“I Thought Showing Off My Bellybutton”

Summer is my favorite season of the year mainly because I get a chance to spend more time with my kids. Truth be told, these days I am spending less and less time with them as they are growing very fast and are very busy with their own lives. My older son, Abel, leaves home around 8:30am for his summer internship, which he’s doing at the University of Maryland and he doesn’t get back home until late in the afternoon. I’m not responsible to drop and pick him up anymore since he drives himself; and letting my kids go, JUST LIKE THAT, has been the most challenging and emotional part of parenting for me. Very tough!

For my husband, forget it! He is waiting for the day that he is going to say “Goodbye” to our little one, Biruk, who is very much ready to be on his own. I, on the other hand, dread the passing of each day knowing that my kids are not going to be with me for much longer.

Oh, how I love each one of my kids! You have no idea. I’m sure you are not surprised by that since I’m a mother. I mean, duh, what else can a mother say about her kids other than saying that she loves them to death? Nothing! Continue reading “I Thought Showing Off My Bellybutton”

“What does “God forgives us” mean?”

A4P Guest: I want to ask you about something that is bothering and confusing me these days. I am a 25-year old Christian girl. I grew up in a Christian family and I learned early on that sex before marriage is a grievous sin before God. I’ve been holding on to that truth since childhood. Nowadays, though, my faith is being shaken because many Christians are having sex before marriage and they seem okay with it. They are still coming to church and their relationship with God seems unshaken and unaffected by their sinful lifestyle; they seem to be happy and enjoying life to the fullest while I struggle and wage war against my flesh to keep my body, soul, and spirit pure; they seem to get married quickly, throwing their wedding parties in churches, and having kids too. Comparing my life with theirs, I began to doubt the importance or relevance of my stand against sexual immorality. If I get into that kind of life, God will forgive me and I should be able to move on with life just like them. It is hard for me now to see sexual sin as different from any other sin such as lying. And I feel like God won’t do anything special for me because I keep myself from sexual sin. Please tell me if I’m wrong in my thinking. I don’t know if the devil is deceiving me in this. What does “God forgives us” mean? Does it mean that when God forgives, He takes away the consequences of our sins and our life will be bliss?

A4P: What a precious topic for me to deal with on this gorgeous Sunday afternoon! Praise God!

Thank you for asking these questions and thank you for giving us permission to address your questions on this page. Continue reading “What does “God forgives us” mean?”

“Doubting My Worth”

A4P Guest: Is my worth as a woman attached to being a virgin?
 
A4P: What do you mean?
 
A4P Guest: Does a virgin mean a worthy woman to marry?
 
A4P: Hmm, I’m not really sure what you are asking me. Give me some background to your story so I can see your question in the same way you see/feel it.
 
A4P Guest: Okay, I’m a 25-year old Christian girl. After I dated a Christian man for a year, he dumped me for a silly reason. I cried for two or three days and begged him to come back but he left me just like that. Then one guy came into the picture. I was not attracted to him but I thought I would forget the first guy by going out with this other man. Well, this other guy was not a committed Christian and asked me for sex on our second date and I told him that I was a virgin and he promised that he would stay with me for the rest of his life and I slept with him. Well, it’s been a month now since I heard from him. And my first boyfriend called me two weeks ago and told me that he wanted to come back to me after he ignored me for six months. He knew that I was a virgin before he left me. So, I thought it would be fair to tell him and I told him that I slept with a man I dated and he said, “I will never forgive you for it, so we may as well continue going our separate ways” and he hung up the phone. Now, I’m doubting my worth.

Continue reading “Doubting My Worth”

From Melbourne, Australia to Maryland

It is always good to be back to Maryland, back to my husband’s loving and warm embraces I’ve missed so much! I missed the hot weather too. Yes, it is winter in Melbourne.

Well, the time I had at Melbourne, it would be an understatement if I say I had a wonderful time. I spent the God ordained and orchestrated days of my life. I give all the glory and praise to my Lord and God, Jesus Christ!

Before I say anything though, as I always do, I want to thank many people who made this program possible. Continue reading From Melbourne, Australia to Maryland

The Conference is Over and I’m already missing many people

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The Melbourne, Australia’s conference is officially over.

I had a wonderful time. Let me tell you something. This conference is one of a kind! It is exceptional in many ways! I have that sense of accomplishment which is a rare feeling I get after a conference. This is a ten-day conference. So, I felt fulfilled. Praise God! Continue reading The Conference is Over and I’m already missing many people

Purity for the brave hearted!