Christian Living
This area allows you to see all the articles in one place.
Letter to the Sexually Abused
| September 1, 2020It may be that no one else knows about what happened to you. I am so sorry that you have had to go through this alone. You are not a coward at all for not saying anything to anyone. I can absolutely understand why you may be afraid to speak up.
Bitterness of Soul
| September 1, 2020Bitterness and offense, sadly, are words I am well acquainted with. When I hear these words, I have a certain feeling in my belly and memories of a time I am so grateful to have moved beyond.
The Root Cause of Anxiety
| September 1, 2020We humans, men and women, have this inner desire to say how things should be done – what OUR minds interpret as the best way. When things aren't going that way, we get frustrated, or anxious, or angry, depending on how passionate we are about being in control. So the "DESIRE TO CONTROL" is the culprit!
Do You Feel Safe?
| September 1, 2020I’ve been a Christian for over 43 years now. I feel that I’ve learned some things in those years. One thing I recognize in myself is my need to feel safe. I know that it’s not entirely possible to feel safe 100% of the time. Circumstances sometimes dictate otherwise.
Biblical Leadership
| September 1, 2020The Radical Reformation began with men who boldly stood up for what they knew was Biblical truth. They were willing to speak fearlessly and even to die for what they believed. Somewhere through the generations since then, however, we have changed to become a people imprisoned by fear. We became the “quiet in the land” so that we would no longer need to fear losing our lives or our families. We began standing for values that were also motivated by fear.
Obey the Higher Powers...Today?
| July 1, 2020What is the right thing for a Christian to do when the government asks us to do things that we would rather not do? In the last few months, we have seen our rights being taken away like never before in history. So many things don’t pass the smell test.
The Power of the Tongue
| July 1, 2020Far too many people, who don’t realize the power of their own words, are talking themselves to death. They speak forth whatever negative thing they feel or have been told, and don’t realize that they are signing their own death warrants.
The Coronavirus and Faith
| May 1, 2020As I'm writing this, we are experiencing world-wide panic regarding the Coronavirus. Some think it is blown way out of proportion (and it may be), while others are panicking and stocking up on aspirin, food, and enough household goods to last for several months.
What Does It Really Mean to be Born Again? (Part 1)
| May 1, 2020One of the most tragic statements I’ve ever heard was spoken from the mouth of a woman who had encountered some people whom she considered odd, folks who had identified themselves as “born-again Christians.” She rolled her eyeballs as she mocked them, saying to some family members, “Watch out for those ‘born-again’ Christians! They’re out to convert you!”
God has a Gift for You!
| May 1, 2020Eternal life is free! It is a gift from God! You cannot buy it! You cannot earn it! It never stops giving! It has no end! It is forever!
Joy in Temptation
| March 1, 2020“Blessed is the man that endureth temptation, for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to them that love him” (James 1:12). These powerful verses may shake our thinking a bit!
Does God Care if I Vote?
| March 1, 2020As you know from previous issues of the Amish Voice, we believe it is our duty to get involved in the voting process of our government officials.
Unlimited Slices of Pie
| March 1, 2020I was recently thinking over an event that happened to me. As I was hurting, praying, and trying to process it all, I went to my prayer closet and began reading the book Uninvited. I also began to pray and journal about my thoughts and feelings.
The Question That Changed My Life
| March 1, 2020I remember it like yesterday. It was the day that I “spilled the beans.” There I sat in the gazebo. It was late afternoon. The warm sunshine brightened the landscape around me. The birds were singing cheerfully. But I didn’t notice.
Sanctified in Truth
| January 1, 2020In His high-priestly prayer (John 17), Jesus was mindful of His followers—knowing that after His departure they would be exposed and vulnerable without His leadership. He foresaw the tests and trials that would encounter them.
The Root Cause of Anxiety
| January 1, 2020The root cause of anxiety is that we feel out of control. When everything is going the way we think it should go, there is no anxiety or stress.
From Perfectionism, Performance, and Pride to Peace
| January 1, 2020As I sobbed to my friend on the phone, I shared with her that I just wanted a good life. I wanted everything to be okay. I wanted to be successful - but it felt like everyone was fighting me.
Does God Exist?
| January 1, 2020Do the Holy Scriptures prove the existence of God? The answer, of course, is no. The Bible does not prove that God exists. However, we can read in the Bible: In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)
Work, Work, Work
| January 1, 2020Most Christians agree that the love of money is not a good thing. Yet for some reason, most of our conversation centers around work, and our worries and anxieties are often about work. But Scripture is clear—God already cares for us, provides for us, and even clothes us.
Christmas Preparations
| November 1, 2019What if we had planned for a party and no one came? (That happened to me!) Well, the Lord is preparing a great feast for those who are ready to meet Him. Will we be ready?
Homosexuality: The Christian Perspective
| November 1, 2019Homosexuality is the manifestation of sexual desire toward a member of one’s own sex or the erotic activity with a member of the same sex. (The Greek word homos means “the same.”) A lesbian is a female homosexual. More recently, the term “gay” has come into popular use to refer to both sexes who are homosexuals.
Should we Vote?
| November 1, 2019The Bible doesn’t directly command us to vote—because people who lived in Bible times couldn’t vote. They lived under kings and emperors who weren’t elected by popular vote.
Give Thanks
| September 1, 2019Another month has come. Have we thanked God for the little things in our life—things like bread to eat, a place to sleep, friends, and family? Have we thought of thanking Him for giving us life and breath? What about salvation? Do we think of the agony He went through, or do we groan within ourselves?
Compassion or Bitterness
| September 1, 2019Why do we care when someone else is hurting, either physically or emotionally? Because there is this thing called Compassion, which simply means Passion for someone else. So what is passion? Passion is “a powerful emotion, usually as in love or hate.”
Behold Israel
| September 1, 2019It is true that many people today consider God’s promises to the Jews to be obsolete and invalid. This seemingly is a deeply established thought among us Anabaptists of today—one that I personally believed in for many years. As the Lord began opening my eyes to the thought that He indeed had not yet forsaken Israel, His “firstborn” (Exodus 4:22), it caused a severe paradigm shift within my heart. I also discovered that there is a certain shame attached when one accepts the Jews as yet being God’s people.
Life Matters
| September 1, 2019Following the recent decision of the lawmakers of New York to allow more abortions, God has laid a burden on my heart for us to consider. I am writing this as a challenge to think about what is happening in America.
Reading and Understanding the Bible
| July 1, 2019I’m certain you’ll agree with me that there is no other book anywhere near as important as the Bible. For thousands of years this book instructed, comforted, and helped mankind. People in countries were Christians are persecuted risk their lives to get a copy of this Book, or even just a fragment of it; and most Christian households in America have at least one copy and read it more than any other book.
Fear of the Unknown
| July 1, 2019Fear is not fun to live with. It steals our sleep, our peace, our joy, and our courage from us. Fear is the opposite of faith and trust. It is a tormentor! People fear losing their jobs, dying early, the dark, illness, disease, not being able to pay their bills, and on and on. Sometimes fear is short lived; other times fear goes on for days, sometimes years.
The Inner Battle
| May 1, 2019This morning I was feeling challenged in the area of forgiving people who talked nicely to my face but threw me in the frying pan the minute I turned my back. The thoughts and feelings crept in slowly and unannounced. It was not until I was awake for an hour that I suddenly realized—this whole thing is mentally devouring me.
What is Love?
| May 1, 2019Love. What is love? When most of us think of love, we think of treating someone else kindly and not hurting them. This indeed is love, but is that all? Many confuse love with lust, as well, and think it means having sexual relations with someone. Let's look a little deeper into what all love includes. I will divide it in two, because there are two very different kinds of love.
