Power to Change » tragedy

God In Unlikely Places

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 08:00:25 +0000

When tragedy strikes and you went searching for God, where would you go? Would you search for Him in churches around the perimeter of your home? Would you run up a mountain and search for Him in the heavens? When you’re knee deep in despair and faced with the ever-important question about God’s existence, what steps would you take to find Him? And will you accept or reject what you learned? Amidst the rubble and debris of destruction, many people are awakened to the burning questions in the depths of their hearts. Listen to Shoshy’s story, an EMT from the Bronx, who went on a quest for answers on September 11, 2001 and found God in the most unlikely of places. Watch her story.

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Read more of Shoshy’s story
Are you ready to share what you’ve learned in your quest? Take the 35 Day Challenge
Are you looking to join a community? Visit The Life

Share Where You Are

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 22:51:10 +0000

Dan Baliski experienced terrible tragedy with the loss of his son. But he let God work through him and he is now reaching out to others who are experiencing hardships. Are you going through hardships in your life? How can you live through pain while still ministering to others?

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God in every day conversations

Join the conversation with the following discussion questions:

1. God called Dan to the business world. Where has God called you to minister to this world?

2. How do you live your faith out amongst non-believers?

3. Dan has faced incredible loss with his son. Are you coping with tragedy and loss? How do you rely on God during tragedy? How can you be a witness through your pain?

4. How can you create a circle of trust with non-believers around you where they can share their life with you?

5. ow have others built into your spiritual life? How do you pass that along to others? More thoughts...

Give one or two specific examples of how you might invest in the lives of others in a way that has an impact both now and for eternity.

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We Are Desperate For You

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 09:00:06 +0000

Are you feeling hopeless and desperate for the Lord? Let us pray for you.

“Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have relieved me in my distress; Be gracious to me and hear my prayer.” Psalm 4:1, NASB

Lord, we’re desperate for you. We’re bunched up in confusion, moving by impulse and fear, flitting here and there like a frenzied flock caught in the wilderness of the far country.
We are here! We are here! And we know you hear. You’ve heard us before; you’ve swept in and saved us from our hopeless paralysis.

Do it again, O, Holy One; how long must we wait?

And we hear you say, “Yes, how long? How long must I wait while you wear my grace and peace like a cheap cloak from a secondhand store?”

Oh God, I hear your heart. You set me apart; yet, I joined the crowd – like birds of a feather.
From now on, Abba, when the swirl and twirl shoves at me, instead of taking to panicked wings; I’ll let you quiet my soul.

“I am ready now; I am willing now to be swept under the safety of your wings, as a hen gathers her chicks.” (Matthew 23:37, NKJV)

Question: Does this prayer sound like one you’ve prayed recently? What about sometime in the past?

9/11 Ten Years Later

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 08:00:44 +0000

Warning: This video contains violent imagery and may not be appropriate for all audiences. Viewer discretion is advised.

I remember the day it happened, wondering if the world would ever be the same again. Ten years later we know that no, it won’t be. We all remember where we were that morning. Sujo John was in the north tower, his wife was due at work in the south tower. Ten years later the memories of that day are still just as clear. This is his story.

Take the next step:

10 Years later, I’m still waiting for “normal”
Life lessons from 9/11
I lived, now what? Lorraine learns to live with her miracle
Where is God when the world falls apart? Take a lesson.
Are you struggling with loss? We are here to talk to you today.

Changed By Haiti

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 22:46:29 +0000

The devastation in Haiti after the horrific earthquake was hard to watch on TV but we truly don’t understand the suffering unless we saw it with our own two eyes. For Lindsey, after seeing the devastation in person, she was forever changed. Life would never be the same for her. How has the suffering of the world changed you?

My World Was Collapsing

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 15:21:45 +0000

What happens when you survive one terrible situation to have another one and then another one. You may feel that the world is out to get you. Bad things do happen to good people. We may not have control over what happens to us but we do have control over how we handle the situation. What do you do if your world is collapsing around you. Where do you go for sanctuary?

Peace in an Hurting World

Tue, 12 Jul 2011 22:41:49 +0000

Does watching the evening news, send you to tears? Are you heart-broken at all the tragedy and grief that is going on in the world today? We do not live in a perfect world and there are many people hurting but we have the power to change it. Is your world not what it should be?

Plagued By “What If…”

Tue, 12 Jul 2011 17:10:22 +0000

Life is full of a lot of “What if’s.” Some are about choosing another path or choosing the right one but sometimes we are thankful for that the “what if” didn’t happen. Letting go of the guilt of what could’ve happen is the hardest part and can haunt you. Are you plagued with what could have happened?

Amused, or Be Used?

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 08:00:18 +0000

Can we pray for you today?

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine-dresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit” (John 15:1-2).

Have you heard that old saying, “the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away”? I have heard it whispered in hugs when tragedy hits. Not extremely consoling. Neither is this verse—at first. It says that any part of my life that God considers to be dead, He takes away. Then, even if it isn’t, He may still clip it away. Where is the giveth part? What if the part of me that isn’t producing Godly results is something I actually love to do? It may be a hobby, a little pleasure, or even an attitude or habit that has amused me.

Isn’t it interesting that the word “amused” also spells “am used”? Just because it is something I am used to doing or enjoying, doesn’t make it good. That doesn’t mean it will bear fruit, i.e. point to God working in my life. It is an area in my life that the Spirit will not touch because it doesn’t serve God. It isn’t being spiritually fed.

If we are to be grafted into Christ so we can be His hands and feet on this earth, then the rest of the body should follow suit. That includes our minds, our actions, our pleasures. If it isn’t serving a purpose unto Heaven, it will be cut off from the life-giving Spirit within us. God may take it away. He may rip it from our hands, and like a child who grabbed a candy bar, we wail that He is not being fair.

There may be another part of our lives that is a bit more of a gray area. Perhaps it won’t be as noticeable at first. But we will slowly lose interest in that task, pleasure, or hobby. Or we will reach a turning point which, as Christians, makes us realize that we are not serving God as well as we should. Something has to change. It may be an attitude, a habit, or even a ministry that has become a duty thing instead of a joy. Whatever it is, it is stifling our growth in Him.

Here come the pruning shears. Whack. So we will bear more fruit, God doesn’t want that particular thing sapping our time and energy. The Master Vine-dresser knows what is good for the vine, and what has potential to do good. And, if we stop to think about it, maybe this thing that is stifling our growth can be turned around to be used for God’s purpose. Perhaps it doesn’t need to whacked away, just trimmed a bit so it becomes more life giving and fulfilling.

What things? Things like habits or pastimes that amuse us like knitting all the time, wherever you go. Or watching DVD movies. Or reading. Playing video games. What if you knitted baby booties for the preemies in the neonatal ward, or for unwed mothers who choose not to abort? What if you had a family movie night in your home and invited in the neighbors to watch wholesome films? What if you read to underprivileged children, or help an adult learn to read? What if you helped organize a summer program where kids could play video games that are wholesome, get them up and moving and interacting with each other?

Where is the giveth part? It comes with the warm glow inside us when we know God has used us, and that humbling reality that He loves us enough to want to do so—that we matter to Him. It is when He makes us feel worthwhile enough to be used to His Glory.

Questions: What area of your life might need a bit of reshaping in order to be more useful to God? Will you let Him prune it?

Feeling Hopeless

Fri, 03 Jun 2011 17:24:40 +0000

It started out as a perfect day for a bike ride and a game of catch in the park. But an accident quickly the day turned grey. Holding his injured son, Jerry felt helpless something he never felt before. Have you ever felt powerless to help the ones you love?