Women's role in church and in God's plan.

 In recent years many questioned the role of women in the church. Some said that Biblical principles are not applicable in this day and age, saying that women are free to do. While the Word is clear on manhood and womanhood, some say that these Biblical principles are irrelevant. Fortunately, some organizations are affirming Biblical principles. Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) upholds male and female roles based on Biblical principles. Recently ERLC hosted a webinar – “Why Women are a Vital Part of the Flourishing of the Church”

Sin Set

Today is the age of technology. We have too much information. The Internet feeds us the majority of the information. Through the Internet, we come across many articles, including blog posts. We can find many different kinds of blogs. Among those blog-writers are those who classify their blogs according to their faith and beliefs.

Gossip Gnaw

We were driving for about an hour and decided to stop for lunch. The place was crowded. Ourgroupcouldn'tseat together. We split. I sat down with my friend's daughter. My friend joined her husband and their youngest daughter.

While we are....

Yesterday, a historic event took place: USA presidential elections. As soon as final results were announced, many flooded social media to express their opinions. People showed various types of reactions: from fear to excitement, from despair to hope, from love to hate.

Rejected

People don't discuss that. Churches avoid the subject: rejected people. There are different types of rejections. Some are open. Others are not. I have experienced multiple rejections. My worst pain was caused by Christians. In this post, I decide to touch 

Head Covering Reflection/Update

It has been over five years since I started to cover my head during worship. At first I covered only during the church services: Breaking of Bread, the main service, and the evening service. It lasted for about three years.
Approximately three years ago I started to cover my head during Bible Study, choir practice, choir worship leading, and Prayer Breakfast. During church cleanup I wear a head wrap.  Since 2014 I adopted a habit of having a head scarf at hand, one in my purse and backpack. Throughout the day I may throw a covering on my head whenever I need to pray. I don’t mind if people watch, although I try to find the least crowded place possible.

Alone During Holidays! What to do?

It's Christmas season and people are buying gifts and getting ready to celebrate. People also celebrate other holidays, including New Year,

Commercials attack our sensors. The eyes gaze at many adds. The ears hear blaring commercials. The seasonal smells engulf us. Everywhere the messages try to convince us that we have to buy gifts in order to make our friends and family happy. Commercials also try to convince us that our happiness depends on things we buy, on car we drive, on the travel destinations, on jobs we have, on groups of people we spend time with, on the way we look, on a car we drive, and on many other things. 

According to commercials, happy people are those whose lives are going great, those who have great jobs/careers, and those who have the latest gadgets. Some commercial say that our meaning of life is happiness of our loved ones. Here is the catch, in order to reach happiness you have to buy things--spend money. If a person gives you an expensive gift it means that the individual cares abut you a lot. But it means that you have to buy an expensive gift in return. Many people get credit from a bank in order to get expensive gifts. Some end up in a debt because of their shopping habits.
We are also bombarded with constant messages--it's horrible to be alone for the holidays, especially Christmas.

Our society puts immense pressure on individuals to avoid loneliness. Sometimes people endanger themselves just to avoid the loneliness.

You can be lonely anytime anywhere, even in a crowd. I had been to social gatherings where I felt lonely. You will be lonely in a group of people when you cannot connect. Honestly, the loneliness was so overwhelming that I felt less lonely in my apartment by myself. Just because you share a faith doesn't mean that you will not feel lonely among the people.
If you find yourself lonely this Christmas or the holiday season in general there are the things you can do.

And Then God Brought Me To The Other Side...

 The day it all started...

I remember that day well. It was raining. I entered my high school. 

"Have you looked at the announcement board?" One of my classmates asked me.

I went and looked. The ad was talking about Future Leaders Exchange Program--FLEX. I didn't pay much attention to it. Good English--one of the main requirements. I was in school where English wasn't the strongest subject. My high school focused on math and science subjects. 

My teacher, who taught English, suggested that I will participate. I dismissed her suggestion.

Later during the evening my mom said that if I go and participate, I'll have a chance to skip school. Well... I agreed.

Trying to Trust

At this point I am just trying to trust God. There are moments where I can say that I trust the Lord. There are times where I openly say, "Lord, I cannot trust you! Look at my life! Where are you God?". I know that many will quote Bible verses that I am already familiar with. Others say "You are looking for attention. You are being too selfish," and here is my 'favorite one', "Just get over it. Seriously, people are facing much more difficulties than you and they are doing so much better. Sweetie, you are being immature!" The worst part--those comments come from fellow Christians.I am not trying to bring down anyone. One of the hardest thing I learned that some of the attack we face as Christians will come from fellow believers.

Spiritual Strife Shock

 We all have moments when we feel down, crushed, desperate; those moments when you hurt so much that you focus on your pain entirely. You scramble, attempting to recall Bible verses, but you are in so much pain that the voice of reason is barely audible. The voice of pain screams, muffling everything else. Fellow Christians  tell you that everything will work out in accordance with the Lord's will. However, pain engulfs you to the point where you don't want to hear any of it anymore. You run  away from God. Sometime later--for some people can be moments for others days., or even longer---you feel ashamed and guilty because of what has happened. All that time God is waiting for you to come back to Him. He waits with arms spread wide.

Blessings&Burdens

Well, let's put aside Internet addiction and focus on blessings, shall we?!
I have been blessed so much! I've met so many amazing people and made new friends! When you haven't seen your mom for four years and the rest of your family since you were 18 (I'm 24 now), you can get discouraged very easy! The voice of temptation says that you should take some time off and stop going to church.