Visit our family site for new pictures and a update (finally) on Rannebarger-life. 

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One Pastor's Prayer Vigil

Pastor: Words to Comfort Families Would Be 'Trite'

New Life Campus Fellowship

see also: The [nlcf] Manifesto

Thanks to those praying for [nlcf] and the campus. Please post public encouragement, prayers, or condolences here

Please pray for the believers at New Life Campus Fellowship to experience and share the grace of our Creator at this time.

Also, thanks to JR Woodward for the heads up that Jim Pace, NLCF pastor, will be appearing on Larry King Live TONIGHT, Monday, April 16, 2007 at 9:00 PM EST.

I am forever adding links to my favorites as a way to remember to read through them more thoroughly. Some are for my personal encouragement, others basic resources, and some are just quirky items of interest. In an attempt to clean out some of the 89 "favorites" listed in my "new" folder, I will list an assortment here for your perusal.

Come to think of it, having 89 "favorites" seems a little like an oxymoron.

Moron.

• MotherMary writes one of my favorite blogs. Nothing fancy, Xanga at that. She has been battling Hep C for the past year or so, enduring the treatment meds with humility, grace, and wisdom. I have so much to learn from her. Several times recently she has mentioned how much she has been blessed by the songs from Hillsong United. I need to listen to these more.
• I love putzing around with genealogy stuff and have found this dictionary helpful for translating things from Czech (for info related to my paternal grandmother's Bohemian ancestors.)
• In that vein, one of these clays I want to get back to the William McKinley Presidential Library and Museum in Canton, OH which houses several items owned by my great-great-grandfather, Charles Fiala, who was President McKinley's band leader during his campaign.
• An interesting article on Whole Foods. I'm trying to figure out where I stand with the whole organic issues. And other food related trends too. Too much to process right this moment.
• A helpful website for questions and info relating to tropical plants, which includes most houseplants and landscape plants here in Orlando.

I am frequently torn in how to perceive American Christianity. Watching my parents spend their lives on the mission field of Poland calls me to no longer consider myself an American Christian but just a Christian. And then this, from a critique of Douglas Sweeney's The American Evangelical Story:

"But when evangelicalism began reaching out from its American context, Sweeney argues that the movement lost some of its integrity in translation: "Many patriotic Christians who loved the American way of life-and who prided themselves on the blessings of their nation's 'righteous empire'- often neglected the crucial task of distinguishing biblical Christianity from the rest of American culture."

God, I believe You ordained that America would be my birthplace and earthly home. Yet I also see You calling me to be more than "just" an American Christian. You just want me to be a follower of Your Son. Please help me to follow Him alone and to make You my heart's real home. ~ Amen~

Has anyone seen the new movie Amazing Grace? I can hardly wait to see it! It tells the true story of William Wilberforce who fought for and won an end to the slave trade in England in 1807.

This article from Christian History and Biography on Wilberforce's correspondence with John Newton (author of the hymn, Amazing Grace) was particularly challenging. Newton's encouragement to the young legislator especially spoke to me:

"It is true that you live in the midst of difficulties and snares, and you need a double guard of watchfulness and prayer. But since you know both your need of help, and where to look for it, I may say to you as Darius to Daniel, 'Thy God whom thou servest continually is able to preserve and deliver you.'"