Sanctity of Human Life

Sorry for two videos in a row, but I saw this video a few years ago and then again a couple days ago.

In honor of Sanctity of Human Life Day today:

12 Months

The mom who was caught abusing her children got a sentence of twelve months. From what I can understand, the sentence is basically like our probation. She can live at home, but has lost permanent custody of her children. If she touches a child during that period, she will serve the time physically in prison.

This is a very, very long sentence for here. I saw her today back in the community and it was such a strange feeling. Half of me wanted to hate her for what she has done to her children and the other half of me wanted to grab her and tell her to repent and accept the Gospel. I have to pity her in many ways. While she was in the wrong, she has lost so much - her children and her family, and she is majorly stigmatized within the community.

The children are doing extremely well. The girls, Acan Irene and Ajok Winnifred, are incredibly energetic and happy and just seem like a huge burden has been lifted from their shoulders. There is still a lot of healing that needs to take place in their hearts, but they are doing a lot better than I would have anticipated. Their brother, Okumu Reagan, is also doing really well. But please keep praying both for their healing and their mother's!

Just one more thing about the election...

I promise this isn't going to be a political blog, but since all I hear about is politics and the election, I have a few more thoughts to share.

The question that has come up repeatedly over the last few days (since Tuesday night, to be exact) is whether God ordains all rulers. I really am not sure about that, but here are some things I know/have researched/have discussed with others:

God definitely ordain some rulers, although I am not sure if it's all of them. Here's an interesting blog about that topic that says simply "God ordains worldly leaders, but not every leader is ordained of God." You'll have to read it and decide for yourself.

Romans 13:1-7 says:

1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 7 Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.

So whether or not we think our new leader is "ordained by God" or is the "right choice," Christians are commanded to honor and respect him. I fully understand how hard this is and I have been struggling with that realization all week.

And lastly, we shouldn't be worrying about things. I found this article of 4 reasons not to worry. Regardless of what happens in our country, if we are Christians, we belong to Christ and we have hope in Him!

I'll just throw in a couple of extra verses that were in Fellowship Church's bulletin this past Sunday regarding the government/election: I Timothy 2:1-2, Matthew 22:21, and II Chronicles 7:14.

Please join be in praying for our future leaders and our country!

Watching History be Made...

Yesterday our nation elected a new president. Number 44. Senator (soon-to-be President) Barack Obama made history last night when he became the first black man to ever be elected to that office. What do I think about it??? Well, that answer is quite complex. Am I happy that he won? Hmmm...I'll have to go with no comment on that one. Are there things to celebrate? Absolutely. Here are a few things I am happy about:

1. I am blessed to live in a country where every person has the right to vote (well, pretty much everyone, barring felons).

2. I am excited that our country has stepped passed the days of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s into a time where we can look pass race and elect a black man to serve as president (and how cool that we get to watch this history unfold!!). It is my prayer that my future children will look back and wonder why this election was such a big deal.

3. I am grateful that Senator McCain made a valiant attempt to unite our country after what has been a bitter and divisive campaign. In his words:

"I wish Godspeed to the man who was my former opponent and will be my president. And I call on all Americans, as I have often in this campaign, to not despair of our present difficulties, but to believe, always, in the promise and greatness of America, because nothing is inevitable here. Americans never quit. We never surrender. We never hide from history. We make history."

4. I am humbled that men and women have given their lives so that we, as Americans, can have the freedom to live in a nation where we can say what we agree with and disagree with, we can challenge our president (hopefully with great respect) to responsibly lead our nation, and we can live free from fear.

5. I am thankful that this loooong election is over.

I am so fortunate to live in a country that is free. A country where we can be free to celebrate our differences.

And I am so grateful to serve a God who is sovereign and who will alway be there and who will never change.

I will be praying hard for Senators Obama and Biden as we make our way toward January 20th.

I will be praying for our nation, that we lay aside our differences and unite ourselves behind the man who will be running our country in just a few short months.