Cheryl Bowman shares her story of brokenness & restoration as step-mom of US VP JD Vance.

The post Cheryl Bowman shares her story appeared first on 93.7 The Light.

Emmanuel Makolo with Capitol Ministries reminds of the power in praying for those who serve in government. Capitol Ministries is actively involved in developing bible study & prayer groups with leaders around the world without any lobbying or agenda other than pointing to towards God & His Word. Learn more at CapMin.org

The post Praying for our leaders in government appeared first on 93.7 The Light.

Aubrie Kimbrough is helping students connect & pray for their school, community, and nation by providing encouragement and resources. More info at www.ClaimYourCampus.com

The post Prayer Changes Schools appeared first on 93.7 The Light.

Can you imagine what you would feel If you were in an emergency; hit “on” to your device, and the screen is BLACK? What emotion would come over you?

I had to quickly tell myself, “BE STILL, don’t panic, and pray!” Each experience caused me to do a “troubleshooting” process. What were the circumstances that occurred before each event? Was there anything that was similar between the experiences?

Daily experiences often cause me to have what I call, “God Moments.” I immediately thought about our personal spiritual lives as I thought about the loss of power and black screens to my computers. I realized we need reserves and need to stay charged up in our Christian walk. We need to have faith and simultaneously check our connection to the source and resolve any issues that might hinder our best performance. I summarized what I learned from my black screen experiences that I could apply to our spiritual life.

First, fill the tank (in some manner…plug in to the source).

“God is our refuge and strength, a tested help in times of trouble” (Psalms 46:1). Too often our first go-to is our own strength to get through our crises. We pull on our intellectual wisdom and past experience. However, our strength is not sufficient because the Bible declares God’s words, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts”(Isaiah 55:8-9).

We need to fill our tank with the WORD of God. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105). We need to praise and worship God because, “The joy of the Lord is your strength. You must not be dejected and sad!” (Nehemiah 8:10).

Make sure you have asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior. He is the only source of power on which we can depend. Jesus died and rose from the grave to restore us to right relationship with God. Jesus promised that he would send Holy Spirit to be our comforter, teacher, and power source to guide us as “an advocate to help you and be with you forever – the Spirit of Truth” (John 14:16-17a). “We get our new life from the Spirit. So we should follow the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25).

Continue to pray and peek (check the battery, is it critical and in the red or is the battery now green?)

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). Prayer is our continued connection to God. Our prayer life should be like the set of a bird’s wings; one side prayer and the other side praise.

Counting your blessings every day is peeking at the goodness of God and the progress of His filling and providing for you. We need to remember the accomplishments of our God. What have we seen God provide for us? Do we count God’s marvelous works as unable to meet our needs for today? “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).

Continue praying and keep filling from the source. Be at rest (peace) and give time without continued peeking. Go about doing the next right thing and trust God will make all things right.

We need to realize that we are leaky vessels and do not hold a never-ending charge of God’s presence. Being a Christian is a daily relationship talking to God (God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit). As we input the Word of God daily, pray and praise daily, we will gain a peace that passes all understanding and keeps our hearts and minds stayed upon Him (Philippians 4:17).

Stress and worry drains the tank of energy. The Peace of God fills the tank. Holy Spirit and His nudgings of Truth through the word, prayer, and praise also helps to seal some of those cracks in our tank and improves the longevity of the fillings. But, we must NEVER forget, God walked with Adam every day in the cool of the day. God wants to do the same with us, and therefore, we can assume, God is a daily moment by moment filling God that doesn’t want us to store up for a lifetime at one filling.

Remember the first glimpse of screen light turns up our FAITH.

There are times we have been chugging along and we forget the wonders of God’s interventions and blessings in our lives. We can miss the small actions that are the beginning of the refueling of our lives because we are still focused on all the negative and lack we are experiencing.

In my own experience, I have found God doesn’t give the full end of the story’s picture. He gives small glimpses of encouragement that keeps me going, knowing that God knows where I am and what I’m experiencing. I can know that He has never failed me, and He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Our walk with God is by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). But, glimpses along the path sure do go a long way to keep us putting one foot in front of another. I heard recently, “If I can see your Face (God), I can finish the race” (Author Anonymous). God said through Jeremiah the prophet, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (29:11). We need to daily keep seeking for the glimpse of God’s power in our lives.

Trust God to be your source and stay plugged in at all costs.

It was amazing that as I have worked on this article, I’ve had to put into practice my words. I think that is a God Moment to confirm to me that I cannot write to others what I am not living. I woke up this morning with a feeling of dread. A feeling that I could compare to a “Black Screen” moment. I did not have a desire to get out of bed, I didn’t want to go to work, I wanted to hide in my house for the day. Many years ago, this was a daily experience and I had to push my way with Christ through those dark days to where I am today.

I quickly realized I was in a spiritual battle to trust God to be my power source. I needed to recharge and power up at all costs. I sat longer and was quiet before I started my morning routine. During my quiet time I was crying out to God expressing my weakness. I finally had enough energy to open my Bible and complete my normal morning devotionals. As I plugged in to my daily routine, I could sense the fog of my mind and body lifting. By the time I left for work, I was able to pray and praise God with my normal energy and taking in the sounds and sights that continue to remind me of God’s GREAT love and compassion. I could have been defeated for the day if I had not recognized that my power source was needing to be plugged in at all costs.

I cannot afford to function on a low spiritual battery. People in my sphere of influence may need me to be the spark of energy they need in their lives for that day. I pray that you will find God as your power source and that you establish a routine that keeps you charged up and running on full each and every day.

The post Spiritual Black Screen appeared first on 93.7 The Light.

What Is Lent?

is meant to commemorate the forty days Jesus spent fasting in the wilderness, so some Lenten traditions do include self-sacrifice and special acts of charity during this time. Most involve confession and repentance. But for all religious traditions, Lent is a time to prepare for Easter, a time to actively prepare ourselves through Scripture, prayer, and repentance. We know there is nothing we can do to earn God’s favor and His love, but I think the very idea that we can do nothing, that it was all the work of God, sometimes causes us to take it all for granted.

Because we were, through God’s grace, crucified and buried with Christ – with no pain and suffering on our part – it seems easy. And it is:

Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.

Acts 16:31

But if we don’t remember what that gift cost, we can also forget its value. We perhaps forget what sinners we were, how desperate our need was, and how great a sacrifice Jesus made for us, not just in His death, but in His very life here on earth.

But the other part of the story, the reason why Lent has an end, is because we were not only crucified and buried with Jesus, forgiven and made righteous, but we were also resurrected with Him into eternal life.

I Can

Attending this new church forced me to think about Lent. Whatever it was in my mind before or maybe what it is for others, it did not have to be for me. The crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ are the most important events in the history of the world. Believers, hopefully, are always mindful of this, but it is not wrong to spend a little extra time focusing on Jesus, the cross, His love and sacrifice for us that allows us to experience the amazing unearned and unending joy of Easter morning.

By the time you read this, Lent this year will have already begun, but the number of days doesn’t matter. Use whatever time you can to reflect on what a selfless gift Jesus gave us. The reflection, meditation, and prayer of the days of Lent can lead us to appreciate and value even more Christ’s sacrificial death for us.

FYI – a public affairs program with interesting people and hope-building projects around Ohio!
Have a question, comment, or topic? Contact FYI

The post Fish on Fridays: How Can Christians Worship Through Lent? appeared first on 93.7 The Light.

“Most mornings I recite the Lord’s Prayer. I’m not worth much for the new day until I’ve grounded myself in those words.” Our Daily Bread 

If we think about it just for a minute, of all the ways Jesus could have taught His disciples to begin their prayers, He chose those very words: “Our Father” (that’s Matthew 6.9) as a starting point. That’s where we go every day. Was that random? No! Jesus was never less than intentional with every single word. We all have different relationships with our earthly fathers. Some good, some far less than that. However, praying in that way, we should not be addressing my father or your father, but our Father. The One who sees us, the One who hears us, and who knows what we need before we even ask Him. What an amazing reassurance, especially on those days when we might feel forgotten, alone, abandoned, or just simply not worth much. Remember, regardless of where we are, and what time of the day or night it may be, our Father in Heaven is always near. 

I shared this story before, that when my mother passed on to glory I was so distraught. I came home in this place of going, “Lord, I know You’re there, and I know You’re good, and I’ve served You for such a long time, but I don’t know what to do with all this.” I heard Him clearly say, “Do you trust me?” At that point, I had to start saying, “Father, thy will be done. Lord, Father, whatever Your will is.” So, we learn every moment we’ve been given another day to acknowledge Him as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and to pause and begin by saying, “Our Father…” It makes such a difference in our lives. And to remember today that the Creator of the universe knows you, loves you, and has a plan for you. You are individually loved by Him, all the way from here to eternity when You are His. 

Prayer

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’

For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Matthew 6.5-15 NIV

FYI – a public affairs program with interesting people and hope-building projects around Ohio!
Have a question, comment, or topic? Contact FYI

The post The Lord’s Prayer appeared first on 93.7 The Light.

Psalm 1.1-3 NIV

“Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.”

Help us to remember that You are our provider. You take care of Your children and we have no need to worry. When we start to feel anxious or try to take things into our own hands, we can turn back to You and put our trust in You. We can put our troubles in Your hands and rest. 

Matthew 6.25-27 NIV

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”

Remind us of your love and care every day, even as the world around us feels increasingly inhospitable and cold. Show us how to love others as ourselves and be the hands and feet of Jesus to a world who desperately needs it. 

St. Teresa of Ávila

“Christ has no body now on earth but yours, no hands but yours, no feet but yours. Yours are the eyes through which to look out Christ’s compassion to the world. Yours are the feet with which he is to go about doing good; Yours are the hands with which he is to bless men now.”

Lord, please draw close and help us to draw close to You. Renew us, and make this a spring season in our lives. Revive the cold and dead parts of our faith and open our eyes to all You are doing in the Earth. Show us the parts You have given us to play and the works You have given us to do. May You be given all the glory and all the honor and all the praise. Amen. 

FYI – a public affairs program with interesting people and hope-building projects around Ohio!
Have a question, comment, or topic? Contact FYI

The post A Springtime Prayer appeared first on 93.7 The Light.

Set realistic goals that you can actually accomplish

Setting realistic goals is an important tool for success. It can be tempting to start aiming for grand objectives right away, but the best way to achieve your goals is to start small and work your way up. Focusing on attainable tasks will allow you to build momentum and increase motivation. Clearly define your goal, as well as what needs to be done in order for them to be achieved. This strategy makes any goal seem more realistic and easier to manage. 

How to make more time for Bible reading and praying

You probably already know that reading your Bible and praying are a crucial part of deepening your relationship with the Lord, but have you found yourself forgetting or running out of time at the end of the day for these important rituals? One of the best ways to make time for Bible reading and prayer is to simply block off time on your calendar for it. Take an honest look at your existing schedule and make a commitment to fit these two activities in. Once you make that decision, it’s important to be willing to sacrifice other activities – sometimes that means cutting back on TV or waking up a little earlier- but it can make a huge difference in your ability to spend meaningful amounts of time diving deeper into the Word and speaking with God. 

The lasting impact of strengthening your relationship with Jesus

Building a relationship with Jesus is incredibly transformative. Understanding His teachings and letting the living Word transform your heart and thoughts will have an impact on every part of your life. If you’ve lost the joy of your faith, or are struggling with fear or bondage of some kind, drawing close to Jesus. Find a small group or Bible study to join to have brothers and sisters in Christ to walk this road with. There’s no better goal or resolution than to grow closer to God!

Stick to your plan and don’t give up

Sticking to your plan requires focus, resilience, and most of all God’s help. Throughout this process, it’s important to not give up when challenges come up- and they will. Maybe people in your life will be offended or annoyed by your renewed devotion, or maybe you’ll find the draw of distractions stronger than before. Whatever happens, rather than abandoning the plan altogether, take the time to reassess why something might not be working. Use this as an opportunity to rethink the approach that you are taking. Set yourself up for spiritual success by making changes in your schedule when you have to and be tenacious with your quiet time!

Celebrate your accomplishments at the end of the year

As the end of the year approaches, it is important to reflect on your accomplishments and celebrate your wins. Whether big or small, taking time to acknowledge the progress you made throughout the year can be incredibly empowering and motivating for new goals. One way to do this is writing a letter to yourself listing the ways you’ve grown or what you’ve learned. Celebrating individual triumphs reminds us that our growth is valuable and worthwhile.

Here’s to a Happy New Year, and walking closer with God than ever before! 

FYI – a public affairs program with interesting people and hope-building projects around Ohio!
Have a question, comment, or topic? Contact FYI

The post <strong>The Best New Year Resolution You Can Make</strong> appeared first on 93.7 The Light.

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”

Colossians 3.16 NKJV

I’m thankful today for His goodness and His mercy in the land of the living! We’re not just talking about in glory- He gives us joy here. Something I’ve been reminded of is that joy is a choice. Thankfulness is a choice. Gratitude is a choice. I encourage you if you have time, to go on our website, https://937thelight.com/living-life-with-lauren/ and listen to the pieces I played on 11/17/22. You can listen to them again and again and be filled up to overflowing with all the Lord has done for you. 

“Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.”

Psalm 106.1 NIV

This is the thing: if the enemy can keep up down in the dumps, then he wins. He’s thinking, “you know what? If I can’t win their souls, and they’re going to Heaven, I’m going to make sure the journey there is not a good one.” But we have the power in the Word of God and all He’s given us to defeat anything the enemy lays on us any given day of the week! So the strength in your pinkie finger- because of the power of Jesus living in you with the Holy Spirit- (because when you accept Jesus into your heart, you get all that!) that will defeat the enemy! We have to learn to be warriors and we have to learn to stand. And then when you know what it’s like to be a warrior, you stop and think, “how can I live any other way?” 

“Be strong, and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. The Lord will do what is good in his sight.”

2 Samuel 10:12

I’m really trying this Thanksgiving to just pause and say, “Lord, thank You for all these things.” That changes your heart. It just floods over you and chases away all your worries and your cares. You know what? You’re reminding yourself that He is good all the time, even when it doesn’t make sense to our fleshly eyes. 

Cry out, “Save us, God our Savior; gather us and deliver us from the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name, and glory in your praise.”

1 Chronicles 16.35 NIV

Happy Thanksgiving to you!

~Lauren

FYI – a public affairs program with interesting people and hope-building projects around Ohio!
Have a question, comment, or topic? Contact FYI

The post Gratitude Is a Choice appeared first on 93.7 The Light.

A Word From Lauren

Hey, dear ones. I am so grateful and thankful for you. I was able to be a part of a women’s event recently and we had the best time. Just being together sometimes with other people that are right where you are uplifts your spirit. I heard this amazing ministry piece called, “You Will Pray Like Never Before After Listening To These Words.” It’s motivation. It’s encouraging you and reminding you of how loved you are; how treasured you are. Not only that, but you are a warrior. God called you for such a time as this to do great things. If the enemy can keep us pent up, tied up, worn out, trodden down, then he just thinks that’s the funniest thing in the world. We have to look at him and say, “Not today. Not tomorrow. Not the next day. Not the next day. Not the next day.” This might help give you some power!

~Lauren

“Every problem has its purpose. Valleys are there for our character development; for the maturing of our faith, rather than our comfort. Everyone who experienced a miracle in the Bible had gone through their own valley experience. Job lost everything, but in the end he came out of that valley knowing that God can restore what was lost with a double portion. Those who were blind and could not see; those who were sick and lame; those who were paralyzed or struck with leprosy; they all came out of that valley experience knowing that God is a healer. For whatever trial you are facing today, I would like to encourage you that your valley experience is there to strengthen you and not to destroy you.”

Such a Time as This

If you aren’t familiar with the story of Esther, stop what you’re doing and go read it! It’s beautiful and epic and thrilling. You may have heard someone say, “you have been born for such a time as this.” That line is spoken to Esther by her cousin, Mordecai, who is encouraging her to do something brave and dangerous. When we are tempted to think the world is too bad of a place for us to make a difference, or that we’d be better off to close ourselves up in our homes and avoid everyone, we can remember these words. You were, in fact, created for this time in history to do what only you can do. 

“Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”

Esther 4.13-14

We hope you’re encouraged by this and feel empowered to keep on going!

FYI – a public affairs program with interesting people and hope-building projects around Ohio!
Have a question, comment, or topic? Contact FYI

The post Not Today appeared first on 93.7 The Light.

I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

The Gift of Peace 

Before Jesus was betrayed and taken to the horrible crucifixion, He told his disciples what would happen in the days to come, when He would no longer be with them physically. He told them about the horrible things that may happen to them, but also the incredible gift that was coming to those who believe in Him- the Holy Spirit, who would dwell within them. He encouraged His disciples to continue trusting Him and to remain in Him. In Jesus, we can enjoy the gift of peace, knowing that whatever comes our way, we’re with Someone who has overcome the world and defeated death. This is a beautiful piece from someone being real honest about what they’ve gone through. A lot of you listen to Christian music, and Big Daddy Weave has been around for years. I love their music. This is called “Hating Yourself” and when Mike Weaver shared his words, I was like, I understand that. And I don’t know if you ever dealt with thinking I just don’t like myself, Lord. I know I need to love who I am because of who I am in You, but I need help along the way. Mike Weaver is just being honest about when he dealt with that.

If you are in a place of self-loathing, I pray that will be lifted off you in Jesus’ name. 

Hating Myself

Man, I just went through a really weird season, but an awesome season because I never really knew how to give voice to this, but I just hated myself. I never knew that was wrong, either. I knew that Jesus loved me, but I was never good enough for me. I had this standard for myself that I could never live up to, it seemed like. Nobody ever put that on me. There was this day, I remember literally the feeling of the cold concrete on my leg as I’m sitting on the floor of the garage, telling God everything that I hated about me and man, I had a list too. In the middle of me just pouring out, God shows up. And it was the voice of God in my heart, saying Michael, you need to let Me tell you what I think about you for once. So I’m sitting there, ready, on the journal of my heart, ready to write the most profound thing I’ve ever heard and God says to me, I like the way you smile. And I don’t know what it was, but as simple of a thing as that was, it was like- it just- there are these walls that I had built up in my heart and God just took this wrecking ball to all of them. He just began to fill my heart and my mind with stuff that He, the God of the universe, likes about me. He showed me that day that His love for me is not based on my ability to perform for Him. It’s completely based on what Jesus has done. It makes all the difference.

Mike Weaver

FYI – a public affairs program with interesting people and hope-building projects around Ohio!
Have a question, comment, or topic? Contact FYI

The post What Does God Think of You?  appeared first on 93.7 The Light.

If you’ve never been with a loved one at the end of their life, you may not have thought about the best ways to comfort and support them in their final hours on Earth. When you find yourself in that situation, you might at first feel scared, panicked, or desperate, but take a deep breath and try to think about what you might want or need in that situation, and let that be a starting point. Below are a few ideas to help you prepare to emotionally and spiritually support your loved one. If you need information about helping to keep your loved one physically comfortable, this is a great article from Mayo Clinic .

Prayer

Prayer is a natural response in the face of death. It may comfort your loved one and remind them of their loving Creator. Below are a few key thoughts Barry Pennington, Chaplain of Crossroads Hospice & Palliative Care likes to include in his prayers for the patients he sees. “My desire is that they may experience God with them when they allow me to pray.”

1. God is always present with us, even when we may not be experiencing that presence.
2. As a chaplain, I don’t pretend to have the answers. I join with my patient in asking the “whys.”
3. God is with my hospice patient, especially in suffering.
4. Caregivers also experience God’s presence in caring for their loved one.
5. I affirm my personal trust in God even when none of us have the answers.

If you don’t feel comfortable with your own prayers, read written prayers or liturgies. Douglas McKelvey has written a beautiful and powerful set of liturgies called Every Moment Holy. The second book in the series is specifically geared toward death and grief. Even if your loved one is unconscious, continue to pray and talk with them. It’s widely believed they can still hear you and/or sense you are near. 

Stories and Music

Storytelling seems to naturally happen a lot of times in these situations, but if you’re facing the loss of a loved one unexpectedly or if you’ve had communication problems with this loved one in the past, you might be unsure of what to talk about. Share stories or memories of good times, or ask them if they want to tell you about a happy time in their life or about their childhood. Be prepared for the possibility that your loved one may feel the need to confess or to talk over things they may feel guilty or conflicted about. Offer to contact a pastor or minister for them to talk to if they would like. 

Recent studies have shown that reading or hearing someone read to you can help relieve pain. If your loved one has a favorite book or loves the Bible, spend as much time as you can reading aloud. As well as comforting your loved one, it also can help you manage your stress and anxiety. 

In a similar way to reading, it’s believed that music can help reduce pain, stress, and anxiety. Make a playlist for your loved one, or if you can, sing some of their favorite songs. If they have a history of singing, it may bring them great joy to sing with you. This is an easy way for children to show love as well, since knowing what to talk about can be stressful for young ones. 

A Prayer For You

Jesus, please draw close to this precious brother or sister facing the death of a loved one. Let them feel Your presence and Your love. Carry them through the hard days ahead and comfort their broken heart. Give them wisdom and discernment to show love in powerful ways to the people around them, and also to recognize what they need and to show love to themselves. In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

FYI – a public affairs program with interesting people and hope-building projects around Ohio!
Have a question, comment, or topic? Contact FYI

The post How To Comfort a Loved One At The End of Their Life appeared first on 93.7 The Light.