Halfway through it, the heartburn was gone and it never returned.

In and Through

I've been mulling over a lot of things recently and most of them boil down to this one core principle that was eloquently discussed by our Executive Pastor, Tommy Baker on Sunday morning: Am I really going to live as if 'I am crucified and I no longer live, but it is Jesus who lives in me?' (See Galatians 2:20)

That's the penultimate question isn't it?

Do I truly believe that Jesus loved me and gave Himself for me (also Galatians 2:20) and because of this I am dead to myself? When I die to self, I can no longer allow my "flesh" to make the choices...all I do, say, think and am must be guided by this faith in Him as Saviour (again, Galatians 2:20).

But is that how we...specifically I...am living? Too often, the answer is No.

The implications of this are staggering. Just sit for a few minutes and imagine what life would be like lived through the filter "Not my life...but Yours". I know for me that means not being ruled by my appetite, my comfort or my pleasure. It means not buying things or going places simply because I can. It doesn't make pleasure wrong...just that I need to ask Him about anything I want to spend His money on. He also determines where I go, whom and how I serve and when and what to say. Yep...that's pretty much everything. 

Each day, my goal should be that I am one step closer to looking like the person He originally created me to be. In Acts 17:28, this is stated as "in Him we live and move and exist."

What would my life look like when I live and move and exist in Him? I'm anxious to find out. What would your life look like when you live and move and exist in Him? I don't know. Why don't you ask Him?

A Little Frustrated with Blogger

Ever since I discovered about two years ago that I could actually see statistics about where my blog readers live, I have been frustrated with trying to figure out how to get a widget to work that will display this information.

I see flag counters and maps with pins on other blogs, but I have tried several and they just don't work. It's either that or Blogger.com's method of keeping stats is way off. The latest example is Flag Counter. I saw it on a friend's blog, and gave it a try. According to Blogger, I had 40+ page views in one day, from the U.S, Canada, Mexico, Ukraine, Russia, Italy and the Philippines. Flag Counter showed 14 views from only the first three countries. Two other ones I've tried have produced similar or worse results. I'm sure it's probably something I am doing wrong, and at this point, starting one now won't include almost 24,000 views worth of data.

I was having a silly pity party about it this morning, and I felt the Holy Spirit nudging me with this question:  Why does it matter so much to you? God, are You saying this is an issue of pride for me? I replied. I could almost "feel" Him nodding His head in response. "You keep saying this blog is all about My Love, My goodness and what I'm doing in you. You don't need the world to see affirmation of that. I see it and you and I together will hide it away in our hearts...and that is enough." ...Okay.

Taste of Cincinnati

Today, we tried something a little different. We attended a festival for dinner. With too many choices to count, Taste of Cincinnati surely had something to please everyone in your family.

Our friends, the Bulars, went along with us and we each tried something different and yummy. I had some fresh guacamole and flour tortilla chips from the Cincinnati State Technical & Community College's Culinary School and a Grilled Portobello Mushroom on Croissant w/Roasted Red Pepper Aoli tastefully made by Down Under of Covington, Kentucky.. Keep in mind these are just supposed to be "tastes", and most prices are from $3-5 per item. Drinks tend to be more. But even though the portions were smaller, I still couldn't finish all of the chips.

And Rick's Giant Creme Puff from Busken Bakery was a meal all by itself. His wife, Kim, had some delicious Crab Rangoon from Thai Taste that had been voted one of the event's "Best Appetizers".

Rebekah opted for Claddagh Irish Pub's Irish Nachos. Since she's our nacho girl, this was right up her food preference alley. With Smithwick's Cheddar sauce, bacon and green onions on kettle chips, she was well-pleased. Abbey came away with the most "tastes" though. She's a foodie with gourmet sensibilities, so the Greek "Labneh" from Andy's Mediterranean Grill was good...but the Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee (from Market Street Grille) and the "Best Dessert" winning Vanilla Bourbon Bread Pudding (from Blue Wisp) were definitely worth the $3-4 each to buy them.

Noah and Leah went right for dessert (Bekah had some too!)...choosing Cincy favorite Graeter's Ice Cream. The chunks of chocolate in these are sometimes as big as three bites worth. 

The guy who chose to feed on the oodles of samples only...Dale...feasted on Chiobani Yogurt Tubes, lots of Haribo gummy bears, Triscuits new Brown Rice crackers, Snyder's Bacon Cheddar pretzels, Stevia in the Raw Tea and Lemonade drink, Meijer's Caprese Salad and Strawberry Lemonade, Green Giant's new veggie chips (sort of like a veggie Dorito), and lots of King's Hawaiian Bread. (We all had a lot of these too!)

But I did catch him longingly looking at Rebekah's ice cream!

Speaking of King's Hawaiian Bread, we picked up enough for the Bular's Memorial Day dinner tomorrow also!

We had parked in Newport, so the exercise back and forth over the Ohio River made us feel a little better about all of the samples and foods we'd had. But the kids might have expressed best, the feeling of relief after getting out of the hard press of bodies in the street.

Leah and Rebekah both stated, adamantly, that if they never get into that large of a crowd again...it will be too soon. I came away with some sense of accomplishment though...one more thing we can mark off of our "Cincinnati Bucket List"!

US Diner, Florence, KY

Last night, Dale and I tried a new, local-owned restaurant for our date night. US Diner located at 5975 Centennial Circle in Florence, Kentucky, has home cooking that reminds me of my childhood. When I heard the specials of the day were roast beef, meatloaf or beans and cornbread, I remarked to both Dale and our server that it sounded like my Grandma Petree's cooking.

I had the cod fillet special which included a dinner roll, salad and fries. I couldn't finish the meal and honestly, should have chosen something healthier. That was my bad...but the food was good. Dale really liked his meatloaf which also included a dinner roll, salad, mashed potatoes, and green beans. Dale opted for the lemon meringue pie which looked homemade and he said was delicious. I was too full for dessert, but when I heard they had sour cherry pie (another childhood favorite!), I couldn't resist! I did draw the line at having ice cream on top though. To be fair, my mom's cherry pie is the best. This one was satisfactory and might have tasted better had I not been so full. Part of eating healthier is listening to my body when I've had enough. When I don't...the taste just isn't the same. I took half of the pie home as well...and the kids thought it was yummy.

Our specials were $7.50 a piece, but it was a huge amount of food. Sandwich, hot dog and burger platters range from $2.49 for a grilled cheese to $5.49 for a quarter pound cheese burger. They have a few salads, but this is a diner, so don't expect a lot of healthy options.

The US Diner opens at 6 a.m. weekdays and 8 a.m. weekends for breakfast. The most expense item on the breakfast menu is a meat and cheese omelet for $4.59 served with choice of bacon, sausage, ham or Goetta, plus hash browns and toast. All other breakfast platters are $3.99 and sides which include biscuits and gravy are only $1.99.

Kids options are all $2.99 and all beverages are only $1.49. Hopefully, I'm conveying how surprisingly low the cost of all the options are at the Diner. By comparison, we ate at The Pub in Crestview for Mother's Day and three in our family ordered pop which were $2.99 a piece!

This is definitely a family friendly place and you won't break the bank when you eat there. Everyone was super-friendly and asked us repeatedly to come again. Next time, we think we'll try breakfast. You can find their daily specials on their Facebook page U.S. Diner.

Why Doesn't the Simple Thing Work Anymore?

When I started reading Captive in Iran and have heard testimonies recently from missionaries in hostile environments, like Mid-India Christian Services, I keep having this question ringing through my head: Why don't the "old" ways of reaching the lost for Jesus work in the U.S. anymore?

Now, I'm sure there are dozens of people that would love to educate me about living in a post-modern or post-Christian culture. You could even debate how intellectual we are or dare I say, how we've "evolved"...but I already know a lot about these subjects and they just don't seem to be the answer to my question.

Are you telling me that Iranians or Indians are not as smart? That somehow people in other parts of the world have lesser mental capabilities than we do? No...I'm pretty sure we all have the same God-given mental capacities.

So why? Why can two women being held in a cesspool of human waste, hopelessness and pain walk up to a complete stranger and say essentially, "You are lost. We know the God who loves you. We would like to introduce you to His Son, Jesus. And He will be your hope and shield." And often the response they get is, "You know what...I think you're right. I believe."

Okay...so I've streamlined the conversations a little for dramatic affect...but the basic premise reigns true: Why does it take so much more here in the U.S. to convince...beg...someone to believe they are loved by the Creator and need Him more than anything else in this life?

I was asking this throughout the entire reading of the book. Here's what I think the Holy Spirit whispered to my heart as the answer...it's nothing complicated...in fact, it's only one word...but the implications are more than I think we would really like to grasp. The word?

Suffering!

There it is. In places where to be a Christian is to automatically expect persecution, suffering and even death...the Love and Hope of Jesus is spreading like a desert wildfire. Why? Because just like the early Christians going to their deaths in a coliseum singing...we innately know there is nothing rational about joy in the midst of pain. When it is witnessed by the unbeliever...God's unfathomable Love cannot be denied.

We in the U.S. for the most part have never suffered. When we grasp that the poorest person in the U.S. is still 90% richer than over half of the world...we will understand what a tremendous blessing we have been given. But the blessing has in fact, become a curse.

No longer is the love of Jesus needed for salvation here. We can self-help, self-medicate, self-esteem and self-ishly get our way out of almost anything. And if someone can't...then we can blame the government, schools, deterioration of the family, gun laws, entitlements, video games, climate change, the media or a plethora of other things for why someone fails to "pull themselves up by their bootstraps" and get better. When will come the day that we must admit...the bootstraps are not ours to pull?

I'm not a doomsday prophet...nor do I want to be. I wish the good times would just keep rolling in...but do we really worship a God that came to our Earth and said, 'Take up your cross and follow me." (see Matthew 16:24) ?? Do we worship the suffering Savior that for our own sins was beaten beyond recognition, hung on a cross in the town dump, while being mocked by strangers and denied by his friends and not really expect some of the same treatment? (See Matthew 27)

I also don't believe that God ever loses hope of drawing people to Him. We are told that God isn't slow in keeping His promises (to return). He tarries so that everyone has a chance to repent. (see 2 Peter 3:9) So I don't think God will ever just "abandon" the U.S....even though it may seem like people are abandoning Him for their own comfort, pleasure and indulgences.

What will it take to draw people to Him? If history is accurate...it takes suffering. When we have nothing left...we find that the only thing we ever needed was Him. That has proved true in my own life as well. So when the rocks are tumbling and the light is dwindling and the hope seems to be fading...do not despair...

He's on His way!

Energy!

I found this poster of plant energy, also known as photosynthesis (even though it's spelled wrong at the top), and thought it is precisely what I needed to use to convey the message of energy found in plant foods.

Think about it...following the diagram above...plants use the sun, and water to convert carbon dioxide into oxygen and life that we need. All the goodness of the sun and rainwater, plus, the plant's own amazing concoction of chlorophyll and chemicals is all trapped inside it's little plant cell walls. So why wouldn't that be exactly what your body needs for health, energy and life?

And here's what is happening to my body as I fill it with all of this life-giving energy...I become more energetic too. Granted, I can't run a marathon...yet...but I haven't trained for one either. What I am capable of is with 5 to 6 hours of sleep, not getting groggy and needing a mid-afternoon Starbucks to get me through the day. No joke, I've had only 5 to 6 hours of sleep each night for the past week and the only time I've not felt rested was the two or three when I had processed, refined food (even in small amounts) the day before. Cheese or any dairy, white flour, white sugar and meat are your enemy if you want more energy.

In documentaries like Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead or other juicing testimonials I've watched on YouTube, the common symptom of juicing that blows people away is the overabundance of energy they have and have never experienced before. Don't believe me? Give it a try!

Now, while I'm slowly building up my workout routine (because my body has been abused for far too long), I'm not signing up for any 5Ks, 10Ks, etc. Those are hopefully down the not-too-distant road. But what I am doing is keeping up with my friend's 10 month old baby everyday, household chores, walks to the grocery store and purging my house of unneeded items...all without feeling like I'm going to collapse at dinner time.

For now...I'll take it!

Hope Inner City

Once again, I want to publicize what God is doing and this time, it's in my own backyard.

A year and a half ago or so, I heard a man speak at the church we were attending about inner city ministry in Cincinnati, Ohio. When I was picking up information this past Sunday at our Missions Fair, I had no idea that one of the groups represented included Hope Inner City with whom Jade Kendall (the man I had previously heard speak) is affiliated.

I remember Jade sharing compelling stories about life and service to the inner city, but what I recall the best is when he said that he and his wife had intentionally chosen to not only serve in a poor inner city neighborhood...they were living and raising their children there as well. Jade's philosophy that you cannot begin to serve the poor until you enter into their lives, walking beside and living among them to build deep, lasting relationships is the prevailing concept behind most successful inner city ministries. Why?

I also remember Jade saying that people of the inner city feel that God has abandoned them because they are "just too bad"...that they are not worthy of redemption. Doesn't our media promote that too?

When you live among the poor and engage them socially, emotionally and spiritually...the myth that they have some how been abandoned is dispelled by the Light of God's Love.

The Kendalls and three other families are making a difference in Cincinnati, one life at a time. And you can participate in the work God is doing through them. Of course they take financial donations, but they also offer church partnerships, mission trip opportunities (full for Summer 2013), and internships that range from 10 weeks to three years. They also want to identify more part-time and full-time missionaries to join them in their work.

One of the best things I read on their website was a short blog entry by someone that had participated in a workshop about inner city ministry and took a tour of an impoverished neighborhood. Identifying that his fear of the residents was founded in the unknown was a huge step for him and a powerful lesson for all of us. We fear inner city ministry precisely because we do not know the people that live there.

I will keep repeating this...do your own research and if this is a place you feel the Holy Spirit leading you to give or to serve...don't question the feeling...or the wisdom...or even the practicality of it...just do it, and you will be blessed!

Fresh vs. Bagged

          


I'm not promoting any one brand of baby spinach over another. My observations are purely for the sake of getting the most benefit and bang for my buck when it comes to juicing greens. I've pictured spinach above, but have had the same experiences with kale, romaine lettuce and leaf lettuce.

When I juiced in the past, I would always use bagged spinach. Why wouldn't I? It was the easiest, fastest way to get my juicing done and required no washing. But once I tried the fresh bunches of spinach in the organic section, I will never go back. Sure there's a little gritty sand to wash off, but I can use the same amount of spinach for my juice recipe and get double or more the amount of juice.

That makes sense when you think about it though, doesn't it? All bagged greens have been pre-washed and spun (just like a salad spinner) to remove the water so the greens will remain fresh during packaging and shipment to your store. Lots of water in an enclosed bag = nasty greens when you take them home.

But doesn't it stand to reason that when all of that high-powered spinning to get the greens dry is going on...some of the juice would be lost also?

Yes, I absolutely do recommend organic greens. The cost is usually not that much higher and if you're buying fresh, instead of the bag or box...they are always less per pound than conventional greens in a bag. One bag of Dole salad mix can cost $2.50 or more and will feed me about two salads. One bunch of red or green leaf lettuce is between $1.19-$1.49 per pound and one bunch will last for 3-5 salads. When I'm wanting convenience, I buy the box of organic greens, but we have to use it more quickly than the fresh bunches.

Switching back to my juicing gears. Here are some of the amazing health benefits of juicing your greens:

• Spinach is high in Vitamins A, B2, B6, C, E and K, magnesium, manganese, folate, iron, calcium, potassium, protein (important for a juice fast!), phosphorus, zinc, niacin, selenium and omega-3 fatty acids (if you don't want to eat fish!)
• Kale is high in Vitamins C and K, beta carotene, calcium, lutein and zeaxanthin. Plus Kale and broccoli are both high in sulforaphane, a chemical with potent anti-cancer properties.
• Leaf lettuce (with the exception of iceberg) is high in Vitamins A, C and K, potassium, iron, calcium and supplies fiber, carbohydrates, protein and a small amount of fat. Just remember, the darker the green of your lettuce, the healthier it will be!

Of course, eating your greens are a great way to get all of these benefits, but when you juice, you're giving your body all of those micronutrients in a high dose form, straight into your bloodstream because your body doesn't have to work to break them down.

An Easy Way to Start

I knew going public about my juice fast could generate some questions, but I've actually been a little surprised at the response. I've been asked about how it's affecting/changing me, how long I plan to juice and even to share some recipes. I have been sharing articles and other information about health that I come across through Twitter which also pastes onto Facebook. Follow me on Twitter if you'd like to read those. I may begin to post them through here if I have the time.

As I've pondered some of these questions, I keep coming back to this thought: "How do people who've never juiced for health get started?" The photo above represents my best effort at an easy answer...citrus juicing.

Just go to Amazon.com and you'll find more options for juicers than you could ever possibly want. There are those that use centrifugal force or shred into pulp and then juice the pulp or even those specifically for juicing wheat, alfalfa and barley grasses. I, personally, have a GE juicer that uses centrifugal force and it has done well for over two years now. Admittedly, the blades are getting dull and I'd like to have less pulp in my juice, but I've yet to find a replacement blade basket for it. But varieties of juicers abound, and so do the prices. You can spend from $40 to $2400 depending on the maker, model and what you would like to accomplish. My GE juicer is around the $40-50 option. But if I were knowingly fighting cancer with my juices, you better believe I would invest in the top of the line Norwalk Juicers as recommended by the Gerson Institute. It is at the very top of the price range too.

But for the casual juicer or for the one that doesn't know where to start or even the person that wants to juice but has a very limited budget, there is good news. A standard citrus juicer, like the one in my photo, can be found for as little as $12-$24. I purchased mine at Ollies, but they are widely available. Actually, for citrus, they are the recommended juicer. Centrifugal force juicers will tell you they can juice citrus, but you have to peel them and damaging the flesh of the citrus while juicing is not recommended. According to the Gerson Therapy, any juice press in which an orange is inserted with its skin, when it is pressed, will emit harmful fatty acids and aromatic substances contained on the surface.

The great news though is that not only is this a cheaper juicer to own...citrus, pound for pound, will give you more juice than apples, carrots, beets, greens and many other fruits and vegetables. True, you need more than just citrus juice...but again, this is a post to encourage you to simply get started somewhere. And honestly, once you've had fresh squeezed orange juice, you will never want to go back to juice from concentrate and you may not even be able to bring yourself to purchase it in the carton either. When my kids have about 4 ounces of fresh-squeezed juice in the morning, they are often not hungry until lunchtime. No matter what western nutritionists try to tell you, waiting until later in the day to eat is healthy for your digestive system. That's why we call it break-fast.

I haven't even gotten to the health benefits yet. For one thing, you don't have to buy organic. Some seasons, the organic is the same price as conventional, so I do purchase it. But when organic costs more, and I'm not using the peel, I feel okay with buying conventional citrus.

Make your own lemonade or limeade with fresh squeezed juice, raw honey to taste and water and you have a great summer drink that's healthy for you too. Juiced grapefruit is far and away better tasting than anything that comes in a glass containter or metal can. Plus, when your juice hasn't been processed in a factory, that means it hasn't been heated and all of the micronutrients that you're body needs are still in the juice. When my kids have colds, the first plan of attack is fresh-squeezed orange juice, then supplement Vitamin C, zinc and echinacea as needed. 

Some benefits of citrus juicing:

• Rich in Vitamin C, most B vitamins, folic acid, beta carotene, potassium, calcium and even iron and zinc...and more! (depending upon the fruit)
• About two oranges can yield a full serving of 2-4 ounces of juice
• No peeling required, just slice in half and juice
• Citrus juicer clean up is much easier than a standard juicer.
• Many citrus juicers allow you to select and set the amount of pulp you would like in your juice.

For more information, check out All About Juicing

***One note of caution, if you are juice fasting, do not overdo your amount of citrus. Too much, without solid foods in your stomach, can irritate it. Listen to your body. There are juicing recipes for citrus mixed with greens available too.

Mid-India Christian Services

Sunday, I shared that I would love to start publicizing what God is doing. Today's ministry to share is Mid-India Christian Services.

Jay Henry of MICS spoke in our worship services this weekend. He told an amazing story of how a disillusioned Hindu temple guard had come to know, worship and proclaim the love of Jesus Christ in a land where baptism of Hindus and Muslims into the Christian faith requires a court order.

MICS has a college (Bethlehem Bible College) that educates young men to become village preachers. The village churches are too poor to support these pastors, so donations to MICS financially support the men as well.

MICS also has programs to aid in Village Economic Development and help Poor Christian Widows and Children. By teaching simple skills like sewing and furnishing a family with a goat or chickens, a family can provide their own food and even sell some milk, cheese or eggs for a profit.

So again, do your own research and if this is a place you feel the Holy Spirit leading you to give or to serve...don't question the feeling...or the wisdom...or even the practicality of it...just do it, and you will be blessed!

Website available at http://midindiachristianservices.com/

The Last Two Days

I had great intentions...but putting it into practice has been a different story. Yesterday and today, I have eaten food...some of it not healthy...although the improvement is that it has been in very small amounts. So here's what has happened. Remember this is an effort at transparency to keep me on track, that is why I share.

I did well yesterday until late afternoon, when I was out running errands. I thought I could fight off the urge to stop at the new Panda Express in Florence...but I was wrong. The good news is...I won't be stopping again anytime soon. Leah and I shared a two entree meal. She had orange chicken and I had two bites of it. I chose the "slim wok" (or whatever it is called). This is non-breaded chicken, stir fried in teriyaki with string beans and onions. We chose steamed brown rice as our side. We split this and still threw away half of the rice. American portions are ostentatiously outrageous!

Yet, even though I was neither stuffed, nor even full...less than 30 minutes later I was bloated, swollen and had a headache. Apparently, the MSG...either added or natural from soy sauce...was causing my body to rebel. Okay! I swear! Lesson learned!!

But, oh that popcorn...

Yes, I had some again. It was still homemade and healthier than any store bought. And even though I ate about two cups (less than the last time) I woke up this morning with more dry mouth, dry eyes and feeling loopy. Last night I could tell the salt was dehydrating me so I chugged almost a half gallon of water before bed. I do think it helped, but even with all of that water, I didn't need to get up in the night to use the bathroom. What does that say about the effects of sodium on the body? Even sea salt?

And today is my son's birthday. He wanted donuts for breakfast. Sadly, I obliged. I knew I would have a busy morning, so I picked up a juice at the store while I was out. Okay...here's the worst part about this...I never did get around to juicing today. So I didn't start off too well and although what I've eaten has been mostly good (a salad with grilled chicken, spinach, fresh greens and green onion from our patio, cucumber, nutritional yeast, and about 1 tablespoon of dressing), I did indulge in about 10 french fries from McDonalds too. Let me just add...yuck!

Here's the good in today though. The grocery store accidentally sent an extra donut home with us. I love donuts, but only allowed myself a two inch by half inch sliver. I cannot describe the nasty film that coated the roof of my mouth nor how bad it tasted. Yes...that is a good thing!

So tonight is Noah's birthday dinner out at the place of his choosing. I will do my best to choose wisely, but even with the choices I've made today, which are monumental miles better than in the past...I'm sitting here feeling awful.

Praise God...tomorrow is a new day and I have plenty of oranges, apples, sweet potatoes, grapefruit, kale, spinach, and carrots to juice. I don't like feeling this way...so it's got to stop...there's no turning back!

******************************************************************

Brief summary of the week though. In one weeks time, I have lost 10.5 pounds!

Mulberry International Children's Ministries

I shared yesterday, that I would like to Publicize What God is Doing and this organization is a great place to start. Please keep in mind as I share the information for these groups that I do not know most of the people personally, I am merely hoping to make connections of God's people with places and opportunities to serve and give.

Mulberry International Children's Ministries is an organization that connects Ukrainian orphans with Christian foster homes. They also have an outreach to street children and assist teens with transitioning from life on the street into mainstream society by providing housing, support and house parents to guide them. They also have a ministry to abandoned babies in hospitals to advocate for the children and seek to place them in the Christian foster homes.

The statistics on their website are staggering (MulberryInternational.org):

• 80% of the population lives below the poverty line
• There are over 100,000 orphans in the Ukraine
• 9 out of 10 homeless children will be addicted to alcohol, glue or other drugs
• Trafficking homeless children has become big business

What has happened? Why is the Ukraine in this state of deterioration? Because they went from being controlled in every facet of their lives by communism, to a government that paid women to birth children due to their declining population. The women did not have to raise these children, just birth them. In 2008 alone, 14,000 children under the age of 3 were abandoned by their parents. The average age of a child on the streets is 12-13, but children as young as 3 have been seen rifling through trash for food.

The most staggering statistic I read? The average Ukrainian woman has seven abortions in her lifetime. This is not a pro-choice vs. pro-life debate...that is just horrendous for your physical and mental health. To me, this is an indication of how hopeless the people of this country feel.

So do your own research and if this is a place you feel the Holy Spirit leading you to give or to serve...don't question the feeling...or the wisdom...or even the practicality of it...just do it, and you will be blessed!

Publicizing What God is Doing

Today at First Church of Christ, we had our annual Missions Fair. This was the first one I've attended and from now on...I do not want to miss any. My kids just shook their heads and smiled when I leaned over during the pre-service video of a multi-lingual rendition of "How Great is Our God" and said, "I'm already teary!" That was just the start!

Then, instead of a sermon, six people who serve all over the world were interviewed about the different lessons we learn for John 3:16, "For God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him would not die but would have eternal life."

• God's Love is incarnational
• God's Love is sacrificial
• God's Love is missional
• God's Love is personal

The six speakers represented the mission fields of Northern Kentucky; Papua New Guinea; Burkina Faso, Africa; a worldwide church planter; Niger, Africa and mid-India. To say I was blessed to listen to what they had to share was an understatement. But the best part of the day was going to the actual "fair" after the worship service. There, in our gymnasium, were dozens of organizations and representatives from around the world. I picked up lots of literature and as I read through it, I plan to share with you any websites, Facebook pages, etc. that can promote the wonderful work that is being done all over the globe in the name of God's Love.

Two quick stories about people I spoke with: 

1.  It was fun to introduce myself to two people from Mountain Mission School in Grundy, Virginia, where our oldest, Abbey, is currently staying with the Mayer family that live and work there. 
2. And, literally getting goosebumps when one of the men told me that his organization may soon be planting churches in North Korea! I am teary at just the thought. You could tell he was busting at the seams to share this with me. I have watched several documentaries and follow the news of North Korea often (link to my previous blogpost here) and have been amazed at the black hole (for lack of a better phrase) that is North Korea. I'm not naming the organization just now out of respect for what seemed to be a discreet conversation.

Our God is alive, active and moving and I hope over the next few weeks to share with you what I learn about the people who are at the forefront of increasing His Kingdom one toehold at a time.

I'm Still Learning

You will never hear me say I am perfect. That's partly why I wanted to go public with this juice fast. I know I am most weak in the area of food and the online accountability is helping.

If you know anyone that knows more about what is good for your body and what is not than I do...then I would love to meet them. I am not boasting though, because my implementation of it is a whole different story!

My greatest desire is to obey God in every part of my life and food is the one that always trips me up. That is not a great revelation, but it is truth that needs to be said. I also believe that He gave us pure, wonderful, flavorful food from His good Earth for our enjoyment...and we have completely messed it up.

I also know that while there is nothing sinful about cake, donuts, pie, cookies or any processed food that we can get our hands on...a steady diet of it leaves me feeling tired, run down and even makes my body too sick to function optimally. Processed sugar is not a sin...but it is not necessary for life.

I also believe that in order to "run the race" (see Hebrews 12:1) that we as Christians are all called to...I can not keep up with the pace my Abba has set before me if I'm loaded down with nasty foods that can even cause chronic, debilitating diseases...like arthritis, cancer, fibromyalgia, or osteoporosis. And even as a woman entering a later phase of life, if I am having horrible mood swings, hot flashes, cramping, and heavy, erratic cycles...I feel strongly that these can all be reversed with proper nutrition. I have experienced it first hand. We were not created just to suffer.

So I know all of this and believe it wholeheartedly...but it's still a struggle to implement it daily. Yesterday, was a good example. I did well juicing, but took the kids for a small, fast food, late lunch...and that was the first mistake. I shouldn't feed this junk to my kids either! I attempted to choose healthy, but even a grilled chicken caesar salad is not healthy at Burger King.

I proudly poured my dressing into the lid so I could use the old dieter's trick of dipping my fork in it instead of loading up the salad. I laughed because they gave me two packets of dressing and I used less than a quarter of one. Yet sadly, I know there are people that would use both. I say I was proud...until I finished and actually looked at the dressing ingredients: soybean oil (bad for hormones and is a genetically modified food), buttermilk (dairy is just not good for you, but do your own research) and a few more down the list was mono sodium glutamate. Yep, MSG...right there in my "natural" salad dressing. Here's a website with information about MSG side effects. One thing I do know though, is that it is put in food to make us addicted to it and it is used to fatten up rats for laboratory testing. There is no such thing as a fat mouse or rat. So when testing on obesity is done, in order to "fatten up" the rodent...yes, they feed it MSG. And this stuff is everywhere and under too many aliases to list here. Do your homework though. You can find more information with groups that promote truth in labelling.

Overall though, I felt okay, but probably too full after eating the salad. By dinnertime, I juiced again and was feeling pretty good. Then...I did the bad thing that just threw me over the edge...popcorn.

We make our own...on the stove top...with olive oil and sea salt...so it is much healthier than any microwave version or those made with copious amounts of soybean oil at a theater. But here's what I didn't realize and have never experienced before: issues from salt.

I have never added salt to my food at the table and use very little in cooking. Any recipes that call for it, I never measure it out...I just give a shake over the bowl or pot. Apparently, all this juicing though has pulled the unnecessary sodium from my cells and eating some popcorn last night was not the great experience I was hoping for.

I awakened this morning to a tongue that felt like cotton and my contact lenses sticking to my eyeballs...both indications that I was severely dehydrated. I was also up three pounds from the day before. I know you can have weight fluctuations from day to day...but three pounds was a pretty good indication that I was retaining water.

I say "I'm Still Learning"...but hopefully, this lesson is not one I'll have to repeat to "get it".

A friend asked me today how long I intended to continue the juicing. I realized I don't really have an answer for that. I don't plan on being militant about this, I just want to listen to my body and take cues from the natural ones that God has placed within each of us. My son's birthday is Tuesday, so I know we'll go out that night and I hope to make very wise choices. But my response to my friend was something like, "I think I need to do this until I've eliminated the caffeine, sugar, salt and other cravings I have." My ultimate goal is to continue this healthy, mostly vegan eating forever. I know that will be a difficult challenge. I have attempted it before. But with every day that I juice, I get one day closer to being free from the power of processed, refined foods that are literally killing us.

On the brighter side, I juiced for breakfast and finished it around 10 a.m. and didn't get to start my lunch juice until about 2:30 p.m. Sure, I was hungry...but it wasn't so uncontrollable that I was shoving everything I could find into my mouth. So there is progress. And for that, I am thankful!

Food Matters

Absolutely!

And with this juice fast, I have been trying to remind myself of that often. I've watched this documentary several times and learn something new with each viewing. It was even one of the first places I heard of the Gerson Therapy for healing cancer and other chronic diseases.

If you're tired of treating symptoms and want to get to the heart of healing and healthy living, watching this is a great place to start. It's currently available on Netflix and you can watch the first 40 minutes free at their website, http://www.foodmatters.tv/

The Patio Garden is Complete, I Think

I have come to believe that you can grow a garden almost anywhere. My patio is proof. This year, I may have gone a little overboard though. Green onions, salad greens, sprouting celery...

green leaf lettuce and even collards for our bearded dragon, are in the shady area on the table. 

Zucchini, red bell peppers and tomatoes hang from the wall. While habanero peppers, basil, chocolate mint, another red bell pepper and tomato plants sit underneath.

Last year, I used our non-functioning satellite dish as a trellis for cucumbers. This year it holds three hanging plants of lilac bell peppers, yellow cherry-sized tomatoes and another tomato on it. 

An heirloom Arkansas Traveller tomato and more tomatoes sit alongside basil below. The last plant on the wall to the right is a tomatillo plant that I'm trying for the first time. 

I haven't purchased annual flowers in a while, because I always thought they were a waste of money. But I added a few varieties this year in an attempt to attract more bees. I've seen more already this year than all of last year. It must be working.

My non-descript "tomatoes" consist of six plants that Leah and I started from seed. While I was painstakingly keeping the cherry tomatoes separated from the big beef ones, a few weeks ago, Leah (my gardening buddy) admitted to having moved them around several times for optimum light and watering. I didn't get angry. Half the fun of gardening is the surprise of just exactly what springs up out of the ground!

I'll post more pictures throughout the summer as the plants bloom and fruit.

I Just Made This

I did it because we were encouraged by A Heart for Korah to send a photo to the family we sponsor in Korah, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. We also have never sent a photo to Lazarus in Zimbabwe. Thanks to Abbey's expert photography skills, all I had to do was find a free collage maker (which I found at www.fotor.com)...pull them off of our computer and ta-da...here it is!

I have a love/hate relationship with technology. Today...it's love!

Yesterday Was Tough!

By 5 o'clock yesterday afternoon, I had already had four juice meals. I attempt to limit myself to four not because I have to, but because that's a recommendation from the Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead documentary. I have discovered for myself also that my metabolism is so wrecked from years of yoyo dieting that my weight loss slows drastically or can even stop if I drink much more than that.

I knew there was no way I would make it to bedtime without eating something. Sure, I could have just juiced some more, but again, that almost overwhelming desire to chew was not dissipating. So I tried to make the healthiest choices that would satisfy the cravings I had.

About 1 1/2 cups of watermelon (which is mostly juice anyway), another small piece of homemade whole spelt sourdough toast fixed the same way as the night before and I finally buckled under the pressure of popcorn. But I ate it slowly so as not to consume too much. It was probably between 1/4-1/3 cup. Plus, it was homemade, by our 12 year old, with olive oil and sea salt.

I went to bed feeling satisfied and slept through the night and was well rested this morning.  I was pleasantly surprised to get on the scales and see that I'd lost three more pounds. That's a total of 10 in four days.

I don't recommend straying from the juicing during a juice fast, but if you absolutely have to, ask yourself "what is my body craving" and attempt to find the healthiest way to satisfy it. I am certain that last night I needed something sweet (watermelon), protein (whole spelt toast with raw cashew butter) and something to crunch (stove top popcorn made in olive oil).

I am aware that so much detail isn't necessary, but this is truly helping me stay on track. If all of this is too monotonous for you, then feel free to skip these posts about my juice fast. I guess I feel that if even one person is inspired to make better food choices and I get healthier in the process, it will have been worth the risk of vulnerability to the blogging world!

Keep juicing!

What Do You Do?

When you are sitting in the dentist's chair...and your hygienist has her tools and hands in your mouth...all while she pours out her whole life story to you...yes, all of the dirty laundry too...and you're searching for just the right words to say...and you pray for guidance about what God's Spirit would have you speak in this moment...but the dentist comes in at exactly the wrong time...and interjects her politics and opinions into the mix...so there's no opportunity to give a final word to the hygienist...what do you do?

When given your choice of hygienists, you schedule again with her the next time and remember to ask about all that was heavy on her heart this time, that's what.

Last Night My Resolve Broke

Transparency during this juice fast is important to me, so I already tweeted last night that I briefly gave in to the desire to chew. Upon further examination, I think I really wasn't even that hungry.

I had been to see Star Trek and successfully withstood the temptation of my favorite...movie theatre popcorn. By the time I arrived home though, I had an almost overwhelming urge to simply chew. I am a tooth grinder, on occasion, and I often eat crunchy or crispy foods to aid in de-stressing...like, popcorn. I am certain I could have avoided giving in, but I think too much store-bought juice (with less nutrients, see All Juice is Not Alike)  combined with fatigue made it easier to give in.

My "big cheat" was a small piece of homemade whole spelt sourdough bread (about the size of a half slice of regular bread) with 1 tablespoon homemade raw cashew butter and 1 teaspoon raw honey on it. I definitely chose healthy because of this public accountability.

I've been aware of my need to crunch for quite awhile. My hope and prayer is that now that I am learning to recognize it as it's happening, I can develop strategies to combat it.

Star Trek Into Darkness

My inner geek is on overload with all of the summer movie options available this season. I'm a huge fan of director J.J. Abrams and executive producer Damon Lindenlof has had my vote ever since LOST. But true confession...I guess I'm not a big enough Trekkie to swoon and guffaw over this latest installment.

I grew up watching Star Trek reruns every day after school and just like everyone else, I thought the even numbered Star Trek movies of the 1980s were great. (The odd numbered ones are just not good! Sorry!) I even indulged in Star Trek: The Next Generation in the late 80's and 90's and thought it was great. Fast forward to this more recent franchise.

Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto are both good actors. But after watching Quinto on TV for a season or two of Heroes, his deadpan Spock is a little disappointing. Yes...I am fully aware that is supposed to be his character...I said, a "little" disappointing. There is nothing here, we haven't seen before and I've shared on this blog how prequels that have technology far and above the original frustrate me. I do think the director is aware of the technological discrepancies and does a good job of reigning that in.

Another reason Trekkies will love this is because they understand just how significant Carol Markus and Khan are. If this is your first Star Trek and you don't know the back story (or in this case front story) ...based on it's face value as an action/adventure/sci-fi flick...I think it would fall flat.

I have to go here though...

Benedict Cumberbatch is the best thing about this movie. He is just a superb actor and has now proven he can carry an action/adventure lead, I just wish it could have been a better platform for him to show his talent. There are other fine performances as well. Karl Urban (yes Eomer of Lord of the Rings) as Bones and Simon Pegg as Scotty deliver both characters spot on to the originals and come away with the funniest lines of the movies.

Which brings me back to some of my disappointment with this installment. I really like Abrams first Star Trek movie and had high hopes for this one...but as I walked out of the theatre and saw across the hallway the credits for Iron Man 3 rolling, I realized there was just no comparison. Our family will pay over and over again to see a Marvel characters movie and then buy them when they come out on DVD to watch repeatedly in our home. Fairly often, I need a superhero fix. Not so with Star Trek.

So if you have to choose between Iron Man 3 or Star Trek...go with the "man in the metal suit". But if you're a Trekkie...I think you'll still enjoy this go round of  "Space...the final frontier!"

Washington Square Cafe' and Catering, Burlington, KY

5981 North Jefferson Street

Burlington, KY

Yesterday for breakfast, I met the two ladies I co-lead a small group with at Bible study. They suggested this local establishment and given my penchant for supporting local business, I was thrilled. 

If you've been following me on Twitter, Facebook or this blog though...you know I'm knee-deep into a juice fast and body reboot. So while I can share that their orange juice was typical in taste for most restaurants (probably from concentrate), and I thought it was priced appropriately for the size...I'll have to rely on my observations from my dining partners' experiences to attempt a brief review.

Since we've lived in the Boone County, Kentucky, area we have seen numerous places come and go on this block of Jefferson Street. I'm not certain if it's location, price, quality or what...but I believe that Washington Square has been here for a few years now.

Upon arrival, parking might be your biggest hurdle. Breakfast wasn't busy, so I parked right out front. There is a parking lot across the street for all the local businesses though, if needed. Washington Square has a large outdoor patio seating area that they use whenever they can. The building is small (it only seats up to 50), so they've extended their space and usage of the patio with outdoor heaters.

Once I walked into the small building, I was greeted by a very friendly waitress and seated in a quaint, cute room. I had to chuckle to myself at the three or four older men that were having their morning coffee by the bar, watching the news and chatting away about current events...local and global. Not to be too melodramatic...but this is one of the things I love about the U.S. Everywhere I've been in this country, there is some "hole in the wall" place, with great food, where locals gather every morning just to hang out before their day starts. Starbucks did not invent the idea.

Back to the food. One of my companions had a biscuit with gravy and hash browns and said it was delicious. My other fellow diner ordered a breakfast quesadilla and could it was large enough that she could only eat about half. She also said her meal tasted great.

Prices for breakfast were a little higher than I would normally pay, but at around $7-8 were probably right in line with good breakfast meals served at sit down restaurants. Both ladies said they've eaten at Washington Square for lunch as well and the food is consistently good.

I wish I could give more firsthand commentary as to the quality of the food and overall experience, but I'll just have to go back and visit when my juice fast is over. Since I'm planning on continuing my healthy way of eating, I'm hoping to find some healthy options on their menu. 

I couldn't find a website for Washington Square Cafe, but they do have a Facebook page and it looks like they update it frequently to advertise their specials, live bands and events. So next time you're heading out for breakfast, lunch or dinner...think local-owned instead of chain restaurant and give Washington Square Cafe' a try.

All Juice is Not Alike

Juice is juice, right?

Well, maybe not. I'm certain a multitude of expert opinions abound on the internet, but here's the gist of what I know.

Today, I went to Kroger to get a bottle or two of juice. I was meeting two ladies for breakfast and didn't want to assume the restaurant would have what I needed. Also since it was my morning for Bible study, I wanted to be prepared to ward off hunger pains.

The first bottle I picked up was my go to Bolthouse Farms Green Goodness. Our family has been drinking this for years. It's my "go to" because when I'm juicing and need to go out for errands, meet in a place where there will be food or just can't juice before I leave home, this is what I grab. It's chock full of good things like green tea, spirulina, barley grass, wheat grass, chlorella, echinacea, blue green algae, nova scotia dulse and it tastes great too. Believe it or not...it does. It also is loaded with pineapple juice concentrate, apple juice concentrate, mango puree, banana puree and kiwi puree.

But here's what I know about juice concentrate...it has been cooked, processed and basically depleted of all the good enzymes and micronutrients that our bodies need for health, healing and protection against the havoc wreaked by our environment and refined foods. Sure my Green Goodness will stave off hunger, but it's not nourishing me the way my body needs.

Enter the Sambazon Energy juice. It's organic! It's made from juice, not concentrate and they've added good things like Fair Trade acai juice, yerba mate, guarana. I felt pretty good about finding this new option, but then I got to my car and actually put on my reading glasses. [I don't like getting old!] Hidden in the midst of the ingredients was this: organic cane sugar. Sure it's organic...but it's still refined sugar...something I'm attempting to detox from while I juice.

On the drive home from Bible study, I even started to feel a little loopy and tired. Not a good result for the energy drink, ya think? So the first thing I did after putting my things away was fix my own...fresh from the fruit and veggie juice. If I had each of these options poured into a glass, I think even with a photo you could spot the difference.

The color, the texture, the taste, everything about it screams This is how God intended us to enjoy the food He created...alive and straight from the earth to our bodies. Granted, I don't have any citrus trees in my backyard, so I already have the delay of fresh picked, travelling hundreds of miles, to my local store and then home. But all of this is encouraging me to seek out local sources for fresher options this years. I also can't wait for our patio garden to start producing. But I digress...

Bottom line, know what you're putting in your body and make it good stuff while you're at it!

Captive in Iran

I'm beginning to regret ever getting a Kindle Fire (review possibly coming soon). After relatively few book purchases, but a multitude of internet searches, Amazon is wisely tailoring their advertising to my tastes. Having purchased and completed reading A Passport Through Darkness, Amazon accurately assessed that I am a sucker for human interest stories. If it relates to God and what He is doing to dispel darkness and evil in some of the worst places on Earth...even better.

That sounds sarcastic and even a little smug, but that is not my intent. Amazon simply has me pegged! Ever since I read Corrie Ten Boom's The Hiding Place when I was 10 years old, I have never been able to get enough of God doing amazing things through His people in places that I will probably never visit and cannot imagine the suffering endured.

Such is the case with Captive in Iran, written by Maryam Rostampour and Marziyeh Amirizadeh. These two women, both native Iranians, came to know Jesus personally without the assistance of a church, a fellow convert or anyone. Solely by the power of the Holy Spirit, they both had amazing conversion stories. But God did not stop there.

While technically not illegal to be a Christian in Iran, proselytizing and sharing your faith in an attempt to convert others is. These women had given away thousands of New Testaments in the Farsi language, hosted home churches and shared their faith with multitudes of hungry, seeking Muslims before being "caught" by the Revolutionary Guard's basiji squad. Under interrogation and even casual questioning from fellow prisoners, Maryam and Marziyeh found countless opportunities to share their faith with those they would have otherwise believed to be antagonistic to their belief in Jesus as Saviour...not merely another prophet as Islam teaches.

Given my recent foray into Iranian history with Argo and Perseopolis and Perseopolis 2, to get a more current perspective on life in Iran was compelling to me. About two years ago, I had a consistent follower on this blog from Iran. I often imagined at what great risk did the reader have to go in order to read a blog about God and what He is doing. I have prayed many times when they have come to mind that they would be protected, empowered and comforted by the Holy Spirit. After reading this book and better understanding what Christians in Iran must endure, they may have stopped reading my blog because my piddly problems and whining about money are absolutely pitiful compared to life there. Truly...we in the "Christian West" have no clue what it means to suffer for Jesus.

Reading this book at a time when the well-publicized case of Pastor Saeed Abedini is in the headlines, made Captive in Iran all the more gripping to me. [For more information about this case, you can go to the Facebook Page which was started on his behalf.] As I read about the supernatural peace, encouragement, and love these women experienced and how they thanked God repeatedly for the chance to serve others for Him in this dark place, I kept envisioning the day when Pastor Saeed's story would also be told. Undoubtedly, he will have remarkable and unexplainable miracles to tell. On the day I finished this book, there was a new post about just such a thing that is currently happening for him.

What these women endured was far from easy, but their stories of other prisoners being tortured and beaten, poisoned by expired medication from the "clinic" and even executed without a legal conviction show just how much God protected them throughout their incarceration. They speak of hope, laughter, caring for one another and Love in a place that we would think would be ruled by survival of the fittest. That mentality was present, but these two ladies carried God's Light wherever they went and it was obvious to all who met them.

In the way that only God can...He brought good out of a situation that man intended for evil:
"Whereas before we had searched for people (on the outside) to speak to, now they came looking for us: "Go see the Christian girls!" The very prison system that tried to silence us was now our megaphone: Our arrest, our story, and our message of faith were news around the world. Our interrogators were helping us share the gospel!"

Amen!