Monthly Archives: March 2019

New book tells the story of an Australian nurse as a missionary in Africa

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A new book has hit the global marketplace, outlining the fascinating life of an Australian missionary in Tanzania.

Guided – A True Story is the autobiography of Jo Brennan, an Australian nurse who worked in Tanzania, East Africa, with the Christian Missionary Society, before moving on to Liberia, West Africa. Her book is aimed at inspiring younger readers to do something great for God.

Guided is the author’s own story about herself, recording events both tragic and funny that happened during both her childhood and in Africa. Her own sketches of some of the incidents that occur will amuse the reader. Her story has been published previously in a title called The Heavens Declare, however it was written for adult readers.

Being a missionary in Africa is not for the feint-hearted, but the author’s story is one of absolute trust in Jesus Christ. Her missionary journey starts with first hearing God’s call to serve Him as a nurse with CMS in Tanzania, before moving on to Liberia in West Africa, this time with another Christian group, SIM. When civil war broke out, she ended up moving on to Sri Lanka to look after street children with the Colombo City Mission.

“It was an amazing experience, said Jo. “One of the exciting things that happened in Africa was when I was sleeping in a little church in the Rift Valley and I woke up with my heart thudding with fear. I was sleeping in the open doorway to get the breeze and had a thorn-bush barrier to protect me. Shining my torch around I could not see anything to have awakened me in fear but I moved my bed up inside the church away from the doorway. Next morning I heard that a leopard had been around and had jumped the thorn-barrier of a nearby house and carried off a goat.

“Included in the story is a twelve year old missionary kid whose parents worked in a remote village in Liberia and as a nurse I treated his 12 year old African friend for a tropical ulcer. The boy Warwick is now grown up and he and his wife Lauren and three daughters serve God with SIM in West Africa to this day.

“It really is an inspiring story for both adults and children alike to do something great for God.

Guided – A True Story (published by Ark House) is available now.

On Christchurch, why Christians are part of the human family first and foremost

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Media Release

First, Christians everywhere stand with all New Zealanders at both the outrage and shock at what happened in Christchurch last Friday and we send our condolences to the families of those who died and are seriously injured in these senseless attacks.

Secondly, we are troubled that the rise in many countries, New Zealand included, of a form of ‘nationalism’ that claims to be based on Christian roots, and that carries references to ‘Christian values’ or ‘Christian heritage’.

I would like to clarify that most Christians in NZ believe that Christian values are not compatible with anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim, anti-Semitic and xenophobic discourses. Nationalism, when it stirs up a sense of victimhood, grievance, and blame against other groups in society, when it stokes fear and hatred of ‘the other’, is anything but Christian.

We believe that Christianity means loving our neighbours and welcoming the stranger. We have to admit that over the centuries, we have failed this principle and at times we have failed miserably. But the principle still stands and continues to inspire believers across the globe.

In order to counter rising nationalist populism, we have to recognize that before being citizens of any country, we all belong to the human family, made up of people from every tribe, tongue, and nation around the world.

While we affirm the right and need for every nation to provide for its own security, we are concerned that so-called Christian values have been leveraged to foster hatred, and discrimination against those adhering to other religions, or from other nationalities and regions of the world.

We would like to reaffirm the unique value of each and every “member of the human family”, as stated in the Universal Declaration for Human Rights. Without such a bedrock, democracy is at best the rule of the majority, and at worst the rule of the mob.

Ends

Alan Vink is Christian leader and a former Baptist Pastor. He works with church groups across the denominational spectrum. He blogs at http://www.leadershipworx.org.nz/browse/category/blog/
Ph. 021 562 743
alan.vink@leadershipworx.org.nz

Just Pray No to drugs!

FAITH NEWSWIRE – The weekend of April 27 – 28, 2019 has been designated as the 29th Annual “Just Pray NO!” to drugs Worldwide Weekend of Prayer and Fasting for the addicted and their families.

Since April 7th, 1991 “Just Pray NO!” has united Christians around the world in intercessory prayer on behalf of those bound by alcoholism, drug addiction and other life controlling compulsions.

Addiction in America is an ever increasing national crisis! Millions of Americans have addictions. 200 people die every day from overdoses. This rate has tripled in the past 20 years. The rising overdose numbers make the drug epidemic more deadly than gun violence, car crashes or HIV/AIDS!

“Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” –James 5:16

Not only is substance abuse America’s number one health problem, the devastation of alcoholism and other drug addiction has impacted families and communities worldwide. Substance abuse has been directly linked to violence and sexual immorality and is a major source of income for organized crime and terrorist activities.

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” –Ephesians 6:12

Make a formal commitment to join with believers in Christ from around the globe this coming April. Put on the full armor of God and fervently pray in spirit and in truth. We are seeking to enlist millions of prayer warriors from around the world to join us in battle!

“We are not only praying for the release of those bound by substance abuse but also for people to be delivered from pornography, gambling, obesity and smoking,” said Steven Sherman, “Just Pray NO!” founder.  ”We seek individuals and groups which are willing to commit to pray weekly on behalf of the addicted and their families, and then join with multitudes of other committed Christians from around the world in prayer and fasting April 27 – 28, 2019.”

If you believe that God is calling you to intercede for the addicted please contact us. To find help for addiction through prayer and Christian ministries log on to our web site: http://justprayno.org. To learn how groups can participate in our annual prayer event, click on “Information on the Annual Worldwide Weekend of Prayer” or email: justprayno@aol.com.

For a personal interview with “Just Pray NO!” Founder and Author Steven L. Sherman, in the U.S.A. call: (727) 647-6467 or email: justprayno@aol.com.

Media outlets you can republish in full.

Christ-focused financial planning: Our identity is not in our purses

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FAITH NEWSWIRE – Created: Thursday, 2019-03-14 08:30

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Christ-focused financial planning: Our identity is not in our purses

Confused, overwhelmed, or ashamed about your money? Working hard but have no idea how to save and steward money wisely? Worried about your financial legacy?

Many women are worried about day-to-day living. Others wonder how to truly steward money according to Biblical principles.

“As Christians and women of faith, it’s crucial that we are rooted and grounded in the identity of Christ. Our identity is not in our purses,” says Michal Slate, Founder of Christ-Centered Financial Planning, and the author of, The Practical Christian Woman’s Guide to: Christ Focused Financial Planning.

As a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, she helps women save and steward their money God’s Way. Slate has worked in the financial industry for 13 years and is one of the only women in the US with both an MBA and a CFPⓇ.

She encourages Christian women to start financial planning with their testimony and teaches the entire process of creating a Christ-Focused Financial Plan.

Although she’s built up a successful career in the financial sector, financial management wasn’t something she was born knowing and she has personally experienced how our financial situation has weaves itself into our identity.

Michal uses a kind and encouraging approach; like a girlfriend you’d want to sit down and chat with and never makes someone feel guilty about having debt.

“My hope is that women won’t look at their balance sheet and feel shame for past mistakes or compare their financial situation to someone in different circumstances. A traumatic upbringing, a failed marriage, abuse, illness or disability can cause severe financial hardships.”

A few of the topics Michal Slate is available to speak, write, and add commentary on include:

• Helping Christian women master their finances

• Christ-Centered Financial Planning for women

• Conquering Financial Anxiety

• Personal Financial Management for Women

• Budgeting and taxes with Jesus as Lord.

For more information please contact Claire Winson at Graphite & Grace at 530-945-5517 or email hello@graphiteandgrace.com.