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RavenInOhio
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Name: Dan
Country: United States
State: Ohio
Metro: Westerville
Gender: Male
Interests: Music performing and listening, reading, peer counseling
Expertise: Helping others with a deep empathy; serving through music; teaching and counseling; broad thinking; writing
Occupation: Banking and retail grocery
Industry: Financial and Commercial
Message: message me
Member Since:
11/9/2006
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| Weeping as I read......THE DIVORCE DILEMMA by John MacArthur. 
This is perhaps the strongest Biblical handling of the topic out there right now. I would recommend it to every married couple, those contemplating divorce, and those who are already divorced. John presents a no holds barred study of the scriptures regarding this topic in the balanced, orthodox manner which has earned him so much respect through the years in the church. Yes, this book has made me cry, but it has also given me hope, understanding, and solid counsel...better late than never. Thank you, Lord... | | |
| In my relationships...If I am biblically wise...
1. I will not compromise my integrity (wisdom is pure). I'll be honest with you. I'll keep my promises and commitments to you.
2. I will not antagonize your anger (wisdom is peace-loving). I'll work at maintaining harmony. I won't push your hot buttons.
3. I will not minimize your feelings (wisdom is courteous). I may not feel as you do, but I won't ignore or ridicule how you feel.
4. I will not criticize your suggestions (wisdom allows discussion). I can disagree with you without being disagreeable.
5. I will not emphasize your mistakes (wisdom is full of mercy). Instead of rubbing it in, I'll rub it out.
6. I will not disguise my motivations (wisdom is wholehearted and sincere). I'll be authentic with you. I won't con or manipulate you.
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| The Ten "Can"-mandmentsSo often we think of commandments as a list of don'ts. Instead of focusing on what we can't do, let's start looking at what we can with this list of ten "can"-mandments!
1. Instead of thinking, "It will never fly," think, "Through God's strength, it's worth the try!"
2. Replace the thought, "It won't work," with faith that, with God's strength, it will work!
3. When someone says, "It's never been done before," respond by saying, "That means God's giving us the opportunity to be the first."
4. "What if we fail?" What if we fail to try, knowing God says we can do everything through Him who gives us strength?
5. "We don't have the money." Where God guides, he provides so that we can do everything he has called us to do.
6. "We don't have the time!" Perhaps God is telling us to re-evaluate our priorities as we rely upon his direction and strength.
7. "We don't have the expertise." Maybe not, but we can learn as God directs our path.
8. "It's been tried before." But we're wiser now because we know we can do everything when we rely on God's strength instead of our own.
9. If someone says, "There are so many problems with it," respond by saying, "Yet, there are so many possibilities when we're trusting God instead of ourselves."
10. Instead of saying, "It's not working out," say instead, "Let's try it one more time, but this time focused on God and the truth that we can do this through Him who gives us strength."
"Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse" (Philippians 4:8 MSG). ********************************************************************************** From here: http://www.purposedriven.com/article.do?method=articlePage&contentId=137093
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| I was privileged to be there night 1, October 9, 2008...Michael W. Smith and Steven Curtis Chapman Cap Historic United Tour | Monday, May 04, 2009
Source: CMSpin | | 
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GRAMMY® award-winning and multi-platinum selling artists Steven Curtis Chapman and Michael W. Smith wrapped up their highly successful United Tour last week, finishing a string of 44 shows with sell-out performances at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium and in Chapman’s hometown of Paducah, Kentucky. That capped off multiple sell-outs on a historic tour that began last fall and continued into the spring, pairing the two iconic artists for the first time in their lengthy careers in front of a cumulative audience of more than 100,000 people. Both artists performed music from their current albums – Chapman’s This Moment and Smith’s award winning A New Hallelujah, and A New Hallelujah – The Live Worship DVD – while also collaborating together on songs from each of their expansive catalogs. Those collaborative moments on stage became crowd-pleasers each night, giving fans an opportunity to catch shared glimpses of humor and inspiration between the two long-time friends. Concert reviewers caught on quickly to the special moments:
“From the honesty and transparency of discussing his daughter's death to the energy and passion of their greatest songs to the warmth and joy in a loyal audience, Steven Curtis Chapman's pairing with Michael W. Smith on their current tour is a night of inspiration, unity and family…. If your Christian faith is important to you, this is a night that's as worshipful as it is wonderful and it's certainly for you.” (Belief.net)
“Hopefully this won't be the last time Smith and Chapman share the stage on tour together... and hopefully more artists will take cues from these guys on how to make a tour of talent a special night for fans to remember and cherish.” (JesusFreakHideout.com)
“When you get a ticket to a concert featuring Michael W. Smith and Steven Curtis Chapman, there are moments you hope for… These were moments that remind you iconic artists are fully capable of appreciating other iconic artists’ work.” (Rich Copley, Lexington Herald-Leader) Creative Artist Agency’s John Huie notes, “The United Tour exceeded all our expectations. The way these two iconic statesmen of Christian music intertwined their sets and enjoyed singing each other’s songs is part of the creative process that is missing from a lot of live shows! Three cheers for Steven Curtis Chapman and Michael W. Smith for their history of great work and their humble ability to share it together! For those who were able to see it, this show was truly a night no one will forget!”
“Sharing the stage with Steven, both in the fall and again in the spring, was a privilege for me,” Smith says. “His consistency over the years as a great artist and a great man of faith was evident every single night of the tour. I feel like the timing of this tour, the timing for Steven and I to share the stage together, was God’s timing – and it was worth the wait. I’m so grateful to everyone who came out for the experience. Steven and I will never forget it.”
“The United Tour has been an incredible experience, and how amazing to get to tour with Michael,” Chapman adds. “He was an incredible friend and brother in walking through this time with our family. It’s been a profound opportunity to see friends around the country who have ached and prayed for us and thank them in person. And it’s been important and meaningful for me to declare these truths in my songs again. I think all of us that were part of ‘United’ have learned again at a deeper level the truth of what we’ve been writing and singing all these years... that God is faithful, even when life is hard, and that the Gospel is true and God is worthy of our praise. My sincere thanks to all who worked on stage and off stage, and to all who came to join us on The United Tour.”
Two of Christian Music’s most recognized and beloved artists, Chapman and Smith ended The United Tour on the heels of major Dove Award wins for both of them. Chapman took home the honors for the Gospel Music Association’s Artist of the Year and Songwriter of the Year, while Smith’s A New Hallelujah was named Praise & Worship Album of the Year as well as Inspirational Song of the Year. Together, the two artists have garnered a staggering eight GRAMMY ® awards, 100 Dove Awards, 78 No. 1 singles and more than 30 gold and platinum albums.
Show Hope™, the orphan care ministry originally founded by Steven Curtis and Mary Beth Chapman, was the sponsor for the United Tour's 2009 spring leg. The tour’s response was overwhelming as over 2,400 individuals and families made monthly commitments to sponsor orphan care and adoption. With a mission to share the message of caring for the world’s orphans, Show Hope sponsors will be able to help more orphans than ever before find their forever families. Since its inception, Show Hope has financially helped provide forever homes for over 2,000 orphans from 40 countries, including the U.S. The ministry receives over 150 new adoption assistance requests each month. In addition to those needs, financial support to Show Hope also provides medical care, love and hope to orphans, and specifically special needs orphans at Maria’s Big House of Hope in Luoyang, China, which will house over 100 orphans at full capacity. For more information on how you can support the needs of Show Hope, please visit www.ShowHope.org.
Smith’s long-time ministry partner Compassion International (www.compassion.com) was able to benefit during the fall leg of The United Tour. More than 2,000 orphaned children in Compassion’s program around the world were sponsored as a result of the tour’s first 20 dates. “The fact that literally thousands of orphaned children’s lives were impacted through Compassion International in the fall and Show Hope in the spring is just an added blessing that came about through this tour,” Smith says. Source: http://www.cmspin.com/newsmanager/anmviewer.asp?a=5467&z=54
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| WHILE I'M WAITING...key song from FIREPROOFI am not sure how many of my Xanga readers have seen FIREPROOF. It is a powerful movie that every Christian whether single, married, or divorced should see. I saw it as a divorced man. Even in this status I found hope, but only as it is found in Christ's miracle-working power. I have NEVER given up hope. By God's grace I never will. Here's the song that God has used OVER and OVER and OVER in my heart and in my wait...please give it a listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFwZ7Ekg080&feature=related 
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