ETERNAL FLAME NEWS

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Gabrielle Douglas Exclusive: Blessings Amid Homelessness, Blood Disease and Absent Father

Gabrielle Douglas,16, made headlines earlier this year when she won two gold medals at the 2012 London Olympics, but the author of newly released book, Grace, Gold and Glory: My Leap of Faith is letting people know that there's so much more to her story.

Douglas made history at the Olympics when she became the first African-American All-Around Olympic Gold Medalist, and the first female to win both all-around and team gold medals at the same Olympics. However, the budding gymnast almost never made it to the global sports festival that made her a household name.
In her first book, Grace, Gold and Glory, Douglas reveals that at one point she told her family, coaching staff and host family in West Des Moines, Iowa that she was ready to walk away from her dreams of being an Olympic gold medalist. Douglas was forced to stay with a host family, the Partons, to complete her training in Iowa while her own family supported her from a distance at their family home on Virginia.
The homesickness was almost too much for Douglas to bear and she was ready to give up just seven months before the Olympic games. However, the gymnast's 18-year-old brother, John, brought her back to reality with the phrase, "In order to be the best, you have to take out the best."
Douglas has told The Christian Post about the importance of the notable quotation.
"It came from a movie 'Never Back Down' and it's me and my brother's kind of little ritual, 'If you want to be the best you have to take out the best,'" Douglas told CP. "And it's really true, I mean if you want to be great then you have to push yourself and you have to rise above and push yourself to the top. You have to go 100 percent every single day no matter if you're hurting a little...you just have to be dedicated to push yourself to do it."

While Douglas ended up making it to her life-changing Olympic games, Grace, Gold and Glory details how the 16-year-old has also made it through some extraordinary struggles, including homelessness, racism and a blood disease. However, looking back Douglas insists that it is the hardships she has faced in her life that have defined her.
"I think (those experiences) helped me become a stronger and more mature person and that was my motivation. I remember my mom telling me that we were homeless," Douglas revealed to CP. "Stories about that, that was my motivation…People are out there going through tough times. I went through hardships like a blood disease, homelessness, moved to Iowa, injuries and I had to overcome all of those things to get to where I am today."

The Power of Being Unstoppable in Christ

Unstoppable. This is a very powerful statement. Some top motivational speakers and celebrities out there are sharing to their audiences how to become unstoppable.

Since the global economic crisis people have realized that even the strongest and motivated business icons had been affected, and some badly hurt. The world then says we can get through this one day at a time and we will become victorious and move forward. But subconsciously if their happiness and fulfillment in life was and is derived from material things, they will get through but will admit that they were a little happier when they had more.
Here is the difference between hope with Jesus and hope without Jesus. Hope without Jesus is waiting for your position or circumstance to change. To be waiting and hoping that someday things aren't how they are now. There is nothing wrong with waiting for a miracle, but some miracles don't always come.
Life without Jesus is a life without purpose. Hope and purpose in this world is living as best as you can and maybe having life that gives back. But simply giving back isn't purpose, it's a branch of purpose but it is not the trunk or root of the tree. At my funeral, if one said, "Nick was a generous person," trust me I won't be doing cartwheels in my coffin. Recognition from people is never and never will be a goal. Some people strive for that respect or honor. Living a life to just reach for the position and status is vanity and sin. Yes my book titled Unstoppable was on the New York Times bestseller list. I praise God for that as it is a sign that people are enjoying it, reading it and being touched. Touched not by me, but by God Himself through the book.

Coptic Christians Asking Free World to Cut Ties With Egypt Under Morsi

The founder of an international group of advocates for the equality and rights of Coptic Christians is appealing to the leaders of democratic nations to cut any ties with Egypt. The Voice of the Copts is attempting to thwart President Mohamed Morsi's regime from implementing a primarily Islamic-based constitution.

"We demand that world leaders withdraw their recognition of Egypt's phony 'pro-democracy' leader, Mr. Morsi, who is backed by the illegal Muslim Brotherhood party," states Dr. Ashraf Ramelah, president of Voice of the Copts, in an open letter sent Monday. "Freeze your political relationships with Egypt, halt all investments and aid to Egypt and force Mr. Morsi's regime to step down. This will facilitate legitimate democratic goals yet to be achieved by Egypt's freedom fighters."
Coptic organizations around the world, including the U.S.-based Egyptian Front for National Salvation and Coptic Solidarity have been issuing similar demands since Morsi issued a new constitutional declaration in which he arrogated to himself sweeping powers, and enabled himself to be shielded from legal challenge through the courts.
Thousands of Egyptians within the country have been demonstrating against Morsi's regime as well for the last several weeks.
Voice of the Copts is also appealing to "all Egyptian freedom fighters fearlessly and heroically standing up against the Morsi regime."
"We support you as you continue to stand up and exercise enormous courage once again as when recently you opposed the dictatorial constitutional amendment of November 22 made by Mr. Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood party," stated Ramelah. "Your bold action obligated Mr. Morsi to withdraw the power grab he executed in defiance of democratic principles. Now he has backed down and responded to your demands thanks to your brave persistence."

Nativity scene goes missing at Va. church

Sex texts epidemic: Experts warn sharing explicit photos is corrupting children

A disturbing investigation has warned that children as young as 13 are routinely swapping intimate photos
One boy told Channel 4 News that 'you would have seen a girl's breasts before you've seen their face'
A girl told researchers that she gets asked for explicit pictures at least two or three times a week
Censors were forced yesterday to announce a crackdown on depraved films amid fears they distort boys views on women

Boys and girls as young as 13 routinely swap explicit pictures of themselves, a disturbing investigation reveals today.
Children are now so sexualised the practice has become ‘mundane and mainstream’. One girl told researchers: ‘I get asked for naked pictures at least two or three times a week.’
A boy said: ‘You would have seen a girl’s breasts before you’ve seen their face’ while another youngster referred to so-called sexting as ‘the new flirting’.
Yesterday censors were forced to announce a crackdown on depraved films amid fears they distort the way teenage boys view women.
The British Board of Film Classification will ban movies or cut scenes to protect the vulnerable.
Pupils aged from 13 to 16 admitted to Channel 4 News that intimate photos helped them decide who to date.
One told the programme her father would have asked girls for a kiss when he was her age ‘but now it’s kind of – do you want to have sex’. A boy of the same age said: ‘It might shock parents this is what kids get up to but it’s just everyday life. It’s natural – it’s all part of growing up.’
A 14-year-old from Berkshire said she received messages asking her to reply with a smiley face if she wanted sex or another phone symbol if she would prefer to perform a sex act on the sender.
Insight into the pornography increasingly exchanged by young teenagers came from interviews carried out for the NSPCC and Channel 4’s Generation Sex series.

Monday, December 10, 2012

WEEK OF PRAYER: Doctor's Rx for suffering centers on Jesus

CENTRAL ASIA (BP) -- Flies circle the sparsely equipped operating room in remote Central Asia. One lands on an instrument tray, strutting the length of a scalpel seconds before the previously sterile instrument slices beneath skin of Jalal Hossein*.

Highlands Church hosts Christmas store for Denver families Read more: Highlands Church hosts Christmas store for Denver families

Raymond Lerma knows every decal on the toy race car he wants for Christmas — he can hum the three different engine sounds the toy makes.

When he had a chance to tell Santa about the car, the 5-year-old didn't talk about how fast it can go or the special wheels that make it great for crashing into things. He didn't even mention the color.
Instead, Raymond talked about the color of the water bottle he had picked out for his father's Christmas stocking.

"I didn't saw a red water bottle so I picked the blue," Raymond said.
Raymond's family was one of about 200 families that spent Saturday at the Highlands Church Christmas Store. The church teamed up with the Bienvenidos Food Bank to host the event, during

which families could select gifts to stuff into loved ones' holiday stockings.

"Our hope is that we can provide integrity and respect to each of the families," said Anne Politzki, head of community life and outreach for the church. "It gives them a little bit of ownership in the gifts they're giving each other."

More than 1,000 care packages boxed for troops overseas

Hundreds of volunteers lined up at a Napa church on Saturday to fill 1,050 care packages for troops deployed overseas, all in an effort to make sure soldiers sent to Afghanistan and other countries are not forgotten this holiday season.

Operation: With Love from Home drew volunteers of all ages to CrossWalk Community Church on First Street, where they worked in a chain to fill U.S. Postal Service boxes with cards, toiletries, beef jerky, socks, candy bars, soups and other goodies.

“I’m elated,” said Liz Alessio, a community benefits coordinator for Queen of the Valley Medical Center who coordinates the program.

The group, which recently announced donations were a third of what it had projected, was able reach its goal of sending at least 1,000 packages thanks to recent pledges, including charity organizations in Napa.

Among the volunteers was Vicki Langdale, a nurse at Queen of the Valley Medical Center, whose son, Jarrod Little, of Lakeside, Texas, was killed in Iraq in 2004 while escorting electrical engineers. Also present was Simri Casas, 20, of Napa, whose boyfriend, Marine Corps Cpl. Adalberto Espinoza, is deployed overseas.

As she distributed packages of instant coffee, Casas said she had volunteered to give back and “to let (the troops) know that we love them and that we’re thankful for what they do.”

READ MORE

Christians Stage Live Nativity in Protest Against Santa Monica’s Atheist-Led Nativity Ban

Saturday, December 8, 2012

The Forgotten Pearl Harbor Story: Video Lifts up American Baptist Ministry to Japanese Americans in WWII Internment Camps

VIDEO: A Church Stands With Its People

VALLEY FORGE, Penn., Dec. 7, 2012/Christian Newswire/ -- In recognition of the 70th anniversary of Executive Order 9066, American Baptist Home Mission Societies (ABHMS) debuts a new video, "A Church Stands With Its People."

The video documents the struggles of those of Japanese descent living on the U.S. West Coast following Japan's 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor and the courageous ministry of American Baptist missionaries who served among them.

When President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 on Feb.19, 1942, thousands of Japanese Americans were forced from their homes to unjust imprisonment in U.S. internment camps.

Japanese Americans were subjected to harsh living conditions in the camps, where they were relocated because of wartime hysteria that they would serve as spies for the country of their heritage. Two-thirds of those interned, born on American soil, were U.S. citizens. The imprisoned included parents of American-born young men fighting in U.S. military units. During this bleak period in U.S. history, American Baptist home missionaries swam against the tide of popular opinion, affirming Japanese Americans as their brothers and sisters, and serving among them as the hands and feet of Christ.

Posted on ABHMS' website, "A Church Stands With Its People" features firsthand accounts of those who lived the internment experience.

To view the video, visit www.abhms.org.

American Baptist Home Mission Societies -- the domestic mission arm of American Baptist Churches USA (ABCUSA) -- ministers as the caring heart and serving hands of Jesus Christ across the United States and Puerto Rico through a multitude of initiatives that focus on discipleship, community and justice.

American Baptist Churches is one of the most diverse Christian denominations today, with over 5,200 local congregations comprised of 1.3 million members, across the United States and Puerto Rico, all engaged in God's mission around the world.

Christian Newswire