In the weeks since the devastating earthquake, people around the the world have offered their prayers and their pocketbooks on behalf of the Haitian people.
CBN News International Correspondent George Thomas was in Haiti for more than two weeks reporting on the devastation and even miracles following the Jan. 12 quake.
Thomas is now back in the U.S. and shared the experience he had while in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti. Click play for his comments.
To encourage marriage, reduce divorce rates, curtail poverty, and benefit children
(New York, NY)—National Marriage Week USA announces a new initiative for the week leading up to Valentine's Day 2010, and is putting forth a call to mobilize hundreds of diverse organizations to plan and prepare for awareness and activities for February 7 to 14, 2010. The goal is to elevate national attention on the need to strengthen marriage and ways to do it, and initiate new efforts to reduce the divorce rate and build a stronger marriage culture which in turn helps curtail poverty and benefits children.
National Marriage Weekhas long been an organized celebration in the UK, Germany, Ireland, Australia, the Czech Republic, and elsewhere internationally with large rallies, resolutions and celebrations in Parliaments, concerted efforts for marriage education, and more. Marriage Week was brought to the U.S. by Smart Marriages in 2002. For 2010 a new initiative is being launched by National Marriage Week USA (NMWUSA) in an effort to focus solely on February 7 to 14 with an interactive website and coordination of national efforts at www.NationalMarriageWeekUSA.org.
Chuck Stetson, chairman of National Marriage Week USA says "The alarming drop in marriage rates in America combined with high divorce rates are costly to the nation—financially costly to taxpayers and individuals, and emotionally costly to children. Marriage breakdown costs taxpayers $112 billion a year. The nation needs to pay attention."
"Marriage works," says NMWUSA executive director Sheila Weber. "Research shows that marriage makes people happier, live longer, and build more economic security. Children with married parents perform better in school. There are proven ways to repair and restore marriages—but most folks don't know where to go to get the help they need."
Alarming new facts are in. The first-ever Marriage Index, recently released jointly by the National Center on African American Marriages and Parenting (NCAAMP) and the Institute for American Values in October 2009, reveals a huge decline in national marriage indicators. One indicator shows 79 percent of adults were married in 1970, while only 57 percent of adults were married in 2008. Another indicator shows 40 percent of all children in America are now born out of wedlock; and 72 percent of African American children are now born without married parents.
"I am excited about the efforts of National Marriage Week USA to pull together business, government, and religious organizations to draw attention to solutions to the current problems created by divorce," said marriage expert Gary Chapman, best-selling author of The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts. "If we can help couples learn how to create loving, supportive marriages, it will not only bring marital satisfaction, but will enrich the lives of children, and create a more productive society. Every couple can contribute to the solution. It begins by reading books, attending classes, and having productive communication with your own spouse. National Marriage Week USA offers multiple resources to help you," said Chapman.
Ways to get involved with National Marriage Week USA include:
• Churches are encouraged to launch new marriage classes, sermon series, or host a major weekend marriage conference, • Clergy can form Community Marriage Policies with all the clergy in their town (cities with CMPs have lowered divorce rates), • Mayoral or Statewide Proclamations are available for National Marriage Week USA, • Businesses can create and distribute pocket-sized pamphlets on topics such as "What is a Healthy Marriage?" • Screenings of special marriage education DVDs or marriage related movies, • Use of the National Marriage Week USA logo for local ads and activities, • Schools can sponsor assemblies on healthy relationship skills. • Most importantly, folks are encouraged to work on their own marriage—with lots of ideas and resources for where to go for help at the source link provided.
"Pam Tebow has a genuine pro-choice story to tell. She got pregnant in 1987, post-Roe v. Wade, and while on a Christian mission in the Philippines, she contracted a tropical ailment. Doctors advised her that the pregnancy could be dangerous, but she exercised her freedom of choice and now, 20-some years later, the outcome of that choice is her beauteous Heisman Trophy winner son, a chaste, proselytizing evangelical. Pam Tebow and her son feel good enough about that choice to want to tell people about it."
Pam and Tim Tebow have done the cause of Life a great service, and their Super Bowl ad celebrating life still has yet to be seen by the public. However, even unseen, the opposition to airing it has provided a very revealing litmus test for many who declare themselves to be "pro-choice." (Photo by: Dave Martin/associated Press)
It has exposed the fact that perhaps they are not as supportive of women having a "choice" as they are only supportive of women who "choose to abort" their pregnancies.
In considering this, I ran across an objective and witty commentary by Washington Post sports columnist, Sally Jenkins. She IS pro-choice. But Ms. Jenkins notes a stark difference between advocating a true choice for women—including choosing to keep their babies—and being completely intolerant of anyone "choosing" anything but abortion.
While mentioning the fact that Tim Tebow and Jenkins have opposing viewpoints in the matter, she states that in light of the screaming voices arguing against an ad that hasn't even been viewed; she would be on Tebow's "side."
Says Jenkins:
"Tebow's 30-second ad hasn't even run yet, but it already has provoked 'The National Organization for Women Who Only Think Like Us' to reveal something important about themselves: They aren't actually 'pro-choice' so much as they are pro-abortion. Pam Tebow has a genuine pro-choice story to tell."
"She got pregnant in 1987, post-Roe v. Wade, and while on a Christian mission in the Philippines, she contracted a tropical ailment. Doctors advised her [that] the pregnancy could be dangerous, but she exercised her freedom of choice and now, 20-some years later, the outcome of that choice is her beauteous Heisman Trophy winner son, a chaste, proselytizing evangelical. Pam Tebow and her son feel good enough about that choice to want to tell people about it."
Later in the article, Sally Jenkins points out… "Here's what we do need a lot more of: Tebows. Collegians who are selfless enough to choose not to spend summers poolside, but travel to impoverished countries to dispense medical care to children, as Tebow has every summer of his career. Athletes who believe in something other than themselves, and are willing to put their backbone where their mouth is. Celebrities who are self-possessed and self-controlled enough to use their wattage to advertise commitment over decadence.
"You know what we really need more of? Famous guys who aren't embarrassed to practice sexual restraint, and to say it out loud. If we had more of those, women might have fewer abortions."
Although Ms. Jenkins and I have different views when it comes to the subject of pre-born babies, I applaud her for standing up to the abortion-minded feminist image that will not accept any other outcome, and for pointing out that there is nothing wrong with an ad that actually "celebrates life," and the choice to maintain it.
I recommend reading her article in full. Click on the source link to access it.
Speaking on the actual site of the Nazi death camp, the Prime Minister delivered a major address warning the world of new genocidal threats against the Jewish people and the importance of acting early enough to prevent such threats from coming to pass. He also declared to the people of Europe and the world that the prophecies of Ezekiel 37 have been fulfilled.
It was an extraordinary moment. Rarely has any world leader given a major address on an international stage declaring End Times prophecies from the Bible have come true. But that is exactly what Netanyahu did.
Excerpts:
“The most important lesson of the Holocaust is that a murderous evil must be stopped early, when it is still in its infancy and before it can carry out its designs. The enlightened nations of the world must learn this lesson. We, the Jewish nation, who lost a third of our people on Europe’s blood-soaked soil, have learned that the only guarantee for defending our people is a strong State of Israel and the army of Israel. We gave learned to warn the nations of the world of impending danger but at the same time to prepare to defend ourselves. As the head of the Jewish state, I pledge to you today: We will never again permit evil to snuff out the life of our people and the life of our own country…”
“After the Holocaust,” the Jewish people rose from ashes and destruction, from a terrible pain that can never be healed. Armed with the Jewish spirit, the justice of man, and the vision of the prophets, we sprouted new branches and grew deep roots. Dry bones became covered with flesh, a spirit filled them, and they lived and stood on their own feet. As Ezekiel prophesied: ‘Then He said unto me: These bones are the whole House of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up, our hope is gone; we are doomed.’ Prophecy, therefore, and say to them: Thus said the Lord God: I am going to open your graves and lift you out of your graves, O My people, and bring you to the land of Israel.’ I stand here today on the ground where so many of my people perished — and I am not alone. The State of Israel and all the Jewish people stand with me. We bow our heads to honor your memory and lift our heads as we raise our flag-a flag of blue and white with a Star of David in its center. And everyone sees. And everyone hears. And everyone knows – that our hope is not lost.”
How long until the prophecies of Ezekiel 38-39 are fulfilled? Could it be in my lifetime?
"Abstinence programs show kids there are too many great things riding on their future to risk it to STDs, pregnancy and broken hearts. Abstinence is a message our kids want to hear…"
(Sioux Falls, SD)—A new study released today shows that abstinence education is highly effective in reducing sexual activity among youth. It also showed contraceptive sex ed programs to be ineffective.
The decrease is noteworthy; the study followed students a full two years after completion of the abstinence class. One third of students showed a decrease in sexual activity, compared with those who didn't participate in the class. Whereas, condom-promoting programs didn't affect youth behavior at all. Students in these programs showed no reduction in sexual activity and no increase in contraceptive use. (Photo by: Israel Papillon)
"Finally, a study that proves what those of us who have been teaching abstinence have known for years. These programs help develop self control and self esteem, teaching kids they do not need to fall prey to the game of Russian Roulette with condoms," said Leslee Unruh, President and Founder of the National Abstinence Clearinghouse. "Abstinence programs show kids there are too many great things riding on their future to risk it to STDs, pregnancy and broken hearts. Abstinence is a message our kids want to hear—this study shows youth are making healthier choices and changing their behavior in response to this refreshing message," Unruh said.
The study, involving black middle-school students, appears in the February 2010 Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, published by the American Medical Association. It was compiled and released by Drs. John and Loretta Jemmott from the University of Pennsylvania and Dr. Geoffrey Fong from the University of Waterloo and the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research in Waterloo, Ontario.
This study utilized state-of-the-art evaluation techniques, using random assignment. For more information about this study and its design, click here.
God's Battered Child is the personal and controversial account of April Lorier's dramatic journey from private abuse to public leadership - from a hell on earth to a heavenly recovery with a loving God.
God loves you too. No matter who you are, where you've been, or how you've doubted God's love, you can make it! God's Battered Child shows you how.
An award-winning Christian poet, inspirational author, blogger and abuse survivor, April Lorier inspires individuals to be all that God designed them to be. April first gained recognition as a children's rights advocate who successfully campaigned for the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act, which Ronald Reagan signed into law.
How To Make an Ordinary Life Extraordinary
-
I need some help. I am a Christian mother of young children who has no choice but to work. But my job is getting me down emotionally and spiritually. The wom...
'Oscar' the Cat Predicts Death?
-
"Animals are remarkable in their ability to see things we don't, be it the dog that sniffs out cancer or the fish that predicts earthquakes. Animals know whe...
In the weeks since the devastating earthquake, people around the the world have offered their prayers and their pocketbooks on behalf of the Haitian people.
. "If we can help couples learn how to create loving, supportive marriages, it will not only bring marital satisfaction, but will enrich the lives of children, and create a more productive society. Every couple can contribute to the solution. It begins by reading books, attending classes, and having productive communication with your own spouse. 
