Sign at the abbey garden entrance

This gate is open to all visitors who respect private property and who come in peace and friendship. For everyone with different intentions: 'ENTRANCE NOT PERMITTED'.

The cross has said it all

© Photograph Paul Abspoel CLICK TO ENLARGE

The cross has said it all,

The cross has said it all.

I can't deny what You have shown,

The cross speaks of a God of love;

there displayed for all to see,

Jesus Christ, our only hope,

a message of the Father's heart:

"Come, my children, come on home."

-The Cross Has Said It All-

Written by: Matt Redman & Martin Smith

The stones cry out

Just a little stone that I picked up during a prayer walk outside the Abbey of Berne last weekend. The cross shape is visible on both sides. Maybe I've seen too many crucifixes recently?

Lunar halo - just take my word for it!

Tonight we have a beautiful lunar halo (a luminous ring that is sometimes seen surrounding the moon, caused by ice crystals high in the atmosphere that refract moonlight).

I tried to share this with you by using my 'state-of-the-art' digital camera and this is what I got! Yes, I did use my flash light and if ET is living out there, I'm sure he must have noticed me down here in the Netherlands. But unfortunately it is very hard to see the lunar halo in my pic. So if you live in my neighbourhood: just look outside! If you live somewhere else - bad luck. But you can always click on this link to see some better lunar halo pics made by photographers with more talent (and professional cameras).

Some impressions from my visit to the Abbey of Berne

Collage of pics from my visit to the Abbey of Berne in Heeswijk-Dinther (near 's-Hertogenbosch). I had an inspiring weekend here together with my friend Rik Bennik. Being the busy types that we are, it was good for both of us to have some peace and quiet. The Norbertijn monks are very friendly and it was quite an impressive experience to see how these devout believers live. The prayers, the sermons, the singing, the meals, the fellowship and the hospitality - this is what living in community is all about! But... I have to say that it is also great to be back with Lydia and the kids! I would like to go to a place like this twice a year - just to recharge the batteries and to have some quiet time with God. I can highly recommend a visit like this!

It was also great to go walking in this beautiful area. And I had plenty of time to read and write...

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The Bible; My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers; Sacred Pathways - Discover Your Soul's Path to God by Gary Thomas and Revolution in World Missions by K.P. Yohannan Me with Rik Bennik standing in front of the Abbey of Berne

Quite a crowd-puller

One character – or lack of it – can make all the difference in encouraging the faithful to devotions. A Baptist Church near Ambleside, UK, had the tiniest error in their recent pew sheet...

For more embarassing typos (and even one sermon blunder recorded on video), please visit this page from Ship of Fools.

Weekend in the Abbey of Berne

Grand Abbey of Berne in Heeswijk of the Norbertijn monks or Witheren, founded in 1134.

The next three days I hope to enjoy the hospitality of the religious community in the Abbey of Berne at Heeswijk, near 's-Hertogenbosch (Bois-le-Duc). Rik Bennik, producer at Gospel Music International (GMI), told me about the possibility to spend a couple of days in this Abbey. Rik and I will be there together as guests until next Sunday and I am really looking forward to this time of fellowship!

The Abbey of Berne, two miles southeast of Heusden on the Maas, and about six miles northwest of Bois-le-Duc, was founded in the year of St. Norbert's death, 1134, by Fulcold, Lord of Teisterband. (...) Numerous legends surround its foundation. One is that Fulcold, when hotly pressed in battle, made a vow to build an abbey, if, by throwing himself into the river Maas, his life might be preserved from the enemy. This prayer having been heard, Fulcold converted his castle at Berne into an abbey, and he himself became a lay brother therein.

The Abbey of Berne at Heeswijk is at present very prosperous, being filled with active and industrious members, some fulfilling the usual duties in the abbey, some giving missions, while others teach in the college or write for newspapers and reviews, no fewer than five of these being published by the fathers.
Catholic Encyclopedia

Free publicity!

VOLG JIJ MIJ is one of the 'big titles' from Ark Boeken this year (Amsterdam-based Christian Publishing House where I work as a Publisher). Today I noticed a 3-page review in Visie - TV-magazine from EO - and of course I am very happy with this free publicity! Click to enlarge on the JPG images below (maybe copy & paste them in Paint or Word!) - I do hope that you are able to read Dutch, though...

Hans van der Lee, author of this book, works as Director at Compassion in the Netherlands. His book is a call to radical discipleship - it is about following Jesus with everything you are and everything you have. Not an easy read, but very thought-provoking! Hopefully there will be an English edition in the near future because this book is far too important to keep to ourselves in the Low Countries!

Please let me know if you are interested in this book - especially if you are working in Christian publishing like me!

For a free download of a chapter, please click here!
Please also visit this webpage from Compassion NL.

We must become like these little children

Although China allows "belief" in a religion, the Chinese constitution does not guarantee the right to practice that religion. Adults often face severe consequences for religious actions but generally are not required to deny their faith. However, officials attempt to weaken children's faith by encouraging them to deny Jesus altogether. According to Open Doors, Public Security Bureau officers recently burst into a Sunday school room and herded 30 children into a van. Despite the scary situation, one child started singing. The van soon was filled with song. Upon arrival at the police station, the children marched bravely into the interrogation room still singing to the Lord. Threatened with having to write "I do not believe in Jesus" 100 times before they would be released, the children instead wrote: "I believe in Jesus today. I will believe in Jesus tomorrow. I will believe in Jesus forever!" Exasperated, officials called the children's parents, some of whom denied Christ. When a widowed believer came to pick up her twin sons, she refused to deny Jesus. The officers threatened her: "If you do not deny Jesus, we will not release your sons!" The widow replied, "Well, I guess you will just have to keep them, because without Jesus, there would be no way for me to take care of them!" With no avenues left open to them, the officials said, "Take your sons and go!" (Religion Today)

From the Open Doors website:

The church in China is growing rapidly, but the spiritual depth of the church is shallow. Only by taking advantage of every avenue to assist the whole church in China through Bible deliveries, leadership training, prayer support and encouragement will we see the continued, solid growth of the world's largest revival. Read the truth about China

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:1-4)

Come back home

Return of the Prodigal Son by Ain Vares, a highly talented painter from Estonia (see former entry!)

For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known. John 1:17,18

These two verses from John’s Gospel give you a very brief summary of the whole Bible.

The Old Testament was written to give us laws, rules and regulations and the example of the relationship between God and his chosen people, Israel.

The New Testament tells us more about God and about his true character. The strict God who gave us eternal laws and essential guide lines, is made known to all people by Jesus Christ – the living Word of God. Jesus shows us who God really is: a loving, forgiving heavenly Father who is patiently waiting for his wandering children to come back home.

Great art work from Ain Vares, Estonia

"My purpose in life is to paint the Word of God; paintings that inspire people to think about spiritual things. These pictures are for people who seek things that are deeper than this seen world around us can offer. People who thirst for the truth and for the right way of living. My pictures convey the message of God's endless love for all mankind and His desire to deliver us from all bondage, to save us from this perishing world if we only let him come into our lives. I do hope and pray that the message of these paintings will touch every viewer's heart and would open their eyes to see our only savior who is Jesus Christ." Ain Vares

Jesus said: 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.' (John 14:6)

Click on this image to visit Ain Vares' website

Just a question

Anonymous sperm donor traced on internet

Late last year, a 15-year-old boy rubbed a swab along the inside of his cheek, popped it into a vial and sent it off to an online genealogy DNA-testing service. But unlike most people who contact the service, he was not interested in sketching the far reaches of his family tree. His mother had conceived using donor sperm and he wanted to track down his genetic father.
That the boy succeeded using only the DNA test, genealogical records and some internet searches has huge implications for the hundreds of thousands of people who were conceived using donor sperm. With the explosion of information about genetic inheritance, any man who has donated sperm could potentially be found by his biological offspring. Absent and unknown fathers will also become easier to trace.

Read this story here.

Created by design?

"What should our children be taught about the origins of life on earth? Was it a chance chemical cocktail which created us or was the process guided by a divine hand? Tonight the Sky Report's Robert Nisbet travels to America to put Intelligent Design under the microscope."

Read on here - watch online here (and feel free to let me know your opinion about this! This is what I believe...)

Discrimination against Dalits

Dalits are a people broken, forgotten and exploited. There are more than 240 million Dalits who are formerly known as the Untouchables or the Outcaste in the subcontinent of India which has a population of almost a billion.

India is known for its cultural and technical advancement in recent time. People have changed their life style very much both in rural and urban areas. But what is strange is that the caste system becomes stronger and stronger. Dalits who are known as the Untouchables face violence more and more. Caste discriminates a person according to one's birth. Dalits who are outside the caste system are exploited and oppressed very systematically. Most of the Dalits are landless labourers and they work for a minimum wage to the landlords who exploit them to the maximum. These Dalits are mostly illiterate and they can not get due justice. Since they are powerless both politically and economically, they have no way of telling their story to the rest of the world. The media is very much controlled by the caste people. Education and advancement have not changed the mind set up of the upper caste people who still want to enjoy the benefit of the caste discrimination.
Dalit Christians Source

In another delay, the Indian Supreme Court has withheld its decision on the Dalit civil rights case until November. This delay is a positive development, allowing the Court to take seriously this case of discrimination against Dalit Christians and not rush in judgment. It also allows Christians to have more time to intercede with prayer, asking God to guide the thoughts and decisions of the judges. Under the current law, Dalits lose some of their basic constitutional rights when they become Christians; they are no longer eligible for affirmative action placements in education, employment, government and many other areas-rights granted to Dalits who are Hindu, Sikh or Buddhist. According to a government census, some 20 million Dalits have become Christians. Equally important, there are many Dalits whose only hesitation to becoming Christians is fear of this legalized discrimination.

• Pray our merciful Father will lead the Supreme Court of India to correct these injustices.
• Pray fervently on behalf of these millions of Dalit men, women and children who suffer unjust discrimination.
• Pray the Holy Spirit will open the eyes of Hindus to see every person is of value and precious in the sight of God.

Gospel for Asia Source