Meaning of "X"mas

Only one week left till Xmas!!  Now before everyone jumps on me for removing Christ from Christmas let me explain about Xmas.  In Greek the first letter of Christ is X(chi).  It has been used in past centuries as a shorter way of writing Christ in words such as Xian (Christian), Xianity (Christianity) and Xmas(Christmas).  Also like other abbreviations it is correctly pronounced as if it were written out in full, Christmas not exmas.  So next time you hear someone go off about how Xmas is taking the Christ out of Christmas, politely correct them on the proper usage and pronunciation of Xmas.

Here are the websites i used as reference for this post.  I really sugest you read through the first one.  It includes some stuff i chose to leave out of this post.  Such as some reasons people used Xmas instead of Christmas and other interesting stuff.
The Origin of "Xmas"
http://www.answers.com/topic/xmas

We would love to hear what your doing for Christmas this year!!  Leave us a comment on your holiday plans or if you have anything to say about this post.  Or you can send us an email at Faithblog.ej@gmail.com
Have a very merry Xmas!!!
~Tickledpink1994~

Prayer -- My thoughts on PrayerMarket . com

This is in response to a comment we received:

 

"John Wilson said...

Hey FaithBlog, my name is John. I read a lot of blogs on religion and prayer and I've i feel like I've ended up here once before. I'd love to hear your thoughts about this prayer exchange website PrayerMarket.com I thought it was an interesting idea and would be curious to hear what you (or other Christians) think about it I'll check back here in the next day or two, thanks & God bless John W."

I believe prayer is the most powerful tool available to Christians.  It has been proven time and time again (scientific evidence for answered prayer.) to help those who need it.  Because of this i think prayer requests are wonderful and we have our own section for them on our devotionals page.  But also i dont think prayer cannot be "bought".  Read the 2006 American Heart Journal study on the page linked to above.  I have a few other problems with PrayerMarket.  First as mentioned above no one else can write your prayer for you. i qoute from PrayerMarket "Write down what you'd like readers to say"  Think of prayer as a conversation with a friend.  You dont ask them to do stuff by reading something someone else wrote do you?  You'll put it in your own words.  While writing what you want people to say is not required by PrayerMarket it still shows a lot about the page.  Again prayer can not be bought.  You should NEVER EVER have to pay someone to pray for you!  Never!  The amount of things that stick out to me on this page as 'wrong' are to many for me to give a detailed explanation for each.  so here is a general list if you would like me to explain a certain thing leave a comment.

1. Yet again prayer can not be bought
2. The prayers must be recorded
3. Prayers can be 'pre-written'
4. "Recordings can be easily shared" over various social media

ok so maybe the list isnt that long.  but heres my last reason that i dont think the page is "authenticly" Christian:  It makes me uncomfortable.  Some of you may be laughing of rolling your eyes but seriously there is a reason most things make us uncomfortable.  GOD gives us this feeling to keep us safe.  peer presure often makes us uncomfortable, theres a reason for that.  same way with our faith.  This doesnt always mean theres something wrong but it does mean you should do some reasearch.

All in all i think this page is a "fraud".  I agree that it is a good idea.  We need places to share our prayer requests.  But i dont think this is the right way to do it.  I know ive said it a hundred times but prayer can not be bought.  Remember the story of Jesus and the moneychangers in the temple?  Read Mark 11:15- 19.  I want you to pay special attention to verse 17.  This verse really sums up my thoughts on PrayerMarket.

If you do have prayer requests here are some places to check out:
     Air1 prayer requests
     Klove prayer requests
also you can check out the prayer request section on our devotionals page.

these are just my thoughts on PrayerMarket.  I encourage you to research it yourself.  2 Corinthians 11:14 "Satan can change himself into an angel of light".  Just because it has a Christian name doesnt mean its right.  remember dont judge a book by its cover.  Satan likes to bind stuff in beautiful coverings.
love yall
~tickledpink~

Woman of Strength

yet again something i have read not something i wrote myself . . . unfortunately i don't know who wrote this.  Anyways here you go:

WOMEN OF STRENGTH

A strong woman works out everyday

to keep her body in shape . . .

but a woman of strength kneels in prayer

to keep her soul in shape . . . 

A strong woman isn't afraid of anything . . . 

but a woman of strength shows courage

in the midst of her fear . . .

A strong woman won't let

anyone get the best of her . . .

but a woman of strength gives

the best of herself everyone . . . 

A strong woman makes mistakes 

and avoids the same in the future . . .

a woman of strength realizes life's mistakes

can also be GOD's blessings and captilizes on them . . . 

A strong woman walks sure footedly . .  .

but a woman of strength knows GOD

will catch her when she falls . . .

A strong woman wears the look

of confidence on her face . . . 

but a woman of strength wears grace . . .

A strong woman has faith

that she is is strong enough for the journey . . .

but a woman of strength has faith

that it is during the journey

that she will become strong . . .

WHICH ONE ARE YOU?

many of us may strive to be a woman of strength by becoming a strong woman.  But it is by becoming a woman of strength that we become a strong woman.  Same goes for the guys . . . it is only when we give everything we have to GOD that we have anything.  

I still need someone to help me post!  if your interested email me at  faithblog.ej@gmail.com !

love yall and thanks for reading the blog,

~tickledpink~

Why Go To Church?

i got this in an email recently thought i would share it with yall:

A Church goer wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday... "I've gone for 30 years now," he wrote, "and in that time I have heard something like 203,000 sermons.  But for the life of me, I can't remember a single one of them.  So, I think I'm wasting my time and the pastors are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all."

This started a real controversy in the "Letters to the Editor" column, much to the delight of the editor.

 It went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher:

"I've been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals. But, for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals. But I do know this. They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!" 

remember it is just as important to keep spiritually in shape as it is to keep physically in shape.

love yall and ill be finishing up the Renewed Strength post this week

Renewed Strength

My favorite verse in the whole bible is probably Isaiah 40:28-31.  to me this one section sums up all of the Bible. Its covers the creation "The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth", the fall of man "And the young men shall utterly fall", and finally the redemption "But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength".  I would like to take each part of this verse and tell you what it means to me.  Everyday this week i will leave a comment on this post explaining my view on each part of the verse.  i would love to hear what yall think as well.  again don't be afraid to use the Anonymous name tag.

Hope you had a good Halloween.
love yall,
~Tickledpink~