There are five types of people you want to surround yourself with; the inspired, the passionate, the grateful and the open-minded. Wednesday September 27, 2017 Feeling not-so-busy? Maybe even a little restless and bored? Boredom is God's way of telling you you're wasting time. May you be blessed to spend time productively in worthy pursuits. Discover what it is you are really meant to be doing. Indulge in self-reflection with a purpose.
Today's Story + Gorgeous Pictures! |
In Amish Country, the Future Is Calling
A young woman, wearing a traditional full-length Amish dress and white bonnet, stepped away from a farmer’s market, opened her palm and revealed a smartphone. She began to scroll through screens, seemingly oblivious to the
activity around her.
Not far away, a man in his late 60s with a silvery beard, wide-brimmed straw hat and suspenders adjusted the settings on a computer-driven crosscut saw. He was soon cutting pieces for gazebos that are sold online and delivered around the country.
The Amish have not given up on horse-drawn buggies. Their rigid abstinence from many kinds of technology has left parts of their lifestyle frozen since the 19th century: no cars, TVs
or connections to electric utilities, for example.
But computers and cellphones are making their way into some Amish communities, pushing them — sometimes willingly, often not — into the 21st century.
New technology has created fresh opportunities for prosperity among the Amish, just as it has for people in the rest of the world. A contractor can call a customer from a job site. A store owner’s software can make quick work of payroll and
inventory tasks. A bakery can take credit cards... READ
MORE
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| COMMUNICATION WITH SPOUSE
Thank you Father for answering my
prayer. I must say my husband and I have been communicating and we both have seem it fit to better our communication skills. - Carol W. |
THANK GOD
I thank God for all He has done,and will do. I pray my relationship gets better with Him. He takes care of my sisters - Don't let them end up
homeless. He helps on my job with kids, parents, and co-workers...He helps me with church, and with my daughter, and myself, and my friend.
- anonymous | |
TO OUR READERS FROM SUSAN:
Recently, I published a prayer request from a very distraught mother, whose daughter told her she was gay. The mom's prayer was asking God to change her daughter's sexual orientation. Here's a message from Stephen worth
sharing.
FROM STEPHEN:
I read what you wrote a few weeks ago about your beliefs on faith and the bible, so I was surprised to see the prayer request today about the mom praying for her daughter to be made straight. I wondered why you posted that?
Second, I would encourage that mother
to pray that God would change HER heart, not her daughter's orientation or who she loves. That, God will most certainly do, but God will not change anyone's orientation. Trust me, as a gay man of faith -- God is not in the business of policing people's genitals or who they love. He is, however, on the side of love, acceptance and diversity.
I'm praying for that mother to change her heart
towards her daughter and for all who have disowned their children, needlessly causing such pain and sorrow and depriving themselves of enjoying and celebrating their children's happiness.
Peace, Stephen SUSAN'S RESPONSE:
Good to hear from you. I typically don't "screen" prayer requests. Right or wrong they all come from the heart. And yes, personally, I support your position on sexual
orientation and God's position about it 1000%.
That being said, I don't want to offend anyone. The Daily Blessings should make you feel good, not bad. There's actually another similar prayer request coming up next week about a similar issue
I can pull it. Your call.
I'd also
like to share this email with the community. It's so important, maybe it can change at least one heart.
Let me know what you want me to do. God bless, Susan
STEPHEN'S REPLY: I know. I get it. You can't screen what people are praying for. I agree
with you.
No, I don't think you should pull anyone's prayer request. I think that would be unfair. Maybe when some people have prayer requests like that, you can include a quote on love and acceptance of people as they are. Or like you suggested, you can share my thoughts in the next Prayables. I do think it's important
because most of the time it falls on deaf ears, but you never know. Like you said, someone's heart might be changed by it.
It is a sad time we are living in. People are causing such suffering in the world and it really upsets me. The gay thing hits close to home for me -- and I have seen such sad things. Kids killing
themselves because their parents won't accept and love them. That is pure evil if you ask me. Not of God.
So, you are right and you always do your best to put forth the best content and I so appreciate that. I don't want to be known as the guy who always complains. You make a lot of valid points.
I guess I wondered where you were coming from because it seemed like were saying that these requests are OK and it might give people the wrong idea about where you stand on things. So, I
don't want to make any calls on pulling anyone's prayers, but I do think that the readers should be able to sound off in a kind way.
Thank you for the work you do, Stephen |
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