Beacon2Light

Recently, we have heard about the alleged, extremely bad behavior of one of our troops.  Lost in the massive attention given to a horrific massacre allegedly committed by one of our own, are the great number of our troops performing admirably.  One such soldier is Sgt.  Dennis Weichel.   Sergeant Weichel served with the Rhode Island National Guard.  He saved a young female child in Afghanistan.   More than that, he placed his own life on the line and gave up that life to save a young stranger. His children will be without their father.  However, while they have lost a father, they, the U.S. and Afghanistan have gained a hero.  Read the details at this link below.  Note that there are some discrepancies in the video report and the one in print.  Also note that the video report shows him surprising his children just before this last Christmas at their school. http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/03/29/army-sergeant-who-gave-life-to...

Some people are highly organized.  Quite a few pastors have secretaries.  I am not highly organized and I don't have a secretary.  Not that I am complaining mind you but I wanted to set the background to what I am about to tell you. Looking at my office today, I decided to clean it up a bit.  Not a big undertaking mind you but a 15-20 minute exercise.  Things that were beginning to accumulate here or there for me to deal with at a more convenient time were beginning to see the light of day again.  As I did so, I came across a "Been Thinking About" column that comes with the Our Daily Bread mailings from RBC Ministries.  Here is the piece:   http://beenthinking.org/2011/06/19/discovering-something-about-dad/ It seemed very timely and I, foolishy, thought that it was only a few weeks old.  Check out the date in the link above or by clicking on the link.  God meant for it to show up today.  I used it twice already.  Perhaps it...

Here are some things that I have learned or have observed regarding social media and avoiding or handling conflict online. I hope you find it helpful. Thanks for reading!  1) Realize that social media is limited in its ability to communicate accurately. In other words, sooner or later you can and will be misunderstood as a writer and you can and will misunderstand as a reader. 2) Once you confront a person as to a perceived slight/offense, and they say you misunderstood me, be humble enough to think, “I may have misunderstood him (or her).”  3) If the communication continues to bother you, continue to engage on the subject matter until the other person responds, “Now you get what I’m saying.” More than likely the conflict will be over at that point.  4) Some real-life relationships have trouble doing the same on social media. It is not the end of the world to point this out gently and “un-friend” the person in the virtual world while simultaneously conti...

A first of its kind in movie-making. A movie about a young woman who finds out she is an abortion survivor. October Baby - In Theaters March 23 The more I dig into this movie, the more I see what God has done with it. This is a must see and the good that it will do by God's grace is nearly undeniable. The movie website has links to the American Family Association, Bethany Christian Services, Care Net (a network of over 1,100 pregnancy centers across North America), Concerned Women for America, Family Life, Focus on the Family, and on and on. 10% of the profits of the movie are designated to "the Every Life is Beautiful Fund, which will distribute funds to frontline organizations helping women facing crisis pregnancies, life-affirming adoption agencies, and those caring for orphans." There is an immediate help page and lots of other resources. Check it out at http://octoberbabymovie.net/ Also, you must see this moving back story to one of the actresses...

I am praying for this family, a NJ state trooper is the father, who lost one triplet daughter and the other two are hospitalized, one in critical condition. I cannot imagine the pain and having to plan for one daughter's funeral while visiting the others in the hospital. They will need much support. May God heal both of these girls and get to the bottom of what caused the accident. The children's friends and classmates need prayer as well. Will you join me in praying?

The Teheran Initiative is another great book from Joel Rosenberg. Almost prophetically, he gets it righ concerning the taking out of the Egyptian leader, the million or so gathered in Tahrir Square against the government, the April Spring there and throughout the Arab world and its foundation in Islamic extremism, the threat to close the Strait of Hormuz and on and on. Though the details differ, the broadstrokes of events predicted in this fictional account are astoundingly accurate and current. Follow David Shirazi on a wild ride in and out of Iran. The interweaving of his relationships, past and present, mold him and make him as the story progresses. Observe the conflict from those who see a clear and present danger in a nuclear Iran to those who don’t and on which side David is. Watch him engage the spiritual dimension of the struggle, grappling with whether God and Satan are not only part of the equation but central to what is happening. This book will have you wrestling...

I’m not sure that I should cheer or be worried. A major U.S. based news magazine has recognized widespread persecution of Christians by Muslims in Muslim majority countries. I am glad that it is finally getting the notice it deserves. However, I fear the reason may be that it is now at such an alarming rate that it is undeniable. The author of the piece is Ayaan Hirsi Ali. Her personal story is amazing and difficult to summarize. Suffice it to say that she was raised in a radical school, subscribed to a very conservative form of Islam including being supportive of the Muslim Brotherhood and the fatwa on Salman Rushdie. Her faith in Allah and Islam suffered a death blow due to the 9-11 attacks and the justifications given for them by bin Laden from the Koran which she discovered were accurately quoted by him. I would love to say that she converted to Christianity but she has instead become an atheist. While enclosing the link so you can read the story yourself, I will of...