I considered myself an atheist up until about 5 years ago. Then I saw evil I had never seen before. Among the most disturbing evils is the sexualization of children in public school, books for children with deviant sexual themes, the normalization of gender dysmorphia and the encouragement of mutilation of children. At that moment I believed in God perhaps because I thought there must be a counter to such great evil. I looked at nature and realized that life is too amazing, too complex, too beautiful to have occurred spontaneously, there must be a creator, God. I went to church, Christian church. But I was not a Christian because I could not believe in the story of Jesus. I did not believe the son of God walked the earth, died and was resurrected. This morning I looked at The Current and saw another Ode to Jesus and did not read it. Half an hour later I returned and read the piece and the scripture quoted. Something changed inside of me. My eyes filled with tears and at that moment I believed in Jesus with all my heart. Thank you Andy for the best Christmas present ever.
Jeff, you just gave me a huge blessing to have been a participant in our good God opening your eyes and your heart! Guard what God has given you! Find a bible believing and bible preaching church and begin your eternal walk with God!
Jeff, praise God for accepting Jesus into your heart! Your post brought joyous tears to my eyes and was a blessing to read. I will keep you in my prayers my brother in Christ. Our God is a Mighty God and the only salvation for our nation. God bless you.
Merry Christmas to everyone on SB Current! Andy, thank you for your columns and your grace when people (myself included) disagreed with you. I would like to post my own favorite Christmas hymn Once In Royal David's City sung here by the King's College Choir of Cambridge
As a Jew and one who enjoys the Christmas spirit (not so much the commercialism), I think Christianity has been very beneficial for this country, since it promotes and teaches a set of values that fosters personal growth, self-reliance and other actions like honesty, caring, generosity, and most importantly, family and community. The founders were not wrong to emphasize Christianity as essential to the well-being of our country. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone.
Andy, thank you for a great message. What a blessing that it brought a new believer to the family of Christ! Our nation needs God’s healing and guidance more than ever. II Chronicles 7:14.
I’m a Taoist, but must say that Jesus saved my life…I believe that Jesus walked the earth to teach us to love one another and well as to heal one another…it’s time for healing.
Merry Christmas!!!
PS, let’s keep those that stand for US in thoughts & prayers as we celebrate the holiday season…
TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, HE LIVED ALL ALONE,
IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF PLASTER AND STONE.
I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE, AND TO SEE JUST WHO IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.
I LOOKED ALL ABOUT, A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE, NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS, NOT EVEN A TREE.
NO STOCKING BY MANTLE, JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND, ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.
WITH MEDALS AND BADGES, AWARDS OF ALL KINDS, A SOBER THOUGHT CAME THROUGH MY MIND.
FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT, IT WAS DARK AND DREARY, I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER, ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.
THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING, SILENT, ALONE,
CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.
THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE, THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER, NOT HOW I PICTURED A UNITED STATES SOLDIER.
WAS THIS THE HERO OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?
CURLED UP ON A PONCHO, THE FLOOR FOR A BED?
I REALIZED THE FAMILIES THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT, OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.
SOON ROUND THE WORLD, THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY, AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.
THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR, BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS, LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.
I COULDN'T HELP WONDER HOW MANY LAY ALONE, ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.
THE VERY THOUGHT
BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE, I DROPPED TO MY KNEES AND STARTED TO CRY.
THE SOLDIER AWAKENED AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,
"SANTA DON'T CRY, THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;
I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM, I DON'T ASK FOR MORE, MY LIFE IS MY GOD,
MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS." THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP, I COULDN'T CONTROL IT, I CONTINUED TO WEEP.
I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS, SO SILENT AND STILL AND WE BOTH SHIVERED FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.
I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT, THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR SO WILLING TO FIGHT.
THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER, WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE, WHISPERED, "CARRY ON SANTA, IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE." ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH, AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
"MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND, AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT."
I considered myself an atheist up until about 5 years ago. Then I saw evil I had never seen before. Among the most disturbing evils is the sexualization of children in public school, books for children with deviant sexual themes, the normalization of gender dysmorphia and the encouragement of mutilation of children. At that moment I believed in God perhaps because I thought there must be a counter to such great evil. I looked at nature and realized that life is too amazing, too complex, too beautiful to have occurred spontaneously, there must be a creator, God. I went to church, Christian church. But I was not a Christian because I could not believe in the story of Jesus. I did not believe the son of God walked the earth, died and was resurrected. This morning I looked at The Current and saw another Ode to Jesus and did not read it. Half an hour later I returned and read the piece and the scripture quoted. Something changed inside of me. My eyes filled with tears and at that moment I believed in Jesus with all my heart. Thank you Andy for the best Christmas present ever.
Jeff, you just gave me a huge blessing to have been a participant in our good God opening your eyes and your heart! Guard what God has given you! Find a bible believing and bible preaching church and begin your eternal walk with God!
Jeff, praise God for accepting Jesus into your heart! Your post brought joyous tears to my eyes and was a blessing to read. I will keep you in my prayers my brother in Christ. Our God is a Mighty God and the only salvation for our nation. God bless you.
Geoff
Joshua 1:9.
Merry Christmas to everyone on SB Current! Andy, thank you for your columns and your grace when people (myself included) disagreed with you. I would like to post my own favorite Christmas hymn Once In Royal David's City sung here by the King's College Choir of Cambridge
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TT3cfXd3Shk
Beautiful words. Merry Christmas to all.
As a Jew and one who enjoys the Christmas spirit (not so much the commercialism), I think Christianity has been very beneficial for this country, since it promotes and teaches a set of values that fosters personal growth, self-reliance and other actions like honesty, caring, generosity, and most importantly, family and community. The founders were not wrong to emphasize Christianity as essential to the well-being of our country. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone.
Dear Andy, Merry Christmas to You and Yours!
God Bless You :)
Andy, thank you for a great message. What a blessing that it brought a new believer to the family of Christ! Our nation needs God’s healing and guidance more than ever. II Chronicles 7:14.
God Bless you and Merry Christmas!
Blessings Andy and to all.
May your hearts open to the miracles around us and be not bitter but grateful!
Thank you for writing.
MERRY CHRISTMAS to you and many, many others.
Thank you for this wonderful Christmas message!!
I’m a Taoist, but must say that Jesus saved my life…I believe that Jesus walked the earth to teach us to love one another and well as to heal one another…it’s time for healing.
Merry Christmas!!!
PS, let’s keep those that stand for US in thoughts & prayers as we celebrate the holiday season…
TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, HE LIVED ALL ALONE,
IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF PLASTER AND STONE.
I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE, AND TO SEE JUST WHO IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.
I LOOKED ALL ABOUT, A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE, NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS, NOT EVEN A TREE.
NO STOCKING BY MANTLE, JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND, ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.
WITH MEDALS AND BADGES, AWARDS OF ALL KINDS, A SOBER THOUGHT CAME THROUGH MY MIND.
FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT, IT WAS DARK AND DREARY, I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER, ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.
THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING, SILENT, ALONE,
CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.
THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE, THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER, NOT HOW I PICTURED A UNITED STATES SOLDIER.
WAS THIS THE HERO OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?
CURLED UP ON A PONCHO, THE FLOOR FOR A BED?
I REALIZED THE FAMILIES THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT, OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.
SOON ROUND THE WORLD, THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY, AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.
THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR, BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS, LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.
I COULDN'T HELP WONDER HOW MANY LAY ALONE, ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.
THE VERY THOUGHT
BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE, I DROPPED TO MY KNEES AND STARTED TO CRY.
THE SOLDIER AWAKENED AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,
"SANTA DON'T CRY, THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;
I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM, I DON'T ASK FOR MORE, MY LIFE IS MY GOD,
MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS." THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP, I COULDN'T CONTROL IT, I CONTINUED TO WEEP.
I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS, SO SILENT AND STILL AND WE BOTH SHIVERED FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.
I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT, THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR SO WILLING TO FIGHT.
THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER, WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE, WHISPERED, "CARRY ON SANTA, IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE." ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH, AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
"MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND, AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT."
Thank you and Merry Christmas Andy.
Thank you for the refreshing Christmas message!! Thank God for Current articles!!