Deus Misereatur

Lord God, we come to intercede for your Church and world. We ask you to strengthen this congregation that in doing all things without complaining and disputing, we may become (increasingly) blameless, pure in quality, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation (Philippians 2.14-15). Be pleased to make us even more harmonious and to become more clearly a sign of grace to our fractured and fragmented world. Be pleased to add to this church such as are being saved; and add to us in such a way as will mirror the new heavens and new earth, as will reflect that new Jerusalem in which will dwell people from every tribe, tongue, nationality, and economic strata, gathered around your throne exalting you and hearing you say, “ Behold, I am making all things new ” (Revelation 20.1-5)! We ask for your ongoing help, strength, protection, deliverance and sustenance of your Church throughout the world, especially in places where she is being abused and per...

12 Years A Slave by Solomon Northup My rating: 5 of 5 stars A gut-wrenching autobiography! That's Solomon Northup's "Twelve Years a Slave," the personal recounting of his years of enforced slavery between 1841 to 1853. The tale as told is normally matter-of-fact and descriptive, exhibiting intensely personal knowledge of cotton farming, sugar cane harvesting, as well as daily details of a slave's life. There are appropriate places where the author's blood boils, but those are rare. What makes this personal monograph gut-wrenching is the injustice of it all. The reader will slowly find themselves identifying with the writer, imagining themselves in his cotton clothes, feeling the suffocating darkness of suddenly having no rights, no voice and only marginal personhood; while scrabbling for food, for one more day of life, one less time of whippings, and one last chance at dignity! There are surprising high points as well. Master Ford, Northup's first owner...

Old-Earth or Evolutionary Creation? Discussing Origins with Reasons to Believe and BioLogos Edited by  Kenneth Keathley ,  J. B. Stump , and  Joe Aguirre InterVarsity Press PO Box 1400 Downers Grove, IL 60515-1426 www.ivpress.com ISBN: 978-0-8308-9264-8; $23.99; July 2017 It’s a hot topic that will often raise the hackles, hoots and howls of many, no matter on which side of the intersection they stand. That’s what makes “Old-Earth or Evolutionary Creation? Discussing Origins with Reasons to Believe and BioLogos” such a unique work. Edited by Kenneth Keathley, director of the L. Russ Bush Center for Faith and Culture and professor of theology at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina, J.B. Stump, senior editor at BioLogos , and Joe Aguirre, editor in chief at Reasons to Believe , this 256 page paperback does the nearly unthinkable: clears the pavement and gives space in the crosswalk for a hearty conversation. Here is a “...

O God our Father, we entreat you to make us a holy, joy-filled people in our homes, work, and our various networks of friends. May those who are married be free of strife, pettiness, and fear; may those who are single be chaste and holy, enjoying you in their God-ward singleness; may the children grow stronger in grace and wisdom, loving you all their days while obeying and honoring their parents; and may the elderly flourish in God-given strength, patience, and sound-mindedness. Please form us as a church that is instrumental in drawing the straying back to Christ and his church, and bringing unbelievers to be born again by trusting in your Son Jesus Christ. Also, we ask you to preserve all who are traveling to Heritage this week to join with us in our 40 th Anniversary Celebration. We pray for your church in all realms and regions, along with these churches in the greater OKC area; Destiny Christian Center; Discovery Assembly of God; El Tabernacle Defe; and Faith Tabernacle....

Brain Fitness: The Easy Way of Keeping Your Mind Sharp Through Qigong by Aihan Kuhn My rating: 5 of 5 stars Dr. Aihan Kuhn, director and owner of the Chinese Medicine for Health Clinic in Holliston Massachusetts, president and founder of the non-profit Tai Chi and Qigong Healing Institute, and accomplished author, has added another volume to her bundle of books that pull together Tai Chi, Qigong, and personal wellness. “Brain Fitness: The Easy Way of Keeping Your Mind Sharp Through Qigong” is a 160 page softback manual on the “Whys” and “Hows” of employing qigong for mental health and brain stimulation. It is simply written so that anyone can follow along and benefit from her proposed regimen. Dr. Kuhn’s idea is to “use physical exercises and movements to stimulate the brain and get the brain chemicals activated. By balancing the left and right sides of the brain, upper and lower brain, cross-brain, frontal and back brain through body movements and bringing new information to the br...

A Desert Drama: Being the Tragedy of the Korosko by Arthur Conan Doyle My rating: 5 of 5 stars Though the volume was penned at the end of the 1800s, nevertheless some of the descriptions and dialogue seem as if they are being played out in the present. Instead of the culprits being cultural terrorists in the 21st Century Levant, they are 19th Century Dervish Warriors from Upper Eqypt; but the similarities are stunning. The tale chronicles the capture and conveyance of several European tourists who have wheeled up the Nile to Abousir on the Korosko. Their captors are cunning and cutthroat. Yet the captives grow and change through the ordeal, exposing character flaws as well as genuine courage. There are places where old British colonialism shows through the story, along with it's rationale, which will likely surprise North American readers in its prescient description. It is a book ideal for the younger and older. I happily recommend the book. View all my reviews

Sir Nigel by Arthur Conan Doyle My rating: 5 of 5 stars A delightful tale giving the back story to "The White Company" and Sir Nigel Loring. Arthur Conan Doyle pens a historical fiction that covers the years between 1350-1357, an early period in the Hundred Years War. The page-turning, captivating narrative follows the way in which Nigel Loring went from near poverty to Knighthood. It is a tale filled with adventure and daring, overcoming obstacles and impossibilities, and maintaining chivalry and honor. This is a read fit for the young and young-at-heart. I highly recommend "Sir Nigel". View all my reviews