Hope for AIDS Orphans

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." James 1:27

God loves orphans! They are precious in His sight and are made in His own image just like everyone else. My family and I wish we could help all of them. We know we alone can't but the Body of Christ can join hands and make it more plausible. At times, it may seem overwhelming and we might prefer to shut it out. But we're called to look after orphans. Praying...giving... adopting...advocating...doing whatever helps! My 18 year old daughter has been advocating for orphans posted on Reece's Rainbow website on her blog and Facebook.

I'd like to introduce you to Hope for AIDS Orphans (a ministry of Cross International). Their main mission is to care for the AIDS orphans (14,800,000...as of 2010) in Africa. Can you imagine almost 15 million kids suffering with AIDS and having no parents? I can't wrap my mind around this heart-wrenching fact! These are not just numbers; they're precious lives who desperately need Christ's love and our help. Please watch the video below (if the video doesn't work, please go watch it on the website) and consider the 3 ways you can help these orphans: Express Your Care (sign their Angel of Hope Photo Mosaic), Share Their Story (share the orphan video with your friends), and Give Them Hope (donate to this wonderful cause).

We're very excited to help provide for these orphans through Hope for AIDS Orphans. Would you please join us, too? Any amount helps! Please visit the website for details. Thanks for caring!

Review: Max on Life by Max Lucado

Product Details
Format: Jacketed Hardcover
Trim Size: 6.40 x 9.40 x 1.30
Page Count: 256
Retail Price: $24.99
ISBN: 9780849948121

Book Description
We have questions. Child-like inquiries. And deep, heavy ones.

In more than twenty-five years of writing and ministry, Max Lucado has been the receiving line for thousands of such questions. The questions come in letters, e-mails, even on Dunkin Donuts napkins. In Max on Life, he offers thoughtful answers to more than 150 of the most pressing questions on topics ranging from hope to hurt, from home to the hereafter.

Max writes about the role of prayer, the purpose of pain, and the reason for our ultimate hope. He responds to the day-to-day questions—parenting quandaries, financial challenges, difficult relationships—as well as to the profound: Is God really listening?

A special addendum includes Max’s advice on writing and publishing.

Including topical and scriptural indexes and filled with classic Lucado encouragement and insight, Max on Life will quickly become a favorite resource for pastors and ministry leaders as well as new and mature believers.

MY THOUGHTS AND REVIEW:
Max on Life is a Q & A book: Max Lucado's answers and insights to important questions in life. Being a pastor and a well-known writer, Mr. Lucado has received all sorts of questions from all sorts of people. He includes 172 questions in this book. Some of the questions seem to be redundant. Some are excellent questions, especially for new believers. The questions and answers are divided into seven sections: Hope, Hurt, Help, Him/Her, Home, Have/Have-Nots, and Hereafter. The book covers various topics from faith, heaven, hell, prayer to parenting, relationship, money, fear, and more.

I didn't really learn anything new from this book and I don't agree with all of Mr. Lucado's answers. For example, on Page 19, Mr. Lucado said, "He (Jesus) paid the price for sin by becoming a sinner." Jesus paid the price for sin by becoming the sinless sacrifice for sinners. He is God; He can never be a sinner! Anyway, I still enjoyed reading this book. Max Lucado is so good with words that the content and style hold my attention. He often uses analogies to help readers think. I also love his sense of humor. I appreciate that Mr. Lucado bases his answers on the Scriptures and presents them with grace and gentleness. He gives Biblically sound advice. This book is easy to read. Each question and answer is usually only a page long. Concise and Christ-centered!

"When grace moves in, guilt moves out. God has forgiven us. There is no reason to hold on to guilt." Max Lucado (p.2)

~ I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions are my own.

Buy		Read

God Is Good

Note: Please turn off my music playlist at the bottom of this page before starting the video.

God is indeed good all the time!  He never changes.  We can always trust Him.

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10

"God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.  What can man do to me?"...Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." Hebrews`3:5b-6, 8

"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness." Lamentations 3:22

"There is a big difference between nice people and good people.  Nice people are loved by everyone whereas good people get nailed to crosses!  Jesus was not always 'nice' to people but He was always good to them; there is a big difference. God's actions in your lives may not always be pleasant or nice; however, they are always loving and good." (~Sean Nolan, p. 26, To Those Who Suffer)

Speak Up

Life is a gift from God.  All are precious in God's eyes.  Our family is very passionate about saving the lives of the unborn.  Every year, my daughter, Alyssa, participates in Steps for Life, an annual fund-raising event for Pregnancy Resource Centers (PRC). Please consider helping save the unborn by clicking here. Any amount helps! If you would like to help but do not want to use credit card, please email me your pledge and mailing address and PRC wil bill you later after the walkathon (May 15th). My email address is serving_theKingofkings@yahoo.com . Let's speak up and be a voice for the voiceless!  Thanks for doing all you can for these precious lives and God bless!


Previous WFW:
- One

- The Only Thing that Counts
- Rejoice!
- How Shall We Dress?
- Godliness
- Look to the Lord
- Love Never Fails
- Everlasting Love

- The Path Of Life
- As White As Snow

- Our Days

- His Name Is Jesus

- The Light of the World

- It Is Good

- Worship

- Whatever You Do

- More Blessed

- My Soul Pants for You

- Without Excuse

- Plentiful Harvest

- Brotherly Love

- Fruit Bearer

- More Than Conquerors

- Where Does My Help Come From?

- Jubilant, Joy, and Judge

- Rooted in Love

- Who Daily Bears Our Burdens?

- Reflecting the Lord's Glory

- The Rock Eternal

- His Eye Is On The Sparrow

Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing

Note: Please turn off my music playlist at the bottom of this page before starting the video.

Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing (written by Robert Robinson, sung by Jadon Lavik)

"From the Lord comes deliverance.  May Your blessing be on Your people." Psalm 3:8
"From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another." John 1:16
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ." Ephesians 1:3
"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." James 1:17

In 1 Samuel 7, when God made the Philistines get into panic mode and lose to the Israelites, Samuel took a stone and set it up as a remembrance of God's faithfulness and help.  He named the stone, "Ebenezer" which means stone of help.  "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble." (Psalm 46:1)
Let us all raise our "Ebenezer" with our praises!


Previous Songs:
- Faithful One
- Your Love Broke Through
- Until the Whole World Hears
- Take My Life
- In Christ Alone
- Sweetly Broken
- Be Thou My Vision
- God With Us
- Offering- Christmas Version 
- How Many Kings
- Give Thanks
- When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
- He Knows My Name
- Oh Lord, You're Beautiful!
- What the Lord Has Done in Me
- I Surrender All
- Mighty To Save
- Could I Be Called a Christian?
- Cry Out to Jesus
- Jesus, Be the Center
- God of Justice
- Love That Will Not Let Me Go
- I Will Offer Up My Life
- When It's All Been Said and Done
- Knowing You, Jesus

Where Does My Help Come From?

When we are struggling or going through a difficult time, what do we focus our heart, mind, and attention on?  Most often than not...our problems, our trials, or people involved, etc.  That usually makes matters worse because we become occupied with our troubles, focus on self-pity, play a blame game, and/or lose the right perspectives (eternal/Biblical perspectives).  Instead, we need to remind ourselves to look to the Lord for help because He knows what's best for us.  We want His will (not ours) to be done, anyway.

"We wait in hope for the Lord; He is our Help and our Shield." Psalm 33:20

"God is our Refuge and Strength, and ever-present Help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging." Psalm 46:1-3

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." Hebrews 12:2-3

Bonus: I know I'm supposed to post just a picture with a Bible verse(s). I think that this song goes so well with my WFW; therefore, I would like to share it here with you as a bonus :). Hope you will be encouraged by it! Note: Please turn off my music playlist at the bottom of this page before you start the video.



Remember...through fire and storm, the Lord never leaves us nor forsakes us.  I will choose to praise Him in the storm; I know where my help comes from.

Previous WFW:
- Jubilant, Joy, and Judge
- Rooted in Love
- Who Daily Bears Our Burdens?
- Reflecting the Lord's Glory
- The Rock Eternal
- His Eye Is On The Sparrow