Dear Susie:
My family and I are missionaries in Bosnia. I have a friend
who has prayed with us at dinner, done devotionals with us and
gone to church with us many times. She says she’s half Muslim
and half Christian. I’ve prayed for her many times, but I feel as
though God isn’t doing anything. I don’t know when Jesus will
come back, but I know if He came tonight she wouldn’t go to
heaven, right?
Worried
Dear Worried:
I’m excited that you’re reaching out to a friend of a
different faith. You feel as though God isn’t doing anything . . .
but He placed her in the midst of your Christian family and
influence. That’s huge!
According to Christ, there’s no such thing as being half
Christian and half Muslim. He tells us to “love the LORD your
God with all your heart.” And about going to heaven? Again,
here’s what Jesus says: “I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).
Dear Susie:
I want to talk to my mom about dating, but how can I bring
up the subject without making her think I want to date right
away?
Wondering
Dear Wondering:
Try these to get you started:
• How old were you when
you started dating?
• Tell me about your first
date.
• Did you look for specific
characteristics in a guy before you’d go out with him? What were
they?
• What should I look for in
a Christian date?
• What quality do you see
in me that will make me a fun person to date?
• What things do you
think I’ll need to watch out for?
These questions will lead to some great discussions on
dating or courtship and will allow both of you to hear each
other’s heart.
Dear Susie:
How come there aren’t orphanages in North America?
Curious
Dear Curious:
I asked Mark Andre, who’s in charge of our orphan-care
initiative here at Focus on the Family to give me some input. He
says that generally speaking, we no longer have orphanages in
America because of our foster-care and child-services
programs. But many other countries don’t have specialized
government care for children. Each country has its own laws,
and many have state-run orphanages where the physical needs
of children may or may not be met.
Some countries allow private individuals and organizations
to begin orphanages, and many orphanages in other countries
are now actually home-style buildings—family structures with
nine to 12 kids living in a large unit with a married couple that
serves as “mom and dad.”
God’s very best orphanage is the family, and James 1:27
encourages us to minister to widows and orphans.
Dear Susie:
I’m fully committed to following God with all my heart,
mind, soul and strength, and I’m feeling weird about shopping. I
love buying cute clothes and nice things for myself, and I tithe
my money, but I feel l like I’m letting Him down.
I could live without an iPod and so many clothes. I’m
blessed to have all my needs met, but does this mean I shouldn’t
enjoy it? I know there are many who have little to nothing, and I
just feel bad about all my possessions.
Confused
Dear Confused:
I love your tender heart and your desire to follow God in
radical obedience! But there’s nothing wrong with enjoying that
with which you’ve been blessed. It sounds as though you’re
searching for balance.
I’m excited that you understand the necessity to tithe what
you earn. When we fail to do that, we’re actually robbing God of
what’s His. To help you find balance, consider tithing more than
money. Tithe your talent and your time. Offer to baby-sit free
for a mom who could use a break. Tell God you want to live a
balanced and holy life, and ask Him to show you other ways you
can tithe your time and talents.
