The Real Truth about ‘Boring’ Men — and the Women who Live with Them: Redefining Boring

A great counter-culture picture of what "Romance" means in our daily lives...

Look this up on your computer and sign in for fantastic photo images, Christian applications, and "A Holy Experience".  annvoskampholyexperience@gmail.com

So not every guy proposes with lip syncing, rolling cameras, and a choreographed entourage.
Yeah —  so what if  your Dad didn’t?
He just pulled that beat-up Volkswagon Rabbit of his over in front of Murray Reesor’s hundred acre farm right there where Grey Township meets Elma Township, pulled out a little red velvet box, and whispered it in the snowy dark: “Marry me?”
“He didn’t even get down on one knee or anything?”
You boys ask it incredulous, like there’s some kind of manual for this kind of holy.
And I’ve got no qualms in telling you no. No, he didn’t even get down on one knee – it was just a box, a glint of gold in the dark, two hallowed words and a question mark.
“Boring.”Read more

C.S. Lewis – his life in pictures How a convert from atheism, in his spare time, explained Christianity to the modern world -

 A great set of pictures about C.S. Lewis is available

Of the writers whose books I most often return to, C.S. Lewis holds my attention perhaps more than any other.

For years, while our daughters were young, I tried to read the Narnia Chronicles each year.

His science fiction is as brilliant as that of any other I read.

On the anniversary of his death, on November 22, 1963, a good article on him is found here:

at See more at: http://www.thechristians.com/?q=node/871#sthash.rcguacF7.dpuf

Before They Pass Away - Fantastic Pictures of Tribes about to die out

Some of the best photography you'll ever see in your life.

Jimmy Nelson may be the finest photographer you ever come across. He travelled two years through hot deserts and freezing tundra to capture portraits of men and women in tribes most of us have hardly heard of.

To see the scenes of their lives in mountains and forests, tundra and hot plains - - - most of them with their tribal colors painted, this is enough of a visual feast to last for days.

The 20 minute documentary on how he captured these photos is an added plus.

http://www.boredpanda.org/vanishing-tribes-before-they-pass-away-jimmy-nelson/

How big do you think Africa is? Do you know its real size?

Looking at Africa from a different perspective helps us to understand the continent a lot better.

How many countries do you think would fit into Africa?

Here's something to shape your day in a new way.

http://www.upworthy.com/we-have-been-mislead-by-an-erroneous-map-of-the-world-for-500-years?c=ufb2

Persecution and Death in Nepal - the Cost of Following the Lord

October 24, 2013

Debalal, 36, spent his last moments on earth praying for the man who would later kill him.

 

In the early morning of Sunday, October 20, Debalal, an elder of a GFA-supported Believers Church in Nepal, was called to the home of Kumar Sardar, 29, to pray for his healing.

Kumar’s wife had asked Debalal to pray for her husband who had been crying out with acute pain in his body. As Debalal prayed for Kumar with his eyes closed, Kumar left the room only to come back holding a sharp khukuri, a common Nepali knife with a curved edge that is much like a machete. Before Debalal could be made aware of the weapon, Kumar attacked him, slitting his throat. Debalal died at around 3 a.m.
News reports indicate Kumar is now in police custody.

“Opposition, persecution and martyrdom is part of the cost of following the Lord and bringing the Gospel to a desperately needy world,” said Dr. K.P. Yohannan. “We are always heartbroken when we lose someone, but while we weep here on earth, there is rejoicing over those who came to know Jesus through this man.”

Kumar had been ill for some months and was improving gradually as Debalal prayed for him. Debalal lived around 30 minutes away from Kumar and often visited the sick man to offer comfort and to intercede on his behalf.

Debalal was a faithful servant, often giving his time to pray for the sick.

 

Debalal’s wife and two sons, 9 and 15 years old, are being taken care of by the local church during this time.“Debalal was a faithful servant of our Lord Jesus Christ,” said Bishop Dr. Narayan Sharma, senior leader of our work in Nepal. “He was diligent in the Lord’s ministry and helped bring many into the Kingdom of God.”

Debalal served under the leadership of GFA-supported Believers Church pastor Tuhinsurra for many years as the elder of the church. He often visited those in his area and shared the love of Christ with them, faithfully praying for those who were ill.
Debalal leaves behind his wife and two sons, who are 9 and 15 years old.

Please pray for:

• Debalal’s family as they grieve the loss of their husband and father.
• All the believers to stand firm in their faith during such a grave situation.
• Kumar Sardar, that he would repent and come to know the saving and redemptive love of the Savior, Jesus Christ.
• Kumar’s family, that they too would come to know the Lord through this circumstance and give their hearts to Him.

A Garland for Ashes: World War II, the Holocaust and a Journey to Forgiveness

Hanna Miley, who was raised in England after being taken (miraculously) onto a train that was transporting many other Jewish children, has published a wonderful book.

Her life story is an inspiration. together with her husband George Miley, they have deeply impacted thousands of persons across many decades.

This book would be a good addition to your library. The journey by which Hanna came to know about the death of her parents in a German Concentration Camp, her journey to faith in Yeshua Messiah, and her amazing life left an indelible impression on me.

I highly recommend A Garland for Ashes for those for whom forgiveness and reconciliation with our enemies is a vital subject. This is what they wrote recently:

A Garland for Ashes: World War II, the Holocaust, and One Jewish Survivor’s Long Journey to Forgiveness became a reality on July 3. We are experiencing the daily excitement of opening the Inbox and discovering the responses from readers. Many of you are praying that the story will bring healing to souls. One reader wrote:

About fifteen years ago you gave a collage workshop at a women’s retreat. I remember the collage you shared with us. A fine gold thread ran through the picture, representing the work and Presence of God in your story. I see the gold thread again in A Garland for Ashes. It leaves me sensing an unspoken mystery, a beauty that leaves me marveling at God, and His activity in our lives.

What a thrill to trace the Holy Spirit at work! Marketing. With the help of Cheri, our gifted administrator, we are on an adventure, making A Garland for Ashes known to a wider audience. We sense the Lord saying to us: Be watchful, discerning and responsive to the connections and opportunities I am arranging. Take care to submit to the Holy Spirit. He is managing your marketing campaign. Publishers. We are approaching several German publishing houses. Please pray for miracles--receptivity to a new, unknown author and a gifted translator. A small French publishing house is considering a French edition. Would we fit well together? A good friend has approached a few Dutch publishing houses. Holocaust museum bookshops. Several have responded to our request to review A Garland for Ashes, and we are waiting to hear if they will carry the book. Book signings. The blessing of God has been on the sharing of the story of Gemünd, forgiveness and reconciliation. Printing. Prayer is needed for consistency in the quality of the printing. Please pray for our publisher Outskirts Press, and the very large “print-on-demand” production company Ingram/Lightening Source. Health: We have experienced considerable healing from the effects of the auto accident in Germany on June 5. George has recovered from his bruising and whiplash, while Hanna has been receiving excellent physiotherapy as she continues to live within the physical restrictions imposed by the two fractured discs in her spinal column. Our scheduled return to Germany in September has been in jeopardy. Hanna has undergone a number of tests in our cardiologist’s office to check her abdominal artery and heart. In the mercy of God we have just been set free to go, and are searching for the right tickets to return the first week of October. Opportunities ahead: October 9--The same group that planned the laying of the Stolpersteine in Gemünd will meet to focus on the remembrance of Kristallnacht (Crystal Night), November 9-10, 1938.

The Gemünd Group working on the remembrance of Kristallnacht 2013.

October 12--Hanna has been invited to speak at the final meeting of the year-long celebration of Gemünd’s 800th anniversary. October 21-25--The Antioch Network Gathering will take place in Volkenroda, Germany. We will be teaching on principles of reconciliation.

Volkenroda, our meeting place, a former monastery founded in 1131 and today, the home of a christian community focused on reconciliation.

October 27-30--The next meeting of the Wittenberg 2017 initiative, a movement of repentance for historic divisions among Christians and prayer that Christ will make us one, will follow the Antioch Network Gathering in Volkenroda. We will be teaching on Reconciliation in Gemünd: Principles for Wider Reconciliation.  With grateful hearts,