A few common questions about my internship are:

“What are you interning for?”

It’s a partial graphic design internship and a partial church internship.

“Are you going to be a pastor?”

We’ll see where God leads. It’s either pastoral work or missions. I just need some hands on training!

“How long will you be gone?”

The internship will last 14 months, but I may have options to stay on at a later date.

Thanks for your support and understanding,
Eric Novak
Latitude821 Editor

There’s a way that is right. For every choice before me, every need within me, every expectation of me, there is a way that is right. And by the grace You’ve given me and the desires You’ve placed within me, I want what is right; I want what is true. I want the right way because I’ve spent too much time choosing the wrong way, and I’ve come to know that You know best.

So Lord, would You open the gates to that way that is right? Protect me from the foolishness of trying to choose in my own wisdom, apart from the leading of Your Spirit and the guidance of Your Word, what is right for me. Protect me from the emptiness of trying to open my own gates, in my own timing, in my own way, apart from Your stirring in my spirit, Your peace in my heart, and Your voice in my ear, saying in the ways You’ve taught me to hear, “This is the way, walk in it.” All of that would only be self-righteousness, not Your righteousness.

Here I am, Lord. Your servant, Your son is listening. The children of God are led by the Spirit of God (Romans 8:14). You open the gates. You open my eyes to see and my ears to hear. You prompt me when to move and confirm my steps. And if I fall or fail or misstep, You pick me up and dust me off and turn me again in the way that is right, so that I can enter in through the gates of righteousness, the gate of the Lord. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Written by Tommy Hays. For more articles and thoughts from Tommy visit his site at Morningbymorning.com

Mere minutes after Scanlan’s victory, everyone was all a-Twitter about the fact that the homeschooled conservative Christian had managed to find enough favor in the sight of the judges when among them was the shrill, liberal agnostic Joy Behar. The newly-crowned Miss America was certainly not shy about her faith in Christ at the subsequent press conference. Is it possible that her Christianity was ever questioned in the competition?

The next day Miss America appeared on Fox News with Gretchen Carlson, who was Miss America 1989. Carlson asked Scanlan about the testy interview part of the competition:

CARLSON: In fact one of the questions that you got from one of the judges during your all-important interview – one of the judges, Joy Behar – who may not agree with you politically – she asked you whether or not you could vote for an atheist. And you said…

SCANLAN: I said absolutely. I would definitely base who I vote for based on political policies, not on religion, because if that doesn’t affect their political policies, it’s not going to be something I look at.

Walter Hudson at NewsRealBlog.com speculated that Behar’s question was intended to trip Scanlan much like Perez Hilton’s question did to Miss California USA 2009 Carrie Prejean. Having seen that recent statistics indicate a growing interest in atheistic leaders, Hudson concluded that he himself is in the supposed minority that would not vote for an atheist – with the rare hypothetical exception of the professed Christian being a socialist and the atheist being a Tea Party supporter.

The basis for not voting for an atheist initially sounds reasonable:  How can someone who disbelieves in the existence of God be trusted to uphold a constitution that is based on the premise that there is an eternal Lawgiver?

Last year I attended a debate between agnostic philosopher David Berlinski and atheist journalist Christopher Hitchens. During the debate, Berlinski noted that the despots of the 20th century wreaked havoc without shame because they didn’t believe they were being watched by Someone who would ultimately bring about justice.

But the catch lies in another hypothetical that revealed to me how clever Miss Scanlan really is.  I pondered for a moment – if Thomas Paine or Thomas Jefferson were running against Barack Obama, which candidate would I vote for?  Obama professes to be a Christian, while some evidence suggests that Paine and Jefferson were barely deists.  But I would certainly choose the classical liberal candidates over the socialist “liberal” candidates any day.

In the New Testament, we see the Apostle Paul giving instructions on how to select overseers in the church.  While respect for civil government is referenced throughout the New Testament, a guide to selecting civil leaders wasn’t given to the then-underground Church. The first century A.D. political environment was obviously nothing like today’s models of democracies and republics, so it is obvious why this was the case.

Spreading the Gospel is a person-to-person thing, not a person-to-ballot box thing. Furthermore, we don’t actually know someone’s heart and soul – a professing believer might be nothing more than a cultural Christian.

Thus, the question that remains for our consciences to solve in light of the Word is this: Would the LORD be displeased with us voting for or appointing an unbeliever, whatever the circumstance?

In the pre-Messianic era of the Old Testament, the dominion of political government and church government were inextricably linked, because the goal was for Israel to preserve an environment and lineage in which the Messiah could arrive.  In the post-Messianic era (the time of Acts up until now), the picture is somewhat different: Believers spreading out all over the world, mingling with Gentiles (some were Gentiles themselves), confronting and working with established unbelievers.  (I should mention here that actually in the Old Testament the prophet Daniel worked with non-believing superiors and subordinates, as did Joseph and arguably Esther.)

An example of an unbeliever who respects the Judeo-Christian elements of our country’s founding and believes those principles are the best guide to morality is S.E. Cupp. In fact, she has written a book defending Christianity in the media. In an interview with Brian Lamb she once said,

“As an atheist, I could never imagine electing – voting for – an atheist President… Religion keeps a person who is endowed with so much power honest… This is a person who is answering to a Higher Power every night, and not to the state – he doesn’t think the state has all the power, and he doesn’t think he has all the power. That’s important to me. I represent 2% of the world. Why would I want someone who thinks 98% of the world is crazy running the country?”

So there you have my ironic paradox – S.E. Cupp represents the one type of atheist anomaly that I could imagine voting for, and yet she herself argues against voting for an atheist!

What do you think?

Written by Amanda Read. For more articles by Amanda, check out her site: AmandaRead.com

Lord, You know the battle I have with worry. It’s one of my greatest spiritual battles. Because You’ve given me the gift of great joy and deep peace, the enemy of my soul hates my joy and constantly tries to steal my peace. Even when I’m having a great time, whether in the ministry of Your kingdom or with my family on vacation, the spirit of worry seems to pursue my thoughts, trying to nip away at my peace of mind and spirit of joy.

Though worry is a spiritual battle, worry is also a sin. The wisdom of Your Word tells us plainly: “Do not worry” – Matthew 6:25. “Do not keep worrying” -Luke 12:29. “Be anxious for nothing” – Philippians 4:6. When I do something You tell me not to do, that’s sin. You say not to worry, so worry is sin.

Forgive me, Lord, for the sin of worry. Forgive me for worry about provision for my family and ministry. Forgive me for worry about whether I’m doing enough for Your kingdom and enough for the people around me. Forgive me for worry about the economy, the weather, and the future of the world. Forgive me for letting the enemy of my soul steal a moment of my peace and joy. Help me rest in You, trust in Your provision, and fully enjoy all the abundant blessings I have.

That’s not denial, that’s determination – determination to let God and not the devil determine my perspective and set the course for the moments of my day. I’m determined, as best as I can and all by Your grace, to embrace You and all You have for me in every moment of every day as it comes, letting tomorrow take care of itself (Matthew 6:24). I can’t add a single hour to my life by worrying (Luke 12:25). So help me quit trying.

I choose, by the power of Your name, to reject worry and embrace peace, to renounce anxiety and breathe easy. Your yoke is easy and Your burden is light (Matthew 11:30). The wisdom of Your Word tells us plainly, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” -James 4:7. So this is my prayer:

Father, I submit myself to You. I confess that I give in too much to the sin of worry. I repent of that. I turn away from that, from that mindset, from that way of letting the thief come steal, kill, and destroy my great blessings of Your great joy and peace. I ask You to forgive me and I receive Your forgiveness now, in the name of Jesus. And now, in the name of Jesus, I command the spirit of worry to be bound and overcome by the power of the blood of the Lamb and the word of my testimony. I command it to get out of my thoughts and out of every area of my life. I command it to go now, defeated, to the feet of Jesus, to be judged by Him, and never return. Come, Holy Spirit, I pray. Come and fill my mind with Your thoughts, my heart with Your desires. Restore unto me the joy of my salvation and flood my soul again with the peace of Christ that surpasses all understanding. Thank You, Jesus. Praise the Lord! In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Written by Tommy Hays. For more articles and thoughts from Tommy visit his site at Morningbymorning.com

1). God Is Our Father

Throughout scripture we see that our relationship with God is that of children coming before their father.

“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know Him.” – 1 John 3:1

“My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of His reproof, for the LORD reproves Him whom He loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.” – Proverbs 3:11-12

“Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in His holy habitation.” – Psalm 68:5

God provides, protects, comforts, disciplines and loves us as our earthly fathers should.

2). Earthly Fathers Are Flawed, But Still Important

We know that God specifically designed men and women with distinct and vastly different, yet complimentary roles. These roles are very important for the development and growth of children.

Statistics show that 63% of youth suicides, 85% of all children who show behavior disorders, and 85% of all youth in prison come from fatherless homes (US. Dept. Of Health/Census, Fulton Co. Georgia, Center for disease control, Texas Dept. of Correction).

My deepest concern with pointing out this allegory between God the Father and our human fathers is that we will become sidetracked with the failings of our fathers, missing the fact that all of creation is flawed. Author Robert Barron makes a good point, “All things above and below are related to God. But they are not God. All that is true and beautiful in the finite realm is a reflection of God, but it is not God.”

3). God Teaches Fathers, Fathers Point To God

Ephesians 3:14-19 shows one of the strongest pictures of the father love God has for us:

“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from Whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of His glory He may grant you to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”

This call, being accepted into our Father’s family, allows only one response for the children of God: an outpouring of love in honor, praise and obedience to our earthly and heavenly father (Ephesians 6:1-3) and then a new attitude in the way we embrace parenthood.

Written by Eric Novak. For more articles by Eric, check out his site: EricNovak.com

“See, when we make statements like, ‘Well, God wouldn’t do this, would He?’ Do you understand that at that moment you’re actually putting God’s actions in submission to your reasoning? You’re in essence saying, ‘Well, God wouldn’t think that way or act that way, because I wouldn’t act that way or think that way.’ Yet when I read the scriptures, man, all through this book, I go, ‘Oh, God, there are some things You say that I would never say, there are some things You do that I wouldn’t think to do. Even from creation – Adam and Eve sinned, so you’re going to put a curse on the earth? I wouldn’t think to do that. [...]

“Then I get to the cross. Really, God? These people have acted so wickedly and Your response is going to be ‘I’ll have My perfect Son, My only Son, My beloved Son, humble Himself and take the form of one of these human beings and I’m going to let these other human beings torture Him, spit on Him, nail Him on to a cross, and then I’m going to have Him pay for the crimes of everyone else…’ I would never have thought to do that.

“You get to Revelation 20, how the story ends, and ask, ‘God, you’re going to do that to one of your created beings?’ Where He takes the devil, in Revelation 20:10 it says, ‘The devil’ this is God’s creation, ‘Who had deceived them, was thrown into the lake of fire and sulphur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.’ I read that and I go, ‘Really? tormented day and night forever and ever?’ Then in verse 15, “If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

“Look. There are a lot of things in this book that I go, ‘Wow, God, You do that and You thought that? I wouldn’t think that and I wouldn’t have done that…’ But when I come to those passages and when you come to those passages, does it even enter your mind that maybe He knows something that you don’t? Or is it always, ’I have this ability to reason and I have this level of morality and so something in Him must be off here or I won’t believe in Him…’

‘Right now I’m writing a book. It’s about hell. It’s one of those things that I think I missed God on in some ways. I don’t want to belittle Him, I don’t want to draw conclusions that aren’t true. I’m asking you to pray for me because I know there are things I want desperately to be true and I also know that there is a part of me that thinks God ought to do things a certain way. I don’t want to put Him under me. I want to be honest and say, ‘Look, here’s all that God has written, I don’t want to draw any conclusions that aren’t there, I don’t want to read into it too much, I just want to present this fairly and I don’t want to misrepresent Him.’

“I want to encourage you, as you discuss this, it’s good that you discuss things. Do it with humility, confess, pray, fast and study diligently on this one, because we can’t afford to be wrong on this issue.”

Francis Chan’s new book, Erasing Hell, is set to release on July 5th. Visit his site at: francischan.org

Tall and handsome, he greeted her with a welcoming smile and stood as she sat down. “You look beautiful, as always,” he said gently. She flashed an apathetic half-smile. “Thanks.” The server clanked at their elbows with the water pitcher as the man endeavored to start a conversation.

“How was your day?” He asked. The woman sighed, glancing at her phone just long enough to answer a text, then slapping it shut. “Oh, good, I guess.. I just really need you there more for me. It’s so tough.”

His eyes saddened.

“Why didn’t you call me?”

“I didn’t think of it.”

“If I’d known, I could have – “ he began.

“It’s whatever, there’s always tomorrow.” She interrupted before springing into a monologue unparalleled since Shakespeare.

“I’ve got to talk to you about some things,” She pulled out a thick notebook and flipped to a page somewhere in the middle. “First, I really need you to spend more time with me. I just never seem to feel like you’re here – and secondly, there’s been this guy at work who is SO annoying and I’m getting really stressed, so please be patient with me if I’m grumpy because that’s why.

“Oh, and will you remember to stop by Aunt Jackie’s and give her something for those headaches she’s been having? You’re so thoughtful, I’m sure you know what to do. And lastly, you know, I just feel like you don’t listen to me. Like so much of what I say is in one ear and out the other. Like right now – you haven’t said a barely a word this entire evening.”

She closed the notebook and sat back in her chair. The man sat silently, fingering the cloth napkin. He slowly raised his eyes to meet hers, a sad smile playing on his face.

“I’ve been here every evening,” he said softly. “I’ve listened to your troubles and requests every time you have met me. I hear every word you say, and I’d be with you the second you called, if you chose to do so… but you don’t hear me because you are always speaking, and I’m not with you because you never call.” He paused for a moment, a moment where a tear seemed to gather in his eye before he said,

“To you, our evenings have become a duty; but to me, they are a testament to our love.”

It would be appalling to see this transpire in any human relationship. We would be shocked and disappointed if our significant other acted like the woman portrayed above – and if it continued, anything from a break up to a lengthy stint in personal counseling could be the result! No one appreciates time spent with a person whose primary interest is herself, who doesn’t want to be there, and talks our ear off in the meantime, only to accuse us of “not listening.”

Would it shock you, then, to know that this illustration is a portrayal of the prayer life of the modern Christian?

For many years I was a member of those ranks. Rising early (because I heard it was good for my character) I would come to God begrudgingly, still half asleep and sleepier by the minute. My prayer list grew duller by the day, and each quiet time became successfully overwhelmed by a thick silence. I began to wonder if God heard me at all. I left my time with Him un-refreshed, alone, and wondering why I even bothered to pray.

On human terms we know that communication always goes two ways. Like a good tennis match, the conversation bounces between its members with ease and enjoyment, each person taking his turn to speak or listen. Why then do we, made in the image and personality of God, talk to Him as if He were as impersonal as the nonliving gods of pagan religions?

Prayer and religion have vital connections that transcend the reach of Christianity. Anywhere we see an organized religion, whether Buddhism, Islam or the empty “Christianity” of dutiful Catholicism, an effort to communicate with the Divine is present. But the defining quality of our faith – true Christianity – is our living relationship with God. Too often this relationship, despite our claims to its personal nature, is nothing more than rite.

Like the woman in the illustration, we approach God begrudgingly, watches ticking, checking our time with Him off the list. Out needs, wants, and requests become one long Christmas list of desires. We never think that maybe God would like to talk to us realistically; authentically, not just when we want something out of Him. Instead of seeking His face, we just seek His hand.

Anyone who has ever experienced love knows that speaking to the object of our affection is not a duty, but a joy. In fact, it is such a joy that we look forward to each successive conversation. This goes for relationships with family, friends, spouses and ultimately relates to the source of love itself, Jesus Christ.

When we have a relationship with God, this same joy should translate into our conversations with Him. Why the boredom? Why the sleepiness? Just as in a one-sided friendship interest is lost and selfishness reigns, when all we do is talk at God, refusing to listen, we won’t get much of a response. And even if there is one, we’re too self-absorbed to hear it.

Prayer is a discipline, but that doesn’t mean we can’t learn to enjoy it. A sign of mastered discipline is in fact the enjoyment of it – evidence that it has gone from struggle to habit to joy. As we discipline ourselves to meet God, to spend time with Him, to listen to Him, we begin to take pleasure in practicing the presence of God.

It may be easier to have a relationship with a ‘real person’ because they are visually present and audibly available to us. However, it is the nature of faith itself that enables us to have a relationship with the Almighty God. What a great privilege! How little He asks of us except that we come to Him in faith and converse with Him. It was all He asked in the beginning, when He walked in the garden with Adam and Eve, and now, thousands of years and an incomprehensible Sacrifice later, He issues the same call: “Come! Come fellowship with Me.”

Will we be so stubborn, so self-absorbed, so “bored” that we ignore His call? Will we drag our feet and pout at the table He invited us to join? Or will we choose the joy-filled relationship that He has for us, if we are only quiet enough to listen?

This article was written by Phylicia D. Duran. You can read more of Phylicia’s work on her blogs, A Quill and Inkwell.

Today is Memorial Day in America. We remember those who have fought and died that we might live in the freedom we have, only because of their sacrifice and service for us. And this is a day to not only remember them, but also to remind ourselves and our descendants of this great gift of freedom we have – freedom to worship You and speak our mind, even speak Your name wherever we are, to live the life we choose according to whatever values we embrace in this land where our leaders and warriors are sworn to protect and defend these rights of freedom we hold so dear.

In Joshua’s day the people of Israel were divided by a river that ran through the land. They were afraid there might come a day that a river might run through their memories and hearts, dividing them from each other and their common heritage of one nation under God (v. 28-29). And in our day, let us remember our common heritage and our common hope to live in a land that still sees freedom as a great gift worth preserving and defending with all we have and all that we are.

Freedom is the redemptive gift of our land, as a witness to this world. Let us repent of every way we have not always honored the great freedom we have or the men and women who have fought and died for us to live in the land of the free. And let us remember the descendants of generations to come who are to have this same gift and godly heritage we are to protect and defend, in the power of Your grace, for them to embrace and enjoy. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Written by Tommy Hays. For more articles and thoughts from Tommy visit his site at Morningbymorning.com

Still, leading up to the 21st, I had to ask myself, Can I accept the idea of the world ending? This isn’t a question solely related to Camping, and it is one I have wrestled with long before I knew anything about him. This question is, in fact, based on a fundamental doctrine of the Christian faith.

Throughout the Bible we see that life as we know it will end, Christ will return, and there will be a new heaven and new earth (Rev. 21:1, Rom. 8:21, Isa. 65: 17). In Philippians 1:21, Paul states, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” How could Paul face death with such complete and utter confidence? Ultimately the question boils down to what we consider most important.

Corrupted Creation

God has given each of us desires, dreams, hopes and aspirations. These are all good things if we view them as ways to further His kingdom, and spread the gospel. Yet, these same gifts can become corrupt if we make them more important than our primary responsibility to God. If we are not constantly looking toward redemption, our works and plans can and will become idols in our lives.

From Blueprint to Cathedral

As humans, we are rooted in the temporal. Looking to the eternal doesn’t come naturally, we can’t see it or feel it – it isn’t in the least bit tangible. It is much easier to grasp the present, much easier to desire earthly relationships: marriage, children, and a home, before desiring God. Somehow, we fear that we will lose experiences on this earth, when Christ’s return can only mean redemption for all of creation and a new wholeness we have never experienced!  Deep inside we know the present can’t be the only thing that exists, for God has set eternity in our hearts (Ecclesiastes 3:11).

In an essay on transcendence, C.S. Lewis wrote,

“Our natural experiences (sensory, emotional, imaginative) are only like the drawing, like penciled lines on flat paper. If they vanish in the risen life, they will vanish only as pencil lines vanish from the real landscape; not as a candle flame that is put out but as a candle flame which becomes invisible because someone has pulled up the blind, thrown open the shutters, and let in the blaze of the risen sun.”

This must be our cry. Throw open the shutters, pour therein the light! Christ return and bring your children home! “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” Revelation 21:3-4

Written by Eric Novak. For more articles by Eric, check out his site: EricNovak.com

“Shun youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart” – 2 Timothy 2:22

Shun the one and pursue the other. Turn away from the desires of the flesh and turn toward the desires of the Spirit. Focus on what matters. Hold fast to what lasts. Don’t sacrifice the blessings and fulfillment of a lifetime for the pleasures of a moment. Live strong from a pure heart.

Let righteousness, faith, love, and peace be the marks of a life lived well—only by a life consumed with Your Spirit, cleansed by Your blood, and filled with Your grace. “As it is written, ‘There is no one who is righteous, not even one,’” so we all have need of Your mercy and grace, forgiveness and refocus, every moment of every day (Romans 8:10). Thank You that we have it, because we always need it. We’d be liars if we said we didn’t.

But we can pursue with the passion of a pure heart all that’s in Your heart for us, without ever feeling condemned or hypocritical if we falter or fail, because Your mercies are new every morning.

“But this I call to mind, and therefore have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in Him.’ The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul that seeks Him” – Lamentations 3:21-25

Morning by Morning, moment by moment, I will seek You, I will pursue You. And I will thank You for first pursuing me. I praise You for catching me, embracing me, and never letting me go—even when I deserve it most. Great is Your faithfulness. Amazing is Your grace. Overwhelming is Your love. No wonder I want to pursue You so. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Written by Tommy Hays. For more articles and thoughts from Tommy visit his site at Morningbymorning.com

Another Book on Femininity?

The original idea for this book was seeded last year and since then I’ve talked to a lot of people about it. The general response has been on either side of the fence – both negative and positive. In fact, when our marketing director Hannah Braboy found out what the book was about, she wasn’t totally sold on the idea, “That’s such a heated issue, do we really need another book on the topic?” she asked. I was convinced that we did and a few months later when Hannah saw the manuscript, she changed her mind. “When I read the book, I sat there and nearly cried – it was exactly what I’d been waiting for,” she said.

Though we approached the subject of femininity from a different angle, the writers still had to work towards originality. Grace Einkauf, Latitude writer since June 2010, stated, “It was difficult to write for the Femininity Handbook, primarily because of the monolithic amount of writing already out there. One of the biggest burdens I place upon my writing is that it must be original; I won’t publish anything that seems like it could be a simple copy of someone’s thoughts. I really had to dig deep into the issue of femininity and think about what I hadn’t seen before. It took a lot of effort to write an article that didn’t exist for me to read.”

Writer and speaker Phylicia Duran also agreed that Femininity is far too broad of a subject to be forced into a cookie-cutter view. “I was impressed with the fact that femininity is very diverse,” she said. “It is as diverse as the women that make it up. I loved seeing the different perspectives on femininity from like-minded women who all have the same goal – honoring Jesus – but different ways of accomplishing it as He leads.”

Re-defining Femininity

When organizing this book, I really felt the need to bring the whole issue back to the Gospel.

Amanda Read, columnist for the Washington Times and a Latitude writer since June 2009, states, “Femininity has been debated and monopolized nearly ad nauseam throughout Christendom and pop culture. Now is the time for girls to be liberated from ritual and riff raff, and the Femininity Handbook is one of the sweetest Christ-honoring guides to redeeming the feminine identity.”

Grace Einkauf chimes in, “I hope the Handbook will give its readers a more well-rounded perception of femininity and the responsibilities pertaining to it, allowing them to feel more freedom and confidence in their God-bestowed roles.”

Phylicia Duran also feels, “The Femininity Handbook goes between the voices of legalism and the world. It shows the balance of walking God’s line and witnessing, living, in the world – not to compromise our character for the sake of peer opinion, but also not to stray into arrogance over those who know no better.”

A Great Resource

The ultimate mission of Latitude is to provide resources that will help draw you closer to God and I believe that The Femininity Handbook will do just that.

Sierra St. John is a relatively new contributor to Latitude, but has provided valuable insight for our publications. She writes, “The Femininity Handbook is such an amazing piece of work designed to help and encourage women of God to embrace their God-given femininity and use it to glorify Him. We’re taking the decision that women of all ages have already made, and adding fire to it – encouraging and spurring each other on toward love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24).”

Purchase the Book

The Femininity Handbook is available for order through PayPal or Amazon – Ships May 16th.

This article was written by Eric Novak. For more articles by Eric, check out his site: EricNovak.com

If we are truly gearing up for the end times, what does this mean for believers? For some of my friends, it means moving to the country or building bomb shelters in the mountains filled with a stock pile of supplies, food and guns. Although I am all for being prepared for emergencies, what does it really mean for Christians? How then shall we live?

The answer isn’t all that complicated – live in the same way the disciples did when Jesus ascended into Heaven (Matthew 28:16-20). One thing I’ve come to realize is that humans have very little control over their own mortality. Accidents happen at the most random of times. Despite all of the precautions we may take, our lives are ultimately in God’s hands.

Have you ever wondered what gives missionaries the courage to risk their lives entering dangerous foreign lands? I believe that they understand that that their lives are truly not any safer staying at home than going abroad. Living in America does not guarantee a long healthy life and traveling to Iraq does not guarantee a short one.

“Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” – James 14:14

James says that the life of a man is like a vapor, a mist, a fleeting moment. We need to live every day with this in mind. We need to make the most of our moments because we don’t know when or if there will be a second chance. Most importantly we have to pour our lives into things that are worthwhile – serving God and other people.

In Saudi Arabia the citizens don’t wear seat belts because they figure if it’s their time to die then Allah will take them. If not, then they will be safe regardless. Am I saying that we should do the same? No. Actions have consequences. You might choose to not wear a seat belt, but if you get into an accident, you may spend the rest of your life crippled. Our decisions affect the quality of our lives and we do live with the effects of our decisions. But our mortality itself is out of our control – and it’s better this way. Who can we trust more than God to hold our lives?

Written by Scott Pinto. For more articles by Scott, check back on Latitude often!

For the Christian, the natural response to such an undeserved gift is an outpouring of love, admiration, and thankfulness. However, I want to draw our attention back to Christ’s sacrifice, because without Good Friday, there would be no Easter Sunday, and without Easter Sunday, we would have no hope at all.

The Human Condition

I am a staunch believer in justice. If you commit a crime, you should be punished. This system of justice has been in place since the dawn of civilization, and it upholds the fabric of our society. Without justice, crime would run rampant and mob rule would be the end result. However, as much as I embrace justice, I also love mercy.

One of my favorite verses encompassing the two ends of the spectrum is: “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” Micah 6:8. We see this very principle at the core of the Christian faith: We are sinners and we deserve punishment. There is no debate that can change that fact – no lawyer or jury weighing in. It’s already been decided! We’re guilty and we know it.

The next step is obvious: we should be punished for our sins. The law must be fulfilled and we must die. This is summed up in Romans 3: 9-10, “All men, both Jews and Greeks, are under the power of sin, as it is written: None is righteous, no not one; no one seeks for God… There is no fear of God before their eyes.” If the story ends there, we are all doomed. We live, we die, we are punished.

The Pain of Substitution

But it doesn’t end there. The good news is that God had mercy on us. Undeserving, unrepentant, stubborn and selfish though we were, He chose to forgive our sins through the pain and agony of the cross. A substitution was made! God’s holy and just wrath was poured out on Christ rather than ourselves. Though God gave us grace, the prerequisite of that grace (the price as it were), was not only the pain of the crucifixion, but the unbearable anguish of sin.

If we cannot imagine the torment associated with Christ’s physical punishment, how can we imagine the weight of sin upon His shoulders? Everything wrong in the world, every evil corruption and sin committed from the beginning to the end of time, was heaped onto Christ. And as He died on the cross, he experienced a total separation from his Father.

“Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ [...] And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.’” – Matthew 27:46, 27: 50

It was over. Death had triumphed! Our sin, the greatest enemy of all Creation, ruled and conquered Him – the perfect One!

The Glorious Resurrection

We reach a point in the story where we could close the book with a tragic ending – it could be finished: Christ died, nothing was accomplished, and sin won through the destruction of the Lamb of God. Yet, we know through the reflection of every beautiful story ever written, the Chief Author Himself would not end the story in this way. With eternity set in His heart, man longs for Eternity. And God gave us just that, by raising His Son back to life again!

“The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying.” – Matthew 28: 5-6

Although this would be the place in the story where it would say, “they lived happily ever after,” – it doesn’t and the story continues. God’s grace and mercy now extends forever to all of His children!

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.” – Romans 8: 31-34

Irresistible Grace Lived Daily

For the Christian, the knowledge of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ should not be a footnote to their faith, but rather the “chief Cornerstone.” Without the death of Christ, there would be no grace extended to us, and without the resurrection of Christ, we would still be in bondage (1 Cor. 15:17). Not only should we rejoice on Easter, but that joy should be reflected everyday until Christ returns and all of creation is redeemed!

Written by Eric Novak. For more articles by Eric, check out his site: EricNovak.com

Have you ever noticed how preteens think randomness is awesome? Example: “I am the randomest person EVER!!!!!!! Nothing I say ever makes sense ‘cause I’m awesome like that!”

Not that it’s a bad thing to be random sometimes… but I always wondered why so many kids wanted to be known by the term. Now, I’m not writing for a pre-teen audience and none of you most likely seek to be defined by how random you are. But what do you want to be known for? If you were writing a short paragraph about yourself (not where you work or what you do, but who you are)… what would you put there? What defines you?

Sometimes it scares me to see how many people will admit to being obsessed with this or that. A singer. A movie. An activity. Randomness. They seem to forget that obsession equals worship. When you’re obsessed with something, everything else in your life fades into the background. When you devote all your love and time to something, it defines you. The common phrase that originated who-knows-where says “You are what you eat,” but there are other ways to take in nourishment besides eating, as we know (“Man does not live by bread alone,” Matthew 4:4). We read, we think, we listen to music, and so it could also be said that, “You are what you read, and you are what you think about, and you are what you listen to.” Most of all, you are what you worship. You are what you obsess over. You are what you love.

So what defines you? And are you content with that definition? Do you want to be known as “the random guy,” or “the girl who’s obsessed with Taylor Swift,” or “that kid who won’t ever admit to losing an argument?” Or do you want to be known as the man or woman who is drastically on fire for Christ? We as Christians are only called to worship One. There’s only room in our hearts for singular obsession. You are treasured, you are sacred, and you are His. Do you live that way? Remember, you’re leaving a legacy behind you with every step you take. Your definition makes a difference.

“Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed. Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.” –Hebrews 12:12-14

Written by Grace Einkauf, for more articles by Grace check out her site: Scatteredglimpses.com

In the course of a recent day I heard thirteen hiccups, eight moans, nine whines, and at least thirty-one belches. Not that I was counting. By the time the twenty-eighth burp bounced off my monitor, I’d given up on the male portion of society. My head dropped to the keyboard in despair, leaving a sizeable QWERTY imprint on my forehead. Is this what I have to choose from – Sheik Ilderim and his posse of ill-mannered compadres?

This is a national epidemic, girls, not at all specific to my Northern-Michigan locale. During my stay in Virginia, I witnessed a similarly appalling spectacle in the college cafeteria. Two freshmen lovebirds huddled at a table across from me and my roommate: the girl, a dark-haired little twig, and the guy, a grungy, hoodie-swamped specimen sprawled across the table spilling into his girlfriend’s arms. She was splitting time between hugging his head (for a limit of three seconds; this IS a Christian college) and picking at some unidentifiable object hidden in his greasy locks. But that was her man: drowning in his clothes, in need of a shower, and about as socially astute as a chimpanzee.

Love is not a science, but if it were, I’d have a degree in Relationship Logistics. Do you ever wonder what inspires a girl to settle for a man of such mettle? I’ve come up with a feasible theory for the workings of the female mind; a mentality that inspires a girl to make decisions far different from what her nearest and dearest would hope. It’s the mentality of settlement: this is as good as it’s gonna get.

If I had a national ice cream scoop that could just peel a sample of my generation out for observation, I think I’d discover a reason so many Christian girls settle for men of low quality. And low quality isn’t only the occasional belch or the inability to use a bar of soap – these are just outward signs of an inward problem. The greatest of inward problems is, of course, a spiritual one. More often than not, a verbal profession of faith is enough for many Christian girls to look no further. No matter what state, what denomination, or what their family background, girls nationwide have been snookered into the belief that the only real men in the world are either married, ugly, or dead.

But there is something greater at work here. It’s not the fault of the previous generation for failing to produce enough men for the Christian female population. Rather, I believe it is this settlement mentality – a mindset of defeatism – that keeps many girls from making good choices in relationships today.

Here’s the crux of it: deep down, a lot of women, young and old, are unconsciously parading as professional manscapers. Rather than wait for a man who has enough quality to take “as-is,” they’re masters at the DIY relationship, trying to make a man out of what they settled for.

In short, they’re trying to kiss the frog into princehood.

The dilemma of this method lies in the result. The goal is to form this man into the kind of partner the woman wants him to be: strong, caring, affectionate, a provider, and a leader. However, it is the molding process by the woman that destroys the identity of the man. He will never be a leader as long as his woman is the one shaping him into who she wants him to be. He has no personal freedom; no individuality. He is captive to her every whim.  It is the nature of manipulation, coupled with a settlement mentality, that results in the poor relationships we see in Christian circles today.

This may come across as slightly harsh, but let’s look at this subject in honesty. Trust me: I’ve been in many a coffee shop laughing with dear friends over the lack of good prospects available to us. But it’s something that we have accepted along with the lifestyle we’ve chosen to live. The higher your standard, the longer the wait. The longer the wait, the more faith is required. How many of us really want to wait? How many of us want to test the measure of our faith? The truth is… not many.

Since we’re on the subject of truth, here’s another bombshell: there are good men out there. There are good, godly, strong, leading men looking for good, godly, strong wives. But as the Marines like to say, there are only the few and the brave. Godly men are a minority. And here’s the point: godly men are looking for godly women, and godly women are a minority too. The question for us is: are we a part of that minority?

We’ve established several things:

-         We cannot manipulate a man to be who he is not.

-         We cannot expect great things with a settlement mentality.

-         The standard for a mate should be equaled by our standard for ourselves.

I’ll admit that sitting in the college cafeteria didn’t give me a lot of hope to meet a motivated, ambitious, God-honoring man. Perhaps you’ve struggled with a taste of despair when all you see are careless, spendthrift, uncouth specimens of today’s manhood. Perhaps you’ve been tempted to accept the first ‘decent’ guy that hands you a daisy, thinking there isn’t much better available.  Or maybe there is already a guy in your life who is just that – a guy – and you’re trying desperately to change him into the man you believe he can be. That’s quite romantic, but completely unrealistic.

As much as we may like to believe a guy into honorable manhood, it simply doesn’t work that way. While respect goes a long way with our gentlemen acquaintances, it is up to their own minds and hearts to make a decision toward godliness. If we want men of God, then we can’t waste time trying to make snowmen out of mudpuddles. We have to be women of God who look for men already decided – men who already stand on the truth. No more manipulation. No more settlement. No more “saving graces.”

Natural to the feminine heart is the desire to “save” a weak man: to believe him to goodness. Having faith in someone’s “good” streak, however admirable, is not advisable when making major life decisions. Would you have someone with a just a streak of good, like a random lightning strike in a storm? Or should you choose the man who is founded on righteousness through time and discipline? The former is a common choice because he is much more readily available. Thus many girls end up in a dead-end relationship with a dead-eyed guy whose heart for the Lord beats inconsistently.

It’s one thing to be long-suffering. It’s another to be a glutton for punishment. Many Christian girls tie themselves to young men who are really not men at all, but boys masquerading as such. A pair of blue eyes and a mutual appreciation for Johnny Cash may seem like enough to go on at first, but when the rubber hits the road and the hubcaps fly off, whether his eyes are blue or purple isn’t going to matter.

In one sense, we are indeed very limited in our choices for a mate. When you want the best, you have to wait for it! But like anything rare and precious, difficult to see and hard to find, the wait is worthwhile. Our responsibility is to be the kind of women worth waiting for. You see, we aren’t the only ones looking. They are out there too.

We have to be good women to deserve good men. We have to love God with all our hearts to meet a mate that does the same. We have to have faith, surrender our manipulation, and place our hope in the Lord, not in man. And we have to have confidence that there are in this world a few good men – and that is just enough.

This article was written by Phylicia D. Duran. You can read more of Phylicia’s work on her blogs, A Quill and Inkwell and Project 31.