Miranda A. Uyeh's Blog, page 15

July 26, 2018

Scoop ~ Interview with New Hope Oahu Worship Leader, Frederick Alcain

Frederick Alcain is the music director of New Hope Oahu’s music & worship team. New Hope Oahu Church has worked with DREAM Label in the past and have created excellent inspiring music under Frederick’s leadership. They’ve composed songs for some of Pureflix’s movies, including the latest release, God’s Not Dead: A Light In The Darkness (read the TBAP review of the album here). Frederick took the time to tell us a bit about himself, New Hope Oahu—their core values, routine, mission and vision. Take a look!

Miranda ~ Hello Frederick! It’s an honor to have you visit TBAP today. Please tell us a bit about yourself.

Frederick: Aloha, my name is Frederick Alcain, and I’m the Music Director at New Hope Oahu. I’ve been at New Hope for 21 years, volunteering on the worship team for 5 years before joining the staff.

Miranda ~ How did you find Jesus and, what led you to where you are now as the worship leader of New Hope Oahu?

Frederick: I had the blessing of being raised in a Christian home and began music ministry at the age of 5, playing the Ukulele for worship, as my grandmother was our church’s organist. I first came to New Hope as a hired musician for their first musical production put on in the community. Pastor Wayne Cordeiro then invited me to attend and possibly begin serving on the worship team. 5 years later he extended another invitation, this time to joining him on staff as Music Director.

Miranda ~ In what way would you say that the church affects the overall attitude of the worship team and, what led the church/team to decide to record and release music for public enjoyment and benefit, as opposed to just sticking to local praise/worship in the church?

Frederick: One of our New Hope’s Core Values is that, “We believe that a simple presentation of Jesus Christ in creative ways will impact and transform lives.” While our heart is for and committed to the local church, our heart for evangelism expands beyond our own walls and into the community. As the Holy Spirit led us to release music birthed from our church through DREAM Label Group, we do so with a heart to see people know the love of Jesus by creating music that engages and encourages a relationship with Jesus.

Miranda ~ In what way do you see New Hope Oahu—church and music team—affect the youths with and around you, positively? Personally, how do you view your role in all this and, what do you hope to see God accomplish in the lives of these youths, using NHO?

Frederick: NHO has a huge heart for our youth. Specifically, from a worship team and music ministry perspective, we are quick to identify and train emerging leaders who are fully committed to Christ, and who will reach their generation with the Gospel. Our heart is to be deliberate in mixing seasoned wisdom and youthful exuberance in a single team for ongoing momentum.

Miranda ~ NHO has been called upon by DREAM Label/Pureflix to help create soundtrack for some of Pureflix’s movies. What events led to this for NHO and, what do you hope the NHO music team will accomplish in the movie industry?

Frederick: Our partnership with DREAM began in 2013, with DREAM Founder and President, Dave Hanley, reaching out to New Hope to be a ministry covering for DREAM and all its efforts. Since then, we’ve been blessed to partner with DREAM’s amazing staff to write and release songs for a number of Pureflix movies, including The Case for Christ, and most recently God’s Not Dead: A Light in the Darkness. Our heart is to write and produce God-honoring, Biblical-sounding, and technically excellent music.

Miranda ~ Let’s talk about NHO’s song, Yours Forever, for Pureflix’s God’s Not Dead: A Light In The Darkness, which was released this March. What part of the story inspired this song, and what was the songwriting process like?

Frederick: Yours Forever was originally written for our 2nd Album, Victorious. When the

opportunity to provide music inspired by the God’s Not Dead movie came about, we revisited the song, as it fit well with the overall theme and heart for the movie.

Miranda ~ What do you hope the viewers of the movie and the listeners of Yours Forever will walk away with?

Frederick: Our hope is Yours Forever will be a commitment from our heart to God’s that,

regardless of the situation, His faithfulness and love will never change.

Miranda ~ How would you describe the general songwriting process for New Hope Oahu music team—what is the underlying principle in choosing your lyrics? Where does NHO draw their inspiration from and, when do you know that a song is finished?

Frederick: NHO Music exists to be a collaborative musical expression of what God is doing at New Hope Oahu. Our mission is to present the Gospel to Christians and non-Christians alike with simplicity and excellence. With the Holy Spirit’s direction, we will redeem music for the glory of God and present the Gospel in relevant ways that will reach the heart. If a song meets all these efforts, then we’re confident we’ve done our part, and God is faithful to do the rest.

Miranda ~ How does NHO stay focused and grounded in their core message in the midst of so many other great church music teams out there, and with new groups springing up more than ever before?

Frederick: God has called us to be New Hope Oahu, just one of many wonderful expression

of worship here in Hawaii, the nation, and beyond. We stand firm that if we steward what God has blessed us with, His faithfulness can do the rest. We believe that our music shouldn’t resonate with what’s cool; it should resonate with what the Holy Spirit is doing.

Miranda ~ What would you say is the motto of NHO and, what is the most important thing that NHO, as a music group, is grateful for right now?

Frederick: A motto to best describe NHO Music currently as well as what we are grateful for, is a saying coined by Pastor Justin Smith, “A posture of praise rights our perspective.” We praise Jesus because He is worthy—building our bank account with gratefulness to bankrupt any tendencies to grumble.

This or That (The Fun Qs!)

Coffee or Tea? Pomegranate Blueberry Iced Tea from coffee bean & tea leaf!

Gym or Outdoor? Outdoor

Sneakers or Boots? Sneakers

Running or Walking? Walking

Cereal or Fruit? Fruit

Movies or Books? Movies based on Books

TV or Magazine? TV

Summer or Spring? I’m in Hawaii so it’s always summer!

Rain or Snow? Again, Hawaii so snow would be awesome!

Blazer or Leather Jacket? One more time, Hawaii so neither!

About Frederick Alcain

Fred Alcain is the Music Director at New Hope Oahu, overseeing the 100+ member team of musicians and singers. Fred holds Bachelor of Arts Degrees in Music Education and Hawaiian Studies from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and has a Professional Degree in Percussion from the Los Angeles Music Academy. Prior to New Hope, he was the Elementary Music Teacher at Trinity Christian School. Fred is marred to Jana Alcain, New Hope Oahu Vocal Director, and has 2 beautiful girls (culled from mymusicstaff.com).

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Published on July 26, 2018 23:00

July 22, 2018

The Purpose of Music & Songwriting

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Music is a language for all souls. It is a gift from God that helps us praise, worship and thank Him in a uniquely magnificent and joyous manner, as well as express who we are, our content, personal beliefs, and life experiences and lessons. No other form of utterance lifts up the soul, causes the spirit to rejoice, and moves the body joyfully all at the same time.

Music has two parts—melody and lyrics. Instrumentals are tuned according to the melody. However, the more vital of the two is the lyrics. No matter how amazing a melody is, if its lyrics are offensive, the [offended group in the] audience won’t accept the song despite all of the work put into the music, no matter how awesome the output. This makes songwriting an important point of focus in the music-making process. For the Church, five purposes stand out:

Primarily to tell the Truth rather than impress, which is the other way around in mainstream. It is in realizing this that we’re able to praise/worship/thank God through music, because we acknowledge the truth about Who He is as God, which is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 1:7; 2:1-6), and also lead others to do the same. Truth, by its nature, sets free (John 8:32,36), and often times, it is in listening to music that many are reminded of the awesomeness, power, and might of God, so that we can go back to Him, not only in surrendering worship, but also to seek Him in times of trouble, sorrow, and heartache as the one true Deliverer (Psalm 100). When truth is the emphasis, it invites the listener to participate in an intimate experience with God, which leads to a deeper knowledge of Who He is; it is in this place that faith, hope, love, joy, comfort, and peace are found and restored. The best of Christian music carry a message that magnifies God and sets people free.
To pray and lead others to do the same who don’t know how to or are in situations where they are at loss for words to do so; everyone, every once in a while suffers the struggle of wanting to pray, but in a particular moment of sorrow, can’t seem to find the words to do so. A lot of times, songs which carry the exact words which the heart longs to supply but are unable to, are quite helpful. There are countless stories of people who claim that certain songs helped them through very trying times by providing the words of prayer that they needed when their hearts and minds were too distraught to come up with those words at the time they needed it the most. These psalms or psalm-like songs reflect heartfelt prayers that emerge from a place of deep thoughts and meditation—sometimes so deep that they not only help those who need the words, but also resonate deeply with those who’d prayed similar words in the past, and so are able to have a clear understanding of the nature of circumstance or struggle that led to the writing of that particular song. This understanding comforts, increases, and strengthens the sense of camaraderie in the Universal Church, because the individual recognizes that their struggle is not unique to them; someone else, too, had been through something similar, and other people are likely going through the same at each present moment (2 Corinthians 1:3-7). This invites empathy, sympathy, and therefore, motivates and inspires prayer for and the kind needed by the saints (Ephesians 6:18).
To praise, worship, and give thanks for the sake of gratitude and to lead others to do the same no matter the circumstance. Trying times will always come, but even then, we are commanded to thank God no matter what, even when we do not understand the reason for our trials (Philippians 4:4-7). This, in fact, protects God’s children from four kinds of evils , which are forms of backsliding (Romans 1:18-32). God requires us to be grateful no matter what, not because He is a narcissistic insensitive God, but because that command is deeply rooted in the love which protects (1 Corinthians 13:7).
To fellowship with God individually and collectively as a congregation and also, with each other. We are made for love, in love, and by love (Romans 8:38-39). It is the center from which we best function and flourish. Yes, we are created to glorify God, but so are other things in creation (Colossians 1:15-18; Isaiah 43:7). If glory was all that God sought, then the beings in heaven, including the angels which are made a little higher than men (Psalm 8:5; Hebrews 2:7), as well as the creation of the first five days (Genesis 1:25) would suffice. Man, however, is different and stands out, in that, man is the one being that God sought to have a relationship with—like the relationship of love that exists within the community of the Trinity (Genesis 1:26-31; 3:8-9). No other being has this privilege; even angels long to look into these things, but are not as privileged (1 Peter 1:3-12). And God doesn’t only seek that He has this relationship with us, but also longs that we have it with each other (1 John 4:7-21; Matthew 22:37; Luke 10:27). Music reminds us of this. In music, we are ushered into the manifest presence of God that is [almost] tangibly felt, so that we are able to experience an intimate and individual fellowship with God. The beautiful aspect and miracle of this experience is the fellowship that happens with others simultaneously as each individual intimately fellowships with God. There is a wonderful and inexplicable strength and joy that come from this, and it’s [almost] always encouraging to the collective congregation (Proverbs 27:17; 10:25).
To send out a beacon of hope to those who are alone and in despair, to let them know that they’re truly not alone in the nature of their fears, struggles, doubts, agonies, hopes, and dreams, and that the path they’re presently on has been trod by many before them, who’ve not only overcome (1 John 5:4-5; 4:4), but now live their lives as more than conquerors (Romans 8:35-37). In order words, their present troubles can be defeated, and peace, joy, comfort, and healing are possible. These people exist and usually go unnoticed in the crowd; they have no one that they believe they can turn to for help or encouragement, and truly feel alone in this world. With the right lyrics, these precious souls can be reached. Many songs have saved people from suicide, murder, cutting (or other forms of self-inflicted pain), and have led them to have the courage to step out and seek the help, love, and care that they desperately needed.

These purposes put together make music a truly important spiritual experience that every Christian needs in their walk with God. No one is exempt. With a ministry like music which directly affects the entire population of the Church (and beyond), it goes without saying that it should be taken seriously with the full weight of responsibility that comes with it, and not just the privileges.

God bless.

[image error]About the Editor

Miranda A. Uyeh is the founder and editor of To Be A Person (TBAP), the author of Christian Romance/Suspense fiction, To Die Once: Child of Grace #1, & a Mogul Global Ambassador. She was a one-time shortlisted judge for the Inspy Awards in 2014 in the Contemporary Romance & Romance/Suspense Category.

When Miranda isn’t reviewing books/entertainment or hosting interviews on TBAP, she’s writing, reading for fun or relaxing with a good movie! When she gets bored with the world, she talks to God about it! To learn more about her book, To Die Once, her journey as an author and her other activities, you can follow her personal website. You can also connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Google+.

The article, The Purpose of Music & Songwriting, first appeared on To Be A Person (TBAP).

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Published on July 22, 2018 23:00

July 19, 2018

A Love Letter to the One Who Despairs that They Found Jesus Late in Life

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Dear Beloved,

I hope this letter meets you well and that you woke up today to see the beautiful smile of the sun, which reflects God’s love for you, His delight in you, and His desire and promise to fellowship intimately with you (Revelations 21:22-27).

Did you know that each day is a gift to you BECAUSE He isn’t finished with you YET? If He were, then there’d be no Today. “Today” is a context for a special gift that God has given to each individual for their unique circumstance. Scripture says that Today is the day of salvation (Hebrews 3:7-15; 4:7). What this means is that, the moment you encounter the truth that sets you free, whether it’s the truth that frees you from a life of unbelief to one of new birth and faith, or one that sets you free from a lifestyle of bondage to one of new-found liberty, that moment of truth—that day—is the day to accept the salvation being offered. You should accept your gift of freedom today, and not put it off for tomorrow. Every day God presents a new beginning in something or a new level to achieve in something you’ve already started. So make no mistake; if you’re here today, then Today is the day of love, hope, and faith…for you!

With the above being said, I know that lately you’ve been depressed—one, because you may have made so many mistakes that you believe you can’t come back from, or you’re suffering from the consequences of someone else’s mistakes, and no matter how hard you try to stir your life onto a good and successful path, you seem to always fail; two, you’ve lost so much time already in life and you’ve missed out on certain important seasons (childhood, teen years, college days, early parenting years etc.) that you can’t get back, and this has left you derailed and broken in many ways that appear irreparable, leaving you to despair that you may never do life right at all.

You are in this place of despair because you’ve tried multiple times to get it right, and multiple times you’ve failed. At this point, all you probably want to do is hang on to faith alone, give up on life, and wait to die. You probably even wish for death and fantasize about heaven. You wonder what’s left for you to live for, and are afraid to ask God why He’s keeping you here on earth despite your failure and misery.

Is this you?

Well, beloved, I’m here with a message from Jesus for you. The first thing He’s placed on my heart to tell you is that, “You’re LOVED.” “You’re WANTED.” “You’re CHERISHED.” “You’re DEEPLY VALUED.” And, finally, “You’re NOT ALONE.”

Soak that in for a moment.

Cry if you have to.

That’s okay. Jesus is right there with you.

Do you see the sparrows in the air? Our heavenly Father feeds each and every one of them every single day! How much more value and love do you think He has for you whom He made in His very own image and likeness? (Matthew 6:26; Genesis 1:25-27; 5:1-2; Hebrews 2:5-8) If it weren’t so, then He wouldn’t have paid such a huge and gruesome price for your salvation and redemption, because, one would only do that if what they were paying for were extremely valuable and precious to them. Do you remember what that price was? Jesus Christ. As Pastor Joseph Prince would often say, “You can’t know how much God loves you unless you know how much He loves Jesus. Yet, He gave up Jesus for you and me.”

Why am I saying all this?

What has this got to do with this topic?

Hmm. Good question. Jesus wants to remind you that no matter what has happened to you, YOU ARE A CHILD OF GOD. You are not abandoned. You are LOVED. In fact, if you will allow Him, He will bless you with such power and strength that, no matter what gets thrown at you, you will come out on the other side safe, joyful, and undeterred. You will simply be hard-pressed (and at worst, on every side), but you will never be crushed; you may be confronted with the vilest of ideologies, but because of the power of Jesus, all you’ll be is perplexed, and only for a while, and then He will teach you to adjust your stance, so that you will never despair of hope, good and righteousness. You may even face persecution, but even in that, He is right there with you. In fact, the Holy Spirit will teach you to rejoice and remind you that your reward in heaven is, indeed, great, and that this terrible treatment was also shown to believers before you (Matthew 5:11-12). And in the event that you lose your life here on earth, all you will be is struck down and not destroyed (2 Corinthians 4:7-9), because the only one with the power to destroy the soul is God Himself (Matthew 10:28-31). This is the promise He has given you and me for tough times because He loves us too much to leave us unprepared and unprotected. And He has made this promise because He values us as wonderful treasures that reside in jars of clay (flesh).

Still not sure that you’re extremely valuable to God?

Well, Beloved, let me take it a step farther.

Did you know that if you were the only one on earth unsaved, Jesus would have come for you anyway? Pause and think on that for a second. You may be readily inclined to accept the knowledge that God loves you, but do you struggle to believe that if it were just you, Jesus would have come for you anyway? Well, I didn’t come up with this. Jesus said it Himself.

When?

When He illustrated the Parables of the Lost Sheep and Coin.

I quote from the first parable:

“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost UNTIL he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulder rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ I say to you that likewise, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance”—Luke 15:4-7 (NKJV, emphasis mine)

He further emphasized and affirmed this with the second parable:

“Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully UNTIL she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!’ Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” Luke 15:8-10 (NKJV, emphasis mine)

While in most sermons, much emphasis is laid on “the rejoicing of one sinner who repents,” this cannot and should not take away from the truth displayed in first half of both parables which shows that the shepherd and woman were neither satisfied with the ninety-nine sheep that weren’t lost or the nine coins that were safe. It shows that when only one sheep/coin went missing, they each ventured out to look for their lost sheep/coin UNTIL they found it. Did you get that? Until they found “it,” and not “them”. Two things here: firstly, “until” denotes the zealous willingness of Jesus to do whatever it took to get one lost child safely back home to the Father. And Jesus has done this. This is why the only thing left for any individual to do, is to choose to believe in Jesus’ work, because the work itself has been done and is finished. There’s nothing left to do but believe (John 6:28-29). Secondly, a singular term, “it,” was used and not the plural, “them”. In other words, if ONLY one person were left unsaved (and it were you), Jesus would have still come.

Do you believe now? Good!

Now that we’ve cleared that up, let’s talk about your concern of, “lost time and coming in late.” Don’t worry about that at all because, Jesus got it covered too! He emphasized this in another parable called, The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16). In this parable, Jesus likens the Kingdom of God to one where a landowner went out early in the morning to hire laborers to work in His vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers on a payment price, he sent them into the vineyard that first hour. He subsequently went out again to the market the third, sixth, and ninth hours and found some idle folks each time, promising to pay them whatever was right at the end of the day’s work. He went out one final time at the eleventh hour, and still found some other folks. Asking them why they were doing nothing, they replied, “No one hired us.” The landowner invited them back to vineyard, promising to pay what was right at the end of the day. When evening came and it was time to pay, those who came last (eleventh hour folks) were paid equally as those who came in the first, third, sixth, and ninth hours.

How do we translate this and apply it in your story?

The hand of God is not too short (Isaiah 59:1) to grant you maximum satisfaction and fullness of life in the time you have left on earth. If you trust the Holy Spirit’s leading and direction for your life, there is a promise to leave you so full and satisfied, that you’ll wonder if it was the original plan all along.

Was this the plan—to have you come to Him at this hour?

Honestly, I don’t know. But I know this: the God I serve Who is able to command the four winds of the earth to breathe life into dead bones lying in the valley of death (Ezekiel 37:1-14) is able to do immeasurably more than you could ever ask, imagine, or hope for (Ephesians 3:20) if you’ll would just believe in Him.

Stop being worried that you’ve disappointed the Father. That’s what the devil wants you to think. Instead, rejoice in the Truth that your name is written in the Book of Life (Luke 10:20), and that heaven had a huge party in your honor when you showed up at your eleventh hour. Not just that! The Father is more than happy and willing to compensate you fully for the lost years (Joel 2:25), just as He does for those who came to Him early. The fact that you’re alive means He’s not finished with you, but wants to bless you; this is why Jesus prepared this parable just for you, because He knew that someday you’d need it to hear His words of love, forgiveness, understanding, wisdom, and redemption.

So let these words comfort you today. Let them sooth you, heal you, delight you, and give you much joy, hope, peace, and restore love in your heart, and assurance and rest in the Father. And like the folks of the eleventh hour who “no one hired,” perhaps, you, too, have been turned away, rejected, mocked, and wrongly misunderstood by most people or everyone in your life for most or all of your life. Jesus will never abandon you. Your uniqueness does not scare Him at all! On the contrary! As a matter of fact, He rejoices in it because He created you this way for a remarkable purpose. And in this way, you are one hundred percent put together to bring magnificent glory to our Father in heaven!

No matter what happens, always remember that you are a child of God—a son or daughter of the Most High God Who is the King of kings! In His heart, and from Him to you, you are loved. You are blessed. You are special. You are favored. You are accepted. You are precious. You are priceless. You are soooo HIGHLY valued! And more importantly, you are NOT late at all! In fact, welcome to the party!

Sincerely,

Miranda (For Jesus)

[image error]About the Editor

Miranda A. Uyeh is the founder and editor of To Be A Person (TBAP), the author of Christian Romance/Suspense fiction, To Die Once: Child of Grace #1, a Mogul Global Ambassador, and a copywriter. She was a one-time shortlisted judge for the Inspy Awards in 2014 in the Contemporary Romance & Romance/Suspense Category. In March, 2018, Miranda was selected by Waterbrook Multnomah to be one of few bloggers to help launch new releases of their most elite authors.

When Miranda isn’t working, reviewing books/entertainment or hosting interviews on TBAP, she’s writing, reading for fun or relaxing with a good movie! When she gets bored with the world, she talks to God about it! To learn more about her book, To Die Once, and her journey as an author, you can follow her author website. You can also connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Google+.

*The article, A Love to the One Who Despairs that They Found Jesus Late In Life, first appeared on To Be A Person (TBAP).

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Published on July 19, 2018 23:00

Entertainment Scoop ~ Interview with Actress, Producer & Screenwriter Rachel Schrey

Rachel Schrey is one of four leading ladies in the recently released Summer of ’67 movie (read the TBAP movie review, as well as the interviews of Mimi Sagadin, Bethany Davenport, and Sharonne Lanier). Dealing with breast cancer, this sweet, level-headed and softly-spoken woman showed deep faith, admirable resilience and discipline before, during, and after the shooting of Summer of ’67. Her story is as fascinating as her sunny personality! Speaking with TBAP on how she tackled the recent storm in her life, as well as a bit about her journey so far into the entertainment industry, Rachel shares content about her life that inspires faith and trust in God in anyone who would draw close enough and pay attention. Take a look!

Miranda ~ Hello Rachel! Delighted to have you visit TBAP today. Please tell us a bit about yourself. Also, how did you become a Christian?

Rachel: It’s great to be here! Thank you for having me! Well, I’m originally from Williamsburg, VA, and my husband and I moved from there to Nashville about two years ago to pursue careers in the film industry. I jumped into acting classes, and after about a year, I was able to transition out of my full-time day job to balancing part-time work with acting jobs. I was blessed to grow up in a Christian home, and I’ve always had a strong relationship with the Lord.

Miranda ~ You had surgery eight days before you appeared on set for the filming of the Summer of 67 movie. What inspired the strength to appear on set so soon as opposed to letting the role go, or requesting more time to heal? Also, how would you describe your reaction to your diagnoses and how did you deal with it?

Rachel: In my mind, it wasn’t really an option for me. I knew that the role of Milly was for me, and there was no way I was going to let it go. When I got the diagnosis and was discussing surgery options with my doctors, I let them know about my plans to be on set and asked them if we could work that out. (Actually, I wasn’t really asking them, I was telling them, I had to be on set on such and such a date!) They said that I would be technically able to work after a few days post-op as long as I wasn’t lifting anything heavy or exerting myself. Part of the way I dealt with the diagnosis was to keep as much normalcy in my life as possible. I probably pushed it a bit, but sticking with the plan to be on set and being ready for my role was one of the main ways I achieved that feeling of normalcy at that time. I sort of had this desperate survivalist mentality. Keeping my head down and plowing through and tackling the role was how I determined in the very beginning of my journey that I wouldn’t let cancer beat me. And it truly, truly helped. I’m convinced this film and the timing of it was a God-send.

As far as how I dealt with the diagnosis after the film, it was harder. The reality of what had happened to me started to settle in. It was pretty traumatizing, and it took months of talking with close family and friends, prayer, journaling, other forms of writing, and time before I experienced physical and emotional healing. I stayed in the Word almost daily, and found that the more vulnerable I was with my story (something that was extremely difficult in the beginning), the freer I felt. Now, writing and blogging is one of the best ways for me to process what happened and hopefully encourage anyone else who is going through a similar difficult time.

Miranda ~ You’re somewhat of a newlywed! Huge congrats! So far, what would you say is the difference between being married and being a single in a serious relationship?

Rachel: Thank you! I’m so blessed to have such a truly amazing husband! That’s a great question. I would say planning your finances together. Thankfully, we have really good communication about that, but it’s definitely a big change to have to consider the other person or your family plans as whole before you decide to spend money on something. But, it pays off to be as disciplined as you can be and stick to your budget. It brings a lot of peace!

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Published on July 19, 2018 23:00

July 15, 2018

Article ~ The Danger Of Ingratitude & Not Honoring God (The Power & Protection of Thanksgiving & Glorifying God)

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“The fool says in his heart, there is no God…” – Psalm 14:1

The Christian’s grateful heart does two things—glorifies God in His majesty and splendor, and thanks Him for His goodness, faithfulness and manifold provision, no matter the circumstance. A person new in faith may think the command to thank God in ALL circumstances to be extreme, or that God is insensitive to people’s pain and is likely narcissistic; but the truth is that beneath every law/command is the foundation of love and all the attributes that come with it; one of those attributes is, love protects (1 Corinthians 13:7). And this flows over, particularly, into the command to glorify and thank God.

Am I saying that God will angrily refuse to protect you if you don’t honor Him in these specific ways?

No. And that’s not the focus. The essential message here rests on the danger that comes from neglecting to do so. The act of thanksgiving and glorifying God from a genuinely grateful heart protects you from four great evils that most Christians don’t even realize. The issue is as dire as that.

1. Protection against a Futile Mind/Thoughts & a Foolish/Darkened Heart.

“Because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.” –Romans 1:21-23 (NKJV, emphasis mine)

In the place of ingratitude, you’re exposed to the danger of anger and bitterness toward God, likely because you think God has been unfair to you in some way. This may result from your error of being presumptuous—expecting God to act toward you in a certain way or grant your particular request/petition—or being manipulative, where you believe that if you be or act in an essentially “righteous” way, then God must be obligated to bless you in a certain way too, and so you proceed to “earn” these blessings through your works and “righteous actions”. When either of the above doesn’t work out in the way you’d hoped, you may ask questions which, if you do not trustingly lay at the feet of Jesus, you will inevitably develop thoughts that if not filtered through Scripture, will lead you into a pit of utter shock, disappointment, and despair, as opposed to a place of hope, faith and comfort. It is in this pit that the heart starts to darken and your thoughts tread toward futility; left unchecked, these thoughts will infect the mind altogether over time, making the mind futile as well.

If you find yourself spiraling and headed toward this direction, the wisest thing to do is to ask the Holy Spirit to bring to mind what you should be thankful for. You’d be surprised and delighted to discover an array of important things that you’d been ignorant of or even overlooked; I’m not talking about the general stuff like the air you breathe, good health, family, food on your table etc.—and all these gifts are lovely to thank God for—I’m talking about specifics in your peculiar circumstance. All you need do is ask that your eyes be open to see them, and you’ll rediscover the amazing goodness and faithfulness of your heavenly Father in degrees that you never imagined possible.

If you continue down the dark path, however, you will not only inevitably insult God and turn your back on Him, but your heart, one day, may decline into the foolishness that says, “there is no God” (Psalm 14:1), and then exchange God’s glory (which is full of grace and truth made available to you, John 1:14) for an image of corrupted self or something else altogether, which is idolatry.

2. Being Given Up to Uncleanness.

Sadly, the danger of ingratitude and not honoring God doesn’t stop at having futile thoughts and mind, and a foolish darkened heart. It extends to a lifestyle of uncleanness. It’s inevitable. Continuing from the above Scriptural text, take a look at the verses that follow.

“Therefore, God also gave them over to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature (yourself or something else—idolatry) rather than the creator, Who is blessed forever, Amen.” –Romans 1:24-25 (NKJV, emphasis and parentheses mine)

When God doesn’t rule in your heart, the flesh and the perculiar lusts of your heart (that you may have struggled with) will. We must understand that we are ONLY capable of any form of good because of God. When we exchange His glory, which supplies us with the grace and truth we need to overcome these struggles (John 1:14) for worship of ourselves (and the lusts of our hearts), uncleanness will set in. In other words, remove God from the equation, and good and holy living (which comes from God’s righteousness) is virtually impossible (Mark 10:18). Even fallen humanity is able to exhibit a form of good—morality—because in our fallen state, we still bear the image of God and so exhibit bits of His likeness, just not at full capacity as originally designed, but regulated, however, by the conscience (the knowledge of good and evil birthed after the fall, Genesis 3:22). This “goodness” or morality in its broken form does not measure up to God’s complete righteousness, as it is as filthy rags in comparison (Isaiah 64:6), so that humanity falls short of God’s glorious standard (Romans 3:23). That being said, when God is not the center of your life, evil from the lusts of your heart is bound to reign in you in one form or another, because, ALL men outside of the redeeming grace of God are subject to the power and rule of sinful flesh (Romans 7:13-25).

3. Being Given Up to Perversions and Vile Passions.

“For this reason, God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lusts for one another, men with men, committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.” –Romans 1:26-27 (NKJV, emphasis mine)

It gets worse. The penalty of the above error (uncleanness) is deterioration into the worst kinds of perversions and the vilest of passions. In the text above, homosexuality is mentioned. But it could be any kind of perversion—which is the going against nature—depending on the individual, such as pedophilia/child pornography, incest, bestiality/zoophilia…the list could go on. Does that mean that everyone who falls deteriorates to this level? No. But it’s a real consequence and a real danger. There are people who fell from grace and ended up in this place. Remember the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:1-9; 18-23)? Jesus categorized the fall of people who’d initially found God, into two groups—those who strayed because of trials (Matthew 13:5-6, 20-21) and those who did because of the lusts of the world (Matthew 13:7, 22). The first group fits directly within the context of this topic. Second group? Scratch the surface, and you’ll find underneath, the sense of lack of contentment, which is tied invariably to ingratitude. So yes, falling from grace is a real danger of ingratitude and refusing/neglecting to glorify God in all circumstances. And you never know how far down you’ll go.

4. Being Given Over to a Debased Mind.

If you thought that being given over to perversion and the vilest of passions is the worst of this danger, then check the verses that follow the above texts, from Romans 1:28-32.

“And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with ALL unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same, but also approve of those who practice them” (NKJV, emphasis mine).

A debased mind. This is different from a futile mind. When something is futile, it is useless or not able to be put into good use. A debased mind is worse. When something is debased, it has been lowered in quality or value in natural character, position or rank. It has been degraded to a lower form of its existence. Rightly put, it is sub-human according to original design. This is serious. It is sad, but it’s also real. This is why the above text says that this kind of mind is undiscerning and untrustworthy; it is incapable of love, invents evil, practices it, and approves of those who do too. It is the worst state of human existence. We were created for love, in love, and by love. When you become incapable of love, you’ve lost identity and purpose. You’re just an existing entity. Does this better help you understand why the world is the way it is today? It paints a clear picture, doesn’t it? And according to this scriptural text, it all began with a group of people who’d known God, but refused to be thankful and refused to glorify Him as God. Take a look.

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world, His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds, and four-footed creatures and creeping things.”—Romans 1:18-23 (NKJV, emphasis mine).

These people didn’t just know God, God showed them His eternal power and the Godhead (v.20). He showed them these things in manifest ways, including using creation (v.19-20). So as far as God is concerned, they have no excuse for falling into ingratitude or refusing/neglecting to glorify Him (v.20-21). In the same way, we, too, have no excuse. If we lack wisdom or understanding in a particularly difficult and confusing situation, turn to God for comfort, clarity, direction…in that order. This is important: ask the Holy Spirit to open your eyes to see God’s goodness and faithfulness in the midst of your current pain and confusion. This provision has already been made and given without judgment or bias (James 1:5; John 16:7). Again. All you need do is ask, seek, knock (Luke 11:9-13), and the Holy Spirit will convict you of righteousness—that is, all that is right and good to do (John 16:8-10)—so that your belief in God’s goodness and faithfulness will remain strong and steadfast.

God bless!

[image error]About the Editor

The article, The Danger of Ingratitude & Not Honoring God (The Power of Thanksgiving & Glorifying God), first appeared on To Be A Person (TBAP).

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Published on July 15, 2018 23:00

July 12, 2018

Actor Scoop ~ Interview with Actress Sharonne Lanier

The brilliant and lovely Sharonne Lanier is one of the leading ladies of Faithflix’s Summer of ’67 movie (read the TBAP review here). Her sparkling screen presence is incredibly difficult to miss, even when a secondary character, and her vibrant faith is all kinds of lovely contagious as she talks about Jesus as her Lord and Savior without missing a heartbeat. Sharonne gladly shared bits of her faith, life journey, and career with TBAP today in way that displays her passion and the joy that comes from doing what she loves. Her honesty and bright personality are both refreshing and inspiring and invites a listener to participate in the genuineness of the arts. Take a look!

Miranda ~ Hello Sharonne! Glad to have you visit TBAP today! Please tell us a bit about yourself.

Sharonne: Thank you for having me! Hmm…what can I say? I love God, I love my family and friends, and I love acting! I’m particularly passionate about faith-based and family-oriented films. The world is becoming such a dark place and I really want people to know there is still HOPE. One of the most effective ways to do this is through the entertainment industry. I don’t think we really realize how much our lives are influenced by entertainment and, unfortunately, most of it is completely unhealthy for our spiritual lives. I want to help reverse this trend.

Miranda ~ When did you first find Jesus? What led to that moment?

Sharonne: Honestly, I was raised in a Christian household, so I didn’t really experience a come-to-Jesus moment. However, I can vividly recall the moment I truly knew He was real, and not someone we just read about in the Bible. In 9th grade, we were learning about world religions and I remember asking myself, How on earth can I believe that my faith is the only way? The thought just started to seem so self-righteous to me. Well, during that time of questioning, Satan decided to make himself known and, boy, did he! I would literally wake up in the middle of the night to see my bedroom door moving by itself or the ceiling fan stopping itself. I had nightmares in which I could see demons at the foot of the bed, but I was stuck in position and couldn’t move or speak. My word, it was awful! One night, I woke to see a 7 to 9 foot orange figure at the foot of the bed slowly coming towards me. Suddenly, it flew back outside of the room and for a moment I was stuck in total fear. I finally mustered up the courage to scream, “In the name of Jesus!” I heard a whole bunch of fighting in the hallway. It sounded like furniture being slammed against the walls. After that night, all the demonic activity I was experiencing stopped. What did that mean? It meant the name of JESUS has POWER!!! I literally heard the battle with my own ears…His name broke the chains. His name is mighty. His name has power. His name is real.

Miranda ~ You’re a wife, mother and nurse! That sounds super busy! What moment inspired you to wear another hat, acting?

Sharonne: Lol, the question more so is, what inspired me to be a nurse! I was acting long before becoming a nurse. For years, I tried to think of another career besides acting that would make me happy. Money isn’t always the best in acting, and with a family, I knew we needed to be more secure. I literally couldn’t think of anything else I wanted to do. After delivering my second son, it became apparent that I wanted to be a Labor and Delivery or Postpartum nurse. So, I went back to school and now work at Northside Hospital in Atlanta, which is the #1 hospital for delivering babies in the world! I’ll be honest, I still enjoy acting a lot more than my second career, but nursing is a nice side gig

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Published on July 12, 2018 23:00

July 8, 2018

Article ~ Peace: Which Do You Choose—God’s Or The World’s?

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According to the Livio English Dictionary, peace is a state of quiet and harmony, free of oppressive and unpleasant thoughts and emotions.

We, humans, all want peace, but we don’t often realize that there are two kinds of peace—temporary and permanent.

The temporary peace is one we gain from our environment—the outside world. It’s the kind we gain when we think we’ve gotten everything that we desire, and believe that everything around us is in place the way that it should be for us. The problem, however, is that this peace only lasts for a short while, leaving us insecure, scared, and unsure of what is to become of us when our environment changes into one that is less stable, desirable or pleasant.

The second, the permanent kind, we cannot give ourselves nor can we receive it from our environment and the outside world. It comes only from the Holy Spirit when we allow Him to come into our lives and stay inside us (in our hearts). Unlike the temporary peace that we gain because everything is supposedly balanced in our lives, the peace from the Holy Spirit remains within us regardless of the status of stability of our environment. It doesn’t go away after a while, but remains within us so long as our minds are governed by the Holy Spirit.

[image error]About This Guest Blogger

Christabel N. Uyeh is a recent graduate of high school. She resides with her family in Jos, Nigeria, and has taken up singing at her local church, as well as occasional writing (in her journal), which she sometimes shares with others as inspired by the Holy Spirit.

The article, Peace: Which Do You Choose—God’s Or The World’s, first appeared on To Be A Person (TBAP).

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Published on July 08, 2018 23:00

July 6, 2018

Movie (DVD) Review ~ Paul, The Apostle of Christ by AFFIRM Films

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July 5, 2018

Actor Scoop ~ Interview with Actress, Mimi Sagadin

Mimi Sagadin is a familiar face both on the Christian and mainstream scene. She’s been an actress for nearly thirty years, and has a heart to impact the world positively for God and His kingdom. Mimi recently starred in the movie, Summer of ’67 (read the TBAP review here), and as one of the leading ladies. Graciously taking some time to chat on TBAP, she’s revealed her views on film and life, and allowed us a peek into her life. Take a look!

Miranda ~ Hello Mimi! Glad to have you visit TBAP today! Please tell us a bit about yourself.

Mimi: Hi Miranda. Thank you for the opportunity to be interviewed by you; I appreciate the opportunity. Foremost, I am a follower of Jesus, wife and mother. I have been married for thirty-two years and have two sons. I have been an actress for nearly thirty years, getting my start doing improv and sketch comedy. I have performed on many different stages in Chicago, including children’s shows at the infamous, Second City. Aware of the strong influence media has on culture, I began to actively pursue a film career sixteen years ago, which was a dream I’d had since I was a young girl. Over the years, God has graciously opened many doors, giving me the opportunity to work on numerous films—from small indies to big budget Hollywood films.

I am passionate about performing in uplifting and inspiring stories that not only entertain, but also give hope to the audience. I want to positively impact the culture through film and reach people through excellent storytelling—ultimately, stories that show real faith in action and share the real hope we have in Jesus Christ.

I also love teaching and sharing my film experiences with the next generation of filmmakers and encouraging them to go forward as ambassadors for Christ within the industry.

Miranda ~ How did you come to make Jesus your personal Lord and Savior? Is there a special story/event that led to this?

Mimi: I came to know Jesus personally when I was in barber school. Yes, I am a licensed barber! I was eighteen years old when the book and movie, The Late Great Planet Earth by Hal Lindsey, came out. I was very intrigued by Bible prophecy, and wanted to know more about the prophecies that had come true. Especially all the ones Jesus fulfilled.

I thought if these prophecies were, indeed, fulfilled, and Jesus died for my sins, and, literally, was raised from the dead … then I wanted to know this God of the Bible and have assurance that I was going to heaven! So, my dear friend to this day, shared the plan of salvation, and I prayed to accept Jesus Christ as my Savior.

Miranda ~ What circumstance in particular inspired the moment and triggered the dream to become an actress?

Mimi: My dream to become an actress was triggered when I was volunteering as a hostess at a Christian Playhouse. After I became a Christian, I was looking for new ways to meet other believers. I always loved the arts and acting, but I never pursued it because, I thought it was a silly little girl dream, which I never shared with anyone. Until…one day when I shared that dream with one of the actresses from that playhouse. And without batting an eye, she said, “…of course YOU can pursue acting, too!” Wow! That was the very first time I ever heard those words of encouragement. And because of this friend, who is my best friend to this day, I am an actress!

Miranda ~ You’ve become a familiar name and face on TV! How do you choose your roles?

Mimi: It is very important for me to choose all my roles wisely and prayerfully. I want to be a testimony to the Lord. So if I have a question about a role, I will pray about it and also ask for advice from my husband, as well as my friend, who is a wise woman of God. So between the prayers, advice, and reading God’s Word, the Holy Spirit is faithful and reveals what roles I should accept or not. It’s a spiritual battle out there, so it’s not always easy. But, honoring God is THE most important thing for me.

Miranda ~ What particularly about the story and the character led you to accept your role in the Summer of ’67 movie?

Mimi: I loved the opportunity to play a very different character in Summer of ’67. Joanna is very complex and has many layers that make her behave in the odd way that she does. So I had to creatively use my imagination and come up with a detailed backstory to justify her actions. That was very challenging—yet very fulfilling for me as an actress.

Miranda ~ How would you describe your experience on the set of Summer of ’67?

Mimi: Being on the set of Summer of ’67 was such a joy! Getting to work with Sharon and Fred Wilharm, and their daughter and son-in-law, Bethany and Clay, as well as all the other cast and crew, was really fun and inspiring. The atmosphere was truly Christ-centered, and the fellowship was amazing, being with like-minded creatives and followers of Jesus. It was a slice of heaven!

Miranda ~ How has Summer of ’67 affected you personally, and what do you hope viewers will walk away with?

Mimi: I desire that the audience members walk away with a deep respect for our veterans, particularly the Vietnam vets. It’s an upfront account of the sacrifice they made, and the tremendous impact it had on the women and families left behind. And, most importantly, the vital role of faith in God and His Son, Jesus Christ, during that tumultuous time in America’s history.

Miranda ~ In what way would you say Summer of ’67 is different than other movies like it? What do you believe the story can positively add to the world today?

Mimi: I pray the film will entertain the audience, but more importantly, leave them with the message of hope and redemption, even in the midst of loss and regret. And to remember that freedom is never free.

Miranda ~ What are you most grateful for—right now and generally?

Mimi: Right now, I am grateful for my husband and the thirty-two years God has given us together, especially now that we are officially empty nesters.

Miranda ~ What advice would you offer a person who believes they’ve been called by God to go into acting?

Mimi: If you believe God has called you into acting, I encourage you to pursue it as long as you have the encouragement and support from people you trust. Especially your spouse, if you are married. It IS a worthy calling. But only do it because you are passionate about it, love creating, and, want to be used of God in the industry. Don’t ever do it for financial gain. Most likely, you will need another job or career that will give you the income and flexibility necessary to pursue your dream. As long as your relationship with the Lord is first…and never after your acting career, then you can’t go wrong. And if you are married, then the proper order is, God, spouse, children, and lastly, acting. Don’t let it become an idol! It’s easy to do that. God is a God of order, and He blesses His children when our relationships are in proper order.

THIS or THAT (The Fun Qs!)

Coffee or Tea? Coffee, for sure!

Dresses or Pants? Pants

Heels or Boots? Boots

Gym or Outdoors? Gym

Summer or Spring? Summer

Breakfast or Dinner? Breakfast

Cooking or Cleaning? Cooking or Cleaning….I plead the 5th (lol)

Music or Books? Music

Juice or Smoothie? Smoothie

Chocolate or Vanilla? Chocolate AND Vanilla

Salad or Fruit? Salad

Scarf or Gloves? Scarf

Blazer or Leather Jacket? Long knee-length Blazers : )

[image error]About Mimi Sagadin

Actress and speaker, Mimi Sagadin, is passionate about using her craft to positively impact audiences with stories that are inspiring and redemptive … ultimately pointing them to the “good story” found in Jesus Christ. Her breakout role was portraying Dutch Holocaust survivor, Corrie ten Boom, in Return To The Hiding Place. You can catch her as the mother of a Vietnam Vet in her most recent film, Summer of ’67, which released June 29, 2018, at the Regal Hollywood Stadium 27 in Nashville, Tennessee.

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Published on July 05, 2018 23:00

July 3, 2018

Book Review ~ How To Be A Perfect Christian By Babylon Bee

[image error]About The Book

With a biting, satirical style reminiscent of The Onion, How to Be a Perfect Christian takes a humorous look at the quirks of cultural Christianity while subtly challenging the reader to search for more than a cultural faith.

Written in the trademark style of The Babylon Bee, this book humorously satirizes cultural Christianity while peppering in subtle challenges to the reader. Through humor and sarcasm (and a handy meter to rank your “holiness” as you progress through the book), readers will be called to find a more biblical understanding of the Christian faith, all while poking fun at the quirks of the modern, American Christian community.

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