Sarah Sundin's Blog, page 541

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Nov. 24, 1940: Slovakia signs Tripartite Pact, joining Axis powers.
65 Years Ago—Nov. 24, 1945: New song in Top Ten: "It Might As Well Be Spring."

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Nov. 23, 1940: Romania signs Tripartite Pact, joining Axis Powers.
65 Years Ago—Nov. 23, 1945: US ends rationing of meat and butter.

Lessons from the 1940s - Freedom from Want

How could I resist this poster for Thanksgiving week?

On January 6, 1941, in his State of the Union Address, President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared that everyone deserved four fundamental freedoms - freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from fear, and freedom from want. At the time, the Axis dictators stifled freedom of speech and worship, and conquered peoples lived in great fear and want.

The United States was just coming out of the Great Depression. People knew true want. More correctly, they understood true need.

Now, even though we're in a recession, we still don't understand true need - our nation's primary health problem is not malnutrition but obesity. But want still consumes us.

Freedom from want doesn't come from more money, more things, more food. It comes from gratitude. It comes from contentment. It comes from remembering those in need.

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays because it makes me pause and focus on the blessings in my life. Stop and look around you and give thanks for all you see - your family, the overflowing refrigerator, the possessions. Focus on what you have rather than what you don't have, and give thanks to God for all the good things He gives.

The Bible calls coveting a sin because at its root, coveting shows dissatisfaction with what God's given us. In His eyes, we look like a child on Christmas morning, surrounded by piles of opened gifts who says, "Is that all?" Being content with what we have - even content in great need - shows God trust and gratitude, and produces peace and joy in us. Now that's true freedom.

Remembering those in need - through finances, food, gifts, your time, or your prayers - puts things in proper perspective, reminds us just how blessed we are, and spreads the blessing to others. A generous spirit is not dissatisfied.

This Thanksgiving, how can you find true freedom from want?

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Nov. 21, 1940: Belgian government-in-exile declares war on Italy.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Nov. 20, 1940: Hungary signs Tripartite Pact, joining Axis Powers. US Panama Canal AF activated under Maj. Gen. Frank Andrews.
65 Years Ago—Nov. 20, 1945: Nuremberg trials begin for German war criminals. When they end Oct. 1, 1946, 12 will be sentenced to death, 7 will receive prison sentences, and 3 will be acquitted.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Nov. 19, 1940: Luftwaffe bombs Birmingham, spreading Blitz to industrial targets in British midlands.

Shoving off Shame - Rise Again

One step. Two steps. Brick walls towered over her. Decrepit staircases crowded about her. Shouldn't the place be crimson with blood and black with shame?
Ruth turned in circles, needing to take it all in. This was her past. Nothing could ever change that, but she would not let it consume her.
The shame of her youth screamed at her from every brick, but Jesus silenced it. "Christ died for me. That's all I need to know. Thank you, Lord. Thank you."

In my novel A Memory Between Us, the heroine, Lt. Ruth Doherty, struggles with shame over her past. This is the final installment of a six-part blog series dealing with shame that lingers after sin has been forgiven or there was no sin to begin with, as in abusive situations.

God doesn't want us to live under a heavy cloak of shame because:
1) Christ redeems us.
2) Christ covers us.
3) Christ restores us.

Rise Again

Shoving shame out of our lives is hard spiritual work. So why do we do it? So we feel better? Sure, that's part of it. But there's a bigger reason. This spiritual work is like breaking up unplowed ground - a lot of pain and energy, but afterward the ground is productive.

When God forgives and heals us, we're comforted. But He doesn't mean for us to stay there. He wants us to rise up, leave our shame behind, and live full lives in Him.

The nation of Israel knew shame. Their disobedience and idolatry resulted in seventy years of humiliating exile in Babylon. But God promised to bring them back and restore them - for a purpose! God speaks in Ezekiel 39: 25-27: "Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: 'I will now bring Jacob back from captivity and will have compassion on all the people of Israel, and I will be zealous for my holy name. They will forget their shame and all the unfaithfulness they showed toward me. When I have brought them back from the nations and have gathered them from the countries of their enemies, I will show myself holy through them in the sight of many nations.'"

God has a purpose that's higher than our personal peace of mind. He restores us so that He can show Himself through us to others! Isn't that exciting?

Hebrews 9: 13, 14 tells us, "How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!" Once again, a purpose! He forgives us so we can serve Him.

King David also knew shame after committing adultery with Bathsheba and having her husband, Uriah, killed. Psalm 51 is David's lament after realizing the extent of his sin. Read it and feel the pain of shame. But finish it to see how David decided to use the lessons he learned. "Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you." Who better to help a sinner than a reformed sinner? David refused to wallow in shame, but rose up and used his experiences to teach others. Even today, three thousand years later, we learn from him.

What have you learned from the experiences that brought you shame? How can you use those lessons to show God's holiness to others? To serve the living God? To teach sinners His ways?

Rise up and live a full life in Him!

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Nov. 18, 1940: Greeks force Italians back into Albania in the first Axis land defeat of the war. First time U-boat is located by radar—by British Sunderland flying boat.

Book Beat - The Christian Girl's Guide to Style

It's tough being a "tween" girl of faith. You want to look cute. You want to fit in. You know you shouldn't care about superficial things. But you do.

If you have a young lady aged 8-12 in your life, you'll want to get her The Christian Girl's Guide to Style by Sherry Kyle (Legacy Press, 2010). Everything about it is appealing. The illustrations are cute, cute, cute. There are stories and games and crafts and puzzles and interesting facts. It even comes with a little animal-print change purse! All those things attract, but the text will keep girls enthralled. Sherry Kyle mixes great advice about hair, clothes, and accessories with advice about inner beauty. The spiritual message is blended in without preachiness. Each chapter starts with a story about a girl with a real-life dilemma who learns a lesson about jealousy or gratitude or kindness. Questions and activities reinforce both the inner and the outer lessons. Parents will also appreciate the emphasis on modesty - and on accepting authority. The overall message is to discover the unique you God created. When girls feel better about themselves - inside and out - they can have the confidence to do all the wonderful things God has in store for them. To learn more about The Christian Girl's Guide to Style or to order, please visit http://www.sherrykyle.com. The book is available at your local bookstore (or if it isn't, ask them to stock it!) or it can be ordered on-line at Amazon or ChristianBook.com.

Today in World War II History

65 Years Ago—Nov. 17, 1945: New song in Top Ten: "Waitin' for the Train to Come In."