tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25331097616803917412012-02-04T19:39:41.792-05:00Because the best defense is a ready defense (1 Peter 3:15)Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.comBlogger3121100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-50492694167912996872012-02-04T19:36:00.002-05:002012-02-04T19:39:41.798-05:00

I am currently reading Darwin's Black Box by biochemist and evolutionist Michael J. Behe. As an evolutionist, he talks about the biochemical challenges that Darwinian evolution presents to the question of origins -- how it doesn't allow for the irreducible complexity that we observe in biology. Therefore, I found it interesting that I stumbled upon this quote today: an evolutionist's view on what

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-63083003261385282002012-01-10T16:17:00.000-05:002012-01-10T16:17:16.930-05:00

"When you say there's too much evil in this world you assume there's good. When you assume there's good, you assume there's such a thing as a moral law on the basis of which to differentiate between good and evil. But if you assume a moral law, you must posit a moral Law Giver, but that's Who you're trying to disprove and not prove. Because if there's no moral Law Giver, there's no moral law. If

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-55312938270756707792011-12-26T16:47:00.000-05:002011-12-26T16:47:59.917-05:00

I found an old biography about Charles Darwin at a rummage sale a while back. I wasn't very interested in it, since it was mostly information that I had already heard, and it was told in a rather uninteresting way. This morning, I was wondering what it was still doing on my bookshelf. As I began to flip through it, this statement caught my attention (but it's really not that surprising

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-91170803288326629062011-12-23T13:45:00.000-05:002011-12-23T13:45:27.506-05:00

Every year I have a tradition for this blog: I post my favorite Christmas songs for your listening enjoyment! :) This year, I have added a few new songs to the original list. Enjoy, and Merry Christmas! This first one is from an Oregon-based band called Sixteen Cities. My family has traveled through rain, sleet, snow and "dark of night" (no joke) to see these guys in concert more than once and

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-36278888287435686252011-12-20T21:19:00.002-05:002011-12-24T18:18:36.639-05:00

The American Humanist Association has once again embarked on a campaign to place ads in strategic locations for the holidays. This time around, they have two themes, one of which shows Santa Claus checking his list for naughty and nice with a message that reads "Bias Against Atheists Is Naughty, Not Nice." Here is the reasoning behind the billboards, according to the AHA: "Humanists get their

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-83636935213385302842011-11-28T17:30:00.003-05:002011-11-28T17:42:22.079-05:00

On Friday, I posted some Black Friday deals on apologetics books; two of those are on sale today only. And I found a few others... Here are some great apologetics books on sale this Cyber Monday. 1) The Timeless Writings of C.S. Lewis, 3 Volumes in 1: $7.99 2) Why I Believe by D. James Kennedy: $3.99 3) Risen Indeed by D. James Kennedy: $0.99 4) A Passion for God: The Spiritual Journey of

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-14543520249461255522011-11-25T18:56:00.000-05:002011-11-25T18:56:34.028-05:00

Today is Black Friday, and while I don't like to brave the crowds, I like to browse online deals to see what deals I can find. Books are at the top of my list, and here is an interesting list of some of the nuggets I found: [Note: While the majority of these are apologetics-based books, some of them fit in the "general" category; I listed these because I found them to be interesting deals.] 1)

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-56179895051792763662011-11-22T20:49:00.000-05:002011-11-22T20:49:59.411-05:00

"When we view the blessings with which our country has been favored, those which we now enjoy, and the means which we possess of handing them down unimpaired to our latest posterity, our attention is irresistibly drawn to the source from whence they flow. Let us then, unite in offering our most grateful acknowledgments for these blessings to the Divine Author of All Good." ~ James Monroe, 2nd

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-766214866088307192011-11-22T20:47:00.001-05:002011-11-22T21:23:02.746-05:00

R.C. Sproul is no stranger to Christian apologetics. But with his book, "Defending Your Faith," comes a much needed challenge to Christians to prove that their faith is rational. Sproul states, "The task of this book is to set forth, in a brief and non-technical way, the basic truth claims of Christianity, and to show that at its core Christianity is rational. That which is irrational or absurd

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-59500807785236952792011-11-03T19:33:00.000-04:002011-11-03T19:33:23.876-04:00

On Monday, I wrote about the International Society of Women in Apologetics's free apologetics curriculum for women. This week, Apologetics315 is collaborating with ISWA to bring you articles on apologetics from some of ISWA's very own members! There are already several interesting articles there: 1) International Society of Women in Apologetics with founder Sarah Ankenman 2) Heads for Men

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-71088992495279577122011-10-31T00:55:00.000-04:002011-10-31T00:55:03.467-04:00

When I first started blogging three years ago, I had no idea that there were any women involved in apologetics. At the time, the only woman that I learned of was apologist MaryJo Sharp, and I remember her saying that there were very few woman apologists but that the number was slowly beginning to rise. Well, enter ISWA, The International Society of Women in Apologetics, headed by Sarah Ankenman

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-16199758621146020092011-10-20T21:46:00.002-04:002011-10-21T00:38:16.230-04:00

Harold Camping is best known for his statement that the world would end May 21, 2011. When that didn't happen, Camping maintained that it would happen October 21, instead... which, if you haven't noticed, is tomorrow! Camping is still maintaining this position; according to a recent message he gave to his followers, he stated in part: If he had not kept us from knowing everything that we didn't

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-76016155711729452322011-10-19T12:29:00.000-04:002011-10-19T12:29:32.659-04:00

In my last post, I mentioned that Dr. William Lane Craig's talk which took place yesterday at Imperial College, London would be streaming live. For those of you who missed the live event, below is a video of the entire talk "Evidence For the Existence of God" as given by Dr. Craig. Enjoy! Additionally, bethinking.org has details on all Reasonable Faith tour London debates that Dr. Craig is

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-87696324492151577642011-10-05T18:57:00.001-04:002011-10-05T19:09:32.406-04:00

I am so excited to inform you all that one of the London events at which Dr. William Lane Craig will be speaking is going to be streaming LIVE on October 18th! You can click here for details. I would personally like to see a live streaming of the October 25th event (if you don't know why, click here to see some background on Richard Dawkins' refusal to debate Dr. Craig); but I am equally grateful

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-57953452457987848762011-09-29T21:32:00.000-04:002011-09-29T21:32:41.452-04:00

Saw this over at the Stand To Reason blog and just had to share it. In this video, Brett Kunkle talks about the laws of the Old Testament versus those of the New Testament and explains that the teachings of the Old Testament are not at all inconsistent with Christian beliefs today as some would have us believe. This was a video response to the Backyard Skeptics who tore some pages out of a Bible

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-18606108463456404792011-09-26T02:04:00.002-04:002011-09-30T21:46:53.960-04:00

I just finished watching the phenomenal movie 180. The movie, a 33 minute film by Living Waters, shows a series of discussions Ray Comfort conducts with 8 pro-choice people who change their minds about abortion in a matter of seconds! What was it that got them to change their minds? The film releases today, September 26. My personal opinion of the movie is that it was very hard-hitting, yet

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-88562624261560744692011-09-10T18:46:00.000-04:002011-09-12T16:36:48.322-04:00

September 11th is a day that brings memories of pain and suffering for America. It is during times like this that we often wonder, "Is God really good, and if He is good, why is there evil in the world? Why do bad things happen to good people? Does God even care about suffering?" These questions are all rooted in the problem of evil, and often, atheists will use it to "prove" that there is no God

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-6125244142573226822011-09-04T20:34:00.001-04:002011-10-05T19:04:40.160-04:00

If there is one debate I wish I could travel to see, it would be this one! Several British organizations have been trying to get Professor Richard Dawkins and a few other prominent atheists to debate Dr. Craig... but that has been easier said than done. One atheist, Polly Toynbee who is also the president of the British Humanist Association, was to debate Dr.Craig on October 17th; however, she

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-80696984094160318122011-09-01T11:38:00.000-04:002011-09-01T11:38:46.325-04:00

In prison, the political officer asked me harshly, “How long will you continue to keep your stupid religion?” I said to him, “I have seen innumerable atheists regretting on their deathbeds that they have been godless; they called on Christ. Can you imagine that a Christian could regret, when death is near, that he has been a Christian and call on Marx or Lenin to rescue him from his faith?”

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-21731354566291002672011-08-29T15:51:00.000-04:002011-08-29T15:51:57.494-04:00

I have some exciting news for the Ray Comfort fans out there: Living Waters is putting together a documentary entitled 180 which will feature interviews with people on the streets showing how they change their minds from a pro-choice to pro-life stance in a matter of seconds.  Here's the trailer: And here is a message from Ray on why this is an important message and what you can do to support

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-86246541407318109582011-08-23T17:50:00.000-04:002011-08-23T17:50:12.451-04:00

Today marks three years since I first began this blog! How time flies! I initially became interested in apologetics through a friend who began lending me books, most notably Josh McDowell's The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict (which my blog is giving away to one lucky winner; see bottom of post) and Lee Strobel's The Case for Christ; I became so interested that I eventually purchased my own

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-40572030972249841672011-08-19T16:51:00.000-04:002011-08-19T16:51:09.986-04:00

I stumbled across this video today, and I think whoever put it together did a pretty good job. It demonstrates the inconsistency of atheists denying objective morality while affirming that there is moral good and evil. And while we're on the topic of atheism and morality, I would like to point out that no one is claiming that atheists are immoral; when Christians say that atheists can't be good

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-20144507628520033492011-08-09T15:07:00.006-04:002011-08-23T18:32:39.461-04:00

On August 23, 2008, the DCF blog was born; It's hard to believe that I started this blog three years ago! I plan to write up a special post highlighting the past year soon; but for now, check out last year's highlights. And.... I have an exciting announcement: In honor of this special occasion, I am giving away FIVE apologetics books to five different winners! Here is what's up for grabs: 1) The

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-12716880510148532152011-08-05T18:54:00.000-04:002011-08-05T18:54:53.661-04:00

My introduction to the book I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist by Norman Geisler and Frank Turek began when I was making a wish list of apologetics books one day. The title was very intriguing to me, especially since I have had many an encounter with atheists, and the material presented within the pages did not let me down in the least! Norman Geisler describes the book as follows: “…

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-23330502280253992912011-08-05T16:46:00.003-04:002011-09-20T19:28:25.178-04:00

The following was written (by me) in response to some comments made on another blog a while back. I stumbled across this last night and thought it provided some good insight into why theistic evolution doesn't hold it's own weight. The quote at the beginning was written by a Christian who was rebuttling this TE. ----------I know you may say your natural reading of the text isn't necessarily my

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-64001236677580141522011-08-02T19:11:00.000-04:002011-08-02T19:11:31.809-04:00

"In an age in which infidelity abounds, do we observe parents carefully instructing their children in the principles of faith which they profess? Or do they furnish their children with arguments for the defense of that faith? ...it is not surprising to see them abandon a position which they are unable to defend." ~ William Wilberforce                                     Hat Tip: The Poached

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-65820279189057849132011-07-28T14:56:00.000-04:002011-07-28T14:56:26.306-04:00

When I first heard that Lee Strobel was writing a novel, I was hesitant to read it – not because I doubted Lee’s writing abilities (he is a former journalist and the author of the excellent “Case” series –  i.e. “The Case for Christ,” “The Case for Faith,” etc.) – but because I am not particularly fond of what I call “murder mysteries,” and I try to keep my reading of novels to a minimum. But

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-43803381311256466862011-07-21T20:40:00.001-04:002011-07-21T20:44:37.140-04:00

I was first introduced to The Truth Project's new series "True U" when I saw "The Toughest Test in College" documentary -- the first in the series. Needless to say, I was very impressed. This second installment -- Is The Bible Reliable? -- was no less disappointing. In classroom setting, Dr. Stephen Meyer confidently teaches students why we can trust that our Bible is reliable.  The synopsis

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-28666290419783252952011-07-18T18:38:00.000-04:002011-07-18T18:38:43.899-04:00

"...the best argument is one that is made without words." ~ Ryan Russell  When Christians use the term "apologetics," often someone will ask, "What are you apologizing for?" or "What's that?" Apologetics comes from the Greek word "apologia," meaning "to give a defense."  This fits perfectly with 1 Peter 3:15 -- the Scripture in my sub-header -- which reads: "But sanctify the Lord God in your

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-13686384631194591462011-07-11T21:33:00.001-04:002011-07-11T21:36:15.803-04:00

The following post is based on The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus by Michael Licona and Gary Habermas. All quotes are taken from this book unless otherwise noted. This is part one of a series I will be doing on the topic of Jesus' Resurrection. (I realize that I have previously touched on this topic in a would-be series, but this should touch on everything I was not able to get to...) Enjoy!

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-10434162000111490622011-07-04T01:17:00.000-04:002011-07-04T01:17:11.506-04:00

The fourth of July is here again, and while we get an extended weekend and enjoy family time, it can be easy to forget just WHY we celebrate this day every year. So I just wanted to share a few quotes that summarize just what the big deal is about the fourth of July -- Independence Day: “It cannot be emphasized too clearly and too often that this nation was founded, not by religionists, but by

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-36513992027663114842011-07-01T23:18:00.002-04:002011-07-01T23:35:51.842-04:00

OK, so I haven't posted a decent article in a while and the number of apologetics articles and such that I have collected is piling up... so here is a "Friday Apologetics Finds" for you all. This week's picks are as follows: 1) Have you seen the debate between Christian apologist Dr. William Lane Craig and atheist Christopher Hitchens yet? You can watch the full version of the debate below:

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-37594666041510869182011-06-28T21:26:00.000-04:002011-06-28T21:26:44.566-04:00

For those who say Communists did not act "in the name of" atheism... this video says it all, using the Communist leaders' own words:

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-10960311577653037242011-06-24T21:20:00.001-04:002011-06-25T18:04:58.514-04:00

Hey friends, Just a quick update to let you all know that I made a few changes to my blog. Firstly, you can now find my photography on the "Blogs I Follow" page; I have begun posting my pictures on my Tumblr page and you can find the link there. Additionally, I have just launched a "Database of Quotes" page featuring quotes on evolution, atheism, and Christianity that I hope will help to

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-68529441361131793612011-06-24T00:20:00.000-04:002011-06-24T00:20:09.830-04:00

So it's been a while since I've updated this blog. I am in the process of working on several ideas for future articles... While I do that, I thought I would post this short and to the point video entitled "Is God Good?" It focuses on the "problem" of free-will and suffering. I have heard people say that because man has free-will, yet God knows what they will choose ahead of time, therefore, man

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-15953404464289847332011-06-08T14:04:00.000-04:002011-06-08T14:04:05.709-04:00

If you've been into apologetics for any length of time, you've probably heard the skeptics compare believing in God to believing in unicorns, right? Well, it may surprise you that unicorns actually DO exist -- but they are not like the mythical horse character with a horn on the top of his head that no one has ever seen before. It's much simpler than that; unicorns are actually mentioned in the

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-64347766064319017812011-05-31T21:10:00.000-04:002011-05-31T21:10:47.912-04:00

The following is an excerpt from the book, The Collapse of Evolution by Scott M. Huse; I found it to be quite pertinent to today's Creation vs. Evolution debate. This is a letter written by Wernher von Braun, father of NASA's space program, to the California State Board of Education, on September 14, 1972: Dear Mr. Grose:      In response to your inquiry about my personal views concerning the "

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-62744529231417397542011-05-24T17:35:00.002-04:002011-05-24T17:49:37.371-04:00

Dear Mr. Camping, I am disheartened to hear that you have again predicted the end of the world – this time on October 21, 2011. I have read numerous articles on your predictions that May 21st was initially the end of the world; and more importantly, I have read the Bible on the topic, Mr. Camping. I would like to bring to your attention several things which it appears that you missed when

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-69879654619351856402011-05-21T18:03:00.006-04:002011-05-24T19:43:06.669-04:00

With only a few minutes until the 6 PM deadline when Christ returns, according to Harold Camping, I wanted to share a few thoughts on this topic. Firstly, I wonder if Camping may be of Jehovah's Witness background. The Watchtower has been predicting the end of the world for years now and each time they are wrong. Camping even made an identical prediction in 1994. This would seem to indicate that

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-63965273186141937352011-05-20T19:50:00.001-04:002011-05-24T14:35:32.282-04:00

For today's Inspiring Story on this Friday apologetics finds weekend, I am posting Lee Strobel's testimony. There have been some skeptics who claim that Lee is in it for the money, but when you consider his lifestyle prior to his conversion to Christianity and his background as a journalist, it is pretty easy to tell that this guy is genuine. I highly recommend his "Case" books (and in my opinion

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-59526909553065795612011-05-16T22:00:00.000-04:002011-05-16T22:00:26.544-04:00

Recently, an article came out stating that Richard Dawkins is a coward for refusing to debate Dr. William Lane Craig. According to the article, Dawkins received four requests from Dr. Craig via "The British Humanist Association, The Cambridge Debating Union, the Oxford Christian Union and Premier Radio," but he refused them all stating "that Prof Craig is not a figure worthy of his attention and

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-23562419311762144482011-05-13T18:35:00.000-04:002011-05-13T18:35:41.579-04:00

I haven't posted in a while so while I work on articles and sort out some other apologetics business, I thought I would show you what came in my mailbox this evening: It's the last book from my Easter pack (which I was able to pick out myself), "The New Tolerance," signed by apologists Josh McDowell! Here's a quick synopsis of the book: In The New Tolerance, Josh McDowell and Bob Hostetler

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-14642323827692929072011-05-07T16:54:00.000-04:002011-05-07T16:54:17.045-04:00

Recently, I have been debating an atheist. Like most atheists, he believes in evolution. The trouble with discussing this topic with him is that he makes no distinction between micro-evolution and macro-evolution. Now, micro-evolution is small changes within species; there are variations within species (for example, dogs will always produce dogs -- from Great Dane to Chihuahua -- they will never

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-61962245218586252762011-04-30T19:15:00.000-04:002011-04-30T19:15:09.821-04:00

Back in January, I heard about an awesome documentary in the works entitled "Seekers of Truth." In this documentary, apologist Sean McDowell and several other prominent figures -- including Sandra Tanner, expert on Mormonism; Greg Koukl of Stand to Reason; and Brett Kunkle also of Stand to Reason; and Lenny Esposito of Come Reason Ministries --take 22 high-schoolers to Utah on a missions trip to

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-44503771870856369112011-04-28T21:08:00.002-04:002011-09-20T15:53:58.260-04:00

I've heard it so many times before. Maybe you've heard it, too. When talking with an evolutionist, they will often bring up the objection that evolution is a "scientific fact," but creation is a "religion." I disagree; they are both religions. As Joe White and Nicholas Comninellis stated in their book Darwin's Demise, “the difference between a ‘philosophy’ like humanism and naturalism, and a ‘

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-6608267897875395492011-04-23T21:09:00.008-04:002011-05-14T15:22:40.829-04:00

Here are this weeks apologetics finds (on Saturday, this time)... Since Resurrection Sunday, commonly known as Easter, is tomorrow, this week's theme is on the Resurrection. Check out these links, and be sure to check out my FIRST giveaway at the bottom of this post! Happy Resurrection Sunday! If one does away with the fact of the Resurrection, one also does away with the Cross, for both stand

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com60tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-29419634598633544232011-04-20T13:47:00.000-04:002011-04-20T13:47:49.106-04:00

I just saw this short video, and since Good Friday is fast approaching, I wanted to share it with you all. The description is as follows: Dr Peter Williams and Dr David Instone-Brewer look at the Munich Talmud, which contains traditional Jewish teaching, and discover how even the deleted text provides evidence for Jesus' crucifixion! "Ye know that after two days is [the feast of] the passover,

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-43426166340527815262011-04-16T19:07:00.000-04:002011-04-16T19:07:39.667-04:00

Welcome to this weeks Inspiring Story, where every other week, the DCF blog shares a story to inspire you in your walk with God. Today, I wanted to present a fascinating story of a man who was raised from the dead. In today's world, many atheists claim that because no one has every risen from the dead, the Resurrection of Jesus did not really happen. Of course, they claim that if evidence of

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-91253083633422790472011-04-11T20:04:00.000-04:002011-04-11T20:04:38.735-04:00

Below is an article on Jehovah's Witnesses based on Ron Rhodes' book, Reasoning from the Scriptures with the Jehovah's Witnesses. All quotations are from that book unless otherwise noted. This article is in conjunction with the DCF blog's comparative religions series. If you have any questions, please feel free to comment or email me. Jehovah God – it’s a name that any Jehovah’s Witness takes

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-45352479211269694372011-04-10T22:24:00.002-04:002011-04-10T22:39:27.995-04:00

If you follow me on Facebook, you've probably already seen this, but I wanted to post it for the rest of you, especially since I've been doing a comparative religions study here on the blog. This is a quote from C.S. Lewis on the logic behind Christianity being the only true way:  ‎"Being a Christian does mean thinking that where Christianity differs from other religions, Christianity is right

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-18665317458927130152011-04-08T21:45:00.000-04:002011-04-08T21:45:05.928-04:00

Here are this week's apologetics finds: 1) Yesterday evening, William Lane Craig debated Sam Harris on the topic "Is Good from God?" Photo courtesy of Apologetics315  Here are two reviews of the debate: Wintery Knight's review of the debate: http://winteryknight.wordpress.com/2011/04/07/audio-and-summary-of-the-william-lane-craig-vs-sam-harris-debate/ Randyeverist's (Possible Worlds) review:

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-90608856346176109612011-04-01T00:00:00.001-04:002011-04-01T00:00:00.089-04:00

Today is April Fool's Day. While I am not too enthralled with the idea of playing tricks on people, I wanted to share a little story with you all (no offense meant to those to whom it refers): An atheist complained to a Christian friend, "You Christians have your sacred holidays, such as Christmas and Easter. Jews celebrate their national holidays, such as Passover and Yom Kippur. But we

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-1245731463976346942011-03-31T21:37:00.001-04:002011-03-31T21:38:19.929-04:00

Yesterday, Christian philosopher and theologian Dr. William Lane Craig and eminent atheist physicist Dr. Lawrence Krauss debated on the topic "Is There Evidence for God?" Unfortunately, I only caught the last 30 mintues of the Q and A. But there is good news: if you happened to miss the event, you can watch the whole debate here, and Apologetics315 has put up an audio of the debate if you prefer

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-60877955150375762672011-03-25T20:20:00.003-04:002011-03-25T20:21:48.682-04:00

This week, I have a lot of information for those of you who are thinking about attending an apologetics conference. Here are this week's apologetics finds: 1) The 2011 Online Apologetics Conference is happening April 7-9! The theme this year is, "Defending Christianity and God’s Plan for Marriage, Family, and Life through Creative Arts such as Film and Literature." The keynote Speaker will be Dr

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-58897912272624281822011-03-22T23:53:00.004-04:002011-07-25T14:54:29.708-04:00

In this day and age, it seems that children and adults are sexually exploited on a regular basis, creating a very low self-image in the victims. I have always been passionate about advocating for these people, so I was very excited to be given a chance to review Melinda Todd’s ebook, How I Forgave My Molester. At a very young age, Melinda Todd had an experience that no child should have to

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-20020030102498675662011-03-22T17:46:00.000-04:002011-03-22T17:46:55.804-04:00

Tyndale publishers has just launched a Book Club Hub enewsletter and to celebrate they are giving away two different books every day for 30 days! Up for grabs today only is Abby Johnson's book, Unplanned. Click here to enter the contest, and be sure to keep checking the contest page to see what other books you could win over the next month! (And for the record, you can enter for a chance to win

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-91506010002935129972011-03-19T19:28:00.000-04:002011-03-19T19:28:30.656-04:00

"I suspect that most of the individuals who have religious faith are content with blind faith. They feel no obligation to understand what they believe. They may even wish not to have their beliefs disturbed by thought. But if God in whom they believe created them with intellectual and rational powers, that imposes upon them the duty to try to understand the creed of their religion. Not to do so

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-5275600465786506632011-03-18T20:30:00.000-04:002011-03-18T20:30:02.617-04:00

Welcome to another addition of Inspiring Story, where the goal is to provide you with a testimony that will encourage you, build up your faith, and demonstrate the power of God. He does exist, and He makes it perfectly clear, many times in our day-to-day lives. Today, I would like to share a few testimonies that I came across randomly (actually, that's not true -- I believe that the Lord led me

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-47398361846903592952011-03-15T19:52:00.001-04:002011-03-15T20:08:29.669-04:00

In recent weeks, it seems that attacks upon some of Christianity's core beliefs have been escalating in several major areas, so I wanted to share my thoughts on these in today's post -- from a purely Christian perspective. 1) A few months before Christmas last year, the American Atheists erected a billboard claiming that true message of Christmas was all just a myth. Now, an ad stating, "You Can

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-25041294784626351602011-03-11T21:24:00.002-05:002011-03-25T20:22:12.484-04:00

If you're like me, you devour apologetics material (or, at least you look for material that will bolster your faith). Every week, I find a small collection of apologetics material -- be it articles, audio/podcasts, downloads, etc. -- that I would like to start sharing with my readers in hopes that it will provide you with information to "always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-62765153132371169892011-03-09T00:51:00.000-05:002011-03-09T00:51:25.858-05:00

Here is an interesting clip from comedian Ron Pearson called The Answers to Life... While I don't believe that the earth is millions of years old, Ron raised some good points. I also loved his conclusion, so I wanted to share this particular clip with you all. Right before this clip, Ron talks about the role of teachers. While I respect teachers, I do think the public school system as a whole

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-42624285182238712062011-03-05T21:19:00.003-05:002011-03-05T21:35:40.192-05:00

It's about time this blog saw another Inspiring Story. (Last time, I missed it due to a day trip I took to PA; so I decided to wait until the next time it rolled around to post...) Here is a story that I saw a while back on CBN, and  I've been wanting to share it for a while. This is the amazing testimony of Clint and Penny Bragg and the one thing that nearly tore their marriage apart -- for 11

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-66828594647080964802011-02-26T19:36:00.002-05:002011-02-26T19:44:55.985-05:00

When I first heard about the book The Unshakable Truth: How Can Experience the 12 Essentials of A Relevant Faith by Josh and Sean McDowell, I knew I had to get it. The description on the back cover reads, “A watershed book for every believer wanting to deepen their faith and reveal Christ’s power and relevance to those around them.” While I really liked the book, it was not what I was expecting,

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-73947732267141807812011-02-25T18:30:00.000-05:002011-02-25T18:30:42.813-05:00

Recently, I've been doing what I call a "Compartive Religions" study here on the blog where I focus on one small aspect of a particular religion and compare it to the Bible to see how it measures up. Therefore, I wanted to share the idea behind that by quoting a portion of an article by Greg Laurie which brings out the point quite well. This particular article is from 2006, but it is still very

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-28298186082922483152011-02-18T19:10:00.000-05:002011-02-18T19:10:10.979-05:00

Often, when Christians such as Ray Comfort bring up the point that atheists believe something came from nothing, they are told that this is simply not the case. Well, here is proof positive that many do in fact hold to this belief. The following video contains direct quotes from leading atheists on the matter: Here's a brief synopsis of my view on the subject: I believe that something came from

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-17460990853858859072011-02-15T17:24:00.000-05:002011-02-15T17:24:18.189-05:00

Don't forget that one of the strongest apologetics (or defenses) of true Christianity is a man or woman who truly walks with God. This is the kind of person that people notice. This is the kind of person whose opinion becomes respected. A person may have all the right apologetics answers in the world, but if he or she is not walking close with the Lord, his or her answers ultimately mean very

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-11819329382581172412011-02-10T12:47:00.001-05:002011-02-11T16:37:56.107-05:00

I recently had the chance to review Accessible Apologetics, a curriculum by apologetics speaker and trainer Mikel Del Rosario. Accessible Apologetics is a compilation of Mikel’s teaching notes (based on other apologist’s works and ten years of teaching and training) put into 5 easy-to-understand lessons on defending Christianity. “This class in defending the faith is all about increasing your

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-24530342998898954872011-02-09T00:22:00.000-05:002011-02-09T00:22:52.700-05:00

Today, in our study on comparitive religions, I want to briefly talk about the claims of Jehovah's Witnesses in connection with the Resurrection (I will talk about the Mormon's view next time). I would like to preface this by saying that, as with all my posts on comparative religions, this is just one of may points that could be examined; on it's own, each point is not meant to fully discredit

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-33542184466037676282011-02-04T01:30:00.001-05:002011-02-04T20:44:37.725-05:00

I read this story yesterday at the Baptist Press and I just had to share it for today's Inspiring Story. The names have been changed (by the authors) for privacy and protection. Enjoy! --------  No one notices the young Chinese woman silently crying in the back pew. It's the only place she finds solace from her deep depression and fear of death. She's not even sure why she sits in this church

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-1730132807157209072011-02-02T14:05:00.001-05:002011-02-02T18:44:37.386-05:00

Have you ever heard someone say that they won't believe in God because it is based on "blind faith"? Or maybe they say, "I believe in science -- that which is testable, observable, and repeatable." In other words, they only believe in what they can see. Many times, even when we know the evidence for Christianity, this phrase can stump Christians. So how do we answer this assertion? The answer

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-76830775136659200782011-01-30T23:03:00.000-05:002011-01-30T23:03:55.273-05:00

You must suppose that twelve men of mean birth, of no education, living in that humble station which placed ambitious views out of their reach and far from their thoughts, without any aid from the state, formed the noblest scheme which ever entered into the mind of man, adopted the most daring means of executing that scheme, conducted it with such address as to conceal the imposture under the

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-35741216129417169282011-01-27T22:29:00.000-05:002011-01-27T22:29:55.358-05:00

A new video is in the works entitled "Seekers of Truth." In this upcoming documentary, Sean McDowell takes "22 high school students [on] a mission trip to Salt Lake City, Utah" where they dig into the religion of Mormonism vs. Christianity. I am super excited about this, having read a few books exposing Mormonism (and of course, being a big fan of the McDowells); and judging from the trailer, it

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-90248657363515130612011-01-24T19:33:00.002-05:002011-02-09T00:16:31.257-05:00

Ever heard the saying, "Many (or All) roads lead to God"? With so many religions claiming to be the way, how can we know that Christianity is the right one? Apart from the Bible (which I do believe is the starting point; Jesus said, "I am the WAY..."), it helps to examine other religions. For example, by comparing them to Christianity and cross examining them in other ways based on evidence, we

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-80498298387832378912011-01-22T18:32:00.005-05:002011-08-29T15:40:08.857-04:00

Today marks the 38th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade case which legalized abortion in America. I have never really talked about abortion on this blog before, but today, I make an exception. I believe that abortion is wrong; the Bible says that life is precious -- it is sacred. Too many women have been lied to when they walk into an abortion clinic. They are told that it is just a harmless

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-48401275575701207032011-01-18T21:54:00.001-05:002011-02-09T00:17:17.545-05:00

Ever heard the saying, "Many roads lead to God"? With so many religions claiming to be the way, how can we know that Christianity is the right one? Apart from the Bible (which I do believe is the starting point Jesus said, "I am the WAY..."), it helps to examine other religions. For example, by comparing them to Christianity and cross examining them in other ways based on evidence, we can

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-65938333022864872892011-01-16T21:41:00.000-05:002011-01-16T21:41:45.422-05:00

"Contrary to what most scientists write, the fossil record does not support the Darwinian theory of evolution because it is this theory (there are several) which we use to interpret the fossil record. By doing so we are guilty of circular reasoning if we then say the fossil record supports this theory." ~ Ronald R. West, assistant Professor of Paleobiology at Kansas State University (1968)

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-18189094425567418412011-01-12T20:18:00.004-05:002011-03-15T19:10:22.791-04:00

Can we be good without God? Apologetics speaker and trainer Mikel Del Rosario takes a look at this question in the following guest post. ---------- Do the Right Thing?Guest post by Mikel Del RosarioApologeticsGuy.com Driving from Sacramento to the Bay Area, I saw a billboard that read, "Are you good without God? Millions Are." Apparently, a theistic tagger added the words, "Also Lost?" at the

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-91477747141177831862011-01-09T21:39:00.000-05:002011-01-09T21:39:04.142-05:00

In a nutshell, this comic demonstrates the two worldviews that are prevalent in today's society - Creation and Evolution - and where each one leads. As you can see, you can't have both - theistic evolution just doesn't work!  Comic courtesy of: Answers In Genesis Online Bible Program

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-22496897995909644172011-01-07T20:08:00.000-05:002011-01-07T20:08:59.097-05:00

It's time for another Inspiring Story. This week, I'd like to share Saad's story. "Saad" is a fifteen-year-old Pakistani who now resides in Florida. For the first few years of his life, he resided in Pakistan -- a predominately Muslim country -- with his Muslim family, until their move to the United States in 1997. The next decade brought with it many changes such as adjusting to American

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-18516616144285106452011-01-05T19:56:00.001-05:002011-01-05T19:57:48.287-05:00

Recently, I was introduced to Frank Turek and his awesome ministry called Cross Examined. I had been reading his book when I heard one of the ministry's radio programs. Below is a video clip of what Cross Examined is all about. Take a look...                         Frank is known for his book, "I Don't Have Enough Faith To Be An Atheist," and he travels the country teaching on the subject.

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-27594537711301292772011-01-04T20:29:00.000-05:002011-01-04T20:29:19.513-05:00

How do you know if you're a good person? This cute, but powerful, video shows how. It's so simple that even a child can understand it!                      Video courtesy of The Way of the Master

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-6189360524588810522011-01-03T17:55:00.002-05:002011-01-03T18:04:22.945-05:00

"I have examined all religions, as well as my narrow sphere, my straightened means, and my busy life, would allow; and the result is that the Bible is the best Book in the world. It contains more philosophy than all the libraries I have seen." (Second President of the U.S., December 25, 1813 letter to Thomas Jefferson) Have our Presidents maintained this over the past years? Judge for yourself:

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-58174654807702881012011-01-02T21:45:00.000-05:002011-01-02T21:45:46.500-05:00

Here are the DCF blog's top 10 posts of all time (from May 2010 - January 2011) in order of most popular to least popular. Beside each, I have provided a description of the contents. I am aware that a few of these were mentioned in my last post, but those were my favorites; these are YOUR favorites... Enjoy! ----------- 1) Inspiring Story: Dr. Kent Hovind - This is an essay on the Godly

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-49385533689329654422010-12-31T20:48:00.001-05:002010-12-31T21:38:35.344-05:00

Happy New Year, everyone! As 2010 comes to a close, I wanted to share some of my favorite posts with you all. I could list many more besides these, so I suggest you browse through the archives for more interesting posts that will build your faith and challenge you spiritually. (I do have plans to make this easier for my readers in the future.) So here they are in no particular order...   1)

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-11975715512663838572010-12-29T21:43:00.000-05:002010-12-29T21:43:29.218-05:00

This is one of my favorite scenes from the "Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed" movie. In this clip, Ben Stein interviews Richard Dawkins... Despite Dawkin's anti-God view, the interview is quite thought-provoking... Speaking of the movie "Expelled," for those of you who liked the film (and haven't heard this yet), the creators of the film are coming out with another film which is set for

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-1907330416266633312010-12-28T18:43:00.000-05:002010-12-28T18:43:55.709-05:00

OK, this is a feature that I haven't done in a while. The point is that if I find a site -- containing some good apologetics material -- that I would like to feature on my blog, it becomes my "featured site." If you'd like to have your blog or site featured, just let me know.... and I am aware of several great sites which I shall feature soon, so sit tight! :D But on to today's featured site...

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-11405674029497239972010-12-27T20:55:00.002-05:002010-12-27T21:39:50.664-05:00

Christians are "traders," not "traitors." BIG difference! A traitor defects to enemy lines, but a "trader" trades in what he wants for something else. Likewise, as Christians, we trade what we want -- our desires -- for God's will. We put aside self and follow Him. That is the subject of this video. Enjoy! "[N]evertheless not My will, but Yours, be done." ~ Luke 22:42

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-76133807671182459292010-12-27T18:44:00.000-05:002010-12-27T18:44:33.644-05:00

This week, in joining my friend Renee for Something Beautiful, I am posting a Christmas song by Casting Crowns called "While You Were Sleeping." I posted this song last year, but I found a video that someone made for the song, and I really like it since it brings out the point so well. It's a wake up call to us as Americans to start acknowledging the God who gave us life and the freedom that we

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-17992376899667365872010-12-26T19:12:00.000-05:002010-12-26T19:12:50.279-05:00

"Anybody who tries to use the argument that Jesus of Nazareth never existed [as a verifiable historical figure] is simply flaunting his or her ignorance. There is no serious question in the mind of any serious scholar, anywhere in the world that there certainly was a historical personality named Jesus of Nazareth. Now you can argue if he was the Son of God or not, argue about the

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-27361620074903887192010-12-25T15:52:00.007-05:002010-12-28T17:35:32.415-05:00

There are numerous discrepancies in the Christmas narrative, according to skeptics. Therefore, I wanted to do a special post and tackle some of these objections. Merry Christmas! ----------- "Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem... " ~ Matthew 2:1 "And it came to pass in those days that a decree went

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-75938712697147796222010-12-24T17:04:00.000-05:002010-12-24T17:04:50.898-05:00

Merry Christmas, everyone! Today, I have a very Inspiring Story to share with y'all... John 1:1,14 states, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.... And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." In this video, the Word of God comes to a tribe for the

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-64449633778318507782010-12-20T19:13:00.002-05:002010-12-20T19:22:21.385-05:00

Recently, there has been a controversy over the atheists and Christians concerning billboards; it's a game of sorts, it seems. Well, whether you all believe in the Christmas story or not, I do. And I fully believe in why He came -- not just that He came, but why He did. He came to redeem us, to pay a debt that we could never pay on our own! That is the Good News of the Gospel  -- that is the true

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-22140840736185072102010-12-18T20:34:00.002-05:002010-12-18T20:41:33.348-05:00

Today, I thought I'd share these clips from Living Waters. In these videos, Chad does an excellent job debating an atheist. I love the quick-wit responses; after all, we are commanded in the Word of God to know what we believe and why we believe it. I could go on in commentary, but I'll leave it up to my readers for now. Let me know what y'all think!

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-46648415399106772652010-12-17T18:01:00.003-05:002010-12-17T18:06:43.048-05:00

As a part of my yearly tradition, I'm posting some of my favorite Christmas songs for you all! The first one is a traditional Christmas carol; it is a beautiful rendition of "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" performed by Selah (the video is done to The Nativity film)... Next up is "Here With Us" by Joy Williams... Here is "2000 Decembers Ago" by Joy Williams. I heard this song recently and instantly

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-17096898700215685732010-12-15T14:04:00.000-05:002010-12-15T14:04:39.218-05:00

I am reposting this to coincide with a post done today by my good friend, Jay. Please visit his site when you are through reading this post. Thanks. "Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers." ~ 3 John 1:2 There are three aspects to this Scripture: 1) Prosperity - financial, including the outward appearance of it (i.e. nice clothes,

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-48873387573918223362010-12-10T17:03:00.006-05:002010-12-12T19:52:38.421-05:00

It's time for another Inspiring Story everyone! Feel free to share your stories using the linky tool below. I found today's story when I was looking for the story behind a beautiful, yet powerful hymn. Here is what I found: -------------------- "Take My Life": Frances Ridley Havergal by Amos R. Wells Frances Ridley Havergal wrote so many helpful books, and lived a life so earnest and devoted,

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-17817212533423090592010-12-08T13:46:00.001-05:002010-12-09T15:34:25.106-05:00

A few days ago, I received this comment from Heather, who wrote: Ravi is either not being honest here, or doesn't fully understand the atheists view on value.  Sure, its subjective, but so are a lot of the sports in the olympics.  Most people can agree that a 9.7 high dive is better then someone tripping off the high dive board and doing a belly flop - even though its all subjective. Ravi's

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-85507007571595096582010-12-06T18:18:00.000-05:002010-12-06T18:18:44.646-05:00

The other day, I listened to an amazing audio of Holly Ordway and Steven Notman, two former atheists, sharing their testimony of their journeys out of atheism. The audio is approximately 50 minutes, but if you want to quick scoop, you can watch this video. I also recommend that you check out their blogs - Holly's is here, and Steven's is here.

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-85145518844227451092010-12-01T22:44:00.000-05:002010-12-01T22:44:43.623-05:00

Hi everybody! I just wanted to let you all know that I've created a new blog specifically for the topic of Christian persecution. While I do have a page on this blog set aside for that, I decided it would be easier to move it to its own place. I will slowly but surely move the information to my new blog, Christian Witness Under Fire. Please check it out and follow! Thanks, Miss S.

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2533109761680391741.post-14817207886717223982010-12-01T13:08:00.000-05:002010-12-01T13:08:42.140-05:00

Matthew 11:18-19 "For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.' The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' But wisdom is justified by her children." Have you ever wondered what Jesus meant by that last phrase? How is wisdom justified by her children? The Greek words imply that

Christiana Szymanskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03061828026293057558noreply@blogger.com0