We have started a new series at GCC this week: Following Christ into the Crucible: How God Transforms Us through Testing...

This week as you know, if you went or get the podcast, we looked at one of the oldest in our Bible: Abraham and one of his many crucible's of the Sacrifice of his son Issac... This entire series has made me think of the many times we are challenged in our faith each day!!

My question is what has been or was the biggest "test" you have faced in your life thus far?? This may be one you haven't made it through yet or one that you have and you can now see God in it... ((I will post one later this week))

Since many cheated on the last post about how many orphans are in the world I wanted to go ahead and respond with the entire point of the two posts together... Most people believe there are about 150 million orphans in the world and that number alone is very defeating and depressing BUT think about this: if 7% of the world's professing Christians (which is under what most of you said were "real" Christians in the world) would adopt one child permanently, the world's orphan population would be completely eradicated!!

Reread that last statement... No more orphans in the world, 150 million orphans no longer orphans, if YOU will pray about and take action in adopting one child, whom God loves and tells us to take care of in His word!!

You are not alone in the worries that follow... My family is currently praying about this exact thing and we to wonder... Can we afford it, what about our kids, how will it look to others, can we take care of another child, do we have the time, etc. Many of those worries, I believe, God will take care of, as for the big one, check this out: AnNi Designs or Shaohannah's Hope, companies formed to help people like us adopt an orphan!!

Pray & Take Action!!

So surprisingly, most of you said under 10% to the question from our earlier post...you guys are negative!!

Well, obviously no one really knows the answer to that question (God does) but I like to think that their are more folks out there that love God and love others... Not 1 billion but maybe half a billion!! And if there isn't, its our job to "go and make...", the individuals we come in contact with everyday, see the lifestyle God desires in all of us... You with me??

New question:
How many orphans are there in the world?

I promise I will write back sooner this time... :)

Many of you have heard this from me recently but I wanted to post it so just in case, now everyone has (because as you know, this blog is read by the world!! :))

Question: How many professing Christians do you think are in the world?
(Yes, professing...not "how many Christians")

Answer: (don't read on unless you've answered... :))
Roughly...2,000,000,000

Yeah, that's billion... It doesn't feel that way does it!!

Question: How many of those professing Christians do you think are really walking the walk (i.e. have accepted God's free gift of salvation through His one and only Son and are trying to live like He would daily by loving others??)

Answer: I have No clue!! But i would love for you to reply to this post with a response...

(Tune in next week for a follow-up question)

This evening was interesting... I was cleaning up in the kitchen (because my wife made another wonderful meal for the family... And in this house, if you cook you don't have to clean) and the kids and Court were playing in the living room!! I was minding my own business (i.e. cleaning plates off and putting them in the dishwasher... yeah, washing a plate so it can then sit in the dishwasher and get yet another washing, interesting but that's not the event) when all of the sudden crying come from the living room area!! As I peered around the corner I see Jackson getting helped up by mom and he again climbs back onto the toy that just hurt him... At first reaction I thought, "adda-boy for getting back on the horse", but before I could finish my thought, off he fell once again onto his head and crying!! Yes, hurt once, an accident...hurt twice, ummm think dude!! But no just then mom helps him up and says "buddy be careful" to which he yet again starts climbing up only to fall and hurt himself... Court's response, (catch this...I'm closing with this...stay with me) "Well, buddy why do you keep doing it if your hurting yourself!!"

Huh... This is a perfect picture of seeing what God sees everyday!! We get up to start the day, we sin against God (whether that's lying, cheating, being selfish to our family, lusting after other people or things, and even acting out on our thoughts that are unholy) all the while He is looking at us going, "buddy, why do you keep doing things that hurt yourself!!" All the while He continues to watch us closely, waiting for a request for help, or even anticipating the pain we will go through so He can help us back up onto our feet...

May you be challenged today to love God and love others...
And may you see the actions that are hurting you each day, and ask God for help before the pain sets in!!