Everyone's Nightmare

Eleven years old. Walking to the school bus in front of her home. Abducted.  Gone. Never heard of for 18 years.  Kidnapped. Repeatedly raped. Suddenly, Jaycee Lee Dugard resurfaces one morning.  Now a mothers of two daughters. What is going on?  How does this happen?

What does this have to do with spiritual mentoring?  Everything. The core of humanity is rotten, evil. Without authentic spiritual life we are virtually left to our own devices.  Not a good option.  However, WITH authentic spiritual life there is freedom from such vileness.  There is hope.  There is strength.  There is purity, kindness, honor.

What are YOUR musings about Jaycee Lee's experience?  How can we, as individuals within a society prevent these nightmares from ever taking place?  What has this got to do w/ authentic spiritual mentoring?

Questions? Thoughts? Musings?

Okay, now it's YOUR turn to share some thoughts! You're 'out there' in your world, "being"

someone to others.

How is it going?

If you're a mom of young kiddos, where are you strong? Where are you struggling?

If you're older and mentoring others, how goes the journey?

Looking forward to the interaction,

Ele

Julie and Julia

Delightful! Inspiring. Motivating. Also challenging. A young woman drawing strength, determination and growing character from the example of an older woman. Mentoring, w/o even knowing it!

Who's watching you? Who are YOU watching?! It works both ways. We can't just slip through life w/o affecting another or being affected by another.

Watch the movie. Hop on and comment. I'm here and would love to interact with you.

Intentional,

Ele

How does one BEGIN to become a Spiritual Mentor? Wow! What a loaded question!!.....or, is it? Perhaps it much more straightforward than we have been encouraged to think!

Let's look at this from a "one-two-three" grid, shall we?

1. It begins through RELATIONSHIP: relationship with Jesus! JUST Jesus and you!

2.It continues with the nonnegotiable of having a healthy relationship with your own family! Not perfect, not even ideal...but definitely AUTHENTIC!

3. Then is splashes over in to relationships with others: being real, being approachable.

How about it? What do YOU think? Where would you put yourself?

Becoming "being" with you,

Ele

"We will not deny our faith!"

ASSIST News Service (ANS) - PO Box 609, Lake Forest, CA 92609-0609 USA

Visit our web site at: www.assistnews.net -- E-mail: assistnews@aol.com

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Christian Women Pressured to recant Faith in Christ

By Michael Ireland

Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

TEHRAN, IRAN (ANS) -- In a dramatic session before the revolutionary court in Tehran Sunday (Aug.9), two Iranian Christian women on trial for 'apostasy' were pressured to recant their faith in Jesus Christ.

Elam Ministries (www.elam.com/articles/Urgent-Prayer ) says that although great pressure was put on them, both women declared that they would not deny their faith.

Maryam Rustampoor (27), left, and Marzieh Amirizadeh (30) were told to recant their faith in Christ. (Photo courtesy of Elam Ministries).

Elam Ministries reports that Maryam and Marzieh were originally arrested on March 5, 2009 and have suffered greatly while in prison, suffering ill health, solitary confinement and interrogations for many hours while blindfolded.

In its report, Elam Ministries says: "On Saturday, August 8, Maryam and Marzieh were summoned to appear in court on Sunday, August 9 in order to hear a verdict on their case. The chief interrogator had recommended a verdict of 'apostasy.' However, when they arrived, no verdict was actually given. Instead, the court session focused on the deputy prosecutor, Mr Haddad, questioning Maryam and Marzieh about their faith and telling them that they had to recant in both verbal and written form. This made it clear that in the eyes of the court, Maryam and Marzieh's only crime is that they have converted to Christianity."

According to the Elam Ministries account of what happened in the court room, Mr. Haddad asked the two women if they were Christians. "We love Jesus," they replied. He repeated his question and they said, "Yes, we are Christians."

Mr. Haddad then said, "You were Muslims and now you have become Christians."

"We were born in Muslim families, but we were not Muslims," was their reply.

Mr. Haddad's questioning continued and he asked them if they regretted becoming Christians, to which they replied, "We have no regrets."

Then he stated emphatically, "You should renounce your faith verbally and in written form." They stood firm and replied, "We will not deny our faith."

Friends, what were YOU doing on Tuesday?

Are you ready to stand up for YOUR faith in Jesus Christ?

How deep IS your faith?

Are you in the Word of God so that the God of the Word is in YOU?

This is an amazing display of TRUTH in reality.

Be ready or get ready.

Standing firm in Jesus, Ele

Starbuck sharing

We sat across from one another. She had a peppermint mocha, no whip. I was enjoying a carmel macchiato, extra carmel. (I know...!) The rays of the sun played tagged with the breeze as they, together, enjoyed making intriguing shadows from the umbrellas and lattice.

We were meeting for the first time.

Amy was wearing sun glasses. Yes, it was bright, but the gentle morning sun was not a demanding sun. The glasses were for another reason. Amy was softly crying.

"I've just come from meeting with Laura at the church. She just doesn't get my heart! I try to explain the importance of meeting with an older women, one on one, but it doesn't 'fit into' the grid that the church is currently using!"

There was frustration in her voice, yes. But more than that, there was hurt. There was pain. There was that awful, sinking feeling when one knows that their dream, so close to being birthed, has instead, been aborted.

Amy was feeling devalued. She was sensing a deep disconnect with who she is and who the church would like her to be. And she was a bit angry as well....

Ever been there? Ever had that "if only..." thought? How is it with you? Are you part of a Body that is growing, communicating, listening, dreaming.....messy? Or is your church experience something like that of Amy?

Order your beverage and share with us!!

Like a Strong Wind

by Michael Harank

One February morning in 1983, while I was sitting in my room at Haley House, the Boston Catholic Worker community in the South End, I heard a rather strong knock at my door. I said, "Come in," and Henri Nouwen blew into my room like a strong winter wind. He introduced himself to me with a firm handshake—a signature of his powerful strength—

"Like a Strong Wind" Wow! How graphic! It is FELT rather than SEEN.

Hummm..... I think I like that! Reminds me of SomeOne Else Who has been referred to as a "strong wind."......

Now, what about you and your Mentor, Mentee.

How would YOU describe the relationship you have with her/him?