Category: apologetics

Irrefutable Evidence

Published on by katiesencouragementforyou6 Comments

Have you ever thought—I’d like to have faith—I’d like to believe—but bridging the gap between my mind and belief is too far of a gap.

Fortunately, God has provided irrefutable evidence to bridge that gap.   The real issue is—being open to that evidence.

At the bottom of this post are two videos that give evidence that can help bridge the gap, between your intellect and your belief. The first one is only two minutes long and deals with evidence for the resurrection of Jesus. The second one is 30 minutes long and gives evidence for fulfilled prophesies. The third video is a favorite song of mine, especially meaninful at Easter time.

These videos are for every seeker, who wants to find the truth.  They are for every skeptic, who sometimes wonders if there could be proof.   These videos for every believer, who wants support for that belief, and encouragement in that belief.

With Easter coming this Sunday, you owe it to yourself to take some time and be amazed at what God has done.   Watching even one of these videos could literally change your life for all of eternity!!

 May we be encouraged!!

These videos are for every seeker, who wants to find the truth.  These are for every skeptic, who sometimes wonders if there could be proof.   These videos are for eve=====ry believer, who wants support for that belief, and encouragement in the belieWith Easter coming this Sunday, you owe it to yourself to take some time and be amazed at what God has done.   Watching even one of these videos could literally change your life for all of eter

Proof of God

Irrefutable Evidence

Published on by katiesencouragementforyou2 Comments

Have you ever thought—I’d like to have faith—I’d like to believe—but bridging the gap between my mind and belief is too far of a gap.

Fortunately, God has provided irrefutable evidence to bridge that gap.   The real issue is—being open to that evidence.

At the bottom of this post are two videos that give evidence that can help bridge the gap, between your intellect and your belief. The first one is only two minutes long and deals with evidence for the resurrection of Jesus. The second one is 30 minutes long and gives evidence for fulfilled prophesies. The third video is a favorite song of mine, especially meaninful at Easter time.

These videos are for every seeker, who wants to find the truth.  They are for every skeptic, who sometimes wonders if there could be proof.   These videos for every believer, who wants support for that belief, and encouragement in that belief.

With Easter coming this Sunday, you owe it to yourself to take some time and be amazed at what God has done.   Watching even one of these videos could literally change your life for all of eternity!!

 May we be encouraged!!

These videos are for every seeker, who wants to find the truth.  These are for every skeptic, who sometimes wonders if there could be proof.   These videos are for eve=====ry believer, who wants support for that belief, and encouragement in the belieWith Easter coming this Sunday, you owe it to yourself to take some time and be amazed at what God has done.   Watching even one of these videos could literally change your life for all of eter

Proof of God

Dear Family and Friends,

Published on by katiesencouragementforyou5 Comments

Last week was the 7th anniversary of Sean’s passing. 

In some of your eyes, I have seen the unspoken question, “How can you still believe in God, after this?” or “How can you still trust God after this?”   “If God is the all-powerful God you say He is, why didn’t He stop this, why didn’t He heal Sean?”   “You don’t really think Sean’s death was part of God’s plan—that God actually planned to take Sean home—do you?”

I know what motivated those questions—pain, (those of you who knew Sean, loved him, and his death brought searing pain)—and fear—(if God could take our child, will He take yours?)

Sometimes death is a relief– but when death comes unexpectedly and to one who is young and beloved, it brings devastation with it.   It is a reminder that we are not in control of our own lives—and it brings the question—is God really in control?   Don’t these things just happen?

I remember when my friend Becki Crain died, asking these same questions, wrestling with God, questioning and doubting Him.

Then again when Sean died, I did the same thing.   I somehow forgot all the ways God has worked in my life in the past, and all the times I have been immersed in His presence, and all the answers to prayers, and all the times He has provided for us and protected us.  My feelings went haywire—and I was bombarded by negative thoughts about God.  So here’s what I have done in those situations—

 I research again, the validity of God’s Word.  I start with researching whether or not Jesus rose from the dead– why?  Because I agree with the apostle Paul, when he says that if Jesus did not rise from the dead, our faith is in vain.

Each time I have done this research, I have confirmed the truth of what happened.  Jesus did live, He did die, He did Rise from the dead—and He tells us that He is coming Again!!   I confirm the consistency and truth of His written Word, and the trustworthiness of His Word.

Therefore, I can take God at His Word.  These are some of the verses, I cling to:

“In this world, you will have tribulation, but take courage, I have overcome the world.” John. 16:33

“Come to me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything with prayer, supplication and thanksgiving, make your requests known to God, and God’s peace which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Philippians 4:6,7

“Everyone who hears my words and acts on them, may be compared to the man who built his house on the rock, and the rain fell, and the floods came and the winds blew and slammed against that house, and yet  it did not fall for it had been founded on the rock.”  Matthew 7:24,25

“All things work together for good, to those who love God and are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28

“I am convinced that neither life nor death, nor angels, or principalities, nor things present, or things to come, nor power, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will ever be able to  separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord. ” Romans 8: 38,39

“Therefore we do not lose heart…..”2 Corinthians 4: 16-18

I don’t know all the answers.  I don’t know why Sean died.  I do know that God knows, and that is enough for me.  

I do know that I can trust this God, who came down to earth from Heaven and offered Himself up for me and offered Himself up for you, and that is enough for me.

I do know that this God loves me, and this God loves you, and that is enough for me.

God is enough for me.  God is enough for you.  Let’s be Encouraged!!

Much love,

Katie

Peace, Baby, Peace

Published on by katiesencouragementforyou7 Comments

Have you ever taken a ride on an airplane and looked down and everything seems so small? — Small houses, cars, buildings, trees.  I love looking down and seeing the world get small.  I feel such a peace when I am looking at life from that angle.  Why?  Because it reminds me that it is all a matter of perspective.

  Often, when I focus on a problem—the problem can seem so big, so huge, so unsolvable.  For example, in marriage, my husband and I often have differing opinions from one another.  That is to be expected, we are two different people, we had different backgrounds, he is from the East Coast, I am from the Mid-West, (I don’t have to explain any further than that—the cultural differences alone, explain most of our differences.)   There have been a few times in our marriage, where our differences were so extreme, that I wondered if they could be overcome. 

It’s all a matter of perspective.   It’s all in how I look at the situation.  Often, reading the Bible will help me find perspective.  I find God’s point of view—His eternal view, and that makes everything else seem small in comparison to His view, and I have that same sense of peace.

When I was in college, I began my relationship with the Lord.  One of the verses that I read over and over again was, Philippians 4:6,7:   Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer, supplication and thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God and the peace of God shall guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus Our Lord.

I heard a great talk by Josh McDowell, on this verse. The talk was about taking every concern to the Lord in prayer and the result will be—peace.  Not that I will necessarily have what I ask, but that when I put things in God’s hands, with an attitude of thankfulness and respect, God gives His peace.

Peace is a gift.  It is not being anxious but being calm.  It is realizing that “it”, (whatever “it” is) is all in God’s Hands, and He is motivated by love.  He can be trusted with the “it”.

Every time, I have lost someone I loved, I have been forced to look at God and look at that belief that He does love me.  He is in charge.  He can be trusted.   How do I deal with finding my way back to God when my heart is torn, battered and my soul is reeling?

I look at what I know—I know that Jesus did live, and He did die, and He did rise again.  (I am not going to go into all the apologetics of how I know this, but I will give you a link, so you can start doing research yourself into these topics.) Click here for apologetic videos.

I know that scripture is reliable and can be trusted.  Click here for a video about this.

I know prophesy in scripture has been fulfilled, showing me that God knows what is going to happen, and He is Sovereign, He has a plan, His will—will be done. Click here for video on fulfilled prophesies.

The Holy Spirit continues to speak in my heart, reassuring me that I am God’s child, that I am loved, that I belong.  (Romans 8:16)

There was a song that I learned when I was in college, (I was on summer break, working up north with the children of migrant workers, and attending a little tiny church—where this song was sung), the words to the song are:  “Many things about tomorrow, I don’t seem to understand, but I know Who holds tomorrow, and I know Who holds my hand.”     I loved that song.  I would sing it, over and over again. Click here to listen to song.

That was a time in my life, when I was coming to the end of college, and my future was full of question marks.  This song, helped to remind me of God, the One Who holds my hand, and the One Who holds the future.  The song helped me to focus on God and He helped me to gain perspective and peace.

God holds your hand and He holds your future too.   God loves you with an everlasting love.  When we doubt that, our peace is destroyed, as it is difficult to trust and follow God if we doubt His love for us.  So, remember—all He has done to demonstrate His love to you, all the Evidence He has provided so you can know what you believe is true and Be at Peace and

 Be Encouraged!!