Power to Change » questions

Being ‘Wide Awake’

Mon, 26 Dec 2011 12:54:34 +0000

We live in a time where there are lots of problems in the world. I would like to sleep rather than try to change a bunch of things that seem impossible. What does the condition of being Wide Awake practically look like?

Learning to Pray

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 17:05:13 +0000

By Janna Cressman

When the DRIME team was here on their mission trip, I met a woman named Malee at one of our ministry times. She had many questions about God, and I decided that I would visit her once a week to continue to share about God, read the Bible, and pray with her. My friend Anun comes with me and together we are getting to know her and her family, as well as teaching them about who God is.

The last time we visited her, Anun shared from Acts 17:22-28 and taught Malee about how God is the creator of the world. Malee admitted that she always used to wonder why things are the way they are. Why it takes a man and a woman to have a child, why we are born the way we are, why there is male and female, why there is marriage, where life comes from, etc. She said she stopped asking those questions a while ago because she could not find any answers. She really liked learning about God as creator.

Malee also shared with us that the night before we came to visit she had a very bad stomach pain; it wouldn’t go away and it was keeping her from sleeping. Her husband and children were all sick so she was the one taking care of them, and so she couldn’t afford to be sick herself. So she decided to pray to Jesus and ask him to take away her stomach pain. She had no idea where that thought came from, because it never crossed her mind to pray to Jesus before. But she was desperate for help, so she did. A few minutes after she prayed, her stomach pain went away! She told us this, still a little bit in awe of the whole situation! We were so excited to hear that she was praying, and that God was answering her prayers. We were encouraged by her story and in turn, we encouraged her to keep praying to Jesus. We assured her that he wants to hear from her!

I’m so excited to keep visiting with her, praying for her and teaching her more about the God who loves her so much! Would you pray for Malee with me? She is getting closer each day to knowing God as her personal Lord and Saviour.

Janna is serving as a base planter in Thailand until December 2011, and has been on staff with DRIME since 2009.

Tell the Next Generation

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 08:00:02 +0000

Make a difference in a kid’s life – Become a mentor.

“We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done.” Psalms 78:1-4

Do you have the impression that the next generation is not interested in hearing about the things of the Lord? We sometimes feel the divide is so great that we simply stay in our familiar circles far removed from theirs. Sometimes our own judgments even keep us from seeing past the earrings and tattoos. Yet there is a deep growing hunger in our youth for spiritual understanding and they are seeking answers that we, who have walked with the Lord and have experienced His faithfulness, have to offer.

Would it surprise you if you drove past your church this week and found over 500 young people lined up to ask a Christian mentor questions about life and faith?

That is exactly what is happening here at TruthMedia. It’s amazing! God is at work! A ministry from the US – DMLive – has partnered with us to help teens. Our mentor center receives thousands of emails every month from teens wanting to talk with someone about the challenges of their lives. Watch DMLive’s Dawson McAllister talk about his experience with The Mentor Center and mentoring teens.

Would you consider being a mentor to teens? We offer training and resources to help you. If you receive an inquiry you don’t feel equipped to respond to you can return it to the pool and receive another so you only deal with ones you are comfortable with. You can sign up for just one a month, one a week or one a day, whatever works into your schedule.

Look around you today and watch for the teens in your circle of influence. Pray for them as you pass them on the street. Share your own story with a grandchild. Ask God for creative ways to tell the next generation of His faithfulness to you. And please investigate the possibility of becoming a teen mentor. These kids are sitting down at their computers and seeking answers that their hearts yearn for.

Your faith in Jesus and your stories of His faithfulness to you are just the things that will inspire this next generation to look to God as well. Won’t you consider being a teen mentor today?

Father God,
Thank you that Your Spirit never ceases to draw hearts to You. Help me today to see the teens in my circle with new eyes. Help me to see the hungry hearts behind the fashion statements and to pray for those I encounter each day. Open opportunities for me to share Your faithfulness in fresh ways. If You desire for me to be a teen mentor online please don’t let the thought leave me and help me to respond. Lord, I want to share Your praiseworthy deeds with the next generation in whatever way You open for me today. In the strong name of Jesus I pray, amen.

Please check out the Mentor Application today.

Questions: How do you view the next generation? Are you willing to let God use you today to reach out to a teen in your world or online?

It’s All About the Old Rags

Sat, 10 Sep 2011 08:00:20 +0000

Can we pray for you today?

I prayed; I really did. But where’s the answer? When will it come? And goodness gracious, how will God manage it? Have you ever asked those questions? We all have when life has us struggling to get out of trouble.

When I do, I try to figure out how to get out on my own. In my feeble mind, I analyze the details of the answers and solutions. Then I remember the story about Jeremiah, one of my favorite prophets. He warned God’s people; he tried to keep them from doom. But did they listen? No. Instead, he was blamed for spreading fear—causing notions and rattling folks for no reason.

“So they took Jeremiah and put him into the cistern of Malkijah, the king’s son, which was in the courtyard of the guard. They lowered Jeremiah by ropes into the cistern; it had no water in it, only mud, and Jeremiah sank down into the mud.” (Jeremiah 38:6-7)

You’ve been there, right? Stuck in the mud of adversity. Life is ever so unfair and there you are—no help, no hope and no way to get out. But, friends, God knows. He really does. And He already has the plan to get us out. How He’ll do it shouldn’t be our concern because He thought of the details so you and I won’t have to.

Jeremiah would agree with me because while he struggled to keep from sinking into the mud, one of his friends dashed to the king to plead on his behalf:

“Then the king commanded Ebed-Melech the Cushite, ‘Take thirty men from here with you and lift Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern before he dies.’ So Ebed-Melech took the men with him and went to a room under the treasury in the palace. He took some old rags and worn-out clothes from there and let them down with ropes to Jeremiah in the cistern. Ebed-Melech the Cushite said to Jeremiah, ‘Put these old rags and worn-out clothes under your arms to pad the ropes.’ Jeremiah did so, and they pulled him up with the ropes and lifted him out of the cistern.”(Jeremiah 38: 10-13).

You see? God had all this planned, the friend, the rope, the old rags—He orchestrated all details. Even the ones Jeremiah didn’t even consider.

Father, thank you for taking care of the smallest details as you solve my problems. I thank you for seeing beyond my limitations and already planning the rescue method. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Questions: What has gotten you stuck in the place that seems overwhelming? What will it take for you to rest assured God is in control of all details? How often has God proven faithful at times when you were sinking in difficulties?

Why Did This Happen?

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 17:42:11 +0000

Are you asking why something senseless happened to you? Was it out of your control? In life, we often don’t have control over how people treat us but we do have control over how we handle the situation. Can you see light at the end of the tunnel?

How I Handled the Recession

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 17:22:55 +0000

When the recession hit families were hit the hardest, people lost their jobs and sometimes people lost their homes. Asking why this happened is an human response and one that all would ask but sometimes the questions needs to be more about what happens next and what is the next step. Has the recession affected you?

What Is My Life Purpose?

Tue, 12 Jul 2011 18:12:14 +0000

Job loss and unemployment takes a toll not only on your finances but it can effect you emotionally. But when your the man of the house, your identity can be a challenge. For Matt, when he was unemployed for a short period he started to question what his purpose was? Are you unemployed and not sure what your purpose is?

After the Interview

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 11:00:57 +0000

What’s more important: The questions, or the answers? Questions are critically important. Asking good questions helps people to think clearly. But what good are questions without answers?

Human beings have an innate desire for knowledge. Not merely information; we are bombarded with enough of that every day. Research at the University of California, San Diego found that “In 2008, Americans consumed information for about 1.3 trillion hours, an average of almost 12 hours per day.” (UCSD) But you can have all the information in the world and be left with as many questions and as few answers as you started with.

If you have felt like you’re merely existing lately, but not truly living, maybe you’ve been asking the wrong questions. If you’re interested in hearing some thoughts on 10 Spiritual Questions and Their Answers from a best-selling author (30-million+ books sold) check out the article. Or send us your thoughtful questions and you’ll receive a reply from a mentor … maybe even with some thoughtful questions for you!

Related reading:
Is it Possible? – Could it be that God has been at work in your life all along?

A Simple Question

Mon, 06 Jun 2011 17:21:40 +0000

Darren asked a fellow university student “What do you crave most in life?” Chad, answered immediately: He wanted to know the meaning of life. This gave Darren an opportunity to share with Chad about God, and how he can know for sure that his life has meaning and what that meaning is. All it took was a simple question! How can you begin sharing your faith and God’s truth with those around you?

Related:
How Can I Get Involved?

Balancing Life

Mon, 06 Jun 2011 16:25:09 +0000

Recently married, Isaac was also starting a new job. This led to a lot of uncertainty. How would he provide for his wife? Would he be a good husband? Would be able to handle the stress of his new job? Where do you turn when you have questions?

Related:
Want To Talk To A Mentor?