2023 Year Posts in Review
- Diana
- Jan 14, 2024
- 16 min read
Updated: Apr 7, 2024
Welcome to my review of the 2023 year posts on my website The Good News! Leading People to Jesus Christ.
(See About Me Page)
When I was 10 years old my Uncle told my mother about Transcendental Meditation (T.M.) and said it would reduce the stress in our life and so she had our family learn how to do it. I just hoped it would make my parents stop fighting. I always joked afterwards, to my friends: “it did - they got a divorce”. Because we had been attending a Catholic Church, that ended after my parents were divorced because divorce wasn’t allowed in the church. Eventually I went to a College (MIU) that taught the T.M. Advanced technique, and Computer Science for my major.
I didn’t know what we believed in after my parent’s divorce. Believe it or not up until then I didn't know what Jesus did for us, I knew he was a baby in the Nativity scene at Christmas time but that's where he stayed in my mind. I never understood why he was on the cross, if that was even him. Plus, I thought why would anybody want to look at a man nailed to a cross? At the Catholic Church we weren’t encouraged to own or read the Bible, and so it was read to us in Latin at church. The Catholic Church didn’t want us to know what it said. I believe that it might weaken the power the Church had over the congregation. What would be the need for the Priest listening to your confessions if we prayed on our own to Jesus?
After college I went to Washington DC to find a job with computers. In DC I found work with Computer Science Corporation and met my husband, Bob. After we got married, we moved to Texas for a job opportunity for Bob with Oceaneering. After being settled in Katy Texas Bob and I found a church that seemed to welcome people that didn’t have a faith in a denomination.
After our children arrived Bob got another job opportunity with Chevron. After a couple of years with working at Chevron the company sent us to Australia for an Expatriate assignment. On this “Expat” assignment Bob was sent on a trip to Leeds England. Once at the hotel in Leeds Bob felt at a point of disillusion with his life and called out to God to please help him because he hadn’t been able to sleep with all the worries from his job on his head. The next morning Bob felt very different because of sleeping more than he had in years. He felt, at this point, that Jesus was not just real, but also listening to him and his concerns and helped him get uninterrupted sleep. After this feeling Bob got on his knees and prayed to Jesus to come into his heart and be his Savior for the rest of his life. Bob went from his hotel room and found a jewelry store in order to buy a crucifix so that he would never forget this experience and dedicating the rest of his life to Jesus. Bob also found a church where he could find other people that also wanted to praise Jesus.
Upon returning home to Texas Bob told me and the kids all about his experience and we all decided to accept Jesus into our hearts and follow him for the rest of our lives. All of this happened in 2016 and in 2018 I started a website to tell people about what it was like to me to be a Christian and follow Jesus.
Based on John Bunyan's epic masterpiece that he wrote in the 1600's, The Pilgrim's Progress is one of the most popular books of all time, and one of the most important stories of our faith! Second to the Bible in total copies and translations, the story was written by John Bunyan, a pastor imprisoned for sharing his faith. This powerful allegory helps families understand the spiritual journey is the most important journey in life, as well as the importance of sticking to the path, even when the journey gets difficult. This 2019 cartoon version is recommended for ages 8 and up and it's a family friendly movie. This movie features the voices of John Rhys-Davies, Kristyn Getty, and Ben Price.
Just the other day I found another version of the Pilgrim's Progress' story (2008), "Journey to Heaven", portrayed by human actors. I CAN say that this version IS safe for children, as well, but maybe adolescence and above. I watched the movie and felt it was a great version and worth watching if you haven't already.
Whether you are familiar with the story of The Pilgrim’s Progress or not, Heavenquest‘s live action takes on the classic story and brings the timely messages to life as it depicts the trials and difficult decisions we face as Christians choosing to follow Jesus and discover the mystery of God. The film score is fantastic and provides the perfect backdrop as the scenes unfold. This movie isn't recommended for a young audience or if you're against an "R" rating because of the movie's violence, slight nudity, and suggestive drug use. This movie hasn't been officially rated (?), but I think you get the picture. One fan of this movie said: "First off, I know this is a low budget movie. Very low by Hollywood standards, but I was really impressed with the visuals, the solid acting, the musical score was above its paygrade, and the message of redemption is something for everyone to hear. Of course, it has limitations and it's not Game of Thrones or Lord of the Rings, but for the budget $250K or so (I think I saw on social media) this is pretty remarkable. It seems impossible they pulled it off, honestly. Hope to see more attempts like this. With faith-based films we get so many sports movies and dramas. At least these guys tried something totally ambitious and different. Kudos!"
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Click on the buttons below to watch the Movie Trailers or click on the pictures to watch the whole movie. I hope you find the version you like and enjoy the movie!
There’s a lot of Christian musical groups but I’d like to tell you about a couple here. Casting Crowns and PASSION. If you want to go to their website click on the buttons below. I've also attached album covers below of groups I like and if you'd like to hear one perform click on the pictures.
I'm happy to tell you about the Musical Group Casting Crowns. Their motivation is Godly based. Their Concerts feel like you're attending a Worship Service and they give all the glory to Jesus Christ. I love the song Only Jesus and that's why I use it with my Blog. In this world we can love many things but I believe we need to LOVE Jesus above all else. In Mark Hall’s own words: "There's much talk these days about legacy. How do we want to be remembered? The more I think about it the more I'm reminded that anything in me that's worth remembering are the things that Jesus has worked on, and is still working on in me. On my own I have nothing to offer the world, but Jesus does - so don't mind me. Jesus is the only name to remember.”
In terms of the Music Group Passion, Passion exists to glorify God by uniting students in worship, prayer, and justice for spiritual awakening in this generation. Songs from Passion such as “Even So Come”, “Salvation’s Tide Is Rising”, and “Worthy is Your Name” have become timeless staples in the Church. Through it all, Jesus continues to remain at the center of the music group. Click on any of the Album covers below to watch an Group or Artist perform.
1:1 Answers in Genesis (AIG) is an apologetics (i.e., Christianity-defending) ministry dedicated to enabling Christians to defend their faith and to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ effectively. We focus particularly on providing answers to questions surrounding the book of Genesis, as it is the most-attacked book of the Bible. We also desire to train others to develop a biblical worldview and seek to expose the bankruptcy of evolutionary ideas and bedfellow: a “millions of years old” earth (and even older universe).
Ark Encounter features a full-size Noah’s Ark, built according to the dimensions given in the Bible. Spanning 510 feet long, 85 feet wide, and 51 feet high, this modern engineering marvel amazes visitors young and old. Ark Encounter is situated in beautiful Grant County in Williamstown, Kentucky, halfway between Cincinnati and Lexington and right off I-75.
Answers in Genesis (AIG) teaches that “facts” don’t speak for themselves: they must be interpreted. That is, there aren’t separate sets of evidences” for evolution and creation—we all deal with the same evidence (we all live on the same earth, have the same fossils, observe the same animals, etc.). The difference lies in how we interpret what we study. The Bible—the “history book of the universe”—provides a reliable, eyewitness account of the beginning of all things and can be trusted to tell the truth in all areas it touches on. Therefore, we are able to use it to help us make sense of this present world.
The State-of-the-Art Creation Museum allows you to venture through biblical history, stunning exhibits, botanical gardens, planetarium, zoo, zip line adventure course, and much more. This 75,000-square-foot facility has welcomed millions of guests since opening in Petersburg, Kentucky.
Why does 1:1 Answers in Genesis Exist
1:1 Answers in Genesis (AIG) exists to proclaim the authority of the Bible—from the very first verse—without compromise by using apologetics in its world-class attractions, dynamic resources, and creative media to communicate the message of God’s Word and the gospel so that believers are equipped to defend the Christian faith and nonbelievers are challenged with the truth of the Bible and its message of salvation.
There’s a lot of good Christian books in stores but I’d like to tell you about 2 here and leave links on the book covers on your screen for you to check out more. In the future I will be describing books in detail from the Gallery of Books. Check back to see more and/or Subscribe to be notified when I post something new.
“So, teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” – Psalms 90:12
Three to five years to live was Marc McCoy's prognosis after a revelation from God and a terminal cancer diagnosis. Once he came to terms with his remaining "shortened lifespan," a beautiful world began to unfold. It was a world of love, peace, purpose and unspeakable joy.
"Fashion is a fickle industry, a frightening fact for twenty-four-year-old model Ivy Clark. Ten years in and she learned a sacred truth, appearance is everything. Nobody cares about her broken past as long as she looks beautiful for the camera. This is the only life Ivy knows so when it starts to unravel, she'll do anything to hold on. Even if that means moving to the quaint island town of Greenbrier, South Carolina, to be the new face of her stepmother's bridal wear line." - Katie Ganshert
"A Broken Kind of Beautiful" speaks to this dilemma. I highly recommend this book to anybody that wants to know that it's normal not to feel "beautiful" or "accepted" sometimes. But God loves you just the way you are since He's the one that made you. I'm so glad I stopped coloring my hair. God made me and I'm exactly what he had in mind. Who can find fault with that? Before I knew what Jesus did for us on that wooden cross, worrying about my looks plagued me but now I realize that if I don't like what I look like it's like telling God that He made a mistake when He made me. This is the same God that made the planets, stars, animals, and everything else. Would you tell a zebra that you didn't like its stripes? Or a leopard its spots are ugly? If not, why is it Ok to tell yourself that you're ugly? Below are a couple quotes from the Bible that state what God feels about us.
"I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb." -Jeremiah 1:5 NKJV
"Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised." -Proverbs 31:30 NKJV
Click on Book Covers to Buy Book Online
For more than 130 years, Lifeway Christian Resources (lifeway.com) has served as the world’s leading nonprofit provider of ministry resources for the local church. Our story began when Dr. James M. Frost envisioned a Christian publishing house to help churches teach God’s Word, develop leaders, and impact every nation for Christ. Much has changed in the world since then, but Lifeway’s focus remains on helping local churches share the good news of Jesus Christ and make disciples everywhere. Today, Lifeway’s resources are used in more than 160 countries on six continents. We continue to evolve to serve the changing needs of the church. From Bibles and Bible studies to church supplies, camps, and events, our team passionately pursues the needs of local churches, no matter where they are. As a nonprofit, each purchase you make at Lifeway helps support this ongoing work to spread the gospel around the globe. Lifeway Christian Resources is an entity of the Southern Baptist Convention, a collection of like-minded churches who share a common bond of basic biblical beliefs and a commitment to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ in every nation.
Lifeway's Basic Biblical Belief is “Lifeway is on the move internationally, because God is on the move internationally.” - Ben Mandrell, Lifeway President and CEO
To find out about the other Christian Shops you see below click on the pictures:
A few years ago, I started attending a Craft Circle group at a Church where we make things to sell. The money made from selling our crafts goes to Missions. Missions is a way to get stuff to people that don't have enough to eat, clothes to wear, or housing. These people that receive our help can be people in another country or right here in our country. Over the years I've made afghans, pillows, pot holders, and most recently bags. I've even started making hats with a hole for a "ponytail". If you click on the pictures below you'll be taken to the website for Red Heart yarn but you can find their yarn at local stores that carry craft supplies. If you'd like to do something for someone else that might have less than you, find an organization in your area. I've attached three links below that you can click on to be taken to their sites:
Healthy Eating
Socializing
Playing with Family
Restful Sleep
Walking/Playing with Your Pet
Attending Church
Praying with Family
Saying Grace over Meals
Today I want to share my thoughts on Self-Care because I think it's something that is overlooked or forgotten in the way people live their busy lives, and discuss why it's so important. I say "Temple of God" because we were made in the Image of God, which means with the Holy Spirit within us. We must therefore take care of our bodies and our minds.
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:6-7
I've collected different images that all represent, in my mind, caring for yourself. I've found images that show getting exercise, eating healthy, laughing with others, praying with others before meals, attending a church service, playing a game with someone else, being there when someone needs to be comforted, and getting enough sleep. If you were to take one of these things all by itself it wouldn't be enough but combined it results in a life the way Jesus tried to teach. "We are to love others as yourself" as Jesus showed us. I think the part of this verse that people forget is really important "as yourself". If you don't love yourself first, how can you love others?
Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ …” - Matthew 22:37-39
YOU’RE BEAUTIFUL JUST THE WAY YOU ARE
Something most people grow up learning is that beauty is valuable. Worth a lot. People spend a lot of money to have it if they think they don't. Even if people are beautiful in other people's minds people still want more of it. Something I grew up thinking was that if my hair was white people "might" consider me to be "old". The thought of looking old to most people is something not desirable. Men, as well as women, do things to themselves to keep from looking old. I don't work in the beauty industry, and so I might be wrong, but I'd think women worry about aging, or looking old, more than men. If men get grey or white hair, they're considered to seem more distinguished but woman are thought to just look past their "prime".
As for me, starting at the age of 21 I started getting white hairs. I didn't want to look like somebody's grandmother when I was having children. Once I realized a semi-permanent hair color would fade, and not leave as bad of a root line, this is what I started to use. Years into coloring my hair I watched a "Twilight Zone" show about people getting new "bodies" at the age of 19. The episode was called "Number 12 Looks Just Like You".
In this picture from the Twilight Zone show, the girl, "Marilyn" that was brought into the Clinic to get a new body, is shown after completing the transformation even though she didn't want a new body. Marilyn's mother and the Sales lady from the Clinic both said to Marilyn, whatever it took, to convince the 19-year-old to go through with the procedure. Everybody wears their name on their shirt to tell people apart.
"Fashion is a fickle industry, a frightening fact for twenty-four-year-old model Ivy Clark. Ten years in and she learned a sacred truth, appearance is everything. Nobody cares about her broken past as long as she looks beautiful for the camera. This is the only life Ivy knows so when it starts to unravel, she'll do anything to hold on. Even if that means moving to the quaint island town of Greenbrier, South Carolina, to be the new face of her stepmother's bridal wear line." - Katie Ganshert
"A Broken Kind of Beautiful" speaks to this dilemma. I highly recommend this book to anybody that wants to know that it's normal not to feel "beautiful" or "accepted". But God loves you just the way you are since He's the one that made you.
In this picture it’s me, now, with my Toy Poodle "Iris", and I'm so glad I stopped coloring my hair. God made me, and I'm exactly what he had in mind. Who can find fault with that? Before I knew what Jesus did for us on that wooden cross, worrying about my looks plagued me but now I realize that if I don't like what I look like it's like telling God that He made a mistake when He made me. This is the same God that made the planets, stars, animals, and everything else. Would you tell a zebra that you didn't like its stripes? Or a leopard its spots are ugly? If not, why is it Ok to tell yourself that you're ugly? Below are a couple quotes from the Bible that state what God feels about us.
"I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb."- Jeremiah 1:5 NKJV
"Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised." - Proverbs 31:30 NKJV
Starting in Exodus 7:3 God hardened Pharaoh's heart and would not let the Israel people leave Egypt to be free after years of slavery. I've been really touched by this story of how God wanted to free His Israelite people from the slavery in Egypt under Pharaoh. But God wanted to harden Pharaoh's heart in order to demonstrate His power to everybody when God performed miracles so that people would see and believe in Him.
"...And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt. But Pharaoh will not heed you, so that I may lay My hand on Egypt and bring My armies and My people, the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch out My hand on Egypt and bring out the children of Israel from among them.” - Exodus 7:3 NKJV
What made me want to do a post about this miracle was because of the world we live in now. Do you ever wonder why people in power do things that seem evil or against their country's best interest? Maybe we need to consider that God might be "hardening" the person's heart in order for God to make people call out to Him for help or because God is going to demonstrate His power with signs and wonders again. Below I’ve listed the other verses where God hardened Pharaoh’s heart. There was a lot!
Wait for and Trust God with All Things
Whether the Rapture happens tomorrow or next year, we all should be thinking about what we can be doing while we’re alive and on Earth to Serve God. I know after doing some deep thinking that’s at least what I’ve decided. If you want to be a disciple of Jesus Christ than you have to be living for Him. Have you heard that saying going around, “What Would Jesus Do?” Whether you have or not, think about it!
I’ve attached a link to Got Questions.org’s website on the picture that states “Rapture” answering the question what the Bible says about the Rapture of the Church.
I’ve also put links for the verses in the Bible where the rapture is explained.
Rapture references in the Bible:
When we question God’s timing, it is often because we are looking for guidance or deliverance from a difficult situation. We can rest assured, however, that our heavenly Father knows exactly where we are in our lives at every moment. He either put us there or is allowing us to be there, all for His own perfect purpose. In fact, God often uses trials to strengthen our patience, allowing our Christian faith to mature and become complete (James 1:3-4). And we know that all things – including these difficult trials – work out for the good of those who love God (Romans 8:28). God does indeed hear the cries of His children and will answer those cries according to His perfect will and timing. “A righteous man may have many troubles; the LORD delivers him from them all” (Psalm 34:19). The plans God has for His children are good plans – to help us, not hurt us (Jeremiah 29:11).
BILLY GRAHAM CHRISTIAN MOVIES
Billy Graham Christian movies are really special because they tell a story about how people are struggling in life, wide up at a Revival where Billy Graham is Preaching, and then give their life to Jesus.
Click on the pictures to watch the movie trailer!
If you want to know about the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and what they believe and/do Click on the picture of Pastor Graham.
The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association created a Biography movie of Billy Graham's life and whether you want to watch the trailer or buy/rent the movie it's the same link: Biography of Billy Graham.
Billy Graham also did a movie of his Life Lessons. This movie is free to watch and you can click on the title to start the movie:
Click on the link belong to check out my YouTube Channel:
"The Good News!" https://www.youtube.com/@bloggerforthelord
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