“The heavens will not be filled with those who never made mistakes but with those who recognized that they were off course and corrected their ways to get back in the light of gospel truth.” ― Dieter F. Uchtdorf In the second chapter of the book of Acts, we read about the event that marked the Holy Spirit’s descend after Jesus’ resurrection and ascension to heaven. Jerusalem was brimming with people from all over Israel and beyond, including the 12 disciples, Jesus’ mother Mary, Jesus’ Continue Reading
Division in the Church During the Pandemic {The Atlanta Journal-Constitution}
“Nevada’s 50-person limit on religious assemblies violates the First Amendment, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled, as Forbes reported.” “The Supreme Court sided with a California church and declared Gov. Gavin Newsom’s COVID-19 order prohibiting some worship services unconstitutional, UPI reported.” “The Supreme Court blocked, for now, New York’s restrictions on attendance at religious worship services in the struggle to contain COVID, AP reported.” The report, published Continue Reading
Engage in the Fight Against Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery {The Atlanta Journal Constitution}
In 2007, the U.S. Senate designated Jan. 11 as National Human Trafficking Awareness Day. Since then, awareness and advocacy campaigns have expanded to the entire month of January throughout the country, as both secular and religious organizations expose the horrors of modern-day human trafficking and slavery in America and beyond. It is hard to wrap our minds around slavery as a modern-day issue, especially in the world’s most prosperous country. According to the Global Slavery Index, an Continue Reading
New Year Does Not Mean Our trials Are Over {The Atlanta Journal-Constitution}
“Wake us up when 2020 ends! 50 quotes that sum up how everyone feels about the past year.” The headline preceded an article in Parade magazine, filled with funny and insightful quotes for the year that changed life as we knew it. I read each quote, amused and sometimes laughing out loud, especially when I came across this anonymous one: “After all the stupid things I’ve done in my life, if I die because I touched my face, I’m gonna be mad.” You’ve got to give it to the author — that’s pretty Continue Reading
Advent Celebrations Reinforce Significance of Jesus’ Birth {The Atlanta Journal-Constitution}
The term “Advent” originated from Latin “adventus,” which means “coming” or “arrival.” The Latin term, translated from the Greek word “Parousia,” is the term used in the New Testament’s original text for the second coming of Christ. Therefore, the Advent season is observed in most Christian denominations as the celebration of Christ’s coming at his birth and the return of Christ at the second coming. Both events are found in Messianic prophecies in the Old and New Testament. The activities Continue Reading
Sometimes Tough Love Is the Best Gift {The Atlanta Journal-Constitution}
The prophet Ezekiel was one of the 10,000 exiles taken to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar in 597 B.C. During that time, God appeared in a magnificent vision while Ezekiel was among the Jews camping by the Kebar River, located in modern-day Syria. When God called Ezekiel to prophesy to the Jews, his ministry’s central message became immediately evident. The book’s theological focus becomes unmistakable within the first chapters: the life permeated with God’s presence versus the death associated Continue Reading
