Hello all,

It’s another busy week as Deidre and I are traveling to Charlottesville, VA, for the ODACS conference. We are looking forward to being there and meeting more educators. Before leaving tomorrow, we have some thoughts for you.

Have you been following the stories in the news lately concerning the punishments of anyone in a position as an educator/coach or even a student athlete for showing a belief in the Christian God? No one is using a prayer rug, bowing towards the East, or sacrificing a chicken, but anyone who bows, points to the sky, or utters a brief prayer of thanksgiving can now be in big trouble. For example, Joe Kennedy, Bremerton (WA) High School’s assistant football coach received a “cease and desist” letter Sept. 17 of this year from school administration telling him to avoid kneeling, bowing his head, or doing anything that could be viewed as religious or endorsing religion. At the end of October, he was placed on paid administrative leave for silently praying on the 50-yd line following the Oct. 23 game, where he was voluntarily joined by players and their families. This was a tradition he had begun when he was employed in 2008. Now all of a sudden it is unacceptable – why? I submit it is because a small group of people whose atheistic beliefs are insulted by others who publicly display theirs in God are actively working to prohibit any such display. It reminds me how one woman – Madalyn Murray O’Hair – described as an American atheist activist, succeeded in removing prayer from the public schools in 1963.

Another example is Pedro Banda, a top running back from Dysart High School, AZ, who was penalized and ultimately ejected (it was his second penalty) from a football game when a referee threw a flag for his excessive celebrating after a touchdown. His action: a brief look to the sky while he pointed up! Really!!!! It’s time for those of us who are Christians to realize that our time to pay for our religious beliefs has come as the intimidation, harassment, and even, persecution is upon us. As we wrote in our book, “everything is acceptable in this inclusionary culture except anything Christian.”

Teachers have known for years that we must choose our words carefully if we work in a public school. Christian teachings could promote peaceful co-existence, forgiveness, and the Golden Rule, but mentioning the Bible, from which these ideas come is not allowed. The Gideon organization, which for many years gave away New Testaments to fourth graders, is not allowed to do so in many school districts today. Believe it or not, I still have mine, many years later. When we retired and moved back to rural WV, I was so pleased to see Christmas concerts advertised on school reader boards. That had not been the norm for a long time back in Hampton Roads, VA, with “Winter holiday music” listed instead. When I taught, I found a way to teach about Christmas in my social studies classroom because I added many other religious holidays to the study. I have always respected my students’ ability to make informed decisions once they have been provided with objective information. So my eighth-graders learned about Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and the Chinese New Year – in that order! Today I would probably be banned from teaching about the birth of the Christ child. What a sad situation! Be blessed this week as we move towards the holidays, Thanksgiving and Christmas, which are so much more than cultural celebrations.

Sue – Voice II

THINK IT NOT STRANGE. The two incidents Sue described are just a miniscule representation of the many cases across America where it is not popular or even safe to openly display your Christian beliefs or your enthusiasm regarding salvation. Each week  at The Potter’s House International Ministries in Jacksonville, Florida, my pastor offers a Tuesday “lunch” Bible study for anyone desiring to grow in God’s word by sacrificing lunch or their normal noon-day routine in order to feast on God’s Word. We have been studying the book of ACTS which is so appropriate to help us understand the times in which we are currently living. Throughout the book of Acts, you can read how repeatedly the boldness of Peter, John and Paul (later on in that same book) caused all three men to suffer persecution, beatings, and get put into prison because of how they taught and used the name of JESUS. Eventually, they did all die for the cause of Christ. Today, we are also  forbidden to use the name of Jesus which supports and demonstrates the fact of just how powerful that name really is.

Christians began losing their rights to proclaim the Gospel from the very beginning because there is no other name whereby we can be set free from the penalty of sin. When Peter and John declared in Acts 4:20, “We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard,” it made people of authority and position angry because it revealed how powerless a finite man is when compared to the only infinite God. Likewise as current day Christians, our testimony must compel us to share the love of God and His plan of salvation with every person possible no matter what the cost is to our personal agendas. “For God I will live, and for God I will die” are no longer words we simply sing in a song. For every believer those words are the badge of courage that we wear daily and proclaim them as our way of life! When we proclaim Christ by how we live and act, the world will hate on us unto death. Are we really willing to die for the cause?

God’s plan for mankind’s redemption will never cease to grow, succeed or exist. His remnant, a few good men and women who will continue to obey Him regardless of what the masses are saying and doing, are here. It all has been demonstrated and  witnessed throughout history. Of course today, is no exception.

With each new event of Christian persecution or death, that never-ending list will continue to expand. The proverbial line has long been drawn in the sand, but it is getting wider and deeper with each new day! Christians must choose and make the courageous decision to stand for Christ or they will inevitably fall. Without a proper understanding of who and whose you are, you may not be able to recover and get back up to a stable position.  It is time for every determined child of God to speak up to Him with a sincere heart and mind in order to proclaim,  “Here I am Lord, send me!”

Deidre – Voice I

This past week was a whirling blur as the Two Voices made their first appearance as authors at the Florida Association of Christian Colleges & Schools (FACCS) convention in Orlando, FL. Needless to say, after driving from West Virginia, unloading and setting up our booth, staying busy for ten hours the first day, and seven the next, Mickey Mouse was totally forgotten and ignored! We met some wonderful people as we handed out bookmarks and business cards, and discussed our book with some of the many people passing by our area. We shared the basic premises of our work: “People are more alike than different, you can’t judge a book by its cover, and Christians need to take a stand for God and His Word NOW to help return our country to the principles on which it was founded, and leave a positive legacy for our children.” Of course, in a Christian conference, we were “preaching to the choir,” but it was so encouraging to listen to the comments of others and to place our work into the hands of those who purchased a copy. Listening to the incredible vocals of Veritas was an added bonus. If you haven’t heard this five-member group of three tenors, a bass, and a baritone – you are definitely missing something!!

However, the highlight of the conference had to be reconnecting with a former eighth-grade student who had expressed interest in seeing us again. We let her know where we were and she drove over with a friend to give/receive hugs and purchase a book. What a blessing it was to see April again! We had come full circle as one of our “kids” from the classroom came to encourage us as an adult.

Moments after walking her to the car and waving good-bye, it was time to pack up and leave this very first event. All the exhaustion and work was worth it . . . we knew we had made a difference in the life of this one student, now an adult with a handsome husband and three beautiful children of her own. God is indeed good! In another eight days we will drive to Charlottesville, VA, for another conference – the ODACS gathering. It will be time for the Two Voices to experience another venue with perhaps more blessings. I can’t wait!

Sue – Voice II

What more can I say? Absolutely nothing – Sue has said it all so well. It was an exhilarating time, like planning and anticipating a prom or another big event; so much preparation . . . and then, it’s over. Now on to the next!

Also, I wish to thank all my colleagues from the Potter’s House Christian Academy and everyone else for all their encouraging words and supporting our book ministry. Thank you so much.

Deidre – Voice I

Good Monday morning, everyone!

We had another topic in mind for you this morning, but life kind of intervened the way it sometimes does. It reminds me of Chapter VI in our One God, Two Voices book that is entitled, “People (and Sometimes We) Just Don’t Understand.”  We delve into several topics, but the main focus is on the tremendous toll the loss of a student takes on teachers. As Deidre (Voice I) said, “Another thing that people just don’t understand is that teachers can and do bond with their students in many positive ways . . . after countless days of teaching and interacting with a particular student, you can build a rapport that can last a lifetime.” We both go on to discuss the loss of students we have taught to death and/or bad circumstances, including prison.

Well, the “Downs” from the title in this blog post is that I am lifting Deidre, my sister in the Lord, co-author, and best friend, up in prayer today as she ministers to a student body who has lost one of their own – a Senior in the school where she counsels/teaches – to a tragic accident this past weekend. Even though she has experienced this type of loss before, no one is ever fully prepared to experience it again with a new group of students who are shocked and initially inconsolable. This is someone they knew, with whom they perhaps walked down the halls or sat beside in classes at their school. Death is for old people; not someone their age! There will be many tears and possibly hysterical sobs as these young people come to grips with the reality that death is no respecter of age. Children die, teenagers die, college students die . . . but that fact is not really brought home to anyone unless you experience it yourself. I would appreciate prayers for my friend as she deals with a very difficult situation and tries, with God’s help, to comfort those who are mourning.

Moving onto the “Ups” in the title, Deidre will move from a troubling experience to an exciting one, when she meets me in Orlando this week. The Two Voices are participating in our very first event as we exhibit our book at the Florida Association of Christian Colleges/Schools (FACCS) annual convention. I hear that the Orange County Convention Center is HUGE, so I expect to be overwhelmed and lost! This will be the first time that we have books to sell to the teachers/others who attend this yearly meeting, and we are looking forward to meeting as many of them as we can. Prayers for safe travel and a good result are also requested from our readers.

I know that God will move in the Ups and Downs of our lives. I have seen Him do it before and He will not fail us now. That’s what we meant in our previous blog about trust. It is so freeing to know that He is in control.

Wishing you a blessed week. Enjoy the colors of the season – it’s beautiful in the Whited Woods!

Sue – Voice II

Have you ever experienced a situation that caused you great worry and felt that possibly your prayers were going unheard or unanswered? Of course, you have as this is a human experience. Depending on the severity, I expect many of us have this happen from time to time. What do I do? What do you do? Are we able to pray and just “let it go?” That’s what we’re told to do repeatedly in the Bible. For example, “I trust in you, Lord; I say, ‘You are my God.’ My times are in your hands” (Psalm 31:14-15), “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths (Proverbs 3:5-6), and “Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you” (I Peter 5:7).

Recently, something very important to me and for which I had worked very hard, was in danger of not happening. My natural response in situations like this is to work harder! However, I know in my heart that the best thing to do is to pray harder. In this situation, a combination of the two worked and the “desire of my heart” (another phrase from the Bible) worked itself out with the help of some very talented people. When things like this happen, I am reminded that answers can take time, require patience, and always teach us something. Sometimes it feels impossible to just WAIT, but that is what we must do.

Do you trust in yourself, your spouse, or in the Lord? I know which one is the most reliable, and I have to remember in the tough times, that He wants more for me than I could ever imagine. It’s really just an issue of trust.

Sue – Voice II

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not to your own understanding….” (Proverbs 3:5-8), is definitely one of my life scriptures. In other words, it is one of the scriptures that I attempt to apply daily in my life, and I consistently share it with others as well. This scripture has gotten me through so many difficult times. One day I was reading it, and I began to talk to God in my heart and mind. I began to think about how I do my best to trust God, but I honestly knew that I did not always trust in God as His word commands. Soon, I began to audibly say, “God I want to trust in you with my whole heart. Please help me to do that.” Shortly after praying, I flopped my entire body down onto (and into) the couch in our family room, and I heard the Spirit of God say, “That is how I want you to trust in Me, just fall back and don’t even question whether I will catch or hold you because I am right there. Just like you believed and had faith in that couch to hold you, let go and allow me to catch you, even before the fall comes.” WOW! That was a powerful lesson the Lord revealed to me on that day. John 16:5 -15 reminds us that one of the missions of the Holy Spirit is to teach us all things.

Question: If we can trust in concrete items and inanimate objects like cars, chairs, and bikes to support us, carry us, and hold us without giving it a second thought, then how much more should we put that same amount of trust in the Creator of everything and everyone?

A Thought to Ponder: Nothing or no one deserves 100% of our heart’s trust but God because He will not fail us. It is only our own inabilities to trust in Him with our entire heart that will cause us to fail. Life will teach us how to trust or mistrust people, but a relationship with Christ allows us to practice putting ALL of our trust in Him. Please practice.

Deidre – Voice I

It’s been a couple of weeks since we posted something in the inspirational vein, so this week we want to encourage you to remember that when life is hard, you don’t have to do it alone. Since the “voices” on this site are best friends and teachers from different racial/cultural backgrounds who are not just authors, but Christians, we felt it was time we encouraged you with a Word from above.

Sometimes it seems that life is very difficult without adding to it the daily challenges of five or more classes with a total of over 100 students to inspire and teach, or 25+ elementary-aged munchkins needing constant attention. Right now I am in the retirement stage of life, busy with things I choose to do. My contemporaries are mostly free from child-rearing and are enjoying grandchildren instead. But the problems and heartache can still come – sometimes from out of nowhere. For example, one couple from my church has repeatedly asked for prayers this past week for their grown son who was involved in a very serious accident. They are spending countless hours by his hospital bedside, not knowing what the outcome will be. Several months ago, another retired couple lost their grandson to a ATV accident and had the difficult task of consoling their child over the loss of their own grandchild. A member of my family is watching and supporting her husband as he battles a serious cancer, hoping and praying that he defeats this disease and is able to watch their daughter grow into adulthood. As the title of this blog says, sometimes life is just hard.

As a Christian, I want you to know that God loves you and will help through the rough spots of life. I can personally attest to this because my husband and I lost our youngest son in 1999. Instead of losing my sanity and my faith, I was able to hold onto the teachings of the Bible and rely on my Heavenly Father to comfort me in my loss. Of course I asked “why,” but my prayers also asked for strength and courage to put one foot in front of the other while waiting for my emotional healing to come. The prayers of many others uplifted me through the days, weeks, and months following this personal tragedy, as I continued to teach and be there for other people’s children. My encouragement for you is to trust God to help you through the most difficult circumstances in life. He is just a prayer away. I found a recent post on Facebook by one of my favorite authors, Max Lucado, that perfectly illustrates what I’m trying to say: “Our prayers may be awkward. Our attempts may be feeble. But since the power of prayer is in the One who hears it and not in the one who says it, our prayers do make a difference.”

Another wonderful example for those of you who enjoy music videos is Colton Dixon’s “Through All of It.” Max, Colton, and I want to encourage you today with the truth that God is there for you when you need him.

May God bless you in the good times and the bad.

Sue – Voice II

Talk about hardships! Right now the doctors have told my family that my Mom is soon to die. She suffers from Parkinson’s Disease and her heart is very weak. Regardless, she told my oldest brother, who is also my family’s pastor and leader, “When God calls for me, I am ready to answer.” This gives me great joy and peace because God has the final say in her timetable and the “joy of the Lord is my strength” (Nehemiah 8:10)

People may look at you and never realize the weight of the struggles you are carrying. As Christians, we know we have to “cast our cares upon Him” (I Peter 5:7), but this is not always easy to do. The reality in our lives is that we will have trouble here, and if we don’t rely on God to help us through bad times, we will suffer even more. Recently, October 1, was a normal day for families in Roseburg, Oregon. It quickly turned into a tragic day when a shooter killed and injured many at Umpqua Community College. My hope is that those families affected will turn to Him for help and comfort.

Everyday we look at each other and don’t realize the struggle/story behind that face. Through it all we must continue to trust in Jesus, for that is the best thing we can do. “It is still well with my soul,” and I will continue to lift Him in praise in all circumstances.

Deidre – Voice I