Action News

Issue 21 – Fall 2018

Head Above Water

Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck. I sink in the miry depths, where there is no foothold. I have come into the deep waters; the floods engulf me.

~ Psalm 69:1-2

Recently, Canada’s favourite female rock star, Avril Lavigne, came out with the #1 hit that sort of surprised everyone. Lavigne has been out of the limelight a few years. There were many rumours the 34-year-old has lived a lot of life already, two marriages, two divorces, but most recently a battle with Lyme’s Disease.

The words to her new smash hit could have been taken out of Psalm 69. King David pours his heart out to the Almighty in this Psalm about all of his pain, "Rescue me from the mire, do not let me sink; deliver me from those who hate me, from the deep waters. Do not let the floodwaters engulf me, or the depths swallow me up or the pit close its mouth over me."

In comparison to Lavigne’s words in Head Above Water: I’ve gotta keep calm before the storm I don’t want less, I don’t want more, must bar the windows, and the doors to keep me safe, to keep me warm., Yeah my life is what I’m fighting for can’t part the sea, can’t reach the shore, and my voice becomes the driving force I won’t let this pull me overboard. God keep my head above water Don’t let me drown, it gets harder, I’ll meet you there at the altar, As I fall down on my knees, don’t let me drown, drown, drown, Avril Lavigne first came on the scene sixteen years ago. I knew a girl who grew up in the same area of Ontario as she had and I remember her telling me the Avril Lavigne had gone to a Christian School in that area, at least for a few years. That memory came to mind when I heard this single released on the radio. In doing more research I find Avril was raised in church and has Christian parents.

The song, Head Above Water, is actually rising the ranks on the Christian Charts. Even with her conservative upbringing Avril Lavigne has never been considered a cross over artist. Even now much of her new album does not resemble a Christian Worldview. However, her difficult struggle with Lyme Disease had her searching; crisis has a way of reintroducing us to faith.

Head Above Water is a great song, good lyrics, catchy haunting melody—but more than that, I believe it is a reminder that God says His Word will not return void. In the midst of this new album we see this glimpse of hope and seed of faith. I’m taking the song as a reminder that He will leave the 99 to find the one. Perhaps He is pursuing this lost lamb.

~DBM

Time to Ask the Questions?

Today is a huge event in this country—legalization of recreational cannabis. There are articles every day on this topic and recently I saw one by this title—Time to Ask the Questions. It would seem the time to ask questions has passed. It was announced this week one hundred million dollars of taxpayer dollars has been put to the task of educating youth to the dangers of recreational Cannabis.

Today I happened to be on Parliament Hill; I arrived late afternoon. There was no fanfare by that time, with the exception of one young man who was just lighting up a joint in celebration of the day.

October 17th, this has been a day mourned by some, celebrated by others. The eyes of the world are on Canada. I think we already have answers to many of our questions. For example: We know experimentation is the most dangerous step in the cycle of addiction. we know cannabis is a gateway drug, we know cannabis is more addictive than tobacco, and we know that long term use leads to cognitive impairment.

Where are our kids in this equation of legalization? The next generation of voters has been sold down river for tax dollars, and liberal ideology that is now a world leader in permissive behaviors.

Proverbs says, there is a way that seems right to a man, but the end of that way will lead to death. It matters how we live. We are the sum of the choices that we make. The prophet Isaiah said woe to him that calls evil good, and good evil.

As of today, our government will collect tax dollars on a substance intended to cause impairment and has the power to entrap a generation of Canadians to dependence on a substance. While they will use some of those tax dollars to discourage young people from getting involved in cannabis and help those with addiction issues already. However, the legalization will bring statistical increase to both experimentation and addiction. My questions have been answered.

As I did a selfie with the peace tower, I realized my field trip to Parliament Hill did serve a purpose on October 17th. I was reminded the Scripture inscribed on its structure: Psalm 72:8 He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. The verse of Scripture that Canada was named after (Dominion of Canada). It was a good reminder that regardless of what laws are passed, how our politicians define the rules of our community--God is still sovereign. As Christians we are never to despair, we have a perpetual hope. This truth gives me a spiritual high, no question.

Marsha’s Comings & Goings

by Marsha Boyd-Mitchell, CAFNB Executive Director

"I am so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers."
~LM Montgomery

This summer/fall has been busy and fulfilling. It has been a joy to connect with folks on Grand Manan Island. I made some spring visits to Grand Manan Community School and most recently the Island Ladies Day of Prayer. It was amazing to speak to a wonderful group of island ladies and it thrilled my heart to hear them break out into a prayer service.

This summer I appreciated being part of staff training at Hampton Bible Camp and Arrowhead Native Bible Center.

I enjoyed teaching lessons about Peer Pressure to the entire student body of Nackawic Elementary and Hammond River Valley Elementary. I had the privilege of giving a Sunday Morning Sermon at Douglas Baptist and Grace Memorial Baptist Churches.

The Women’s Institute of Kings County invited me to be their guest speaker on the topic of the weight of words. It was a meaningful time together with some lovely ladies. It was also a joy to speak to ladies at the Atlantic Baptist Women board meeting to update them on what has been happening with CAFNB Inc.

In the upcoming weeks I’ll be travelling, with opportunities to speak in China. I also look forward to speaking in chapel services at New Brunswick Bible Institute and Kingswood University. I will also be speaking to administrators at a conference in Banff in November.

Please be in prayer as we continue to seek out opportunities to serve schools, churches, youth groups, parent groups, to provide preventative education.

Get the Conversation Started

With the help of CAFNB you can get the conversations started this year at: youth services, youth groups, school groups, parent gatherings, mission committees, and more.

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Honorarium

Alice Gilmore
by Barbara Sowers

By the Word of Their Testimony

We will not hide them from their children, telling to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and His strength and His wonderful works that He has done….That the generations to come might know them, the children who would be born, that they may arise and declare them to their children. That they may set their hope in God.

Psalm 78: 4,6

Does your church have a “testimony time”? It seems like a thing of the past in many circles. Recently my husband reminded me about times when we were first dating and attending church together, how impressed he was when people from my home church would stand to their feet and testify of God’s provision and goodness even in little ways. He relayed how that impacted his own spiritual growth and encouraged him in the faith.

I began to think about that and how in my growing up experience the testimonies of others inspired my own walk with the Lord. Constant reminders throughout the day that every good gift comes from above and that trials and tribulations are endured through super-natural strength of God’s Holy Spirit.

Psalm 78 is a wonderful reminder of this principle of the testimony of God’s people. The consistent testimony of God’s people helps to shape our spiritual character and becomes part of our Christian DNA. Upon reflecting on the work of author, Frank Hamrick, I recognize that our authentic testimony —a faith laid out in front of the next generation, is what will impact youth powerfully.

In a church world that strives to be “relevant”, there is nothing much more up to date than what God did for us earlier today or this week. Truly, we want to strive to create another generation that desires to set their hope in God. These verses powerfully display a formula.

Let’s not “hide” the works of the Lord from the generation coming behind us.

~DBM

(Originally posted on the CAFNB website on Sept. 9, 2012)