A Conversation with an Atheist

"Okay, I have a treat for you Jesus Freaks, Bible Thumpers and Jesus Fan-atics out there. If you didn’t know, I listen to the Way of the Master Radio pretty regularly and on Friday an “Atheist” called Todd Friel (the host of WOTMR) to chat about spiritual things. Now, the way the show ended on Friday (the 9th of March) was pretty disappointing because we all (those who listen to the program) wanted to hear how the discourse was going to go between Todd and David (the Atheist)."

I found this conversation with Todd Friel, and the Atheist David thru google! It's very good I would encourage every one to go listen to it! ( I know, it's really hard for you dial-up, slow-speed users like me... but I think it's worth it!!)
What it comes down to is the fact that the scoffers do not want to admit that their is a coming judgment.
Listen to it, and then tell me what you think!!!

Here is the final post about our trip to TN...

Sunday morning, after getting a good nights rest, we all tumbled out of bed and started getting ready for church that day... we were planing on going to my friend Faith Borck’s church, and my Dad was supposed to have call her dad a couple days before, but shortly after entering IN his cell phone went out of service. So, Dad used the hotel phone, got directions, and headed to their church which was about 20 minuets away.

When we got there different ones of their family came out to greet us. (they have fifteen kids, one happily married.)

All of Faith’s family said it was so good to meet someone that they’d heard so much about!:D

The Borck Family^

After I had said “Hello” to most of her family, but I still didn’t see Faith, it was so weird... then as I went in she came running down the stairs, and gave me this huge bear hug!
The first thing she said to me was “You don’t look a bit like your picture!” I knew who her big brother was when he slammed his Bible on her head, and said “Faith!”, She said “Oh, by the way that’s my big brother Nathaniel.”:)
Soon it was time to start church. The messages were good, I appreciated the emphasis on getting sin out of your life, although I didn’t agree with everything Ithat was said, but I really appreciated the zeal, and passion for the Lord.
Right after the service, our friend Deborah called, Faith said “Here, Becca, you answer it.” So, I answered and said “Hello this is the Borck’s”,(for some reason every one around me busted up laughing:)) Deborah didn’t even recognize that it was me, and said “Can I please speak to Faith?”, I said “Sure Deborah, by the way this is Becca!”
Deborah told my later that she thought it sounded like me, but was sure that I wouldn’t be the one answering the phone.;-D

After church I met a bunch of Faith friends, all of whom were “So glad to meet someone they’d heard so much about!” (I to say, I really started to wonder what she was saying about me!)

Soon everyone left, and we had lunch with the Borck family. I really enjoyed myself allot! Faith and I really ‘hit it off’! We ate, talked, laughed, went out to see their pond, and took pictures together.

Faith and I^

Faith and I again^

Then Faith took me up to her room to give me this “egg”, that she’d told me about over the phone before we got there. She told me “Becca, I have this fake “egg” I want to give you, it feels very real, I already pulled it over on my sister Heather, she tried, and tried to crack it, then told mom that it was a rotten egg. I want you to pull this over on your mom or Rachel.” I said “Great!” Sounded like fun to me!

All too soon it was time to leave, we had a fifteen hour drive home, and we were going to drive strait home, because Dad had to go to work right away Tuesday morning.

Faith and I talking^
Hugs, and well wishes were exchanged, and we all piled into the van and headed for home!

It was a very long drive, towards the end I was getting kinda worried about Dad, because he was pinching himself, pulling his hair, trying to get me to rub his shoulders, and do every thing he could to keep himself awake!
Finally, though, we did make it home around 2:00a.m in the morning.
Slept in till 11:00a.m.
Got up, and Rachel started making scrambled eggs for breakfast. I thought “Yes, here’s my chance to put this “egg” that Faith gave me in the egg carton, and see what happens!"
Well, Rachel started cracking them, and soon she came to the “egg” that Faith gave me, she started trying to crack it, (in the mean time I was also in the kitchen cutting up unions.) She said “Rebecca, I don’t know what’s wrong with this egg, but it just won’t crack! Do you think it’s hollow in the middle?” I just stood there trying not to bust up laughing, and said “I don’t know.”
Then Chris came in and Rachel told him about it, and he said “Here, give it to me.” So she gave it to him, and he stood in the kitchen trying, and trying to crack it. Finally he said “Boy, I would think it was fake if it wasn’t in the egg carton!” Just then Dad came into the kitchen, and thetold him about the “strange” “egg”, soon Dad was trying to crack it to! Chris said “ad, can I just take it outside and smash it?” Dad said “No, I’ve never seen an egg like that, I think we should keep it!”
By that time I did start to laugh, and they all looked at me like “What on earth?”
So, I told them what it really was. I think we all got a pretty good laugh!:-D

That’s all for post’s about our trip. I hope ya’ll enjoyed it as much I enjoyed writting it.;-)

Happy Mother's Day!

I Love You Mom!

Mom's smiles can brighten any moment,
Mom's hugs put joy in all our days,
Mom's love will stay with us forever
and touch our lives in precious ways...

The values you've taught,
the care you've given,
and the wonderful love you've shown,
have enriched my life
in more ways than I can count.

I Love you Mom!

- Author Unknown

Our Trip pt.2

I apologize that it's taken me so long finish this post!
I've (well, we all have!) been so busy lately!
This past weekend we planted 700 apple trees, and we've been trying to get our garden in also.
Thank you, everyone, for your patience!

Saturday morning we all tumbled out of bed at 6:3o. We were told that the VOM conference was at 8:00a.m, and we wanted to be there a little early, and the church was about fifteen minutes away from the hotel where we were staying, so we left around 7:30. (at least that was our goal, I think we did leave a little later than that.) When we got to the church we found out, that other then the VOM staff, we were the very first ones there! Dad asked one of the guys in charge what was going on, and he said "Well, the conference isn't supposed to start till 9:00." (kinda strange, because the VOM web page said 8:00.)
We ended up being there an hour early, which actually turned out to be really nice.
As we were walking around looking at all the VOM DVD's, magazines, ect. when one of the VOM representatives came walking up with one of the speakers Mujahid El Masih, and the VOM guy says to Mujahid "This family came all the way from WI!" Mujahid said"Really, Wow, That is a long way!" Then he introduced himself to us, and we chatted for a little while, telling him all the kids names, and so forth. He took Dad's name and number and said that he was going to call him sometime, and come speak at our church.;-D "Well," he said "Come on in and sit down" so he goes running into the church, and says "Come sit right in the front row!" So, all we could do was do what he said.;-) He sat right next to us and started telling us how we were his new family, and anyone else that would come up that way he would say "Meet my new family!" He also wanted to get a picture of our family, and was snapping pictures of us the whole rest of the morning service.
Not long after we were sitting down Gracia Burnham came up to us and said "I just had to come up here and meet this family that everyone’s talking about." (I think it was because we were the only big family there, and we were easy to be spotted because we were in the very front row.)
So, she talked with us for a little while, and then signed in my autograph book for me!;-)
Shortly after that the service started.

The worship music was brought by Amy Shreve, and her husband. Most of which was very nice, Amy played the harp very well, and her husband played the guitar.

Then Matt Rose (director) got up and started naming of states for people to raise their hand when he said their state. He never said Wisconsin, and then he said "I think that's it." and Mujahid just about jumped up, and said "You missed my family from Wisconsin! They came all the way from Wisconsin."

The first speaker was Darcie Gills (VOM speaker) who has traveled to many different country, and seen allot of what the persecuted today is going thru. She shared many heart wrenching testimonies of people who really know what it's like to really stand up for Jesus!
How inspired, yet convicted I felt as I listened to story after story of people who really gave up all to follow Jesus!!!

The second speaker was Mujahid El Masih, (I have to admit, I had a very hard time saying his name at first!) he is a very dear brother from Pakistan who suffered persecution for the name of Christ. He came to the states seven years ago. (the way he got here was a huge miracle!)
He spoke allot about Islam, which was very interesting from a converted Muslim!
I really appreciated him sharing, and I know I learned allot from him! His passion for the Lord was so beautiful!
Right after Mujahid El Masih, Getaneh Getaneh(from Ethiopia) was going to share,(or so we thought)instead we saw Matt Rose get up and he said that Getaneh Getaneh was sick, and couldn't make it... I was so disappointed!
At 1:00p.m when we broke for lunch I already felt very inspired!
They gave us a list of places to eat that after noon, our family left to go get some sub sandwiches, ate, and headed back to church. I was so excited about the rest of the day's conference!
After lunch I headed back into the church, I bought Gracia Burnham's second book "To Fly Again", (I already have her first book, which I really appreciated!) after I got it the service started again, I put my Bible and the book under my seat.
The next speaker was Robert Brock (VOM speaker) spoke about different experiences he'd had with the presucuted Church.
His three main points were:

1. The body of Christ still suffers today.

2.We are to remember them.
Hebrews 13:3

3.And as we serve them they serve us even more.

The next speaker was Gracia Burnham, I think her message touched my heart the most!
I guess, for those of you who don't know much about her, I'll start out with a little introduction which I got off her website...

"For 17 years Gracia and Martin served with New Tribes Mission in the Philippines where Martin was a jungle pilot delivering mail, supplies and encouragement to other missionaries and transporting sick and injured patients to medical facilities. Gracia served in various roles supporting the aviation program and also home-schooled their children--all of which were born in the Philippines.

While celebrating their 18th wedding anniversary at Dos Palmas Resort off Palawan Island, the Burnhams were kidnaped on May 27, 2001, by the Abu Sayyaf Group, a militant group of Muslims. They seized several more guests and took them to Basilan Island, an ASG stronghold.
In the ensuing months some of the hostages were killed, but most were set free. From November 2001, only the Burnhams and one other hostage remained in captivity.

During their 376 days of captivity, they faced near starvation, constant exhaustion, frequent gun battles, coldhearted murder-and intense soul-searching about a God who sometimes seemed to have forgotten them.

On June 7, 2002, in a firefight between the Philippine military and the Abu Sayyaf Group, Martin was killed. Gracia was wounded, but was freed."

They started out by showing a short video of Gracia Burnham, and what happened to her and her husband. Then Gracia got up, shared parts of her testimony, and also shared how through everything God is faithful! She was a very, very, very humble, sweet lady! She shared about how us Christian need to take up our cross and follow Jesus!
She told a story about this group of people who came to a church and stole this statue of Jesus, the strange part was that they took the part of Jesus but not the cross that was with it. She likened with how allot of times that's what we as Christians try to do, we want Jesus but not the cross that goes along with that!

Gracia, speaking^

The last speaker was Tom Zurowski (Formerly;"Hell Fighters international"), I was also very touched by his message! He shared much of his only testimony of how the Lord saved him out of drugs, acohol, and porn. He came from a broken home, and was abused as a boy. He shared a beautiful testimony of love, and forgiveness! He also shared about some really hard times that he's gone thru in his Christian life, but God was, and is always faithful!
Tom also went on to share about different experiences of his with the persecuted Church.

Afterwards, I went to pick up my Bible, and book that I had put under my seat, and for some reason it was gone! I looked everywhere, and I just couldn't find it. I was so disaponted!
Turns out somebody must have taken them!:(

Rachel, Esther, Mom, and I went up to talk to Gracia Burnham, we chatted for a little while, and took a picture with her.;-) Then went to look around at different books and things.

Then I went back into the sanctuary to see where Dad was, and if anyone had found my Bible, and book! Well, there's Dad talking to Gracia, I guess he had told her that I lost my Bible and book, and she told my I could have a new book for free, and it looks like I have another opportunity to forgive!;-)
Gracia talked to our family for a while, said she wanted to come visit us!;-)

Rachel, Rebecca, Gracia, Esther and Mom^

Then it was time for us to go...
As we got into our car, we saw this stuck in our wind sheild....

Now it was time to go to a hotel, get a good night's sleep, and go to visit my friend Faith Borck's church! I couldn't wait to meet her!!! (and I no longer had my Bible! Big problem when meeting her! Especially since she uses the NASB!;-))

...to be contiued...