Leaving Christianity: Christian leaders offer some antidotes but it's not that simple

Growing up, Essie Horn wasn’t much different than many young girls raised in an evangelical Christian home.

She attended church, sometimes Presbyterian, other times nondenominational, with her family, in addition to receiving her K-12 education at a small Christian school. Her college education took place at a small, private Christian college located in the hills of Tennessee, where she felt her faith “really grew” after she grasped her “own depravity and grace.”

“I considered myself a Christian my whole life,” she recalled.

But as Essie entered adulthood, something shifted.

How to Pray Huge Prayers—And See Dramatic Results

For years, even as a pastor, Brian Phipps found it difficult to pray for big things in his life. He wanted to influence the kingdom in a big way, but didn't know how to pray it into existence.

What he discovered was that he needed simply to follow the message of obedience in Luke 16:10 of "he who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much."

In UN address, Holy See voices support for ceasefire in Yemen

A nationwide ceasefire is essential to ease the suffering of the people of Yemen, which has been in a civil war since at least 2014, said the Holy See’s permanent observer to the U.N. on Tuesday.

“Children are starving; access to clean water is scarce; the economy continues to struggle severely; those who cannot flee the front lines of war remain cut off from basic supplies and humanitarian workers are impeded to operate in some areas,” said Archbishop Bernardito Auza, permanent observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, describing the situation in Yemen.

Priest in N Ireland urges pro-choice politicians not to receive Holy Communion

A priest in Northern Ireland has exhorted pro-choice politicians not to receive Holy Communion, and Catholic voters not to vote for pro-choice candidates or parties, after legislation expanding abortion access in the region took effect this week.

“To be publicly pro choice-abortion is irreconcilable with being a faithful Catholic. Therefore, such persons should not approach the Holy Eucharist. If they do so, they are committing the mortal sin of sacrilege,” Fr. Patrick McCafferty, parish priest at Corpus Christi in Belfast, said in an Oct. 21 Facebook post.

'Belief in Genesis ... incompatible with human dignity,' British tribunal claims

In the novel “Bleak House,” Charles Dickens introduces us to Harold Skimpole, a man who seems charming and reasonable but is quickly revealed to be a mooch and a parasite. Skimpole lives comfortably off of his friends. Even worse, he believes he’s entitled to the standard of living his friends provide, giving no thought at all to what it took to make his life comfortable in the first place.

Western culture is Skimpole-like. In other words, we take ideas such as freedom and human dignity for granted, without ever stopping to think about where those ideas came from in the first place.

Just ask Dr. David Mackereth who, for 26 years, worked for Britain’s National Health Service, mostly in Accident and Emergency wards. By all accounts, he was an excellent doctor.

Hillsong Pastor Explains Why You Should Let Your Child Trick-or-Treat, Despite Warning: ‘Spiritual Darkness Is Surrounding Everything’

It’s that time of the year again. Christian parents everywhere enter into a discussion of whether or not to allow their kids to go trick-or-treating.

Nathan Finochio, author and pastor at Hillsong Church, is tackling the topic this year, arguing that the word of God allows Christians to redefine everything.

Questions raised as Satanic Temple asks to hold meeting at Naval Academy

US Naval Academy.

As an outside group is asking to hold “satanic religious services” at the U.S. Naval Academy, questions have arisen as to its actual motives for doing so.

The Satanic Temple (TST), a group recognized as a church by the Internal Revenue Service, has threatened legal action against the U.S. Naval Academy if Midshipmen are not allowed to hold “satanic services” on campus as members of other religions are allowed to do.

When Demons Dare to Manifest in Your Church

Many pastors today are alarmed when Christians manifest with demons in their church. Others escort them to the back so they don't disrupt the service. But what would Jesus do?

Watch this video and sound off.

Muslim-majority UAE commits to rebuilding 2 churches destroyed by ISIS in Iraq

Father Thabet Habib evaluates the inside of a burned out church right in Karamles, Iraq right after the town's liberation from the Islamic State in October 2016.

The Muslim-majority United Arab Emirates announced plans this week to help rebuild two Christian churches destroyed by the Islamic State and said it's the first national government in the world to help rebuild Christian churches in postwar Iraq.

UAE has expanded its collaboration with a United Nations initiative called Revive the Spirit of Mosul. The initiative is an international effort to reconstruct Iraq’s once second-largest city ravaged by the Islamic State’s reign of destruction in the Nineveh region. 

According to a press release, a new agreement reiterating UAE’s support for the initiative was signed at the U.N.'s Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization headquarters in Paris on Sunday.

Partaking of God's Holiness

Our outward behavior, regardless of how good it is, does not bring us holiness. Apart from the Spirit of Christ within us, we have no capacity for holiness on our own because God's holiness flows into us through the Spirit of Christ. Holiness from God facilitates our good outward behavior. This implies that our primary objective is to open ourselves up to be partakers of God's holiness (see Hebrews 12:10-15). Holiness comes from trusting in God (Psalms 86:2). Our trust in Jesus Christ brings us His Spirit; and we cannot bypass trusting in the Son in order to receive God's holiness because it flows into us through the Spirit of His Son.

4 Things You Must Do if You Want to Hear Holy Spirit's Voice

If we want to know the purpose for our life, we must go to the source—to the God who created us. God's Holy Spirit is the one who reveals His mysteries to us, and if we are hungry to discover our purpose, He is willing to disclose it. He will show us the truth of who we are and the reason for our existence.

There is a significant difference between the process of "discovering" something and the process of receiving revelation. Discovering involves acquiring knowledge through studies, research, experiments, statistics and so on. It also refers to seeking out what is unknown. Receiving revelation, on the other hand, is a supernatural process in which our spiritual senses are opened to God and our understanding is enlightened.

UN set to elect slave state to human rights committee

United Nations Offices in Geneva, Switzerland, home of the UNHRC.

Mauritania, the west African nation where slavery remains a widespread practice, is expected to be voted on to the United Nations’ Human Rights Committee on Thursday.

According to its website, the UNHCR is “an inter-governmental body within the United Nations system responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the globe and for addressing situations of human rights violations and make recommendations on them.”

Do Most 'Christians' Need Deliverance?

I came across some Barna Research statistics that were absolutely shocking.

In this video, I share those statistics and pose a serious question: Do most Christians need deliverance from lying spirits and doctrines of demons? With these beliefs, are they even saved?

5 Ways to Spot a False Prophet

Some Christians fear that if we accept revelation beyond the Bible, we are open to false prophets. This is a valid concern, but we hope that some examples will help give some context for real versus counterfeit words from God. Here are five key ways to recognize false prophets:

Vatican City security head resigns after confidential memo was leaked

Pope Francis and Domenico Giani walk together on Oct. 13 at the Vatican.

The head of the Vatican City State’s national police force has resigned, after a confidential internal memo was leaked to the press that announced the suspension of some Vatican officials and employees and restricted their access to the Vatican.

The suspended officials were connected to an Oct. 1 raid of some Vatican offices, part an unspecified investigation overseen by a prosecutor, called the “promoter of justice” in the Vatican City court system.

Anything that threatens Communism is a target, Chinese human rights advocate says

Chen Guangcheng speaks at the Catholic University of America, Oct 9, 2019. Credit: Catholic University of America

 A Chinese human rights activist and former political prisoner has called for renewed focus on the country’s practices of mass detention, religious oppression, and reports of organ harvesting.
 
Speaking at an event Wednesday, Chen Guangcheng told listeners at the Catholic University of America that there is no doubt about the Communist regime’s determination to hold onto power by any means necessary.

“Human rights have declined and today are very bad,” Chen said of the current situation in China. The ruling Chinese Communist Party is “afraid of losing power,” he said, and so “anything that threatens its power will be a target for violence.”

US attorneys ignoring Trump's orders to prioritize religious liberty

Repeatedly, during his campaign for President in 2016, President Trump promised to protect religious freedom, gaining broad support from both the evangelical community and conservative Catholics in the process.  And repeatedly, during his presidency, President Trump has taken actions showing that he takes that promise seriously.   In the last few weeks, liberals were demanding that the President make climate change the focus of U.N. meetings in New York, but President Trump chose instead to make religious liberty his focus at the September 2019 meetings.

Seventeen months ago, we at Public Advocate decided to check into whether the perpetual bureaucracy — aka the Swamp — was implementing — or ignoring — President Trump’s religious liberty reforms.  Here is what we found.

Over 200,000 Students to Proclaim Jesus on Football Fields Across USA

Fellowship of Christian Athletes' student-led events focusing on prayer, worship and a commitment to Bible reading are set for Wednesday, Oct. 9, on 500-plus fields nationwide.

Some sports stories can unfortunately take on a negative focus, as headlines pinpoint matters such as locker room unrest, player indiscretions or holdouts on salaries.

But the national and international story of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes' (FCA, www.fca.org) Fields of Faith is laser-focused on the positive—that God is good all the time and that He is raising up a young generation to see the world transformed by His Son, Jesus Christ.

Virginia law requiring ultrasound before abortion upheld by federal judge

A pregnant woman getting an ultrasound scan.

A Virginia law requiring women to undergo an ultrasound before having an abortion and for there to be a waiting period has been upheld by a federal judge.

An additional measure holding that only physician can perform the procedure was also upheld.

Two other disputed laws — one of which mandated all second-trimester abortions to be carried out in a licensed outpatient hospital and the other requiring abortion clinics that perform first-trimester abortions to meet the same criteria as general and surgical hospitals — were struck down, multiple reports say.

After Vatican raid, 5 officials and employees suspended

An Italian news magazine has reported that five Vatican employees have been suspended following an Oct. 1 raid of offices within the Vatican’s Secretariat of State.

An Oct. 2 internal memo from the government of the Vatican City State conveyed that the five employees have been “suspended from service.” The memo was published by L’Espresso.

Prophecy: New Deliverance Technologies Revealed to Combat Demonic Resistance

Abortion rights activists try to burn Mexico City cathedral

Amid a demonstration Saturday urging the legalisation of abortion, activists tried to set fire to the Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral.

Students Around the World Pray Together for 'See You At The Pole'

This year's "See You At The Pole" prayer rally is set for Wednesday, Sept. 25. It's an event organized and led by students around the world.

According to the SYATP organization's website, it's just about one thing—prayer.

Public school students are urged to pray at 7 a.m. Wednesday around their school's flagpole.

The theme for the event is a Bible verse found in the Old Testament: 2 Chronicles 7:14.

"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

The event is a part of the Global Week of Student Prayer held from Sept. 22 to Sept. 28.

Other private or home-school students will pray in unique ways, places and times all during the week.

'Fastest-growing church' has no buildings, no central leadership, and is mostly led by women

For the last few years, researchers have credited the underground church in Iran as the fastest-growing Christian church in the world. It has unique characteristics that defy comparison with churches in America and Europe, and in the opinion of some who know it well, the church in the West could learn by studying it.

“The fastest-growing church in the world has taken root in one of the most unexpected and radicalized nations on earth,” according to “Sheep Among Wolves,” the outstanding two-hour documentary about the revival that has taken place inside Iran. “The Iranian awakening is a rapidly reproducing discipleship movement that owns no property or buildings, has no central leadership, and is predominantly led by women.”

Biblical Secrets to Shatter Your Financial Misery

Do you find yourself struggling monthly to make ends meet? Wealth Codes coach Rob Saunders says you don't have to live such a mediocre existence.

It's all a matter of biblical wisdom. In the Bible, Jesus talked more about money than he talked about salvation and grace. And when you understand and choose to practice the Lord's way of doing business, you will experience the abundance that exceeds all you can ask or think, dream or imagine.

5 Things You Need to Know About Depression, Mental Illness

Many know all too well the debilitating effects of mental illness. We do a great disservice when we tell those struggling to "just get over it and think positive thoughts" or "read your Bible more." Although positive thinking (the right kind) is biblical, and it's crucial to meditate on God's Word, one cannot simply turn depression, anxiety and hopelessness on and off like a light switch. But on the flip side, there are factors that contribute to mental anguish. After many years of praying with, talking to and counseling thousands of people, I've found five factors that stand out that may cause mental pain. (Watch the short video here outlining these same points.)

1. Chemical imbalances and other physical factors can cause mental illness. Medication has a place, such as when neurotransmitters and hormone levels need assistance. In the same way that diabetes needs to be treated with insulin, some struggling with emotional pain may need medication, such as serotonin reuptake inhibitors, but medication doesn't always fix the problem. Often, it complicates it. Before jumping immediately on the medication bandwagon, consider the next four points. There isn't a one-size-fits-all approach, but we can look at a combination of things that may be adding to mental anguish.

Edward Snowden brands advancing AI ‘greatest danger’ for future

A bus passes by a poster of Edward Snowden, a former contractor at the National Security Agency (NSA), displayed by his supporters at Hong Kong's financial central district during the midnight hours, while Snowden is engaged in a live chat online believed to be in Hong Kong, on June 18, 2013.

Former NSA contractor and whistleblower Edward Snowden warned that continued advancement of artificial intelligence could lead to more pernicious policing of people around the world through the creation of a “permanent record” of their life.

The warning comes ahead of the release of Snowden’s book, Permanent Record, set for release on Tuesday.

Pope Francis to visit Thailand and Japan in November

The Vatican confirmed Friday that Pope Francis will travel to Thailand and Japan in November with stops scheduled in Tokyo, Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Pope Francis will visit Thailand Nov. 20-23 in commemoration of the 350th anniversary of the Vatican Mission to Siam in 1669. The pope will then travel Nov. 23-26 to Japan, where the theme of his visit is “Protect all life.”

Arizona M.D. Reveals: 4 Weird Signs You'll Live Past 100

At some point, one question has crossed everyone's mind:

"When am I going to die?"

And while none of us have a magic crystal ball...

What if there was some scientific way to know for sure?

Well, one Arizona doctor may have just cracked the code.

Why Your Christian Marriage Doesn't Have to Be Boring

As a counselor, I have helped many people grieve many different events or realities in their lives. In grief counseling, the model for grief comes from Elisabeth Kübler Ross, who studied people dying. She identified the grief stage as: shock, denial, anger, bargaining, sadness and acceptance.

The very first stage of grief is shock. Shock is kind of visceral feeling throughout one's body. When you genuinely hold tightly to an idea and a truth comes against that idea, you can experience shock. It can feel like disconnection or pain or numbness depending on the intensity of what you are grieving.

New study ‘finds genetic links to same-sex behavior’: 3 facts you need to know

LGBTQ advocates have long sought evidence for the claim that same-sex sexual attraction is genetically conditioned. “God made me this way” is a common claim.

If it could be proven that same-sex sexual attraction is inherited, many would find it even easier to liken homosexual persons to racial minorities and castigate those who affirm biblical sexual morality as prejudiced and homophobic.

We should therefore not be surprised by the way a new study of same-sex sexual behavior is being reported. “Research Finds Genetic Links to Same-Sex Behavior” headlines the Wall Street Journal. The New York Times headlines the story a bit differently: “Many Genes Influence Same-Sex Sexuality, Not a Single ‘Gay Gene.'”

If these headlines were all you read, you’d assume that the “God made me this way” claim has finally been proven. The opposite is actually true.

Christian authors blast Amazon for banning their books, selling pedophilia titles

Christian authors who once identified as gay or lesbian are highlighting the double standard Amazon is applying by removing their books from the platform while continuing to sell titles that promote pedophilia.

Restored Hope Network Executive Director Anne Paulk and pastoral counselor Joe Dallas both saw their books removed from the retail giant. Amazon told some authors that their books, which detail how Jesus transformed their lives and sexual identities, were in "violation of our content guidelines."

Paulk, the author of Restoring Sexual Identity: Hope for Women Who Struggle with Same-Sex Attraction, said in a statement to local media on Thursday that she's not surprised books like her's and Dallas' have been banned by the retailer.

“But it is literally criminal what the site still offers for sale,” she said.

Nigerian priest killed as car set ablaze

A Catholic priest was killed in Nigeria this week when the car he was driving was set ablaze.

Fr. David Tanko was traveling within the Jalingo diocese of Nigeria, near the country’s border with Cameroon, when he was attacked Aug. 29. The priest was traveling to a “peace meeting” of local clergymen to discuss a conflict between the local Tiv and Jukun ethnic groups.

“We received the news of his death with shock. This is sad. The diocese is mourning,”  Bishop Charles Hammawa of Jalingo told local media.

“We have been preaching peace and making efforts to bring both parties in crisis in the area to a roundtable discussion,” the bishop added.

Shiban Tikari, chairman of Taraba State Council, told local media that a Tiv militia carried out the attack.

Hammawa encouraged a peaceful response to Tanko’s killing.

“Our basic concern now is to give him a befitting burial,”  the bishop said.

“We don’t want any group to go on reprisal. Going on reprisal will only worsen the situation.”

The bishop announced a Vigil Mass for the priest on Monday, Sept. 2; and burial the following day at the diocesan cemetery in Jalingo.

Death row inmates appeal to North Carolina Supreme Court, citing racial bias

California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation

The Supreme Court of North Carolina is set to hear the case of six death row inmates who say a repealed state law should still allow them to be resentenced to life without parole, since they were able to successfully demonstrate that racial bias was a factor in their death sentences.

The court is scheduled to hear arguments Monday and Tuesday in the cases of four death row inmates who briefly were resentenced to life without parole when state legislators approved the Racial Justice Act in 2009, the AP reports.

10th Avenue North Frontman: Stop Begging to Know God's Will for Your Life

After years of wrestling with his obsession to know God's will for his life, Tenth Avenue North lead singer Mike Donehey came to an "aha" moment. God had not revealed His plan to Donehey because God Himself was the plan.

Donehey had to ask God to change his will to seek the Lord first and focus on serving Him. And it all began with his prayer life.

Bishops praise proposal to clarify religious exemptions for federal contractors

Leaders at the U.S. bishops’ conference have praised a U.S. Labor Department proposal to clarify protections for religious employers seeking federal contracts.

“Faith-based groups should have the opportunity to compete on a level playing field as they seek to partner with the federal government to provide critical social services,” said the heads of three committees for the U.S. bishops.

Holy Spirit Shows Music Industry Veteran What Our Culture Gets Totally Wrong About Success

Mark Maxwell is an entertainment lawyer and a music business veteran, but he's also a committed Christian with a unique and refreshing perspective on integrity and success.

Maxwell was once a record label executive, but he doesn't approach life in the stereotypical way some might expect from an attorney and music industry pro. Rather than putting business, money and materialism first, he follows a totally different blueprint.

Migrant families to face longer detention under new Trump rule; faith groups concerned

Christian advocacy groups are speaking out after the Trump administration announced a new regulation Wednesday that would allow for undocumented migrant children to be detained without limit in immigration detention facilities.

The Departments of Homeland Security and Health and Human Services unveiled the new rule that opens the door for the Trump administration to detain migrant families who cross the U.S. southern border indefinitely.

Hong Kong student leader: Catholics should take 'major role' in peaceful protests

Protesters hold placards during a rally in Chartered Garden on August 16, 2019 in Hong Kong, China.

The acting president of the Hong Kong Federation of Catholic Students told CNA this week that he would like to see Catholics and other Christians take on a larger role in ongoing protests against the government, amid fears of a crackdown by Chinese authorities.

"For this movement, it's a great chance for the Catholics and [Protestant] Christians to cooperate with each other," Edwin Chow, a student studying Government and International Studies at Hong Kong Baptist University, said in a statement.

Are You Rebuking Satan the Wrong Way?

Is it enough to just rebuke the enemy?

Are we missing an important element of prayer? We've all heard people say, "I rebuke you, devil" or "I rebuked the enemy."

But, are we following up those words with an action we want the enemy to take as Jesus did? Are we binding and restricting our situation or storms and then speaking to it and declaring over our situation what it should do?

This Spiritual DNA Is Vital for a Healthy Marriage

When we come at our marriage to be served instead of to serve the other person, we are setting ourselves up for significant, unnecessary pain. If a man or woman is not a servant, he or she is not ready for marriage.

If there is not a servant at the very core of who you are, you have totally missed why you are here on planet Earth, and why you are married and received a family. Each responsibility is designed to expand your ability and capacity to serve with excellence and a great attitude.

Survey on Catholic belief in the Eucharist prompts calls for better catechesis

After a recent survey found that two-thirds of Catholics do not believe Church teaching about the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, Catholic commenters are stressing the importance of better faith formation.

“We should never assume that ‘everyone here knows the basics.’ We have to constantly reiterate the basics and take every advantage that we have to catechize,” said John Bergsma, a professor of Theology at Franciscan University of Steubenville.

VP Mike Pence: Spend more time in prayer than online

Vice President Mike Pence is urging people to spend more time on their knees in prayer than they do online, particularly when faced with challenges.

Speaking at Alliance Defending Freedom's fireside chat Tuesday, the vice president addressed the controversy that surrounded his wife, second lady Karen Pence, earlier this year when it became known that she was returning to teaching art part-time at a Christian school in northern Virginia where she previously taught when he was a Congressman.

Is Loving Yourself Selfish?

While loving yourself as God loves you is an important experience and practice, many can struggle and wonder, Will this lead me to become selfish? Will loving myself lead me to become self-centered?

In this video, I want to address the question that asks, "Is loving yourself something that can lead you to becoming selfish?" I want to help you apply some wisdom so you can address this issue with fruitfulness, balance and grounded living.

I will address the tension between loving others sacrificially and also tending to the needs of your own heart. I will share what loving yourself is not while also getting to some of the core issues we need to address when it comes to loving God, loving yourself and loving others.

White roses fall inside Roman basilica to mark 4th century Marian miracle

White rose petals fell from the ceiling of St. Mary Major Basilica Monday, as Romans celebrated the anniversary of a 4th century Marian miracle.

The miracle, which inspired the construction of the papal Marian basilica, involved a miraculous snowfall in Rome on Aug. 5 in the year 358.

The Dormition Fast: The Eastern Christian season leading to the Assumption

Theophanes the Greek's Dormition of the Mother of God (1392).

Each year the Eastern Catholic Churches, as well as other Eastern Christians, participate in a fasting season Aug. 1-14 in preparation for the Aug. 15 feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God (which is celebrated as the Assumption in the Latin rite).

Traditionally, during the strict fourteen day fast, Eastern Catholics abstain from meat, dairy, fish, wine, and oil on weekdays, with some relaxation on the weekends and on the feast of the Transfiguration. The fast is relaxed for children and the elderly, or for those with a medical condition.

Coalition of left-leaning pastors warn against Christian nationalism

The Right Rev. Michael Curry, the first African-American Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church

A coalition of mostly left leaning pastors have joined a campaign warning against Christian nationalism.

Among the endorsers of the campaign's statement is bishop and primate of The Episcopal Church, the Rev. Michael Curry, a supporter of same-sex marriage who presided over the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

After Norway Seizes Pentecostal Family's 5 Kids, Top European Court Will Hear Case

The European Court of Human Rights has agreed to hear the case of a Pentecostal family after Norway seized their children.

Barnevernet—Norway's child-welfare agency—took the children in 2015 under claims that the parents were using spanking as a form of discipline, which is illegal in that nation. The agency took action after a school principal expressed concern that parents Ruth and Marius Bodnariu were indoctrinating their children with their Christian beliefs.

Village Church staffer axed from design conference after group protests over his religious views

David Roark, the communications and resources director for The Village Church in Flower Mound, Texas, was recently axed as a speaker at an annual design conference after the Dallas Fort Worth arm of the American Institute of Graphic Arts protested his religious views.

The annual Circles Conference, a three-day design and development conference that brings together designers and makers from around the globe is set to take place Sept. 18-20 in Richardson, Texas, this year, but the local AIGA announced it wouldn’t partner with the conference this year because of Roark’s inclusion as a speaker.

Authorities investigating criminal reports of men buying kids in Mexico before crossing US border

Authorities are investigating claims that migrant men in Tijuana, Mexico, are attempting to buy children from poor, single mothers living at shelters so they increase their chances of being released from border detention centers sooner and gaining asylum in the U.S.

The San Diego Union-Tribune has reported that women staying at Tijuana shelters fear their children will be kidnapped after seeing groups of men approaching mothers offering to purchase their children to expedite their process of seeking asylum.

Here's the Spiritual Connection to Your Emotional Eating

My emotions used to be very well-hidden, buried under more than 250 pounds of flesh. I never wanted them to raise their ugly heads or be noticeable in public. I just wanted them to stay put and act nice, not get all in a wad where I'd have to deal with them. I've learned, though, that life is messy so we might as well feel it. But that lesson was a long time coming.

I have always valued what I know much more than what I feel. Many times though, actually most of the time, my behaviors ruled me. For years, my emotions were partnering with the evil one to end my physical existence on this earth.

Chinese officials crack down on religious funerals, weddings

As the Communist Party of China continues to tighten its grip on the regulation of religion and religious activity, a human rights group is reporting that officials are disrupting religious rites and ceremonies such as funerals and weddings that take place outside of church buildings.

Bitter Winter, a magazine documenting human rights and religious freedom abuses in China, reported that attendees of such ceremonies have been threatened with investigation and jail, and in some cases have been arrested and detained for more than two weeks at a time.

Egypt Legalizes 127 Churches in Sweeping Approval

A committee set up by the Egyptian government has approved the legalization of 127 churches that were previously being run in an illegal capacity.

A law passed in 2016 hoped to speed up the process of legalization, with thousands of churches being built without a permit and operating in fear of government reprisals.

Prior to the law being passed, it was notoriously difficult to attain state approval and, therefore, congregations could find themselves at risk of prosecution.

What God Wants to Do With These 3 Prophetic Types of Kings in This Hour

I wrote an article, "Calling Out the Emerging Kings," published on Elijah List, Oct. 19, 2018. Two days after that article came out, my husband, a brilliant attorney and a major "king" himself, died unexpectedly. I lost my best friend, my confidant, my adviser, my financial partner. In a moment, my world as I knew it disintegrated.

Shocking as it sounds, I could not allow this tragedy to be wasted without it being woven into God's greater plan of redemption and victory. I knew I was onto something with my revelation about kings; I had to persist in declaring the call. Even more mind-blowing, God has been confirming the coronation of kingship in my own personal life. Since my husband's passing, I have assumed massive, sole responsibility for the management of our family assets, overhauling our lives and portfolios. God's inexplicable favor acted like a shield around me as I worked tirelessly with some top tax and legal advisers (kings of this world).

Previously, I had shared a vision of Jesus casting out crowns to countless souls who rejected them. These were leaders and rulers who would have otherwise extended God's kingdom on earth by boldly executing heaven's blueprints.