Tortured

The Bible speaks, in Psalm 101, about the importance of maintaining a pure heart - I believe this passage can apply to our choices of entertainment; it says:
2 I will behave wisely in a perfect way. Oh, when will You come to me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.
3 I will set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; It shall not cling to me.
4 A perverse heart shall depart from me; I will not know wickedness.
5 Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, Him I will destroy; The one who has a haughty look and a proud heart, Him I will not endure.

31 songs - a new album project by easily the most popular singer on the planet. 

It's called The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology.  Writing for Plugged In, Adam Holz says:

A double album, she said. More like a triple album, really. And one can’t help but ponder the question: When on Earth did this 33-year-old singer have time to pen and record 31 more songs about heartbreak, love, heartbreak, tragedy, heartbreak and still more—well, you get the point. After all, she’s been jetting around the world for her Eras Tour for the last 18months and spending most other waking moments with her NFL beau, Travis Kelce.

By all accounts, they seem deliriously happy together. This album, though? More like deliriously tortured. It feels like reading Romeo and Juliet 31 times in a row.

Holz makes a number of observations about the project, stating: "With each album she releases, Swift seems more and more comfortable with casual profanity."  Plus, as he writes, "Songs breezily suggest sexual trysts that include lyrical references to shared beds and showers, as well as cohabitation when she keeps finding one ex’s stuff in her drawers."

 And, she veers into areas of religion, and not particularly complimentary of Christianity. Adam writes:

“But Daddy I Love Him” tells the tale of a rebellious girl’s love affair with a wrong-side-of-the-tracks kind of guy—and it paints a nasty picture of judgmental churchgoers: “I just learned these people only raise you to cage you/Sarahs and Hannahs in their Sunday best/Clutching their pearls, sighing, ‘What a mess’/I just learned these people try and save you/‘Cause they hate you.” Later she adds, “I’ll tell you something right now, you ain’t gotta pray for me/Me and my wild boy and all of this wild joy/He was chaos, he was revelry.”

Another song that spiritualizes love and intimacy is “Guilty as Sin?” Suggestive lyrics hint at sexual fantasy and masturbation: “I keep these longings locked/ … These fatal fantasies giving way to labored breath/Taking all of me, we’ve already done it in my head.” Swift then asks, “Without ever touching his skin/How can I be guilty as sin?” And then Swift takes a big leap, using Christian images and themes to describe her own romanticized religion: “What if I roll the stone away?/They’re gonna crucify me anyway/What if the way you hold me is actually what’s holy?/ … They don’t know how you’ve haunted me so stunningly/I choose you and me religiously.”

Wait, what?  But, this is Taylor Swift, the all-American, wholesome pop singer.  Buyer, beware.

Holz concludes his Plugged In review with these words:

At the surface level, I really don’t like all the harsh profanity here (more pearl clutching—sorry, Taylor), or the glorification of reckless intimacy. But I think I’m even more discomfited by the underlying worldview that millions upon millions of impressionable girls are ingesting: that romantic love is the capstone human experience.

That’s a worldview that Taylor Swift continues to lean into with all her might. And it’s one that deserves our parental attention and critique, lest it leave our daughters (and probably some sons, too) vulnerable to the kind of emotional devastation that Taylor herself plods through over and over again here.

Shane Pruitt of the Southern Baptist Convention's North American Mission Board, was quoted in a Christian Post article.  He...

...wrote in a Facebook post that there is a difference between being secular and being "Anti-Christian." He urged Christian parents to seriously consider if they should allow their children to listen to Swift's music.

"I'm definitely not the minister or parent that has the 'no secular music' stance," Pruitt wrote. "Also, I fully realize unbelievers are going to act like unbelievers. HOWEVER, there is a difference between being secular and being ANTI-CHRISTIAN."

The Post article also says:

The Christian entertainment review company MovieGuide believes the album "mocks Christianity."

"While it's no secret that Taylor Swift is not a Christian, she made her hatred for religion known through her newly released album 'The Tortured Poets Department,'" MovieGuide stressed in its review.

"The album is full of minor quips that elevate Swift above God while also featuring two songs devoted to tearing down the Christian sexual ethic."

Sean Feucht says, ""Almost half the songs on Taylor Swift's new album contain explicit lyrics (E), make fun of Christians and straight up blaspheme God. Is this the music you want your kids listening to?" He added, "You think I'm just being religious & overreacting? Read the lyrics & decide for yourself."

This comes on the heels of observations by a musician that were related in another Christian Post article:

Former Boyzone star Shane Lynch has accused popstar Taylor Swift of engaging in demonic practices and satanic rituals during her sold-out shows and warned of the damaging effects such music has on children.

“I think when you’re looking at a lot of the artists out there, a lot of their stage shows are satanic rituals live in front of 20,000 people without them realizing and recognizing,” Lynch recently told Ireland’s Sunday World.

The article describes Lynch as a "professing Christian," who also said, “Music attaches to your emotions...It has a connection to your spirit and how you feel. That’s why I’ve stopped listening to those types of music myself because it doesn’t suit my spirit.”

Music is and has been a significant part of my life; not only am I a musician myself, but I am involved in the decision-making process for song selection here at Faith Radio. So, I recognize the power of music...it's something that God intended for good; it's a wonderful expression of His creativity.  But, the enemy, who has been described as a worship leader in heaven, perverts what God has intended for good, and that is certainly the case with much of today's music. 

Music can be an effective carrier of words and emotions.  Those of us who deal with Christian music and especially Praise and Worship music recognize that music that is devoted to facilitating the worship of God can create a certain atmosphere that glorifies Him. But, wrong messages can be carried in a supercharged way through the music we consume. 

So, we have to be discerning. Parents are encouraged to talk with their children about their entertainment choices. And, if one is going to endorse the music of Taylor Swift, then you have to look at the lyrics. Look at what she represents, then choose from there - we should use Philippians 4:8 as a guide for what we allow to penetrate our minds: "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

As the Church Goes...

Each day, we have so many decisions to make - and we have to determine if we are going to be obedient to God and live our live according to His principles, empowered by the Spirit of God, or rely on own own frail human wisdom. Elijah gathered the Israelite people and especially the followers of the false gods in Israel and presented them with a choice in 1st Kings 18:
17 Then it happened, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to him, "Is that you, O troubler of Israel?"
18 And he answered, "I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father's house have, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord and have followed the Baals.
19 Now therefore, send and gather all Israel to me on Mount Carmel, the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table."
20 So Ahab sent for all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together on Mount Carmel.
21 And Elijah came to all the people, and said, "How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him." But the people answered him not a word.

Following this declaration, burnt offerings were prepared, and Elijah called upon God while the false prophets called on their so-called "gods."  And, God showed up in great power.

The moral climate in our country has become lamentable, and there is a statistic from a recent Gallup poll that gives an indication on what is occurring.  Please allow this to soak in: out of all Americans, less than 1 out of 3 attend church on a weekly or almost weekly basis.  3 out of 10.  Just over 2-in-10 go to church every week. 

44% of Protestants attend either weekly or almost weekly ("regularly" is the term used in the survey summary) - with 30% saying they attend each week. By comparison - relative to the top-ranking group, two-thirds of Mormons are regular church attendees.  Protestants run second, Muslims are third, and Catholics are fourth.  This is from a survey conducted during the years 2021-23.

The summary notes:

Two decades ago, an average of 42% of U.S. adults attended religious services every week or nearly every week. A decade ago, the figure fell to 38%, and it is currently at 30%. This decline is largely driven by the increase in the percentage of Americans with no religious affiliation -- 9% in 2000-2003 versus 21% in 2021-2023 -- almost all of whom do not attend services regularly.

Still, most religious groups have also seen a decline in regular attendance at religious services over the past two decades.

And, young adults between 18 and 29 years old are making a significant contribution to the decline; the summary states: "... young adults, both those with and without a religious preference, are much less likely to attend religious services -- 22% attend regularly, eight points below the national average."

A Breitbart story on the Gallup poll also noted: 

Other polls in recent years have found that Americans perceive a decrease in religious influence in the United States and place less value on their children sharing their religious views. Recently, the Pew Research Center found that 80 percent of U.S. adults say religion’s role in American life is shrinking — “a percentage that’s as high as it’s ever been.”

In a Washington Stand article, Family Research Council President Tony Perkins stated: "Politics is downstream from the culture, and culture is downstream from the church."  He asked, "...if the church vacillates on the truth or goes silent, where will society turn?"

And, he issued a challenge to church leadership: "We need pastors of courage and conviction faithfully declaring and defending God’s truth. The church should not be swimming in the water downstream from culture."

The fact is, the Bible contains the answers to the questions so many are asking these days.  The Scriptures contain unlimited wisdom in order to pattern our lives in a way that pleases God. We know that the Bible addresses what are often termed the "social issues," such as life and marriage.  But, we can also be confident that the Bible shows us how to treat one another, how to manage our finances, how to regard the poor and less fortunate, and how to live victorious in the face of temptation. 

So, the departure from Biblical truth, in a sense, can be laid on the doorstep of the Church. We can examine how well we are proclaiming and practicing the principles of Scripture and recognize we have the potential for enormous power and influence.  But, if we refuse to engage, then we will find ourselves being swept away in the cultural currents that are so prevalent.

What Abortion Is

From a Biblical standpoint, life is the womb is precious, and every human being has the right to life. Just think of the millions whose lives have been taken from the womb and who they could have become. God told the prophet Jeremiah in the first chapter of the book that bears his name:
4 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying:
5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations."
6 Then said I: "Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth."
7 But the Lord said to me: "Do not say, 'I am a youth,' For you shall go to all to whom I send you, And whatever I command you, you shall speak.

Regarding abortion, a well-known talk show host and commentator said this, "A lot of people think..." that it is "murder."  He went on to say, "I scold the Left when they say, ‘Oh, you know what, they just hate women, people who aren’t pro-choice.’ They don’t hate women. [The Left] just made that up. They think it’s murder and it kind of is."

So, whoever this is certainly has a pro-life position, right? Well, not so fast; he went on to say: "I’m just okay with that. I am. I mean, there’s 8 billion people in the world. I’m sorry, we won’t miss you. That’s my position on it.”  

Abortion is murder, and that's OK?  Really?  Those are some published statements from progressive host Bill Maher, as quoted by the Live Action News site. The story opens up with these statements:

“Real Time” host Bill Maher might be one of the most honest abortion supporters in America. Maher, who once shared that he was almost the victim of abortion and called himself “a little squishy” on the issue, has also said he supports it as a means of population control.  

The article reports that Maher made his statements in "a panel discussion on the Arizona Supreme Court’s decision to uphold an 1864 pro-life law protecting preborn children from abortion..."

It goes on to say this:

After a beat, guest Piers Morgan replied, “That’s kind of harsh.”

Maher responded, “Isn’t that your position if you’re pro-choice?”

The article went on to offer this analysis: 

A May 2023 Gallup poll found that 51% of Americans think abortion should be legal “only under certain circumstances” and only 13% say it should be illegal in all circumstances. Forty-four percent (44%) identified themselves as pro-life and 41% call abortion morally wrong. But just 13% said abortion should always be illegal. Perhaps those 13% understand that induced abortion is intentional and direct killing, and this is never necessary, even in dire situations of medical emergency.

Maher believes abortion is about population control, and Live Action agrees, stating:

Abortion has never truly been about women’s equality or empowerment. It has always been about population control. One piece of evidence is the Planned Parenthood-produced Jaffe Report, which proposed certain tactics in an effort to curb population growth in the U.S. Those tactics included convincing Americans to avoid or postpone marriage, altering the image of the ideal family size, encouraging women to work outside the home, payments to encourage abortion, and even the coerced abortion of out-of-wedlock pregnancies.

The article goes on to say:

Americans have been killing off their children under the guise of women’s freedom and rights for more than 50 years. For those five decades and now, legalized abortion has really been about the elite controlling the population of the rest of society, namely minorities and the underprivileged. It was never about a woman’s rights; it was always about power. And pro-abortion men had (and still have) a significant role in pushing this agenda as well.

And, even those who call themselves pro-life seem to support the taking of human life in some circumstances. The Live Action article concludes by saying:

America is now center stage for the global debate of whether or not it’s ethical to murder the most vulnerable among us. Maher is “fine” with murdering preborn children and is honest enough to point out that every “pro-choicer” is. He also sees clearly that even pro-lifers who do know abortion is unethical and are not “fine” with it, still seem to want it legal some of the time. It’s a position even pro-abortion Bill Maher knows is untenable.

People smarter than I are trying to figure out why these state amendments guaranteeing a so-called "right" to abortion have passed - which is a growing area of concern in several states, including Florida, is coming up in November.   Recently, even though the state Supreme Court upheld a 6-week abortion ban, it also allowed this amendment to be put on the ballot, despite the deceptive language that Mat Staver and Liberty Counsel have identified. 

In the past, states attempted to whittle away at the margins of protecting life - at the time of the Dobbs ruling, a sweeping protection of unborn human life in Alabama had been placed on hold; the law was allowed to go into effect the very day that ruling was issued. The Alabama Legislature and others have taken bold steps to ban most abortions.  But, in other states, whether out of political pragmatism or lack of pro-life assertiveness, steps are being taken to allow most abortions in their states, adopting the old Roe v. Wade method of selecting an arbitrary figure and then crafting legislation using that number as the age of the unborn child at which he or she becomes "viable."  

We certainly have to take abortion out of being some sort of "numbers game."  To do this, for one thing, we need to re-educate people on what abortion really is. A Washington Examiner piece quoted former Planned Parenthood director Abby Johnson of And Then There Were None, commenting on the way forward for the pro-life movement in light of defeats at the ballot box; she said:

“I personally think that we need to get back to basics in the pro-life movement,” she said. “We’ve got to get back to basic education about life in the womb. We talk about abortion, but I don’t think people know what abortion is, and the perfect example of that was the Kate Cox case. … The primary victim in an abortion procedure is the baby being killed. We need to get back to: What is an abortion procedure? What is a child in the womb? When does a heart start beating? People need to know this information.”

Kate Cox was the Texas woman who had a prenatal diagnosis for her unborn child, could not receive an abortion in Texas, so she went out of state.  The case was used to denigrate the "extreme" Texas pro-life law, a law that has been effective - the Examiner piece noted, regarding the state:

In 2020, there were more than 50,000 abortions reported compared to only 34 in the first nine months of 2023. There were about 115,000 fewer abortions in the 17 states that had essentially banned the procedure. More babies are being born, too. A June Texas Tribune article suggested at least 10,000 more babies had been born in Texas since its heartbeat law passed in 2021.

And, as it's been pointed out - we have to define what abortion "extremism" really is.  It's not the protection of unborn children from having their lives terminated in a brutal procedure. It's those who have such a callous disregard for life that they favor taking that life in all 9 months of pregnancy, some even beyond.  As polling data has indicated, the majority of people who support abortion still think it should be have limitations.  Why is that?  While only 4-in-10 said abortion is morally wrong in that Gallup survey, I think deep down that the thought of taking unborn life, not upholding a woman's right to choose, is offensive.  We have to capitalize on that by continuing to stand for life and, at the same time, show compassion for women and win their hearts. 

Who's Going to Control Us?

These are challenging times on the earth; and there is a spirit among certain leaders who have surrendered to the lure of power and authority and are using their position to subvert other people. 2nd Thessalonians 2 contains these verses:
7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.
8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.
9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders,
10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

Coming up later this month, I will be joined on The Meeting House by Jason Jones - he is the President of an organization called the Human-Rights Education and Relief Organization, or H.E.R.O. He has written a book called, The Great Campaign Against the Great Reset.

He has written several op-ed pieces recently at The Stream website detailing the attempts to implement this so-called "reset."  In one column, he described the situation in Europe, stating that "censorship, legal persecution, and the whole apparatus of totalitarian power are increasingly being aimed at Christians, conservatives, and populists."

But, there is also a move to fight back against the totalitarian advance.  Here is one example he used:

In 2023, a ground-breaking election in the Netherlands saw the right-wing People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) emerging as the largest party in Parliament. Dutch right-wing parties including the Party for Freedom (PVV) and the Farmer–Citizen Movement (BBB) did well. Euroskepticism and antiglobalism are fresh in voters’ minds after historic protests by farmers resisting “green” government land grabs.

Captive media and state apparatchiks frame this surge in populism as a rejection of progress. It’s all just ignorant, “reactionary,” even “racist” resistance that retards a more sustainable and equitable future, they say. However, for many Europeans, this elite narrative rings hollow. They see it as a smokescreen for a globalist agenda often referred to as the “Great Reset” – a sinister agenda of top-down social experimentation being forced upon the populace by unelected elites.

Jones went on to write: "The increasing power of the European Union, with its complex bureaucracy and secret, undemocratic decision-making, breeds resentment. Citizens feel a loss of control over their own destinies and an erosion of national sovereignty. This of course was on full display, in all its dystopian horror, during the COVID panic, when people were stripped of their personal and social autonomy in ways unimaginable outside the former Eastern Bloc or Nazi-occupied countries. But all the official lies, fascist lockdowns, and economic ruin smothered opposition until recently."

In another Stream piece, Jones stated: "Young people today are taught that we’ve made vast 'progress' over past generations...Thank the Universe we don’t have to face such evils in our time, teachers tell them — before warning them that 'Christian Nationalists' are the new threat to decency and freedom."  He adds:

Such propaganda for the present ignores the heart-rending truth: We face the same old evils in new and even more sinister forms around the world today. What’s worse, we’re confronted with global elites who collude in such atrocities and want to impose them on once-free countries in contempt of their citizens’ wishes.

He devoted much of the piece to laying out how China and its attempts to control its citizens has become a model for the implementation of the "Great Reset."

But, world leaders, under the auspices of the World Health Organization, are rushing headlong to approve a document that would undermine national sovereignty and use public health as a means to consolidate power.  Harbinger's Daily, in a story linked from Jan Markell's Olive Tree Views site, states:

The most recently updated version of the “Proposal for the WHO Pandemic Agreement,” amended on April 22, would redistribute wealth and protective equipment away from the U.S., establish a global governing board with little accountability to U.S. citizens and, critics say, water down U.S. sovereignty over how it responds to future pandemics.

The latest version of the agreement calls on nations to adopt “whole-of-government and whole-of-society approaches” to pandemics, “including the private sector and civil society.” Governments should carry out so-called education programs that will suppress competing narratives about the pandemic, as the U.S. government did during COVID-19. Nations must also conduct research to determine what forces “hinder or strengthen adherence to public health and social measures in a pandemic,” such as mask and vaccine mandates.

The concept of globalism is opposed to the teachings of Scripture. It does not respect human rights, and while it claims to provide the template for an ordered, functioning society, its disregard for individual freedom will lead to chaos.  Unlike the Bible, the globalists do not respect the worth of the individual and certainly do not value His creation - rather, they use the "environment" as a tool to create fear and panic, which fosters more dependence on the elite power structures. 

This is antithetical to the freedom that is offered in Jesus Christ.  The role of human authority, as ordained by God, is not to punish good, but to punish evil.  It is to uphold good, not enslave all. 

But, we also know that as the days grow darker, according to the book of Revelation, that all the earth will submit to a totalitarian, one-world leader, the antichrist, who will declare that participation in commerce requires blind allegiance to the state.  Even though the Bible teaches that will occur during a period called the Great Tribulation, there are the echoes of that mindset, that "spirit" operating in our world today. 

A New Track

All around us, we can see people who have ceded the control of their lives away from the Savior who died so that His Spirit could be in control and to give us the life God intends. 1st Corinthians 10 offers us hope; following a passage in which Paul cites several instances in which sin was victorious, he writes:
11 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.
12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.
13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.

Rachel Morse hires people that some might consider unemployable. They are "Women who come to us from addiction, abuse and even prison," according to a piece on The Christian Heart website. She says:

We provide them with a work environment committed to Christ and to new life. We begin each morning with a devotional, stopping at any second in our jam-packed days to answer questions about Jesus or to pray with one another. We play worship music all day long. We show them that restoration is simply what God does. Who He is.

It's called The Olive Press, and Rachel writes:

An olive press works by pressing the olives to get rich, smooth oil. Similarly, everything at The Olive Press is also made by “press” (digital, heat or screen-printing). That includes the people. Through this business, everyone involved is pressed closer to Jesus. Pressed more into His image. He is a God of new beginnings, and He is good.

So, what does the business do?  Well, it is apparently an online store based in Tupelo, Mississippi, according to its Etsy site, which shows clothing and home decor items.  Morse states:

This business started as an Etsy shop with seven listings, and one wholesale customer. Now, by the goodness of God, we exist as a storefront, an Etsy shop with over 1000 listings, and 100+ wholesale customers. We are able to support not only our beautiful employees but other local ministries as well. Portions of profits go to aid victims of sex trafficking and purchase essential supplies for those in our area with no home of their own. All of this within only a few years.

This is an example of a ministry that provides life-giving assistance to those who have had life-altering problems.  There are many wonderful programs for men women who can help restore their sense of identity and introduce them to Jesus Christ, who can transform and sustain their lives.  

I think of Hope Inspired Ministries, in Montgomery and Birmingham, which helps people who are unemployed or underemployed and perhaps have challenges finding work because of mistakes in the past to learn Christian principles and find gainful employment.  I was reading recently at 1819 News about The WellHouse in Birmingham, which provides assistance for sex trafficking victims, even giving them the opportunity to work at the ministry or a store that the ministry operates, which includes producing and selling items.  I think of those who graduated the past weekend from the ministry of Harvest Evangelism in East Alabama - people who have been delivered from life-controlling problems. 

It can cause us to ask ourselves what or who is controlling our life.  We can look at people in trouble and turn our hearts away from them, ignoring the sinfulness in our own hearts. Because we are all vulnerable to temptation - everyone needs to recognize the way of escape that God has given to us. And, we can be guides, based on our own knowledge of the Word and practical experience, to show people the way out and the way to resist. 

No one is locked in to the track that he or she is on.  But they need to see hope. I shared with you some examples of ladies who have seen hope through Jesus Christ.  We can make sure that we are allowing ourselves to be the beacons of hope that may reach someone in need.

Living in Love and Truth

We can cling to Christ in the midst of our trials and challenges, recognizing that He lives in us and will go before us as we make the hard choices, walk through suffering, speak in His name, and act in His truth. 1st Peter 4 states (King James Version):
11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

Bethany Hamilton is a championship surfer - the story of her life and her Christian faith were depicted on screen in a movie called, Soul Surfer, which presented a look at Bethany's survival of a shark attack and its aftermath; an attack in which she lost her arm.  Yet, she has continued to compete on a high level.

She has found another competitor recently, with a distinctly moral component: those who would allow men to compete in ladies' surfing...men who present themselves as being women!  A recent Movieguide article related:

“I’ve seen what’s going on in other sports and…I’m very much against that,” she said in an episode of Allie Beth Stuckey’s “Relatable” podcast. “I kind of hold to my values, and I stand firm with what I believe and try not…to deviate much in my life.”

The article went on to say:

She posted a video to Instagram earlier this year, saying, “This concerns me as a professional athlete that has been competing in the World Surf League events for the past 15 plus years, and I feel that I must speak up and stand up for those in position that may feel that they cannot say something about this.”

“Is a hormone level an honest and accurate depiction that someone indeed is a male or female?” Hamilton asked. “How did whoever decided these hormone rules come to the conclusion that 12 months of testing testosterone make it a fair and legal switch?”

As a result of the WSL policy, she has decided not to participate in any more of its events. 

The Movieguide article included past coverage of Hamilton's faith perspective.  The website noted:

Bethany Hamilton is sharing an important lesson about self-acceptance in a new Instagram post.

“Like many teens, I too struggled with the way I viewed my body,” she wrote. “I’d look at everyone else and think that I looked pretty different, especially because of my arm. And maybe even still to this day at times.”

She shared a Scripture passage from 1st Corinthians chapter 6 that according to the article, "encourages here in low moments: “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”

In a blog post, entitled, Made for More, found on her website, Bethany related praying to God, with her mother beside her, when she was 13: “God, I want my life to be more than just surfing. I want to honor you with my life. I don’t know what that looks like, but help me figure it out.”

She wrote:

Little did I know that 2 weeks later, I would lose my arm.

God brought me on a journey of learning to push through some of the hardest challenges and accomplish some crazy fun things! He used this wild and devastating experience to give me a neat platform to share my story and be a reminder that we all can overcome.

I want to share one of my favorite verses that helped me in my journey:

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33

She went on to relate:

I love this verse because it’s a reminder that this world is not perfect. We’re all going through tough stuff and that’s why we need to trust in God and come to Him with our problems.

This verse is not saying we get to bypass the hard stuff. It’s saying that through the hard stuff we go through we can trust in the Lord’s promise that he has died and overcome death on our behalf, Christ overcame all our wrong doing and has made us whole again.

So, in our times of discouragement and disappointment, we can remember that we are loved by God and that He wants the very best for us, for His glory.  As Bethany shared, life will not always be easy - there will be "hard stuff" that comes.  But, we can be reminded to look to the one who has overcome all the manifestations of this fallen world and walk with joy and faith, looking to Jesus, who is described in Hebrews as the author and finisher of our faith.  Philippians tells us He's begun a good work in us and He is faithful to complete it.  We may be a work in progress, but we can trust that He is working.

And, our faith will also result in action - action that might make us uncomfortable. Such as speaking out on behalf of women who are being treated unfairly in athletic competition because of a societal departure from God's perfect plan for male and female.  A distortion of His created order.  Our willingness to speak out may make other people uncomfortable, too, but when God directs us, we can be a voice for truth and righteousness.  

Let Us Pray

In Matthew chapter 6, Jesus responds to the disciples' requests to teach them how to pray. Beginning in verse 9, we find what is called the Lord's Prayer. Here it is, from the King James Version:
(9b) Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as* we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

This is the National Day of Prayer, and for Christians, it gives us the opportunity to pray corporately, in unity, for our nation, state, and localities. There are public events that can take place, and the observance can also remind us about not only gathering with other believers to pray, but also to reflect on the state of our own private prayer life. 

A Lifeway Research study released early last year highlighted the frequency of prayer. A summary article of the survey noted: "...nearly 2 in 3 Protestant churchgoers (65%) intentionally spend time alone with God at least daily, with 44% saying daily and 21% saying more than once a day."

Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research, stated: “We see a pattern in Scripture of followers of God withdrawing to spend time alone with Him. Jesus Christ Himself also did this,” adding, “Most Protestant churchgoers continue this relational interaction with God and use a variety of resources as they do.”

So, what do believers do during their quiet time? The #1 response - is to pray; the summary says that 83% of churchgoers "most often pray in their own words." 80% "thank God," 62% "praise God," and just under half "confess sins." Around 4 out of 10 "read from the Bible or a devotional."

The summary goes on to say:

Evangelical beliefs and the frequency of church attendance are also factors in how a person prefers to pray. Those who attend worship services at least four times a month are more likely than those who attend less frequently to pray in their own words (85% v. 79%). But those who attend a worship service one to three times a month are more likely than those who attend more frequently to repeat a set prayer (24% v. 16%).

The article notes that younger people tend to pray a "set prayer," while older believers "pray in their own words." 

There is not one set format for a person's quiet time or his or her prayers.  We do recognize the response of Jesus in Matthew 6 as His disciples came to Him and asked Him to teach them to pray.  He gave them what has come to be known as the Lord's Prayer, which includes a variety of elements.  For instance, Jesus acknowledged God as His - and our - Father, and incorporated the praise element when he said, "Hallowed be Thy name."  Psalm 100 talks about entering into God's presence with thanksgiving and praise. 

Jesus also highlighted the importance of standing in solidarity with His will when He said, "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done."  He also pointed to daily needs, such as our "daily bread."

He also emphasized the importance of receiving forgiveness for our sins, which we do, according to 1st John 1, by confessing our sins.  We are also called to forgive others as part of this "model" prayer. 

There is also a spiritual warfare element, as we rely on God to overcome temptation and to walk free from the power of evil.  The Lord's Prayer concludes with the beautiful declaration, offering glory to our great God. 

There is much about which we can be praying, and we can depend on the Spirit of God to place upon our hearts how we are to pray for our own needs, as well as the needs of others. And, one essential component, as well, is to listen to God - to be still before Him, so that we may hear and know His direction.