Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the National Summit on Protecting Children from Sexual Exploitation
National Harbor, Md. ~ Friday, October 14, 2011
Remarks as prepared for delivery:
Thank you, Francey [Hakes] – for your kind words, for your work in bringing us all together this afternoon, and – of course – for your outstanding leadership in implementing the National Strategy for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction.
It’s a privilege to join Francey in welcoming all of our panelists and participants. I’m encouraged to see so many longtime allies and new partners in one place – eager to share best practices and fresh ideas, to think creatively and act collaboratively, and – ultimately – to take our efforts to prevent and reduce child exploitation to a new level.
Thank you all for taking part in today’s discussions – and for your contributions in advancing one of the Justice Department’s top priorities: protecting the safety, rights, and best interests of our children.
This work – of reaching out to children in need and at risk, of supporting victims, and of safeguarding our young people from exploitation, abuse, trafficking, sexual violence, and online threats – has never been more urgent. At every level of the Justice Department, it is – and it will remain – a top priority.
This commitment is yielding promising results. In recent years, investigations and prosecutions of child exploitation crimes have increased dramatically. And we’re working with law enforcement and government agencies – as well as nonprofit and advocacy organizations, and a variety of international partners – like never before. In rural areas, inner cities, tribal communities, and online – we’ve brought a record number of offenders to justice. We’ve launched a new, nationwide operation targeting the top 500 most dangerous, non-compliant sex offenders. And, just this summer, we announced the largest prosecution in history of individuals who participated in an online child exploitation enterprise.
But, unfortunately – at the same time – we’ve also seen an historic rise in the distribution of child pornography, in the number of images being shared online, and in the level of violence associated with child exploitation and sexual abuse crimes. Tragically, the only place we’ve seen a decrease is in the age of victims.
This is unconscionable – and it is unacceptable. Such an extraordinary challenge demands our most aggressive, innovative, and comprehensive possible response.
That’s what today’s summit is all about – expanding our network of partners, broadening our reach and expertise, and improving our ability to keep our children safe from harm. It’s also about keeping the promise that’s laid out in the National Strategy that the Justice Department submitted to Congress last year.
In developing this Strategy, we solicited ideas and sought expertise from advocates, victims, law enforcement officers, policymakers, and partners at every level of government and across the international community. Many of these partners are here today, and I’m grateful for their ongoing engagement. With their help, we created a Strategy that provided a comprehensive assessment of the threats at hand, as well as the effectiveness of current efforts to combat child exploitation and abuse. It also provided information on areas where we needed to act more aggressively – and more collaboratively.
Over the last year, this Strategy has provided a roadmap for our work – helping us to fuse cutting-edge technologies with traditional methods of law enforcement and recovery; to streamline our education, prevention and prosecution activities; to improve information sharing and cooperation; and to leverage limited resources.
Without question, I am proud of what’s been accomplished. But I am not satisfied. I recognize that we have more to do – and that we cannot do it alone.
To more effectively prevent and combat child exploitation and abuse, we need greater engagement – and not just from our traditional law enforcement, advocacy, and government partners. We need the help of behavioral experts, security and technology industry leaders, and other experts and specialists who can inform and strengthen our work.
That’s why the National Strategy demands that we keep expanding our network of partners. And it’s why the Justice Department will continue to call on those who share our concerns – as well as our commitment to progress – to join in our efforts to protect the children who need us most.
As we begin today’s discussions, not only do I welcome your involvement, I am counting on it. And I expect that your diverse perspectives – and specific recommendations – will help to guide and enhance the Department’s work in the days ahead.
Today, together, we are increasing our odds in the fight to protect our kids. We’re also raising awareness about the problem of child exploitation. And by bringing together so many different partners, we’re signaling that – when it comes to keeping our children from harm – a new era of collaboration has begun.
Thank you all for being part of this conversation and this work. Your presence here today gives me great hope about what we can accomplish together. And I look forward to hearing from – and working with – you all.
Your teenagers might squander lots of time on Social Networking Sites or/and virtual world sites. Parental Controls software can readily aid parents to ensure Social Networking Websites security for teens. However, do you know what your teens are up to on Twitter? Social Networking Sites are becoming stylish. These sites are fabulous sites for teenagers to communicate with relatives using computers and have transformed the way of communication.
Steps
Know more about the Internet and the SNS.
Talk to your kids about the dangers and risks.
Many a time, kids disclose too much classified information, talk about improper topics that may get them into trouble, or otherwise put themselves in danger by what they surf online. Parental Controls program is supplied to related parents to deal with problems relating to Social Networking Websites and community websites. Once you possess the basics of [Parental Monitoring][1] application, you'll be better able to aid your teens to stay harmonious when they communicate online.
Use anti-virus and parental control software to ensure online safety for your kids.
Tweens give out too much secret information such as home address, telephone number, which could give rise to critical issues - susceptibility to Internet thefts and violence of privacy. Parental Monitoring software is supplied to facilitate parents to review teens' Internet activity and select what couldn't be viewed by your teens.
Watch for danger signs. Warnings that indicate your teenagers can be at risk online.
1. Spend plenty of time online, especially at night
2. Reluctant to leave the room
3. Isolate from friends and family members
4. Improper links found on the computer
5. Receive mails from strangers
6. Turn the computer monitor off quickly when parent enters the room
Minimize the risk to them as much as possible.
Consider talking with your kids, let them know what they couldn't browse on the Internet, and potential risks. Create your own SNS account and share the online experience with your kids and be their guide.
Make some rules on their network activity, amount of time spending on the Internet. And tell them not to use real information such as photo, name and address in personal profile.
Use Parental Control Monitoring programme to record teens' Internet activity.
Routinely review your teens' SNS profile, and clean up sensitive information. Check their friend lists and clean up suspected pals.
Watch for signs of your children being bullied. If you see that they are, do the following:
Once your children were bullied, take copies as evidences for future law enforcement use using parental monitoring program, and report to the relevant departments, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and Police Department.
Purchase authentic safety and parental monitoring application to secure your computer against computer pedophiles, ensuring cyber safety for your teenagers and the whole family.
Come up with a Proposal for your teenagers
Do not disclose true info such as name, family address
Tell your parents at once if you were bullied by Network predators
Use privacy settings of Social Networking Websites, think carefully before accept a person as a friend
Do not click any weird hypertext links which may lead to account theft and etc
Do not chitchat with any one with cam without your parents' guide
Keep yourself educated. Parents ought to maintain themselves up-to-date on the news of SNS by learning online educational sites, and inform teens about appropriate online usage, if your teens are not that careful, they may become victims of infringement of privacy, and predator. And teens have to be got informed of the parental control monitoring if needed.
Over 20 years ago, my mother disowned me for a period of 10 years of my life. It wasn't something I could ever imagine doing to one of my children, but it happened. It was one of the most painful times of my life. I was angry at her. I got married and gave birth to my first child and she wasn't there. I missed her and longed for a mother-daughter relationship. I cried a lot. Today my mother and I have a beautiful relationship and I am so grateful for our reconciliation. As a matter of fact, her birthday card to me this year said, "You are the best daughter". Did this relationship we have today happen overnight? The answer is no. At the core of our relationship today is forgiveness.
What is forgiveness?
"Forgiveness is something virtually all Americans aspire to - 94% surveyed in a nationwide Gallup poll said it was important to forgive-in the same survey; only 48% said they usually tried to forgive others."
I don't think a single person can escape life without experiencing hurt by another person. Maybe the hurt is angry words spoken during an argument or a friend who surprises you with betrayal. Perhaps the pain comes from emotional neglect, infidelity, divorce or even sexual and physical abuse. Sometimes the hurt is a one time event. Other times the pain continues for a long time.
Forgiveness is a necessary step to healing from pain. It is a choice to extend mercy to the person who hurt you. Sometimes forgiveness allows you to move forward with the other person and experience a new relationship. Other times, reconciliation is not possible. In this case, forgiveness is more for you and your own personal growth.
Why forgive?
First and foremost, God commands us to forgive. In Mark 11:25-26, it says "And when you stand in praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your sins."
You might be saying, "But you don't understand what's been done to me." And you're right; I don't know all the hurts you've endured. However, I know from experience that it pays to forgive. Forgiveness is a sign of strength - not weakness. It is the strong who can put aside the past and let go of anger and resentment. My mom comes from a large family, with seven brothers and sisters. There has been a lot of sibling rivalry, and I'm always amazed at the amount of resentment that still remains in the family today.
Anger and resentment drains your energy, and keeps you imprisoned by your past. By choosing to let go of your hurt and anger, you give yourself the freedom to fully experience joy in life. Anger builds inside us, so by letting go, you improve your ability to control your anger. We've all seen the person who blows up at the smallest incident. It is the accumulation of built up anger that is unreleased that causes this explosion. So many diseases, like heart disease and cancer, can be triggered by unresolved resentment. By choosing to forgive, you can dramatically improve your emotional and physical health.
Without forgiveness, you cannot move forward in your own personal and relational growth.
What forgiveness is not?
Forgiveness does not mean you allow people to treat you badly. It does not mean you ignore the wrongdoings. It means you accept that the person has made a mistake, and you are choosing to grant them mercy. When you forgive someone, you won't necessarily forget the hurt. I will always remember the pain I felt when my mom disowned me, but I do not dwell on it, and I do not let it interfere with the quality of our relationship today. I have allowed myself to heal and move on. Forgiveness does not mean you are condoning or excusing the person's behavior. And it doesn't mean you have to trust that person again. Some acts, like physical and sexual abuse, require that you limit your trust or at least test the trust with the person who hurt you. Remember, forgiveness is more for you than the other person.
The process of forgiving
So you've thought about it and you're ready to forgive. You're tired of holding on to old pain and you've decided it's time to let go and move on. What do you do? First, you must face and release the anger that you feel. On the surface of the hurt is anger and you need to break away that layer first. Underneath the anger is the pain and hurt that you must grieve. There are many ways to release anger and hurt. You can talk about it with trusted people. You can spend time journaling. You can pray about it and ask God to take away that pain and resentment. You can express your feelings to the person who hurt you, provided that it's possible to have a healthy conversation where both you and the other person speak and listen in respectful ways.
One of the best and most cleansing ways to release your negative feelings is to write a letter to your perpetrator. In this letter, you pour out every emotion you feel. You tell them everything that hurt you and everything they did to make you angry. Do not hold anything back. Allow yourself to really feel the anger and cry the tears by reading it out loud to yourself. When you are done, burn or bury the letter as a symbol that you are ready to move on. DO NOT give the letter to the person. This letter is for you and you only.
After processing all your emotions, you are ready to make the choice to forgive. It is a choice that requires compassion, understanding and an open and loving heart. When my mother and I first reconciled, we talked about our feelings. Sometimes we even fought because the pain was still fresh. But we listened to one another and we tried to get inside each other's shoes. It wasn't easy, but today, even though I don't agree with some of my mother's beliefs, I have compassion and understanding for who she is and why she made the choice she did. I love her regardless of our differences.
Each of us makes mistakes in life. At one time or another (probably more than one time), we will hurt another person. Maybe it will be an accident, or perhaps it will be a purposeful reaction to someone hurting you. When this does happen, do you want to be forgiven? Do you want another chance to make amends? Most people don't mean to hurt us - they are dealing with their own pain and unresolved resentment. It's unfortunate that we take it out on our loved ones, but until we break the cycle, it will continue to happen.
Are you ready to break the cycle and do your part to forgive?
Author Bio
Lori Radun, CEC is a certified life coach, speaker and author for moms. To receive her FREE newsletter and the special report, "155 Things Moms Can Do to Raise Great Children", visit her website at www.true2youlifecoaching.com
Sometimes praising God is a willful declaration in the midst of despair. Built on the framework of Psalm 42, this worship video echoes the writer's thirst for God in this wilderness as well as his refusal to wait for relief to worship his Savior.
Psalm 42
1As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. 2My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God? 3My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God? 4When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday. 5Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance. 6O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar. 7Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me. 8Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the day time, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life. 9I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? 10As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God? 11Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.
10/11/11 In another example of the increasingly international nature of crime, a man was recently indicted on federal charges of running 18 Chinese-language child pornography websites out of his apartment in Flushing, New York. The websites were being advertised to Chinese-speaking individuals in China, in the U.S., and other countries. This case serves as an example of something else as well: the increasingly international nature of law enforcement. While the FBI investigated this case in the U.S., we received what U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara of the Southern District of New York called “extensive cooperation and assistance” from the Chinese Ministry of Public Security. How it all started. In late 2010, the FBI—through our legal attaché office in Beijing—received information from Chinese officials about their investigation of a large-scale child pornography website housed on U.S. servers. And one of their main suspects, a Chinese-born man, was living in New York. So our New York office opened an investigation under our Innocent Images National Initiative and instituted an undercover operation. The investigation. While the main webpage advertised the various categories of pornographic pictures that were available, our undercover agents—with the help of an FBI Chinese language specialist—discovered that in order to actually view, post, or download the pornography, you had to pay a membership fee ($25 quarterly, $50 annually, and $100 for a “lifetime” membership). The website conveniently accepted all payment types—credit cards, wire and bank transfers, online payments, and even cash that could be mailed to what turned out to be a money transfer office in New York. After becoming “members,” the agents saw hundreds of disturbing pictures and videos of children of all different nationalities engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Through our investigative efforts, we were able to determine that the site—and its related online payment system—resided on the servers of a web hosting company in Dallas and that the subscriber of the website domain lived in Flushing. We also traced two e-mail accounts—one featured on the site and the other affiliated with the website domain—back to the same individual. Through billing information, we learned that the man had made about $20,000 per month from his subscribers. We believe he had been operating the site since at least 2007. After the arrest, we identified 17 additional Chinese-language child pornography websites he allegedly maintained and operated. We also seized two servers in Dallas where those sites were hosted. All 18 websites have been shut down. During the course of the operation, FBI and Chinese investigators and prosecutors met to discuss the case and to talk about future cooperation on similar cases. One concrete outcome of this partnership? The Ministry of Public Security sent its first Chinese officer to join the FBI’s Innocent Images International Task Force and receive specialized training on such topics as legal principals, emerging trends and technologies, and investigative techniques. Once the fall 2011 training session is completed, the task force will number 100 officers in 43 countries. Since its launch in 2004, the task force has built an international network of Internet child sexual exploitation investigators who share intelligence and work joint operations across national borders. Exactly what’s needed to combat the many child pornographers using the Internet to extend their nefarious reach around the globe.
Here's an important question to answer: right now, if you really needed some help, how many friends do you have that you could call who you know would immediately be there for you?
Still thinking?
This is not good!
You were not made to go it alone.
God created us for relationships with others.
Have you ever realized that four of the Ten Commandments deal with our relationship to God while the remaining six deal with our relationship to each other. All 10 are about relationships.
The most important relationship is a personal relationship with our heavenly Father through His Son Jesus Christ . But we are also supposed to be connected to others.
"Bowling Alone "is the title of a popular book from a few years ago that talked about how we in the United States have become a nation of loners.
This is not good. Doctors tell us that loneliness is a major health problem. A Boston Globe story on the issue reported recently that people who are socially isolated like this but otherwise healthy are twice as likely to die as those who have friends. A similar study fund that isolated men are up to 25% more likely to die of all causes at any age versus non -isolated men. The odds for women are 33%.
George Callup's organization says Americans are among the loneliest people on earth, with more than a third saying they fell isolated and alone.
But George Gallup tells us something else, something he personally discovered that he says is "profoundly good news." Let me quote him:
"I want to report to you now on a trend that may be contributing to a transformation of America. You will not read about this trend in our daily newspapers or on television, yet it is a powerful undercurrent in our society that, I believe, gives us cause for encouragement about the future! This trend could be described as a sociological and spiritual phenomenon: Americans on a massive scale are rediscovering each other, and coming together regularly in small nourishing support groups, many with a spiritual dimension."
The news Gallup discovered is so profound that he has now basically retired from his survey company's day-to-day leadership and has devoted the remaining part of his life to the development and encouragement of small groups. George Gallup, in case you didn't know, is a devout Christian.
Small groups are all about relationships. And that's something that Jesus teaches in the Bible that we are to develop and nurture.
Jesus said our love for each other is to be our witness to the world.
There is nothing intimidating about a Christian small group. They're a lot like families. Think of them as a group of friends who meet regularly to support and encourage one another and to grow in knowledge of the Lord through Bible study, prayer and application.
For most, application means reaching out and helping others, beyond their immediate circule of friends. Many groups have regular outreach projects during the year. There is no shortage of needs. Working at a food pantry, babysitting for single Moms, mentoring school kids and visiting the sick in hospitals are just a few ideas.
Interpersonal relationships bring balance to life. And the best such relationships are when we make connect with others in a basic Christian community.
That's the small group.
If you were to count them all up, the New Testament has over 50 references to how Christians are to be connected in friendship and fellowship. Bible scholars call them the "one another" passages. For example, we're commanded to "love one another", to "pray for one another" and to "build up one another".
It's clear from the Bible that God wants us to be in regular, close fellowship with each other. But such relationships are often the first to be sacrificed to our busy schedules.
This doesn't make sense. For relationships, not wealth or prestige or the accumulation of material things, are what matters most in life.
Now listen. That is just plain wrong. That is sinful. And I say this on the authority of the Bible.
In Matthew 22:36-40. "Jesus said, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart...soul...and mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and Prophets hang on these two commandments.' "
That's called the Great Commandment.
In Matthew 28:19-20. "Jesus said, 'Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.' "
That's called the Great Commission.
Both of those commandments emphasize relationships.
Here's the bottom line: You cannot be the mature believer God intend unless you get involved with people. You will stagnate. It is unbiblical not to be connected with others. Pastor Rick Warren in big Purpose Driven Life Book said it this way: "If you are too busy to be connected you are too busy."
Clearly, we must make friends a priority if we are going to be obedient to God.
This isn't just an idea. It's a command from jesus, who says we are to join together with others and be friends, loving and praying and supporing one another.
What are you waiting for? Join or start a small group today.
Author Bio
The author is the publisher of the Online Christian Shopper (www.onlinechristianshopper.com), a shopping site specializing in Christian T-Shirts and Christian jewelry. He also writes the Share Your Testimony evangelism Website (www.sharetestimony.com).
An abusive relationship, even if you survive it, will always leave some mental or physical scars. Not to mention financial damages or trust issues. This is too be avoided at all costs.
Steps
Identify it early on and nip it in the bud. Just leave, don’t give the potential abuser a chance to sink his teeth too deep into you. Just move on.
At the beginning they are always charming and full of attention.
Watch out for signs of early domination.
Does he let you down and never apologise? Does he keep you waiting for an hour or more but refuse to tolerate a ten minutes delay from you?
Does he sometimes call you names and laugh it off? Does he criticise your weight, looks, age, anything that makes you feel low?
Understand that he can be violent without actually hitting you. Verbal violence is nearly as brutal and deameaning.
Does he try to isolate you from your friends and family?
Does he constantly bitch about your friends, wishing you would spend more time with him and less time with your family and friends?
Is your cooking never as good as his mother's or his ex?
Does he want to make you do stuff in bed against your will (threesome, anal, etc) making you fear he will leave you if you don’t?
Do you come out of a date with him feeling drained and jumpy?
Does the mention of his name make you nervous?
Does he make you feel guilty when you show signs of not taking his crap anymore?
Does he text you aggressively and continually when you are away?
Does he alternate threats with loving words?
Are you feeling confused about your connection?
If you can answer yes to half those questions you are in the early stages of an abusive relationship. There is only one thing to do: cut all contacts from one day to the other.
When you decide to leave, don’t tell him, just go.
Call him or write him a letter explaining exactly why you are leaving him.
Refuse to ever talk to him again.
Do not answer his emails/ texts/ calls.
Ignore him when you see him in the street.
Even if he stalks you, he will move on some day to pester someone else.
Never, ever sleep with him again. You would be losing control.
Don’t jump into another relationship for a while. Take time to rebuild all the you that he has destroyed.
Tips
Remember that it is much better to be on your own than with the wrong partner and in the wrong relationship.
Learn your lesson and keep spotting early signs of domination and abuse in your next relationship.
Never tell your next man about what has happened, somehow most men give themselves permission to abuse what they consider "damaged goods".
The Congressionally mandated CyberTipline, maintained by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, is a reporting mechanism for cases of child sexual exploitation including child pornography, online enticement of children for sex acts, molestation of children outside the family, sex tourism of children, child victims of prostitution, and unsolicited obscene material sent to a child.
Reports may be made 24-hours per day, 7 days per week online at www.cybertipline.com or by calling 1-800-843-5678.
I was over at an aunt's house over the weekend visiting. During the course of our many, many conversations with a few ladies in the family (you know how we women can get!), we started to talk about nutrition and health. We all wanted to get healthier, so we decided to form a "healthier you" club of our own. The one issue over and over again that came up was that the spirit was willing but the flesh was weak! They just couldn't say no to those Oreos!
When I was thinking about it over the weekend, I saw this as the perfect opportunity to serve my family on a daily basis in prayer. We've all been there. Whether it's saying no to that Oreo or that one sin you've been calling your "issue" or "habit" that just seems to have a hold on you, I have Good News for you today: Today is the day you will be set free! God's Word is so awesome. The way this builds up in Scripture caused a paradigm shift for me:
And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Luke 22:41 KJV
From the first verse on our foundational text, it shows us not to just go ahead and do something without involving God in it. Ask for help. He is more than willing to help and He always tells us yes when we ask in line with His Word. (2 Cr. 1v20)
Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. Luke 22:42 KJV
Here, Jesus is taking back for us something we lost in the Garden of Eden. As you know, Adam and Eve turned over their dominion and authority to the enemy. Eve was deceived, but Adam willfully turned it over. In his actions he was saying, "Not Your Will God, but mine be done." Here, in another Garden, the 2nd Adam took His place and reversed what the first Adam did: although his flesh wanted to talk God out of it (wouldn't you?), he submitted to the will of God. By doing this first act of obedience, his next act sets us free.
And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. Luke 22: 43, 44 KJV
First, I want you to notice something. After Jesus submitted His will to the Father, He received strength. Are you tired? Do you need strength? Submit to the will of the Father. Has He asked you to do something you think is impossible? Ask for help and submit. You will receive the strength you need to see it through.
Second: We have to look at this Scripture remembering that Jesus is the perfect Lamb. He took our place so that we can be heirs of salvation. That took a blood sacrifice. Here, in the Garden of Gethsemane, the Lamb's blood is poured out. Jesus went through such stress that blood and water seeped through His pores. It is scientifically proven that someone can be under so much stress that the capillaries underneath the skin can break making some blood seep through. As He fought in prayer to receive strength to do the Father's will, His perfect blood came out and hit the ground. And that Blood still speaks to the Father today.
What is our foundational text telling us? The Blood of Jesus covers us in so many ways. Just like the Blood at Calvary was placed on the Mercy Seat to redeem us from the enemy's clutches, so the Blood of the Lamb at the Garden of Gethsemane redeems us from the pressure to say yes to the enemy and no to God. We can now say no: no to that Oreo; no to that television; no that sin (uh, no, eating an Oreo is not a sin but you will be sick if you eat a whole pack at once!). We have the freedom by the Blood of the Lamb to be free in our soul to follow God.
So why don't we?
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. John 8:32
Did you know that blood speaks? We just can't hear it. Think of it this way: when the blood of Abel cried out, it was God Who heard it. How? When you blow a dog whistle, the pitch is too high for humans to hear, so you might blow it and think it's not working. But then, there comes a dog. The dog can hear the frequency. When blood cries out, God is tuned in to the "people frequency" and can hear it. God is tuned in to us. He can hear the Blood of Jesus.
The truth doesn't set you free. It's knowing the truth that does. So now that you know that the Blood of the Lamb has redeemed your will, receive that truth, believe it, and protect it. Thank God daily that you are free to say: "Not my will, but Yours be done... " Praise God for the Blood of Jesus! Just like you received the revelation that by His blood you were redeemed to be an heir of salvation, so the Blood also redeemed you from the stress and pressure that will try to overcome you. The help you need is already there. Take it.
So when that pressure arises to try to make you kneel to what you know God doesn't want you to do, you can call on the name of Jesus remembering He has already set you free by His Blood. Your freedom has been purchased! You can now say "NO!" in Jesus name and tell that thing to back off.
"NO!" to that Oreo that calls your name.
"NO!" to that outfit you aren't paying cash for.
"NO!" to that gossipy spirit that wants to speak through your lips.
Just say no. You are now free to do so. You can do this. Greater is He that is IN you than he that is in the world...
In His Grip,
Raquel
Author Bio
Raquel Soto is the founder of Lydia's Legacy Ministries, an outreach dedicated to help women (and men) live their life more abundantly, to the full, to it overflows. For more information, log on to www.acts1614.org. This article was taken from our free ezine, Life More Abundant, Issue 55 copyright 2007 and may be distributed freely only in it's entirety.
Courageous is a Christiandrama film produced by Sherwood Pictures and was released to theaters on September 30, 2011. It is the fourth film by Sherwood Pictures, the creators of Flywheel, Facing the Giants, and Fireproof. Filming in Albany, Georgia concluded in June 2010. The film was marketed by Provident Films, which also marketed their previous films.
The film was directed by Alex Kendrick, who co-wrote its screenplay with his brother Stephen Kendrick. Kendrick also stars in the film, along with Ken Bevel, Kevin Downes, and former running-back Tony Stallings. About half of the cast and crew were volunteers from Sherwood Baptist Church, while the remainder were brought on through invitation-only auditions.
The film was produced with a budget of $2,000,000, but on its opening weekend it grossed $2,000,000 in pre-sales alone and grossed $9.1 million total for the weekend. The film opened to mixed reviews from critics, but a rare A+ rating from filmgoers.
Plot:
As law enforcement officers, Adam Mitchell, Nathan Hayes, David Thomson, and Shane Fuller are confident and focused. Yet at the end of the day, they face a challenge that none of them are truly prepared to tackle: fatherhood. While they consistently give their best on the job, good enough seems to be all they can muster as dads. They quickly discover that their standard is missing the mark.
When tragedy hits home, these men are left wrestling with their hopes, their fears, their faith, and their fathering. Law enforcement is second nature to these men, but raising their children in a God-honoring way would truly be courageous.
This logo was released with the official announcement.
The title and plot of Courageous were announced on November 15, 2009 by Alex Kendrick, Michael Catt, Jim McBride and Stephen Kendrick.[3] Sherwood Pictures stated that "After much prayer, creative brainstorming, more prayer, wise counsel, and still more prayer, Sherwood Pictures is ready to move ahead with their fourth motion picture."[4] Before the announcement, the filmmakers launched TheNextSherwoodMovie.com, which contained teasers for Courageous.[5] At the time the announcement, the Kendrick brothers stated that they had completed "about 80 percent of the plot", and they had planned to finish the script by the end of 2009.[6][7]
In previous Sherwood Pictures films, almost all of the cast and crew were composed of members of Sherwood Baptist Church, with Kirk Cameron being the notable exception with his lead role in Fireproof. For Courageous, however, the producers expanded their search for acting talent. Roughly half of the cast are volunteers from the church, but the other half were through invitation-only audition sessions. The lead roles in the film are played by Alex Kendrick and Ken Bevel, both of whom have appeared in past Sherwood Pictures productions. Kevin Downes, who has appeared in various other films, will play the role of Shane Fuller. Ben Davies, a student athlete at the University of Georgia, will play the role of David Thomson. Tony Stallings, former running back and winner of Animal Planet's King of the Jungle reality show, is making his film debut.[8]
However, the actors are still volunteers. The film would have likely cost several times more if it had used professional assistance. Director Alex Kendrick said, "With volunteers no one is watching the clock and we're all in it together."[9]
Filming of Courageous began on April 26, 2010 and concluded on June 25, 2010. The majority of the film was shot in Albany and Dougherty County, Georgia area. Some scenes were shot in the Dougherty County Jail.[10] More than 170 media outlets, such as Inside Edition, visited the set.[11] The Duggar family from TLC's 19 Kids and Counting were extras during a father-son 5K race. Jim Bob Duggar and seven of his ten sons joined hundreds of other fathers and sons in filming the scene.[12] Their involvement in the film was shown on 19 Kids and Counting[13] in "Duggars go Hollywood". The Duggar daughters acted as extras in a funeral scene at Sherwood Baptist Church that involved several police officers in uniform.
In order to enhance the quality of the film, the production crew is using a new camera technology, "Red One", by the Red Digital Cinema Camera Company. Kendrick estimated the production budget would exceed $1 million — double that of Fireproof.[14] The final budget has been reported at $2 million.[1]
In December 2010, the Motion Picture Association of America rated the film PG-13 for "some violence and drug content".[15] That rating was surrendered a few days later, but was later reinstated. Courageous is the first film by Sherwood Pictures to recieve a PG-13 rating.
The contemporary Christian band Casting Crowns released a song titled "Courageous" to promote the film with a video featuring scenes from it. Tony Dungy, a Super Bowl-winning football coach, mentioned the film in an article he wrote about fatherhood for USA Today. He said, "As men, we could all take a lesson from [the fathers in Courageous] and ask ourselves, 'What can I do today to be a more involved dad?'"[16]
Courageous was released to 1,161 theaters on September 30, 2011,[9] grossing $3.1 million on its opening day and debuting in fourth place with an actual gross of $9,063,147 for the opening weekend,[17] the best opening of all new movies released that weekend.[17] It sold over $2 million in pre-sale tickets,[18] the most of the weekend on Fandango, beating out The Lion King 3D, Moneyball, Dolphin Tale and Drive.[19]
The film received mostly mixed to average reviews from critics, but has received a rare "A+" rating from moviegoers via CinemaScore.[20] Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports that 38% of 13 critics have given the film a positive review, with a rating average of 5.2 out of 10.[21]
Roger Moore of the Orlando Sentinel, gave the film a mediocre review, saying "the film travels far beyond its dramatic climax, aiming for an altar call finale."[22] Kam Williams of NewsBlaze gave the film four stars, saying the film was a "moving, modern parable not to be missed by anyone who's always wondering why they don't make wholesome movies with uplifting messages anymore."[23] Frank Scheck of The Hollywood Reporter said Courageous demonstrated the Kendrick brothers' "growing expertise as filmmakers with its skillful blending of moving drama, subtle comedy and several impressive action sequences, including a well-staged foot chase and a harrowing shootout between the cops and bad guys."[24] Hannah Goodwyn of the Christian Broadcasting Network rated Courageous 3 out of 5, saying "Courageous' biblical message is clear and good. Unfortunately, its delivery is weakened by some rookie acting and excessive dialogue."[25]
Entertainment Weekly wrote, "...Courageous is the real success story of the weekend...Courageous earned a strong $8.8 million, outdoing the $6.8 million opening of Sherwood’s 2008 picture Fireproof, which became the highest-grossing independent film that year with $33.5 million total. Shown in 1,161 theaters (yet, notably, just one theater in Manhattan), Courageous earned the best per theater average of any wide release with a robust $7,580."[1]Courageous beat out all three Hollywood movies which opened on the same weekend: 50/50, What's Your Number?, and Dream House, which were produced with budgets of $8 million, $20 million, and $50 million, respectively.[1] According to Box Office Mojo, its opening weekend ranks fifth all-time among Christian movies, behind The Passion of the Christ and the three Chronicles of Narnia films.[20]
Two film tie-in books were written for Courageous; “The Resolution for Men” by Stephen and Alex Kendrick, and "The Resolution for Women" by Priscilla Shirer.[26] "Courageous Living" by Michael Catt, "Rite of Passage" by Jim McBride, and a film novelization by Randy Alcorn were also released.
