Family Life Radio has its headquarters in Tuscon, Arizona. It was started by Warren and Char Bolthouse in the late 1960's in Michigan. When I was growing up I listened for many a hour to music and Bible teaching programs on the FM 99.7 Family Life Radio station based in Midland, Michigan. Family Life Radio is a Grace Light because of all the programming that have graced the air waves over the years to the glory of Christ.
Family Life Radio currently has 39 radio stations around the United States. Intentional Livingis their flagship radio program and Family Life Radio also hosts Intentional Living conferences. For more information on Family Life Radio visit their website at www.myflr.org.
Social Media: You can follow Family Life Radio on the following Social Media.
Henry Thomas Stokes, Sr. is my paternal Grandfather. He is a Grace Light because he was a prayer warrior, personal evangelist, and preacher to the less fortunate. He had a tremendous impact on me. Grandpa wasn't afraid to speak his mind and he wasn't afraid to let Christ renew his mind.
Henry Stokes was born on December 7, 1903 in Wartrace, Tennessee to Viola Edith Bomar and Thomas Jefferson Stokes. He married Treva Oakley on May 3, 1929. They were married for over 50 years until she passed away in 1980. He would later marry Letha Messervy who also preceded him in death in 1986. He died on December 11, 1995 in Mount Pleasant, Michigan of old age.
Henry Stokes spent his entire working career with the General Motors Company. After his retirement he recommitted his life to Christ and began preaching at the Saginaw Rescue Mission, numerous nursing homes and volunteered with the Gideons and the Salvation Army.
Kirk Cousins was the starting quarterback for the Michigan State Spartans. In April, 2012 he was drafted in the fourth round of the NFL by the Washington Redskins. Kirk Cousins is a Grace Sight because he is both a star athlete and someone that shares the testimony of his faith as opportunity allows.
He holds two pretty amazing records from his four years at Michigan State University.
He has the most wins of any starting quarterback in Michigan State History. He broke the record in a stellar performance in a win over #4 Wisconsin on October 22, 2011 (Source).
He is the first Michigan State quarterback to beat the University of Michigan Wolverines 3 straight times (Source).
In September, 2009 following Michigan State's loss to Notre Dame, an article on MLive was written about the faith of Kirk Cousins, the sophomore quarterback for Michigan State University. Following the loss Kirk Cousins told reporters the following quote:
I've got a faith. Football's not my foundation, it's not my identity. My faith is Jesus Christ and He's not changing anytime soon. I'll keep trusting in Him and in His plan and just move on (Source).
Fast forward two years and here is a video of Kirk Cousins' speech representing the players at the Big Ten Kickoff for 2011. After the 5:00 minute mark he talks about his spiritual philosophy. In this talk he quotes from the Bible.
From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked (Luke 12:48b).
Testimonies like Kirk Cousins has can be rare to find in the world of sports. But they can be even rarer to keep. Therefore, it is reassuring that the God who saved Kirk has the power and will to protect him as he faces the various temptations that come with being a superstar. May he continue to be a role model for others wherever his future leads him.
You can find out more about Kirk Cousins on his Wikipedia page.
Grace Sight #16 is the song Playing Marbles with Diamonds. Playing Marbles With Diamonds is a song by Steve Camp. It made its debut back in 1989 on Camp's album Justice.
When I listen to this song I think of how important it is to have our priorities straight and have a real relationship with God. A relationship with God is like a diamond that people like me too often have taken for granted. A passage from the Bible comes to mind also.
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal (Matthew 6:19-20, English Standard Version)."
Our world is full of so much suffering and uncertainty today. Let's not play marbles with diamonds. It just not the way God meant our lives to be lived.
Here are some links to more information on this song
Nick Vujicic has a severe disability. He was born in Australia in 1982 without any limbs (feet or arms). He uses the life given to him by the sovereign God to inspire others around the world as a preacher and inspirational speaker. He has an amazing story of overcoming limitations to reach success in his life. But the most important of all is that God is using him to tell the Gospel message. He writes the following on his ministry's Website at www.lifewithoutlimbs.org.
"If just one more person finds eternal life in Jesus Christ...it is all worth it".
There are numerous YouTube presentations featuring Nick Vujicic. They are translated in to several languages to relate to his international audience. Below are two of my favorite.
The following is his testimony set to the song "In Christ Alone."
The following is his inspiring presentation called "Get Back Up".
The following are links for more information on Nick Vujicic:
Grace Sight #14 is Faith Freaks.
I just found out today (from Twitter of all places) about a social media system that is designed to be a Christian oriented safe place for youth and young adults. Even though I am neither of these I registered to try it out. Apparently they are willing to accept old folks like me into the community. I do wish they had this type of social media when I was a youth. The site is called Faith Freaks and you access it at www.faithfreaks.com.
The Faith Freaks website lists this as the goal of their unique social media.
Faith Freaks is a safe on-line environment dedicated to helping young people by providing help, hope & encouraging them to grow in their faith. Our trained volunteers help young people find resources to overcome the many challenges that they may be facing. Including, but not limited to, suicide prevention, depression, peer pressure, drug or alcohol abuse & other challenging or life threatening situations. We help by providing many types of resources both online & in their own communities. Additionally we try to encourage healthy decision making. Moreover we strive to glorify God by providing an alternative social network that is safe, clean, friendly, and Christ-centered.
It works like Facebook or MySpace but has some moderation and Christian features built into it that make it a safe place where Christian teens can meet new people and grow in their faith. It has a mission to be the premier Christian social media alternative. Below is a collage of some of the features offered on Faith Freaks.
One of the first things I noticed when I registered is that there are prayer rooms that flow smoothly in the system. Also, when I uploaded my profile picture (one of the first things one does in a social media account, right) it didn't appear immediately but said "Waiting Approval". Amazing. Someone screens photos before they go live to make sure they meet a Christian standard. In fact, when you go to upload photos you are informed that pictures will be removed if they contain any of the following features:
Guys without shirts or girls in bikinis ... unless they were taken at the beach or pool.
Visible undergarments.
Excessive cleavage.
Seductive poses.
Open-mouth kissing.
Obscene hand gestures.
Bad words, whether on your clothing or elsewhere in the photo.
Alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs.
Satanic symbols, pentagrams, etc.
Gory or violent images.
There are dozens of testimonies of individuals who have been helped through FaithFreaks.com. A list is at http://www.faithfreaks.com/testimonies.php. Faith Freaks is being used by church youth groups as a safe setting for online ministry and community building. I believe this can be a great place for ministry to take place. Consider signing up if you are young or young in heart.
To be prayerless is to be without God, without Christ, without grace, without hope, and without heaven. It is to be in the road to hell. --J.C. Ryle
J.C. Ryle (1816-1900) wrote a classic tract titled "A Call to Prayer". It is amazing how something written two centuries ago can be so applicable to the Christians today. In it he writes the following observation:
I have looked careful over the lives of God's saints in the Bible. I cannot find one whose history much is told us, from Genesis to Revelation, who was not a person of prayer. I find it mentioned as a characteristic of the godly, that "they call on the Father," that "they call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ." I find it recorded as a characteristic of the wicked, that "they call not upon the Lord." 1 Peter 1:17; 1 Corinthians 1:2; Psalm 14:4
I have read the lives of many eminent Christians who have been on earth since the Bible days. Some of them, I see, were rich, and some were poor. Some were learned, and some were unlearned. Some were Episcopalians, and some were Christians of other names. Some were Calvinists, and some were Arminians. Some have loved to use liturgy, and some to use none. But one thing, I see, they all had in common. They have all been people of prayer.
Here's an overview of the content.
Introduction "Men ought always to pray." Luke 18:1 "I will that men pray everywhere." 1 Timothy 2:1
I have a question to offer you. It is contained in three words, DO YOU PRAY?
The outline of the body of the tract is as follows. I. I ASK WHETHER YOU PRAY, BECAUSE PRAYER IS ABSOLUTELY NEEDFUL TO A PERSON'S SALVATION.
II. I ASK AGAIN WHETHER YOU PRAY, BECAUSE A HABIT OF PRAYER IS ONE OF THE SUREST MARKS OF A TRUE CHRISTIAN.
III. I ASK WHETHER YOU PRAY, BECAUSE THERE IS NO DUTY IN RELIGION SO NEGLECTED AS PRIVATE PRAYER.
IV. I ASK WHETHER YOU PRAY, BECAUSE PRAYER IS AN ACT OF RELIGION TO WHICH THERE IS GREAT ENCOURAGEMENT.
V. I ASK WHETHER YOU PRAY, BECAUSE DILIGENCE IN PRAYER IS THE SECRET OF EMINENT HOLINESS.
VI. I ASK WHETHER YOU PRAY, BECAUSE NEGLECT OF PRAYER IS ONE OF THE GREATEST CAUSES OF BACKSLIDING.
VII. I ASK, LASTLY, WHETHER YOU PRAY BECAUSE PRAYER IS ONE OF THE BEST MEANS OF HAPPINESS AND CONTENTMENT.
Let me speak a parting word to THOSE WHO DO NOT PRAY.
Let me speak, lastly, TO THOSE WHO DO PRAY. Conclusion: "I want the times we live in to be praying times. I want the Christians of our day to be praying Christians. I want the church to be a praying church. My Heart's desire and prayer in sending forth this tract is to promote a spirit of prayerfulness. I want those who never prayed yet, to arise and call upon God, and I want those who do pray, to see that they are not praying amiss."--J.C. Ryle
