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Can you imagine sitting down to have a big bowl of yummy Froot Loops® only to find when you poured out the contents of the box there weren't fruity loops inside, but rather stale black loops with a horrible smell. I'm sure you would push the box and the bowl of putrefying contents from you as quickly as possible. The most anticipated bowl of fruit loops had quickly become "unfruitful." God says our attitude toward sin needs to have the same response as our attitude toward...
As a child and as a teenager and even as an adult, several times I would act in a certain way that wasn't helpful in my moving forward in maturity. I would make mistakes and endure their consequences. Many times, I would not change my behaviour, which meant changing my mind, until I got caught doing something inappropriate, or unacceptable to my own welfare or the welfare of the community. One evening I listened to a preacher online who explained that the word "repentance"...
Q: The world is in a time of transition. Not one person is unaffected by the COVID-19 pandemic. I had plans before we got locked down and now I don't know what my life will look like. What should I do when things don't go as planned? A: Yes, I agree that the virus has altered many of our plans for the future. You are not alone during this time. My short term plans or goals have been affected as well. Our plans should never be cemented in stone. Sooner or later, we will meet...
Q: How should a Christian handle discrimination? With the "Black Lives Matter" movement, should First Nations expect or demand more respect? What does God's Word say about this? A: How should a Christian handle discrimination? The original Greek word for "whosoever" found in John 3:16, is "πᾶς" (pas). Its definition and usage is: all; every; the whole; every kind of. πᾶς (pas) is also the exact Greek word used in Romans 10:13. "'Whosoever' calls on the name of the Lord sh...
Q: I served my time as a serious offender but am having many doubts that God can forgive me for what I've done. How do I know for sure I am forgiven? A: Nehemiah 9:17 says, "But Thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of a great kindness and forsookest them not." When we come to Him in repentance, sorry for our sins, and ask Him to forgive us and to come into our hearts, He will surely do so. Psalm 103:10–13 says, "He hath not dealt with us a...
Q: With marijuana now being legalized in many areas of Canada and USA, is it okay to use it? I'm told it has many medicinal properties. A: History tells us that culture is ever changing, adjusting itself to the whims and wishes of the day. John Wesley was credited with saying, "What one generation tolerates, the next generation will embrace." Such is true of the issue of the legalization of marijuana in our present culture. As always, the believer in Christ needs to evaluate...
In the holy and sacred book that was passed down from our spiritual ancestors, we read the story of a leader, Paul, who shared wisdom and advice about weaknesses. In 2 Corinthians 12:7–10 we read his story: "I was given a thorn in my flesh. . . . Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that C...
Love according to kids Sometimes we run out of wise advice on love, so we ask kids about it. Eric, age 6, was asked, "What exactly is marriage?" He said, "Marriage is when you get to keep your girl and don't have to give her back to her parents!" Kally, age 9, was asked, "How do you decide who to marry?" "You flip a nickel," she said, "heads means you stay with him. Tails means you try the next one." Eddie, age 6, was asked how to tell if two people are married. He said, "If...
"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God" -John 1:12 What is real power? During this time of the year it seems that buying as much as you can to give to whomever you want would be a real powerful lifestyle! Some would say power is all about popularity or the latest sports car. Others would say it's money or possessions. Did you ever realize that the things we strive for and consider to be real power are temporary? Business could be great...
As Indigenous people across North America, we are known for being a people group that wait. Historically, Indigenous people have waited and relied on the different seasons. We have waited for berry picking seasons; we have waited for various hunting seasons; we have waited for seasons of the land freezing and thawing. Then through colonization we have waited on the government and churches to come through with their promises. We know what it is like to feel blessed because we...
Ah, winter. That season when our mothers draped us in 40 pounds of parka, thick mittens and winter boots so heavy you could barely walk to school. "You'll catch your death of cold," mom said while she wrapped four or five scarves around my head and pulled them so tight that I could see stars. I had to feel my way to school. If I fell over, I rolled a little, but I couldn't get up. I just stayed in a snowdrift until school was over and someone had mercy on me. Other than that,...
When it comes to trios, they're one of history's most well known ones. Nope, we're not talking about the Three Stooges or the Three Musketeers or even the Three Blind Mice. Look in almost any manger scene you see this season and you'll find them: The wisemen. Although technically, scholars tell us there may have been more than three of them, they were still among the first to worship Jesus after He was born. And we can take some pointers to apply in our own lives from the way...
Question: How do I heal myself after losing my partner of 19 years? She was my life, my companion. How do I heal from my grieving? I spoke with one elder and she told me my love is in a happy place; that she's in the land of everlasting happiness. -G.O. Answer: I was married to my husband for 33 years when he died suddenly from a massive heart attack on July 5, 2008. It was a difficult time for me, and I can relate to your pain in losing your spouse. I really thought I...
Q: I have children with a man I was not married to, but I've met someone else I care about deeply. We want to marry, but I am struggling with the decision to do so. I am a Christian (although my relationship with the Lord is off and on) and need help knowing what would be right in the Lord's eyes. A: First some questions to consider. How is the relationship between your children and their father? How long have you been separated and had you separated before and got back...
Some people carry very heavy burdens. At some time in life, every person is haunted by deeds done and words said that were later regretted a thousand times over. Often, people beat themselves up and live with regret for years. Guilt, shame and fear are the worst burdens that anyone can carry. I have heard people say, "I just can't forgive myself." This is an interesting phrase and if we really examine it, we would understand that it is a ludicrous thought. We never read in...
As I take a look at what our spiritual ancestor Paul said in his written letter to the local church community, I see some wisdom that can help us heal our broken hearts. So many things happen throughout our lives that cause us grief, loss and trauma, at so many various levels, that if we don't find ways to heal our broken hearts, we will find ourselves going down a path that we will regret. We can all tell stories of heartache in our own lives and the lives of our family...
"The last thing I expected was for my 55-year-old husband to have a heart-attack," Cherolyn Conway says. "We didn't realize he had any heart issues. But we learned he had 75% and 95% blockages." As Jack Conway was checked into the emergency room, Cherolyn had to run back home to get medication information the doctors needed. Finally, with Jack admitted, Cherolyn realized she'd forgotten her own medications and personal effects. But she wasn't about to leave Jack's side to get...
"Momma, no!" The child's wails rose above the din in the store: Mothers and children were everywhere, shopping for school clothes. Small children, too little to be involved in the hunt, ran amuck between display racks. Long lines stretched outside the fitting rooms, where impatient shoppers waited their turn to try on clothes. I understand a mother's frustration over a task that must be done. The young boy's voice increased in volume, "But I don't want to!" I couldn't hear...
Flowers are one of the special gifts God gave us. Flowers adorn our births, weddings, anniversaries, and our deaths. Flowers speak for us when we can't find the words to say, "I love you," "I'm Sorry," "Goodbye." Every Indian tribe has legends about flowers. Besides being beautiful, many flowers were used for ceremonies, healing, medicine and food. I've always loved the flower called Indian Paint Brush. Its red petals are one of the first to bloom in the spring and last until...
WWII U.S. Marine Corp veteran who worked in secret and confidential files, Washington DC Nearly 800 Native American women served in the U.S. military during WWII. For several reasons their contributions-as were those of all women who served in the armed forces during that era-were largely unrecognized. Perhaps the chief reason for such oversight in the WWII era is that, regardless of race or ethnicity, women as a gender were largely restricted regarding the capacities in...
Almost every person who makes a living public speaking has experienced a zipper malfunction on stage. This has happened to me twice. The first time it happened, I was speaking to a group of pastors. I stood there helpless, wishing my sweater were longer. Another preacher friend of mine had it worse. As he was speaking, someone in the front motioned towards the zipper region. It took him a minute to realize what was being communicated. Problem was, there was a large crowd in...
It's just unreliable. There is absolutely no pattern to it. The day or the hour doesn't determine when it's hot, cold, or warm. To rely on such a system is nonsense. It's too much work to keep up, so we just quit trying. Ad Seg (the Hole) in Chino, California has about 100 cells. The building is old and its plumbing has many issues. Hot water is a rare luxury. I have no idea how big the Hole's hot water heater is, but it's not big enough. Each of the 100 cells has its own...
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. -Psalm 19:1-3 God speaks to every human on earth every day and every night. He begins our days with soft dawns and closes them with colorful sunsets. He paints His sky with varying shades of blues and lavender; then He splashes vibrant oranges and reds onto...
My Native American family of Creek and Cherokee descent was at best a nominal Christian family, but I have fond memories of attending vacation Bible school and going to church on rare occasions as a child. Although I wasn't taught the Word of God during my formative years, at the age of six I made a profession of faith at the conclusion of a Vacation Bible School-but throughout my teen years, I never felt secure in my relationship to Christ. As a teen, I fell victim to drugs...
Q: I am proud to be a child of God. Right now, I am struggling with the problem of determining which things in my Native American culture will fit in with my Christian faith and which things do not. Is it possible to have all of both worlds? A: I reread your question, and it seems your faith is somewhat shallow or you have just become a believer very recently. I may be missing something or not understanding but it seems in your question there is very little to say that you...
