I learned to love gardening from my mother while growing up in Phoenix, Arizona. When I was in grade school, she gave me some space in her flower bed and some seeds to plant, and I was hooked after seeing my first sunflower grow from a small seed to a giant that towered twice as […]
INSIGHTS FROM A CHRISTIAN VEGETARIAN
When you think of a vegetarian, you may think of a hippie, a health nut, a Hindu or Buddhist, but do you think of a Christian? A vegetarian is one who excludes meat—such as beef, pork, mutton, game, and slaughter by-products—as well as fish, sea animals, and poultry from their diet. Some people think vegetarians […]
WHAT IS THE GAZA STRIP?
A recent BBC report partially attributes the December 2008 rocket attack by Hamas to a blockade set by Israeli forces in Gaza. The blockade was established nineteen months earlier in an effort to cut off the gasoline supply to the region. Mutual attacks between Israel and Palestine have escalated since Hamas’s rise to power in […]
THE LIGHT OF ETHIOPIA
Many people think of Ethiopia and only think of famine, war or pictures of starving children. I have to admit this was my first image of Ethiopia. I have now come to realize that it so much more than that; what we see in the media is not the whole story. For me, Ethiopia is […]
CONNECTING WITH A CLICK
As our world continues to change and becomes far more Internet-oriented, numerous opportunities are becoming available for Christians worldwide. Mission outreaches, once limited to those who could physically travel around the world, are now only a mouse click away. One of the most powerful ways Christians are reaching others daily is through social networking sites […]
POEM: RED ROOTS
Red Roots Tree painted with red roots bleeding into deep browns rooted in blood. Can red symbolize anything besides blood? Your blood is in my roots. But water, and not blood, came from your side. A broken body mine is too. Red roots painted into the ground, up the trunk. Climbing the pole, hugging it, […]
INTERVIEW: JASON HENRY
We sat down with Jason Henry to talk about how he found faith in Christ, his job and career, and hobbies. New Identity: Where are you from? Jason Henry: Los Angeles, California. NI: What is your occupation? JH: Community Service Officer, a.k.a. security guard. NI: What does your average day look like? JH: My average day consists of: […]
BORN AGAIN
What would it be like if you had the chance to start over again? If somehow all the filth and pain of this world could be washed away and somehow deep within your conscience everything felt…clean. This is what Christians mean when they use the term “born again”. Although it did not fall into common […]
HEAVEN AND HELL
Heaven and hell. For years, these two concepts have been loosely used by believers and non-believers alike. There is an overall understanding among both groups of what each term represents. Phrases such as, “feels like heaven” reflect peoples’ visualization of a pleasant place they would enjoy being in. “I’m going to beat the hell out […]
DENOMINATIONAL DIFFERENCES: PART 2
To some extent, Christian denominations can be seen as ways to ‘do church’ differently. Usually, what sets denominations apart is their take on certain biblical subjects, beliefs, interpretations, and practices. Variations on a recipe, if you will. In some denominations, the style of the church gathering is different; others have different perspectives on topics such […]