That's not an original idea so when I heard it, I said, "Yes, that's it precisely!" Our country should focus upon blessing God by being obedient to Him and then we do not have to even ask for His blessings because obedience leads to blessings (and sometimes persecutions!).

-Mark (let's be a blessing to God, America!)

Don't you agree?

Sitting besides the church aisle, watching people going for comunion. My head’s down (in a deep prayer, as some would think), doubtful about the whole concept of God and Christianity.

Looking at their shoes. Some are nicely polished, these are the important people who will, after the mass is ended, go to offices and talk about the economic downturn, they will manage companies and probably earn lots of money.

Others wearing comfortable Adidas, funnily combined with a skirt or a suit and I know they have a long walk to reach their workplace later on this morning. Some elderly ladies wearing those old-fashioned shoes I would never put on. Others in black boots and dirty jeans – builders, handymen and God knows what they actually do.

And God knows. Not only their shoes, but He knows them all. He knows that some of them go down on their knees when receiving the holy comunion. He knows that all have got up very early to attend the mass. He knows that all have been praying for their families, for their friends, for their work and for the future. He knows and understands. And He will bless them.

And my prayer is no more doubtful.

First Baptist Church in Portland, ME will be hosting "The Art and Action Tour" - a benefit concert for Love 146.  Love 146 is an organization dedicated to ending child sex slavery and exploitation.  Click above and go to thier website and watch a few videos to get a sense of the work these folks are doing.

The concert features Ten Shekel Shirt and The Wrecking on Sunday, Oct. 12th. 

For more information on the concert click here:  http://firstbaptistportland.org/love146benefit.htm

Update: Think this only happens somewhere else, or not a real problem?  Read this report filed October 9th, "Teen Recounts Horror of Sex Slavery" on the Today website, or watch the video.

Don't forget to finish your homework for this Sunday morning. Also, we encourage you to use the comment section of this post to give us feedback on the most important things you learned, or any questions that you might have.

• Helping Others Change - wk 4
• Helping Others Change - wk 3
• Helping Others Change - wk 2
• Helping Others Change - wk 1
• Helping Others Change - recommended resources.

My last point said we should encourage our youth to encourage other youth and I think this is a really different way to teach our youth. We are teaching them that to be a true leader you need to serve the others in the group. Every group has it's leaders. You know who they are. Let's see if we can get our leaders to really start to show God's love in a tangible way to the rest of the group. An easy way is through Facebook wall post or through texts saying "Praying for you" or "God bless." They really need to mean it or it loses all effect. Maybe during a lunch hour at school they invite the new kid at youth to come and eat with them. Anything to make the people in your group feel connected and supported by each other. It's one thing for us to show that we love them but something entirely different if their peers do and we need to be the ones to encourage it.

This day, The Good Lord will bess you and open before you a door which no man can shut. He said in His word, 'behold I set before you an open door and no man can shut it' Revelation 3:8. Today where ever you dind yourself you shall excel beyond the ordinary, you shall be one of the movers and shakers of your generation.

Those who despise you today shall embrace you shortly, those who look down at you shall look up unto you and celebrate you in Jesus name.

On my Facebook account, I've posted tons of images ranging from my baby pictures to pictures from Centrfuge in 2002. It's made me feel nostalgic and to relive a lot of amazing memories.

One of my memories from College, I want to share with you. It's the story of Red Letters. At Carson-Newman, every theater student had to produce their own drama production. They could be self-written or they could be pre-written. I chose to write my own. I knew from my freshman year that I would be writing my own story. My original idea was to take Catherine Marshall's book Christy and make my own play about it. I envisioned a wonderful play on a big scale with the music of this area playing a big part.

In the summer of 2000, I was an orientation leader for Carson-Newman, and I met some amazing people. One of those people was Jeff Davis. He and I hit it off at Orientation, and we remained email friends afterwards. One week inparticular I was feeling lonely and just having a bad week. I opened my email to find one from Jeff. It was just a friendly "hello" message, but at the end of the email, there was a bible verse. "Greater love has no one than this: that he would lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13). That thought of laying someone's life down for a friend was a bold concept for me. I started writing a church skit about two friends, one a Christian, and one, not: David (Christian) and Jeff (Not). Named for two people that meant a lot to me. David Evette and Jeff Davis. I started writing...and writing...and writing. An hour and a half later, Red Letters was born. It was a very rough form of the final draft of the show, but there it was.

In the previous spring, my friend Christy Cobb-Leadingham produced a show called Lamp Unto My Feet. It was an all dancing show that told an amazing story. When I wrote that first draft, I decided that my show could do the same. I would combine music, dancing, and acting. I started inserting songs here and there into the show. One song that I started with was the song "Red Letters" by dcTalk.

The show was meant to be a show for youth groups. I wanted to relate to teenagers. I wanted to show that others struggle and that the watcher isn't alone. Jeff is struggling with who he is and where he fits in life. David has his own struggles, even though he's a Christian. The show dealt with different themes. Jeff tries to kill himself, he's brought to a church for the first time, and the death of his father.

Through the next semester, I tweaked the show in places, made additions and subtractions. In the spring of 2001, I was meeting with our drama director to start the process of scheduling the theatre and getting his ideas for revisions, ultimatly getting a final draft of the script completed. Over the summer of 2001, I got the scripts copied and I started working on set designs. I decided I wanted something completely different. I decided that I wanted my set to be like a tent, with the idea of a fancified tent revival. Kevin Koett at the time was the Director of Residence Life and Housing Services for the school (and my boss), and he let me have 260 bedsheets. I went to a store and bought a dye to dye them a dark maroon color. When the sheets came out, they were pink and they were tie-dyed. I was distraught, then I decided why not. Every single space in that theater was covered with the sheets. It provided for an amazing experience where you were surrounded by the show.

In the fall of 2001, we held auditions for the show. I wanted unknowns and non-drama majors for the most part. It wasn't a typical show, but I had to use some due to the school's rule. I originally cast Jeff Davis as the main role of Jeff and Ben Apple as the role of David. I started rehearsals in September, but Jeff couldn't make it because he was in another show. One night, at Perkin's, I was distraught over my show. I couldn't get my rehearsals in, and people were dropping out like flies. It occurred to me. Jeff just wasnt' right for the part. He's an amazing guy, but he just wasn't working out. One of my best friends Mitchell Spalding had auditioned for the show as a courtesy to me, and I had cast him as God in the show. He had read the part of Jeff well, so I decided to swtich Jeff and Mitchell to play the opposite role. Jeff Davis made God come to life in a very very powerful way.

Rehearsals were underway, and it was spectacular. I made my cast come to every rehearsal. I did this to show a solidarity among the cast. I wanted all experiences to be shared. The people I had cast in the show were there because to them, it was a ministry, not a performance. I couldn't stress that enough. I decided early on that I would have a Spiritual Director that would be responsible for keeping us on track spiritually. The SD was Crystal Callahan (now Crystal Johnson). Every day before we started rehearsals, we would have a time of prayer and focus. We would also end with prayer. One of my favorite memories was a cast member asking if we could just sit and listen to the opening song "Holy Roar." I obliged. I looked around, and saw my 30 cast members being ministered to. That became a tradition for the show, to open rehearsal with "Holy Roar."

The show opened on November 29, 2001. I was expecting my friends and some family and that was about it. I was already irritated because my drama director made me charge admission. I wanted it to be free, since it was getting a message of faith out there. He wanted me to cover my costs. My costs were around $50. Seriously, everything else was free or donated. I didn't care how many people came to see the show, as long as the message was out there.

The first show sold out. The second show sold out. We added a performance the third day, which sold out, and our final performance was sold out. I was humbled by the response of the audience. I had an email address for people to write and tell feedback and give prayer requests. I got over 200 emails. It was amazing. My cast made me a book with letters from the cast in it, and I look at it often. You guys blessed my life!

The last night of the show, I had a student minister from a local church approach me and ask if I would be interested in bring the show to his church and performing it. When we were striking the set, I mentioned it to the cast, and they were intersted. The next week, I recieved several calls from churches asking the same. Over the next semester, we performed Red Letters three more times at various churches. Every night, the church was packed. Since I was in charge of that, I didn't charge for them.

God showed me so much through that process. 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." It just shows that when we commit our ways to Him, they don't fail. I miss that time dearly, but, I've recently started to retype the script. Maybe it's about time to do something with it again.

The soundtrack (after 5 versions) is listed below, just if your curious. :)

• Holy Roar (Prelude)
• Holy Roar (by Christy Nockels)
• Anybody Out There (by Burlap to Cashmere)
• I Run (by Forty Days)
• Bless the Lord (from Godspell)
• I'll Stand by You (from The Pretenders)
• Love Song (by Third Day)
• In the Light (by dcTalk)
• Red Letters (by dcTalk)
• Go, and Sin No More (by Rebecca St. James)
• Creed (by Rich Mullins)

My first question is:

How has your God blessed America in a way that we Americans did not contribute?

Other questions:
Even if God existed, why should he/she bless the US and not Iran?
Is your God an American or Christian?
What religion or sect is God?
Didn't God bless the former Nazi Germany also?

And yes... Hitler was a Christian. To be more specific, he was a baptized Roman Catholic.
(quote from Mein Kampf)

"I believe that I am acting in accordance with the will of the Almighty Creator: by defending myself against the Jew, I am fighting for the work of the Lord."

Deswegen also nun die Kollektion ohne Bild. Unsere deutsche Kollegin Modejournalistin kann sicherlich bald Bilder nachreichen. Dennoch will ich kurz die Schau zusammen fassen: Wolfgang Joop schwamm gegen den Strom. Er ist nicht nur der einzige Designer in Paris, der vor statt nach der Show Interviews gibt, er ist auch einer der wenigen, der seinen Gästen, was zu trinken anbietet (und auch zu essen, wenn man dank Platzkarte früh drin ist). Er war der einzige, der in Paris den Schwerpunkt auf Hosen und Hosenanzüge legte und eher weniger Röcke zeigte. Und er ist einer der wenigen, der Muster dem Uni-Trend vorzieht. Riesige Karos (Grau auf gebrochen Weiß) auf fließenden Stoffen zu Dreiviertel-Hosen und locker sitzenden Jacketts wehten auf flachen Schuhen über den Laufsteg.  Wie das ganz genau aussah, kommt eben dann, wenn Modejournalistin die Bilder hat.

Zu Talbot Runhof. Einen Schauentermin um 9.30 Uhr am Samstag ist vielen Franzosen zu früh. Genau deswegen profitierte ich davon, denn eine Freundin, die ausschlafen wollte, gab mir ihre Karte ab. Als ich mit 20 Minuten Verspätung fast schon zu spät war (wie war das mit der deutschen Pünktlichkeit gleich noch mal), wusste ich auch, warum ich leer ausgegangen war. 

Ich bin dunkelhaarig. Im Publikum saßen so viele Blondinnen, dass es sich hier nur um eine deutsche Schau handeln konnte. Angeblich hatten sie aber als Promi die dunkelhaarige Gudrun Landgrebe eingeladen. Respekt für diesen Mut ;-) Und angeblich lief Boris Beckers neue Freundin über den Laufsteg. Ist sie das hier?

Ansonsten war die Kollektion wie die dazu ertönende Musik, die die gute Zeit der 50er wieder aufleben ließ. Sehr elegant, sehr feminin, sehr angezogen. 

Eher aus dem Rahmen sprangen diese beiden Modelle:

Worauf ich jedoch wirklich hinweisen will, ist die gekonnte Faltenführung - vor allem bei den Ausschnitten und am Dekolltee. Das gefiel mir wahrlich gut.

Fotos: modepilot/parisoffice

I mean come on. How much sudafed do i need to take to make everything go back to normal. But the one thing about being sick, well... at least i know i am human instead of just some amorphous form that just drifts through life.

Pain and discomfort... weird. Why does it take such negative things to appreciate life?

I mean, don't get me wrong, a nice jog, a pat on the back...a kiss from your loved one, great. But the harshness of sickness. Maybe i am just needy attention getter... A sneeze elicits an immediate response--Bless you! Really? Bless me?

Well thanks. Nice to know you care.

maybe i should sneeze more often.

Eid Mubarak to all muslims. May Allah

bless us always with peace and

happiness...

In my way home,when i stand on the traffic light and left up my eyes,i saw some different on windows,moved?

One month already since last time we met,i hope  every things on your side are going well,may God bless you all the way,you're so good=)

Tonight,my room rising my favourite songs,praise and worship,i really proud of your singing and intelligent,this is a gift from God,use it on His kingdom:)

值得攝錄的題材處處

哪裏都發現可觀的角度

師奶 1

看到出閘機上顯示的車資，由旺角到大埔也只需$3+—很滿足。

師奶 2

由Uni-Juicy到火車站那家港式小食店

由那些我們熟悉的師奶手中接過雞蛋仔和煎釀三寶，心裏總是暖暖的。

不是這裏比Starbuck的好吃，而是那份人情味為食物調味

港女

負離子直髮女生

把面油紙投進就手的回收箱

露出一副「望咩呀望」的嘴臉

日落

游泳後

甫踏出更衣室

徹底的日落，就像個紅色的天幕，紅光處處

我踏不穩

對的

定是在酒紅的晚霞中

醉了

Nach sehr vielen kommerziellen Kollektionen in den anderen Mode-Hauptstädten schauen nun mal wieder alle Augen nach Paris. 95 Kollektionen stehen auf dem offiziellen Schauenkalender, der immer internationaler wird. Thailändische Prinzessinnen, ägyptische Desigerinnen, Inder, Chinesen, Russen - nicht zu vergessen die Belgier, die Japaner und die wieder erwachten altehrwürdigen Pariser Modehäuser, wie Lanvin, Balenciaga, Balmain, Givenchy. 

Der sonst eher ruhige erste Tag bietet in diesem Jahr ein Highlight: Der britische Nachwuchsstar Gareth Pugh zeigt erstmalig in Paris. Pugh hatte 2008 den renommierten und gut dotierten Modepreis ANDAM gewonnen. Aus Deutschland sind diesmal fünf Modehäuser auf den On-Kalender vertreten: Neben Bless, Lutz, Bernhard Willhelm und Wunderkind sind erstmalig Talbot-Runhof mit dabei. 

Nun hoffen wir hier auf neue Impulse für den nächsten Sommer.

Foto: modepilot/parisoffice (Kollektion Chanel Winter 2008/09)

HEY EVERYONE!

We are sorry for the lack of updates! We know you are dying to know what's been going on with us this summer, it's been a real rough one for us for sure. We love you guys like our own brothers and sisters and hate leaving you guys in the dark. BUT we finally have something to tell you.

Since January when we came home from our little bump in the road in Europe, we have tried out dozens of possible singers for the band. We thought we found one, but then decided it was not right. Then we flew out another singer and it didn't work out. Basically our whole summer consisted of the same story with every singer we came across. It was a nightmare. It was not an easy task finding a singer who can sing well, rock out, and most importantly, fit in with the band and click with the four of us.

BUT GUESS WHAT?

We have finally made our decision and we are happier than ever! We are proud to announce the newest member to the completed Blessthefall family…

BEAU BOKAN!!!

Some of you may know him from his previous band - Take The Crown from California. He is the nicest dude we have tried out and sings like a beast. He loves long walks on the beach, eats Pick Up Stix daily and gives gnarly hickies. Give Beau a big welcome to the Blessthefall family, talk to him online, leave us comments, give him a hug in person, he loves all of that.

On to the next big topic. Since we have found Beau we have been working hard to write new songs and get BTF back in order. On our page is a brand new song titled "To Hell And Back".
We hope you guys enjoy the new track. That song will be one of many songs to be on our NEW FULL LENGTH ALBUM. The plan is to hit the studio in November after we write the rest of the album. We are super stoked with our new material and can't wait to show you all the other songs we have written so far.

Keep checking back for all new video blogs, studio announcements, producer info, tours and anything else that will happen for us in the near future.

Tell all your friends the news, spread the word.
Check out our new song, singer, page, photos and all the other great stuff we just put up.

Thanks for being the best fans in the world and sticking by our side through everything.

Love,
Matt, Michael, Eric, Jared & Beau.
.BLESSTHEFALL.

it's blessthefall 2.0 now,

 
Becoming a four-piece caused all of the instrumentalists to step up their game, while Mabbit found himself outgrowing the "screamo" tag and embracing more of a full vocal range.

new etf song is weak IMO i hope he does not leave his "SCREAMO" image because it is what he is at his best...

Quiet Power

God blesses those who are gentle and lowly, for the whole earth will belong to them (Matthew 5:5, NLT).

Dear friends:

A dear friend, Dee Jepsen, wife of former U.S. Senator Roger Jepsen, attended a luncheon in the Senate Caucus Room on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.

Congressmen, Cabinet members, top leaders in government, and many other respected guests were seated in the impressive room with its ornate pillars, high ceilings, and huge chandeliers. The room seemed to swell with influential people who had gathered to honor a humble servant of God.

Then Mother Teresa entered the room.

Mrs. Jepsen said, "She looked so tiny and out-of-place in her blue-and-white habit, old gray sweater, and sandals that had obviously carried her many miles. The room and prestigious guests seemed to dwarf her."

Immediately the top leaders of the most powerful country in the world, along with the other esteemed guests, rose to their feet and applauded. Many had tears in their eyes.

"I was struck with the contrast," Mrs. Jepsen said. "I thought, Lord, this frail woman has more power than I see in the Halls of Congress. She reflects Jesus everywhere she goes, and everyone is strangely moved."

Mother Teresa doesn't own anything; she has never asked for material possessions nor held up her fist to demand rights for herself. Yet she has been raised to a pinnacle of recognition for her work with the destitute and dying in Calcutta, India. She has reached down into the gutter and loved those whom the world has called unlovable. A shining example of selflessness, she proves the power of God's love to transform people and touch a starved world.

This is real power and, unlike that of the world, it confounds the wise and humbles the mighty. It is the power of God working through ordinary men and women for His glory.

Our Lord, God in the flesh, was an example of sheer, unlimited power, but controlled and restrained for His mission, and driven by love.

When we are filled with His Spirit, we have that same power inside of us. But He wants us to be vessels of His mission, to walk in His humility, and also to be driven by His love. Then people will not see us, but will see Him in us. Like Mother Teresa, we will display a power the world does not know. But His Spirit working in us will draw others to Himself.

Yours for helping to fulfill the Great Commission each year until our Lord returns,

Bill Bright

-------

The late Dr. Bill Bright was Founder and President/Chairman Emeritus of Campus Crusade for Christ, an organization which began as a campus ministry in 1951 and now has more than 27,000 full-time staff and up to 500,000 trained volunteer staff in 196 countries in areas representing 99.6 percent of the world's population. In the past 50 years, Campus Crusade for Christ has seen approximately 6 billion exposures to the gospel worldwide. The film, "JESUS," which Bright conceived and funded through Campus Crusade for Christ, is the most widely translated and viewed film of any type ever produced. Since its use began in 1980, the film has been translated into 839 languages and viewed or listened to by over 5.7 billion people in 228 countries. Dr. Bright was also the author of more than fifty books. Dr. Bright recently co-founded Global Pastors Network to "Touch, Teach and Train" a group of 5 million new house churches around the world 24/7/365 at http://www.globalpastorsnetwork.org.

Copyright (c) 2003, Bill Bright. All rights reserved. However, readers may copy and distribute this message as desired, without restrictions in number, as long as the content is not altered. Forwarding this e-mail to friends is encouraged. For many evangelistic and spiritual growth materials, visit the Campus Crusade for Christ Web site at http://www.ccci.org. See http://www.campuscrusade.org for Bill Bright's own materials.

Written by Justin Lessard

 The word "church" has lost its meaning in today's world. Originally, the word church referred to a body of believers, a fellowship of saints, a group of two or more who were gathered in the Name of Christ. The members often described as the saints, believers, the faithful, the witnesses for God and the household of God. It is not meant to describe the building in which they met, the stone walls that stood around them. The church IS the people of God.

The organization of the early churches was not governed by a rigged plan that each church had to follow. Instead, the body felt free to respond to the leading of the Holy Spirit, and to developing a structure that would contribute to fulfilling those responsibilities. The primary goal was to respond to, and follow without restraint, the very Word of God, and the very instruction of God. They were not reining one over another. Instead, each church felt free to witness, testify, teach, instruct, encourage, edify, pray for, build up and bless others any way, time, form or shape that they could.

Church is not about how bright the stained-glass windows are. It’s not about our sound systems, or our gymnasiums. It isn't even about the decorating committee's decision for the new addition's bathrooms. It is about reaching the lost for Jesus. It is about reaching out to a homeless man, a battered woman, a suicidal teen, a single mother prostituting, and a drunken addict. They won't care so much if the new bathroom is covered in vines of fish decor. They will care that you extended your hand, invited them in again and again, and offered a shoulder to cry on, an ear to hear, and arms to hold. If the church weren't so self-involved, we might actually make our Father proud. I thank God for comfortable seats, quality sound systems, carpeted floors, track lighting and fine decor; but not at the cost of losing the lost. Our focus needs to remain the same as those who reached out to us when we were unsaved. We have lavish luxury on a lifeboat, while sinners sink into hell.

What would happen if we, in today's church responded similarly to the cry of the Holy Spirit?

What would happen if we gathered for a prayer meeting all night and God came suddenly?

What would happen if we decided that we were going to do whatever it takes to follow God?

What would happen if we laid every single earthly thing down and go after Him for a change?

What would happen if we said, "Okay, God. I'm going after You."?

What would happen if we threw out our television, our computer, our magazines, and went whole heartedly after the will of our Father?

Now turn the focus from an individual standpoint to a group perspective.

What would happen if the church decided to go more after God than after man?

What would happen if we weren't as concerned as to how long service is or how long I have to stand to worship God?

What would happen if we said, “God, I'm going after You and I don't care what it takes!"?

We might make our Father proud. We might receive the REAL blessing. We might reach others who are sinking and hand them a raft. And a map and compass. We would be able to do more than tell them where they need to be, but we can show them the way and tell them how to get there.

So, what would happen if we really loved our neighbor more than our self? We would get out of our house, knock on their door and invite them for dinner. We would reach out. But only if we really loved them. Only if the love of Christ really dwells within us.

 So, does it? Then go fishing.

The Wrecking

Also Friday night 9/26 at 7pm, Doug and Karl from The Wrecking will be performing an acoustic set to open the Laura Story (writer of "Indescribeable") show at South Portland Church of the Nazarene. Admission is FREE!

The King James Version of this verse says "The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself."

What an awesome verse!

Every Christian should be liberal and giving towards others. God expects us to do this first, and then He gives it back. Learn to let your everyday life be one of automatically blessing others.

Check out my other sites:

Handbook for Victorious Christian Living - Practical ways to learn to live a victorious Christian life

Blueprint for Victorious Christian Living

Power of the Living Word