Monday, September 27, 2010

Man Up or Man Down? Who defines your masculinity? Christ or culture?

Culture is changing and how we work is not the same but does it mean that we are less a man, especially if we are living out our true nature?
To “man up” means to be more of who we already are in Christ.

http://www.crosswalk.com/news/commentary/11638512/

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Monday, September 20, 2010

Another great band of brothers finishing up some good grub and Jesus speak



One of our great group of men at Kevin's house every Monday night.


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Does God Exist?

 

 

 

 

Sometimes we need a simple way to explain things like how to know that God exists in a hurting world.

(Thanks to Judy Brooks for passing this along)

 

 

 

 


 

People are God's most precious creation: so set aside quality time for special people the Lord has in your life!

 

 

 

 


DOES GOD EXIST?
           

     
   

 This is one of the best explanations on the nature of God that I have ever seen...  




A man went to a barbershop to have his hair  cut and his beard trimmed.  As the barber  began to work, they began to have a good  conversation.  They talked about so many  things and various  subjects.   When they  eventually touched on the subject of God, the  barber said: 'I don't believe that God exists.'  



'Why do you say that?' asked the customer.  'Well, you  just have to go out in the street to realize that God doesn't exist.


Tell me, if God exists, would there be so many sick people?  Would there be abandoned children?    



If God existed, there would be neither suffering nor pain.


I can't imagine a loving God who would allow all of these things.'


The customer thought for a moment, but didn't respond because he didn't want to start an argument.
 
The barber finished his job and the customer left the shop.    


Just after he left the barbershop, he saw a man in the street with long, stringy, dirty hair and an  untrimmed beard.


He looked dirty and unkempt. The customer turned back and entered the barber shop again and he said to the barber:

'You know what? Barbers do not exist.'    

'How can you say that?'  asked the surprised barber.   'I am here, and I am a barber. And I  just worked on you!'
 
'No!' the customer exclaimed. 'Barbers don't exist because if they did, there would be no  people with dirty long hair and untrimmed  beards, like that man outside.'


'Ah, but barbers DO exist! That's what happens  when people do not come to me.'


'Exactly!'  affirmed the customer. 'That's the point!  God, too, DOES exist! That's what happens when people do not go to Him and don't look to Him for help.  That's why there's so much pain and suffering in the world.'



BE BLESSED & BE A BLESSING TO OTHERS!


=


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

           

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Thursday, September 2, 2010

Discover the Map to the Path Great Men Walk


Check out this article


Men: Read Matthew with a whole new purpose.

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Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Congratulations to Kevin Janisse


Kevin:

Congratulations on your promotion to 7th degree Black Belt and the inheritor of Kong Shin Bup.

Check out Kevin's class on Martial Arts on Tuesday and Thursday Nights at New Hope.

See more on Kevin's Face Book page
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/profile.php?id=864220491&ref=ts

Monday, August 16, 2010

Oops! Wrong Father!

I love this story. While it does not accurately depict how we are brought into this world it does give a picture of how our true Father is pursuing us and wants a relationship with us.
Dennis

via Lifestream Blog by Wayne on 8/13/10

I heard an incredible story today and I think it is as true for many of us as it is for the person who sent it to me in an email. I quote:

I feel like I’m meeting my Dad for the first time!

My wife’s best friend is a real-life Jerry Springer show. She hadn’t been talking to her dad for a few years, bad situation. He’s a pretty terrible guy. Anyway, she found out a month ago that he isn’t her actual dad, and that her real dad has been trying to find her for 22 years, ever since the one-night stand that produced her. He has prayed for her non-stop since coming to know Jesus along the way.

Once he found her, he and his family immediately came to from a long distance to meet his daughter. She has a new dad! Just like that, everything she thought to be true about her father was completely WRONG and she had a dad! And her newborn, their first, now has a grandfather! Beautiful.

What a story, and I love his take-away from it!. Many of us have been taught that the God of the Bible is a mean, demanding, angry taskmaster and that if we don’t please him horrible things will happen to us. Try as we might to please him, we were never good enough and we end up feeling rejected and all alone. But that isn’t your Father. That’s someone masquerading as him to abuse your love, devour your joy, and destroy your life.

The Father who is really your Father has been searching for you all your life long. He has been closer than your breath, only you may have missed him with all the pretenders. Stop long enough to behold the Father who has always had great affection for you. That’s beautiful too!

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Thursday, August 12, 2010

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Here's a Man who wants to see how far he can go!


Meet Pat Bolan - new member to New Hope and a real ambitious guy.
"Big high five" Pat.

My Workout: Small business owner gets serious about triathlons | OregonLive.com

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Living by faith

Notice how frustration and worry comes from not being able have things work out with certainty. Humanly we try to have solutions and answers to everything. We are not comfortable to move through life without having a plan, goals, or "safety nets". Jesus calls us to live however by faith which is a lifestyle of mystery and motivation to rest in the Father's loving care. Sent from my iPhone

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Thursday, July 15, 2010

Invitation to view Dennis Deardorff's Picasa Web Album - Guys Night Out 6-24-10


Message from Dennis Deardorff:
Prizes, good food, mano to mano competition -even a water "chugging" contest (huge burps!). Can't wait to the next one.
If you are having problems viewing this email, copy and paste the following into your browser:
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=112551791060803970507&target=ALBUM&id=5494209389408644497&authkey=Gv1sRgCPPL6JLm07LdqgE&feat=email
To share your photos or receive notification when your friends share photos, get your own free Picasa Web Albums account.

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Thursday, June 24, 2010

Portland needs to "Man Up"!


Guys - would you agree that Portland could "man up" a little more? Here's a recent survey.
http://www.kgw.com/news/local/Study-says-Portland-not-a-manly-city-96993344.html#

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

One Minute for Men









http://www.millionmightymen.com/1min.htm



Guys
For those of you who attended the NWMC last January, you remember Bill Perkins as one of the speakers. Bill is also one of the founders of the NWMC and on the Exec Team. I think that you will enjoy his "One Minute for Men" internet broadcast. Go to his website and sign up.

Monday, June 21, 2010

A Father's Delight - time with his guys

My Father's Day was a special treat this year with again being able to hang with all of my guys. Along with another dad (Mike Stone - Mark's dad) we spent 4 days in the high country of NE Oregon near Troy  fishing, hiking, shooting (lots of noise!) eating tons of food (some not so good for you) and just being guys. What a privilege to have this time and to be able to be with the men of my family. They are all fine men, with great families. God has truly blessed me with this heritage and these times of memory making.

Fatherhood is such a great honor. I can see why God so wants to be known as a Father. He gets the delight and pride of watching and seeing His children grow and getting to call them (us) His own. I believe that He also enjoys just "hangin" with His "kin". I wonder what His family pictures look like with all His kids gathered around Him. It would take a galactic size camera for sure!

 

 

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Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Our NH Bicyclers are tough!


Check out the proof that the tough guys bike any time. Hats off to the NH Cycle Club.
http://nhcccyclingclub.wordpress.com

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Annual White River Campout - men who will be boys.


Our guys survived another year in the back country of the White River canyon over the Memorial Weekend. This year saw some new guys ( Josh & Robert) plus some younger brothers. Check out all the pictures at the link.
There are plenty of stories but you have to ask Dennis Engman or Dan Barton to verify.
ooo! ooo!
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/album.php?aid=17742&id=100000555739696

Monday, May 24, 2010

Finding the right direction in life - Check out this great article by Cliff Young

Walking the Narrow Road

Cliff Young

Crosswalk.com Contributing Writer

Have you ever reached a point in your life where you needed some direction?  Where you wanted someone to just show you the path to take or tell you what to do?  I have a time or two. 

It is not very difficult to find "help" in a situation like this.  Everywhere I look, I can find people, resources, websites and "solutions" for everything—what I "should" be doing and how to achieve it, how to look better or "fix" something about myself, how to find the perfect job and become wealthy, how to get "more" and be "happy," etc.

Although the world's view of what is important in life (and how to get there) can seem enticing, glamorous and simple at times, it runs contrary to what the Bible instructs us to do.

World:  Be like Mike.
Bible:   Be like Jesus.

World:  The person with the most toys wins.         
Bible:  It is harder for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 19:23).

World:  We deserve everything.   
Bible:  We don't deserve anything (Psalm 103:10).

World:  We are not responsible.  
Bible:  We each must account for ourselves (Romans 14:12).

Some of us have gradually been influenced over time to strive, pursue and live for those things that are of this world, and have now found ourselves on a different road from what our heart truly desires.

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world (Romans 12:2).

For many of us (singles), our choices may appear to be broader than those who are married or have children since we are able to make many of our decisions strictly based upon our own needs and wants.  However, we will be accountable as everyone else for all of our decisions, even more so if we are squandering our time and God-given opportunities.

So, how do we get back on path?

Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.  But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life and only a few find it (Matthew 7:13-14).

Have you ever been to a sporting event or concert where you were a part of a large crowd?  It is so easy to get swept up and literally carried along.  Trying to navigate against the flow is nearly impossible.  The only means of escape is finding an alternative path where others would not look or be willing to take.

That is what life can be like when we get caught up in what everyone else is doing.  The culture of today's society is like a massive current that can engulf and deposit us in some new location far from where we want to be.

In order to avoid being misguided, we must actively and deliberately seek the Lord for His guidance, insight and strength in order to recognize these opportunities and options which may be obscured or not as pronounced as the obvious ones.  A resolute effort needs to be made on our part for us to see those doors that are cracked open specifically for us.

Sometimes, we may not pursue a course of action due to our own personal fears, weaknesses, doubt or uncertainty.  As a result, we turn away and miss out on those narrow hidden paths that were intended for us to take.

The path of life leads upward for the wise to keep him from going down to the grave (Proverbs 15:24).

If you have ever done any sort of hiking, you have surely found it is a great deal easier to descend a mountain on a wide path than traverse a mountain on a narrow ledge.  The wide path takes little faith, requires minimal skill and takes little effort.  On the other hand, the narrow ledge requires precise calculated steps, utmost attention and trust in knowing where you're headed and who is leading you.

A couple of years ago, a group of friends and I embarked on what we thought would be a relatively short (and easy) hike up Half Dome in Yosemite National Park.  Battling muscle cramps, heat exhaustion and dehydration, eight hours, thousands of feet of elevation change and miles of mountain trails later, three of us stood on top of the granite rock.

We could have found an easier hike, changed our goal or given up altogether, but we wouldn't have had the sense of accomplishment, the mutual bond having completed it together or the amazing experience (and pictures) of looking down from above.

Our mountain-top (and God-ordained) experiences don't usually come from living (and settling) in the valleys.  They are achieved by stepping out of our comfort zones, away from what everyone else is doing, and walking the narrow path.  Our growth occurs when we push ourselves beyond what we think we are capable of and closer to what God made us to be.

We climbed mountains because of what we bring down, mainly an experience of what we're made of—strength, perseverance, determination and honesty (David W. Pierce, Don't Let Me Go:  What My Daughter Taught Me about the Journey Every Parent Must Make).

God never promised life would be easy, especially for believers.  It is an everyday battle of stretching ourselves, (sometimes) placing ourselves in difficult positions, making the right choices and doing the right thing.  As Christians we should be living differently and uniquely from the rest of the world—not following their lead and going along with the crowd.  That difference should be exhibited in our lives.

How?

  • By choosing not to do what everyone else is just because it's the "cool" or popular thing to do
  • By making a decision to do the right thing in the workplace even though everyone else is overlooking or going along with it
  • By choosing to follow God's direction for your life instead of pursuing the love of fame, money and wealth
  • By honoring God and your commitments in relationships instead of "the norm"
  • By allowing the Spirit to lead instead of doing what is "expected"

·        By committing everything you do to the Lord

We are blessed as followers of Jesus to have a body of believers who can surround and lift us up when we can't stand, guide us when we have lost our way and instruct us in how to live a righteous life.  It is invaluable to have people who walk beside you on your journey.

However, regardless of how many godly and well-meaning friends, family members and wise counselors we may have around us, ultimately, we have to make our own choices and decisions (and mistakes), learn our own lessons, walk our own path and account for our own actions.

We can make every effort to look, act, and be like someone else, nevertheless we will never be the same person nor live the life they live.  We were each designed, formed and created uniquely for a specific purpose only we can fill.

Find your own unique purpose on your specific path that leads to the gates of heaven.

Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evil men (Proverbs 4:14).

 

Cliff Young is a contributing writer to Sandlot Stories (ARose Books), as well as the monthly column, "He Said-She Said," in Crosswalk.com's Singles Channel.  An architect and former youth worker, he now works with Christian musicians and consults for a number of Christian ministries. Got feedback?  Send your comments and questions to CYdmg@yahoo.com. 

 

 

Dennis Deardorff

Director of Community Life

New Hope Community Church

www.newhopepdx.org

 

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Monday, May 17, 2010

Spiritual Community- Is it safe?

"When we enter spiritual community, we climb through the Wardrobe into the Community of the Lion". Larry Crabb
(That's why many people are just not interested in getting into a group. It's too "unsafe". They are content with just the safe environment of Sunday morning, sitting with faces forward, and with little relational risk.-dd)
"Should I stop wanting more? Should I simply go to church, meet mice people, sing good music, listen to decent preaching, cooperate with believers in causes I agree are important? Shall I let go of this mystical idea that we could actually "pour Christ" into one another and become inlamed with the Spirit's power?"
(Who wants to go through the "door" and explore the land of "Aslan" with me?-dd)

Sent from my iPhone

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Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Ah, spring in Oregon.

Sent from my iPhone

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A true hero to be remembered.

Courage.
       
You're a 19 year old kid. 
 
You're critically wounded and dying in 
the  jungle somewhere in the Central Highlands  of Viet Nam. 


It's  November 11, 1967. 
 
LZ (landing zone) X-ray.

 


Your 
unit is  outnumbered 8-1 and the enemy fire is so  intense, from 100 yards 
away, that  your CO (commanding officer) has  ordered the MedEvac helicopters to 
stop coming  in. 
 

You're lying there, listening to the enemy machine guns  and you know you're not getting out. 
 
Your family is half way around the world, 12,000  miles away, and you'll never see them again. 
 
As the world starts to fade in and out, you know this is the day.


Then - over the machine gun noise - you faintly hear that sound of a helicopter. 
 
You look  up to see a Huey coming in. But ... It doesn't  seem real because no MedEvac markings are on it. 
 
Captain Ed Freeman is coming in for you. 
 

He's not MedEvac so it's not his job, but he heard the radio call and decided he's flying his Huey down into the machine gun fire anyway.


 


Even after the MedEvacs were ordered 
not to come. He's coming anyway.

And he drops it in and sits there in the machine gun fire, as they load 3 of you 
at a time on board. 
 
Then he  flies you up and out through the gunfire to the doctors and nurses 
and safety. 
 

And, he kept coming back!! 13 more  times!! 
Until all  the wounded were out. No one knew until the  mission was over that the Captain had been hit 4 times in the legs 
and left arm.

 

He took 29 of you and your buddies out that day. Some would not have made it without the Captain and his Huey.

 



Medal  of Honor Recipient, Captain  Ed Freeman, United States Air Force, 
died last Wednesday at the age of 70, in Boise, Idaho .
 
  

May God Bless and Rest His Soul. 
 

 

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Monday, April 26, 2010

The Temptation to Make a Rule Where God Does Not - via Patrick Morley, Man in the Mirror

Weekly Briefing Masthead

Volume 369
April 19, 2010
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Frankly, I understand why good Christians

want to make

rules of conduct for clothing, hair, body

piercings, movies,

music, language, drinking, smoking,

dancing, and other

elements of popular culture.

The problem, though, is to make a

rule of conduct

where Jesus does not.

We regularly hear from people whose

faith has

been shattered by legalism and

moralism. They

were convinced they had to do

something to be

good enough to merit God's grace--

they had to

be a "good boy." Salvation was free,

but now they

have to prove God didn't make a

mistake.

It's "saved by grace, sanctified by

works."

That may clean up a person's behavior

for a while,

but it is not Christianity.

Here is a small idea worth remembering:

Do not

allow what God prohibits, and do

not prohibit

what God allows. To allow what

God prohibits

is to be licentious. To prohibit

what God allows

is to be legalistic. The Bible teaches

liberty in

Christ, which leads to Spirit-led

obedience.

Be careful not to turn a personal

preference

into a requirement, a tradition

into a theology,

or a possible interpretation of

Scripture into

a necessary interpretation of

Scripture.

I want a moral awakening in America

as much

as anyone, but I want it through

the gospel

of grace, not law. It's "saved by

grace, sanctified

by grace."


Yours for changed lives,
Pat's Signature
Patrick Morley, PhD


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Friday, April 23, 2010

True Discipleship

Tim.1:5. The purpose of biblical instruction is not to make people
wiser in God's word but to mature them in His love. It's instruction
in heart and mind purity and authentic faith so that God's love can
flow through them. The gauge of true discipleship is in how loving a
person becomes.
DD
Sent from my iPhone

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Monday, April 12, 2010

The NH Bike Club Next Rides - Join in

Two States Ride

April 11, 2010

I-205 Bridge into Vancouver.

I-205 Bridge into Vancouver.

When: Saturday April 17th

Time: 8am

Location: New Hope Community Church

Trip: Start at New Hope, taking the 205 pathway all the way up into Vancouver stopping for Brunch once there.

http://nhcccyclingclub.wordpress.com/2010/04/11/two-states-ride/


Sunday, April 11, 2010

Great Movie and true story for Dads and their kids

The Perfect Game being released this Friday (4/16) pm; Go to http://www.perfectgamemovie.com/# for details, trailers, etc .
This looks like it could be good.

Saturday, April 3, 2010

It wasn't just Jesus that was raised from the dead.

God wasn't just thinking of Jesus when He raised Him from the dead but all of us (Ephesians 2:6). He was raising all of mankind in Christ. Jesus was the agent that God used to purchase us and bring us out of death to Himself into eternal life. How to fathom that!? So when Jesus came from the grave I did too! He was my emancipator, breaking open the door leading me a captive to freedom with Him. Will I believe He has done that for me; that I am now seated with Him in the heavenly realms? I need to accept that fact and put my trust in Him to live in this resurrected life!
DD



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Sunday, March 28, 2010

Its not just the big name guys who are the stars. Look at Jesus

via Michael Hyatt’s Blog by Michael Hyatt on 3/24/10

So much of the activity I see among leaders today is focused on reaching the masses. “Successful leaders” speak at big conferences, host popular television or radio shows, publish bestselling books, or write successful blogs. Their goal is breadth. They want to extend their influence to as many people as possible.

Sermon on the Mount by Cosimo Rosselli

Jesus had a much different leadership strategy. His goal was not “reach” or popularity. In fact, as strange as it sounds today, he actively discouraged publicity. On more than one occasion, after performing a jaw-dropping miracle, he told those who witnessed it, “Tell no one what you have seen” (see e.g., Matthew 8:4; 16:20; 17:9; Mark 7:36; 8:30; 9:9; Luke 5:14; and 8:56). He was a publicist’s nightmare.

Instead, Jesus focused on true depth and long-term impact. To achieve this, he had a four-pronged leadership strategy:

  1. He taught the multitudes. Yes, Jesus had a public ministry. He occasionally spoke to thousands. However, he didn’t pander to these groups or “tickle their ears.” He confronted the status quo, jarred his listeners’ sensibilities, and often taught in parables. He didn’t feel the need to clarify everything. He often left his audience confused and wondering what he meant. His goal was apparently to shift their paradigm and get them to think.
  2. He mobilized the seventy. Jesus had a smaller, more intimate group to whom he gave specific assignments. He sent them out two-by-two. He asked for a BIG commitment. He gave them virtually no resources. Yet he demanded that they perform miracles. He told them to expect opposition (see Luke 10:1–12) and promised no earthly reward (see Luke 10:18–20).
  3. He trained the twelve. He chose the twelve disciples to be “with him” (see Mark 3:14a) He taught them and also gave them assignments (see Mark 3:14b–19). However, he also shared with them his daily life. Like the Apostle Paul would do years later, he poured into them his very life (see 1 Thessalonians 2:8). Because of this, he entrusted them with power to do the work he himself had done. In fact, he promised them that they would actually do greater works (see John 14:12–14).
  4. He confided in the three. Jesus had an inner circle comprised of Peter, James, and John. He took them on special outings (see Matthew 17:1). He allowed them to witness his greatest glory (see Mark 9:2–3) and his deepest temptation (see Mark 14:33–34). He prayed with them (see Luke 9:28f). He taught them things He did not teach the others (see Matthew 17:2; Mark 5:37–43). He even introduced them to His heavenly family (see Matthew 17:3). They were his closest friends and confidants.

Jesus’ leadership strategy evidently worked well. Within a generation, His followers turned the world upside down (see Acts 17:6). Within seven generations (318 A.D.), the emperor Constantine accepted his message and made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire. And here I am, almost two millennia later, writing about it.

After interacting with leaders at every level for more than three decades, my observation is that most leaders only focus on the first two strategies. They have a public teaching ministry, and they are good at mobilizing groups for specific assignments. However, very few intentionally train a small group of disciples. Even fewer build deep relationships with a handful of confidants. As a result, they do not have the kind of lasting impact they could have.

The older I get, the more value I see in going deeper with a few. Leading the masses may feed my ego, but it won’t guarantee an impact that will outlive me.

Questions: Are you following Jesus’ leadership strategy? Are you leading at all four levels? If not, what can you do differently to insure that your leadership has greater impact?
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Vicki Beeching Put an end to ugly church websites
Related posts:

  1. Book Notes: Mentor Like Jesus by Regi Campbell
  2. Maximum Impact Club Interviews Me on Leadership
  3. The Five Marks of Authentic Leadership
  4. Leadership: Control vs. Influence
  5. Leadership 2.0

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Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Check out this resource for sexual integrity

Breaking Free is the blog of Covenant Eyes, Inc.

What we do online impacts our lives offline. Breaking Free is about empowering people with knowledge and resources in the fight against Internet temptations.

We here at Covenant Eyes know good technology needs to be coupled with good relationships as we pursue integrity online. Accountability software is only as good as our relationships to those who hold us accountable. This blog is just one way we hope to bridge the gap between technology and relationships.

Internet pornography, cybersex, and other sensual images online are modern-day threats against God%u2019s standard of sexual purity as expressed in the Bible. But regardless of faith or creed, we desire all people see the importance of not treating others as sexual commodities, either in fantasy or reality. We desire all people to know the destructive effects pornography has on hearts and relationships.

Breaking Free is also a Christ-centered blog. We seek to provide resources that point people Christ as the answer to sexual impurity. He alone forgives us, cleanses us, and brings us near to God. He alone can recapture the human heart, grant repentance from the idolatry of sexual fantasy, and reorient our lives to love and serve our Creator.

- Luke Gilkerson
Internet Community Manager
CovenantEyes.com

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