"We are travellers…not yet in our native land" – St. Augustine
I couple of weeks ago I posted my “Virgin Regret” series, my response to the story of a girl who remained a virgin until her wedding night and now regrets her decision. This series was actually a piece I originally wrote for the Goretti Group and I completely forgot to post a link to it when it was published on their website. So, to remedy that, here’s the link:
This last weekend I joined the crowd of people outside Seattle’s Planned Parenthood. At 320 other locations around the country many others did likewise, protesting the country’s most well-known abortion provider. It was wonderful seeing all my friends from around the country posting their pictures on Facebook.
Much like last time in Seattle, the counter-protest presence was rather weak. I counted maybe six people who were identifiably there in support of Planned Parenthood. In contrast, the pro-lifers covered most of the city block:
As you can hopefully see, as usual there was a real cross-section of people present, both men and women, young and old.
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This weekend I finished Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God by Francis Chan. It has been quite some time since I’ve read a book by a contemporary Protestant author which blew me away, but this is definitely one of those books. Over the course of this short volume, Chan re-sensitizes us to the holiness of God, to demands of obedience and to the call of Jesus to give him EVERYTHING.
If you want your life to continue uninterrupted, don’t read this book. If you are satisfied with a happy, comfortable Christianity, don’t even think about cracking the cover… However, if you have a sneaking suspicion that you’ve grown lukewarm in your faith, order this book right away. Don’t be surprised if you are made to feel more than a little uncomfortable.
I first visited Rome at the start of 2009 to celebrate my Mum’s birthday. I returned again at the end of that year on pilgrimage with friends from Washington DC. Both of these trips were wonderful and secured a fondness in my heart for both Italy in general, and for its historic capital in particular.
So several years ago, after my return from Seattle to San Diego, I sat down and thought about what I was looking for in a wife.
Today I get married.
Here’s the list…
Mission Accomplished.
Today we read the final part of Chapter 1:
…as it is my eager expectation and hope that I shall not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If it is to be life in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.
Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you stand firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear omen to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, engaged in the same conflict which you saw and now hear to be mine. – Philippians 1:20
Here’s what I had to say:
For an audio-only version of this video, please click here.
I’m starting to get used to recording these videos, editing with iMovie and uploading them to Youtube. Now that you’ve seen a few of these videos, I’d like some feedback please! What aspects of these videos do you like and think that I should keep doing? What don’t you like and think I should change?
