tag:helenkamenos.com,2005:/blogs/blog?p=2
Blog
2022-07-18T17:45:36-07:00
Helen Kamenos
false
tag:helenkamenos.com,2005:Post/6131893
2022-07-18T17:45:36-07:00
2023-10-16T07:56:22-07:00
Love Is a Sacrifice
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398731/f835d4db04ef3e41a2cb0491a8aa6b8eca65f454/original/love-is-sacrifice.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Many believe that love is a warm feeling we experience when we care about someone deeply. However, Christ taught us that love is an action we take. It is what we do for others, unconditionally, in spite of what we "feel." Love is a giving act, a giving of ourselves and a giving up of our egos, our pride, and our self-centeredness. Genuine love is always offered in humility. Christ's kind of love is for everyone, regardless of whether we are worthy of that love or not. Christ gives His love freely. We just need to receive it and love Him in return of our own free will. </p>
<p>If there were no evil in the world, it would be easy to love others. We would love them, and they would love us in return. We would be kind toward others, and they would be kind toward us. We would want to offer our love to others because we would comprehend the value of love. However, in our earthly existence, loving others is often a sacrifice. We do not always make time for those we love. We hurt one another, and we become angry toward one another. In order to love perfectly, as God loves us, we must be willing to deny ourselves, deny our pride and self-centeredness. We must be willing to love others, even if they do not return that love. We must be willing to forgive those who hurt us and even love our enemies. These are the crosses we bear in order to love others as God loves us.</p>
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<p><span style="color:#ffcc00">Excerpt from "Journey Toward Perfection" - Chapter 13: <em>Love and Charity</em></span></p>
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<p>Loving others is not as simple as it sounds. Perfect love is called charity because it involves a sacrifice, a giving of oneself. It is a decision we make of our own free will. God showed His love for us by allowing His Son to be sacrificed for our redemption. We sacrifice ourselves, our selfish needs and desires in order to give love. Because charity is unconditional and expects nothing in return, we even sacrifice our need to be loved in return. We love simply because we are filled with God’s love and choose to express His love for us by loving others. Christ declared that “<em>If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me</em>” (Matthew 16:24). When we deny ourselves, we are able to love perfectly. This sacrifice can also involve suffering, as it did with Christ. Notice, He told us to take up our crosses. Denying ourselves creates a conflict within us because we are giving up or sacrificing our selfish desires or self-centeredness. This is why our conscience troubles us. It is the conflict between what we want and freely expressing perfect love. When it comes down to it, what we want often prevents us from being filled with God’s love.</p>
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Helen Kamenos
tag:helenkamenos.com,2005:Post/6131928
2019-07-06T17:00:00-07:00
2022-07-18T16:41:58-07:00
Courage
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398731/f46e627a0f9a36d6d1dafc15bbd42fb573c8468e/original/marriage-feast-of-the-lamb.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MzUweDQyMyJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Marriage Feast of the Lamb" height="423" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="350" /> </p>
<p>Is the Christian life one of constantly “turning the other cheek,” allowing others to take advantage of us? Must we forgive everyone? Must we love even those who are evil or who are our enemies? Can we not stand up for ourselves and fight back? Is the Christian life for those who are cowards or for the courageous? For some, it may seem that we are taught to always back down. Some actually believe that Christ was a coward because He allowed Himself to be ridiculed, beaten, spit-upon, and murdered without raising a hand or a word against anyone! Jesus even forgave His executioners, while He hung on the cross! </p>
<p>Those who believe that Christ was a coward forget that He will have the last word with every single one of us. All will come before Him to be judged. <em>“God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, <strong><sup> </sup></strong>so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, <strong><sup> </sup></strong>and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord”</em> (Philippians 2:9-11). We will all bow before Christ and recognize Him as the Sovereign Creator and King of all. We may ask for mercy, but only He has the authority to forgive or to choose not to forgive. </p>
<p>In truth, Christ had more courage than any of us could. Courage is defined as the ability to act despite the fear and danger one feels. When Jesus awaited the moment when the soldiers were to arrest Him, He went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. He said to His disciples, <em>“I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and stay awake with me.” </em><em>And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not what I want but what you want.”</em> (Matthew 26:38-39). According to Luke 22:43-44, <em>“Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and gave him strength. </em><em>In his anguish he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground.”</em> Knowing His fate, Jesus dreaded what was to come; yet despite this, He had the courage to choose to do the will of His Father. He chose to allow Himself to be crucified. We cannot truly comprehend that kind of courage. </p>
<p>Our Church history and even our present-day Church is filled with heroic saints, who demonstrated courage in the face of tremendous trials and tribulations. Many were faced with the dreadful decision to deny Christ or suffer torture and horrible deaths. They chose death, rather than deny Christ. This kind of courage requires great faith and tenacity, a stubborn persistence and conviction in our Lord, Jesus Christ. Their courage requires an immovable confidence in the promises of our Lord. “<em>We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people’s trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming</em>” (Ephesians 4:14). Conviction gives us courage because it does not allow us to be tossed “to and fro.” We are steadfast in our beliefs. We trust in the Lord. </p>
<p>Christians may “turn the other cheek” because we acknowledge that our pride must not guide our actions. Courage requires self-control. Therefore, we do not react in anger. In humility, we respond by offering forgiveness. It is much easier to react in anger. However, if we strike back, we are no better than the person who struck us. It may appear to others that we are weak when we do not strike back, but by offering the other cheek we prove our courage and prove that we are not diminished by what others think of us. Rather, we maintain our integrity and remain in Christ’s righteousness. </p>
<p>We may forgive our enemies because we recognize that bitterness poisons our hearts. We do not seek vengeance because only God is able to dispense justice fairly. Only God is able to judge the hearts of human beings. Even the seemingly most evil criminal may eventually have his eyes opened to Christ, and so we pray for him. We must keep in mind that those who have rejected God are deceived. The deeper they are in sin, the more they cling to earthly things, then the more deceived they are. Truth has become hidden to them. They live in darkness. Jesus’s words on the cross still ring true, <em>“Father forgive them; for they know not what they are doing”</em> (Luke 23:34). </p>
<p>Let us not be like Jonah, who was told by God to go and warn those in Nineveh that if they forsake God, they will be destroyed. Jonah did not want the Ninevites to be warned because he believed that they deserved to be destroyed. Instead, he fled by boarding a ship going in the opposite direction of Nineveh. However, God was not to be denied. All manner of danger from storms befell the ship, so the crew, realizing that Jonah was responsible for their misfortunes, threw him overboard. As the story goes, a whale came along and swallowed Jonah, and three days later it deposited him on the shores near Nineveh. Jonah, reluctantly did as God had commanded. He warned the Ninevites, and they repented of their wickedness. The city of Nineveh was spared from destruction and God rejoiced. Let us not prejudge other human beings. God is always seeking to reveal Himself to those who are willing to receive Him, no matter how far they have fallen. </p>
<p>Christians are to have compassion for all, even the worst sinners. After all, without Christ, they will end up in a most horrible place for eternity. Therefore, we pity those who are deceived and pray that their blindness is removed. We pray that the scales fall off of their eyes, and they are able to see the light of Christ. Courage requires compassion because if we are not concerned for our neighbors, then we would not be willing to do what we can to save them. When we see them drowning in the ocean, we will have the courage to jump in and try to pull them out, just as Christ had compassion on us and was therefore willing to die for us. “<em>There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love</em>” (1 John 4:18). Love gives us strength and courage. </p>
<p>Christians are called to offer strength to one another, “<em>encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with all of them</em>” (1 Thessalonians 5:14). We are urged to look to God for strength. <em>“He gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless. Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted; but those who wait for the </em><em>Lord</em><em> shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint” </em>(Isaiah 40:29-31). The Christian life requires us to demonstrate courage, especially through the difficult times of our lives. Therefore, we must remember that God said, <em>“I will never leave you or forsake you.” </em><em>So, we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper;</em><em> I will not be afraid.</em><em> What can anyone do to me?”</em> (Hebrews 13:5-6). Our faith inspires courage and we continue to be strengthened by God and by one another. </p>
<p>The one thing that offers Christians the greatest courage is that Christ conquered death. Through His resurrection, <em>“</em><em>Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”</em> (1 Corinthians 15:54-55). We know that through Christ, we have eternal life with Him in paradise. We no longer fear death. Christ’s promise has removed man’s greatest fear. We need not fear eternal hellfire or oblivion. We can actually look forward to the time when we will be in Christ’s presence and all evil has been eliminated. We can look forward to a time of no pain and no suffering. Only joy and peace will prevail. We will celebrate the union of Jesus, our bridegroom, to His Church. <em>“</em><em>Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb” </em>(Revelation 19:9). </p>
Helen Kamenos
tag:helenkamenos.com,2005:Post/6131927
2019-05-18T17:00:00-07:00
2021-10-07T10:07:47-07:00
Are Demons Alive and Well on Planet Earth Today?
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398731/1f409c0cbce49e3fc6a8f00c1c256ae28fb6f921/original/st-marina-icon.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDI5eDcyMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="720" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="429" /></p>
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<p>We do not hear much of demon possession nowadays, except in movies or anecdotal stories. It certainly seems like demons have been working overtime, but we rarely think about it from that perspective. There have been times when I think to myself that those who perpetrate heinous acts of mass murder must be demon-possessed, but the usual response I hear from others is that these people are mentally ill. Are they mentally ill or possessed? Is there such a thing as demon-possession nowadays? I cannot really say, but in looking at scriptural references, some of the symptoms sound very similar.</p>
<p>Jesus encountered one such man in a synagogue in Capernaum one day. He recognized Jesus as the “<em>Holy One of God</em>” and feared that Jesus had come to destroy him. When Christ had rebuked the demon and told him to come out of the man, “<em>the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him</em>” (Mark 1:26). The people were amazed that Jesus could command obedience from demons. Word spread quickly around the countryside, so many came to Christ to be healed and to have demons cast out. Jesus “<em>rebuked them </em>(the unclean spirits)<em> and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Messiah</em>” (Luke 4:41). It would be dangerous for Jesus, if word got out that He was the Son of God. It was not yet His time.</p>
<p>The story of the Gerasene demoniac is quite remarkable. He was a man who lived naked among tombs and could not be restrained by chains nor shackles because he would break them apart. It was dangerous to pass that way because he could not be subdued. “<em>Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains, he was always howling and bruising himself with stones</em>” (Mark 5:5). When Jesus commanded the unclean spirit to depart, he begged not to be tormented. Jesus asked him, “<em>What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion; for we are many</em>” (Mark 5:9). They begged Him to be sent into a nearby herd of swine. Christ gave them permission, so they entered into the swine, “<em>numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and were drowned”</em> (Mark 5:13). The herders ran off to the city to tell everyone to come and see what had happened. When they arrived, the man possessed by demons was peacefully sitting there clothed and “<em>in his right mind</em><em>”</em> (Mark 5:15). <strong><sup> </sup></strong><strong>“</strong><em>Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them; for they were seized with great fear”</em> (Luke 8:37).</p>
<p>Mark tells of a third story where a father brought his son to the disciples, but they could not cast out the unclean spirit, so the father brought him to Jesus. He explained that his son “<em>has a spirit that makes him unable to speak;</em><strong><em><sup> </sup></em></strong><em>and whenever it seizes him, it dashes him down; and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid…</em><em>When the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth</em>” (Mark 9:17-20). The father also told Jesus that the spirit would often cast the boy into a fire and into water to destroy him. Christ told the father that with faith, it would be possible to heal his son. I love the father’s response in verse 24. “<em>Immediately the father of the child cried out, “I believe; help my unbelief!</em>” After Christ commanded the unclean spirit to depart, the boy convulsed and then lay there as if he was dead. Jesus helped the boy up. Later, he explained to His disciples privately that this kind of demon can only be cast out with prayer and fasting. </p>
<p>There is one more unusual story told in Acts 19:11-20. Seven sons of a Jewish high priest went out trying to cast out demons “<em>by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims</em>.” They replied, “<em>Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?</em>” Then the possessed man attacked them, until all seven finally fled naked and wounded. Many who practiced magic and had witnessed this event were converted.</p>
<p>There are several passages, which state that people brought many who were possessed with demons to Jesus, and he cast out the spirits with a word. Luke mentions that at one point, Jesus traveled with the disciples and “<em>some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, </em><strong><em><sup> </sup></em></strong><em>and Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their resources” </em>(Luke 8:2-3)<em>.</em> If there were so many demon-possessed people in the days of Jesus, wouldn’t there be many today? Are the descriptions of the symptoms similar to those who are not in their “<em>right minds</em>” today? Are there people who try to hurt themselves or who have extraordinary strength and unable to be subdued? What about those mass shooters? Are they possessed? Most agree that they are most likely mentally ill. Was Charles Manson possessed? I always believed that he was. He always frightened me! How about those who hear voices? Could it be the voices of demons that they hear? Are those who are deeply depressed and suicidal tormented by demons? I do not know, but I wonder. </p>
<p>St. Marina of Antioch, pictured above, is especially invoked for deliverance from demon possession. She was the only daughter of a pagan priest of idols. When she was orphaned, she was given to a nursemaid who raised her in the Orthodox faith. When she was fifteen, she was arrested. Governor Olymbrios was enamored by her and tried to persuade her to renounce her faith and become his wife. When she refused, he became angry and had her tortured, but an angel healed her wounds. Then he had her tied to a tree and burned. She asked God for the water of Holy Baptism, so the Governor ordered her to be drowned. “As she was plunged into the water, there suddenly shone a light, and a snow-white dove came down from Heaven, bearing in its beak a golden crown. The chains that had been placed on Marina came apart, and she stood up in the fount glorifying the Holy Trinity. She emerged completely healed, without any trace of burns.”<sup>1</sup> </p>
<p>According to Paul in Ephesians 6:12, “<em>Our</em><em>struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places</em>.” In other words, we do not battle against other human beings, but rather against the powers of Satan and his demons. Our war is with the power and authority we give Satan through our choices when we sin. This is why Paul goes on to tell us that we should put on the whole armor of God. It is only God who can protect us from evil. It is only God’s divine love in our hearts that can overcome the evil in this world. Paul encourages us to pray in the Spirit at all times. I do not know if demons are as active today as they were in the time of Jesus, but I wonder. </p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><sup>1 </sup>Orthodox Church of America. 2018. <em>St. Marina (Margaret), Great Martyr, of Antioch in Pisidia. </em>Retrieved on May 19, 2019 from <a data-imported="1" href="http://ww1.antiochian.org/node/19000">http://ww1.antiochian.org/node/19000</a>.</span></p>
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Helen Kamenos
tag:helenkamenos.com,2005:Post/6131926
2019-04-16T17:00:00-07:00
2019-05-19T10:55:46-07:00
The Cross of Hope
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398731/8af66ea686fe82c01dfa9a39d228de2018f9ed2e/original/notre-dame-after-fire-01.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NjUweDM2NiJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="366" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="650" /></p>
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<p>Most of us sadly watched the out-of-control fire of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on Monday, April 15. We feared the worst as the blazes engulfed the cathedral, causing the renowned 300 ft. spire to come crashing down through the roof. Notre Dame Cathedral took nearly 200 years to build beginning in the 12<sup>th</sup> century and was treasured by Parisians and worldwide tourists alike. Yet remarkably, the gold cross at the altar glistens amidst the smoke and ashes. Below the cross, the Virgin Mary laments the death of her Son, as we lament the destruction of such a beautiful treasure built to glorify God.</p>
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<p>For Christians, this scene is symbolic of our faith in Jesus Christ, the light of the world, who died to save us from the darkness of sin. The gold cross represents our hope in Him, He who sacrificed Himself to offer us eternal life in paradise. The cross represents Christ’s infinite love for us. It is an image, which encapsulates the essence of our reward for enduring the struggles of this life. For Christians, God always gives us a sign of hope in the midst of devastation. </p>
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<p>This photograph also represents our indelible spirit created in the image of God. Deep within us, we possess the potential for pure goodness, which struggles to manifest itself within our hearts. It is the Holy Spirit in us, which desires to fill us with His light, His goodness and His love. It is that indelible spirit of genuine humanity, which we all possess, that illumines our hearts and minds. It is this light which overcomes the darkness of our tribulations, sufferings, and hardships in our lives. “<em>My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing</em>” (James 1:2-4). Enduring in faith results in victory, just as the cross in Notre Dame gloriously glistens amidst the smoke and ashes of the fire.</p>
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<p>When Christians are baptized, we are immersed in water to crucify the flesh, to die to our worldly selves, so that we may rise out of the water as a new creation in Christ. “<em>Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? </em><em>Therefore, we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life</em>” (Romans 6:3-4). It is this spiritual death that allows our true selves, full of goodness and love, to emerge from the embers.</p>
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<p>That seed of humanity made in the image of God reminds us that we are all brothers and sisters in Christ. Even the irredeemable can be redeemed. We are commanded by Jesus to view our neighbors as Himself. “<em>For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,</em><strong><em><sup> </sup></em></strong><em>I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me…Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me</em>” (Matthew 25:35-40). According to Rossi (2014), “Isn’t that what others are looking for from us, especially youth? Don’t they want us to see and communicate, sometimes without words, the goodness in them that they can’t see themselves.” When we see others as Christ with the potential for goodness, many rise out of the ruins of their lives to become transformed. Rossi also quoted Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh’s homily of August 14, 1983, “Unless we can look at a person and see the beauty there is in this person, we can contribute nothing to him.”</p>
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<p>I have witnessed the transformation among my own students. When I speak to them with respect, appealing to their better inner self, they sit up more confidently. They relax and sometimes theirs walls begin to crumble. At times, their walls may have been built too high or too wide, but with perseverance and consistency, there is hope.</p>
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<p>The golden cross of Notre Dame Cathedral reminds us of hope. It symbolizes the spirit of genuine humanity within us that is striving to be set free. We look beyond the devastation of suffering others have endured, beyond their pain and anger. We communicate goodness and love, compassion and generosity. Rather than judging we empathize. Rather than complaining about circumstances in our own lives, we focus on the blessings. Rather than running from our hardships, we enter headlong into Christ with endurance and joy because He has defeated death. The cross reminds us that Christ rose from the dead and that we, too, can rise out of the ashes of our lives.</p>
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<p>Rossi Ph.D., Albert S. 2014. <em>Becoming a Healing Presence</em>. Ancient Faith Publishing. Chesterton, Indiana. pp. 71.</p>
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<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color:#ff0000"><strong>Have a blessed Easter!</strong></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color:#ff0000"><strong>Xristos Anesti! Christ is risen!</strong></span></p>
Helen Kamenos
tag:helenkamenos.com,2005:Post/6131925
2019-02-17T16:00:00-08:00
2021-09-21T10:47:29-07:00
Rejection - The Parable of the Prodigal Son
<p><a href="http://www.helenkamenos.com/blog/rejection/" data-imported="1"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398731/a715d9b027135a71da5bc4f89181572aa1ad48a5/original/prodigal-son.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6Njc1eDUwMSJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="501" width="675" /></a></p>
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<p>Have you ever been rejected? Of course, you have. We all have. Strangely, we remember those times very clearly because of the pain we felt. Have you ever experienced rejection by a mother, father, or child? The pain pierces deeply into our spirits. That kind of pain is difficult to forgive. Parents and children possess a profound bond, which when injured or severed, affects our whole being. I am always so saddened, when I hear about children who are abused, neglected, or abandoned. I become so heartbroken, when I hear about children who have murdered their parents or parents who have murdered their children. The news is filled with stories of broken relationships that have resulted in violence. These are evils, which I have difficulty comprehending.</p>
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<p>God, our Father, has been rejected throughout the ages. At one time or another, we have all turned away from God. Yet, no matter how often we have rejected Him, He is always willing to welcome us back into His arms. God is always grieved when we sin, when we reject Him. He grieves for our souls, for our well-being. He grieves because He wishes only blessings on us, not the consequences of the sins we have brought upon ourselves. God’s will is to love us and for us to love Him. His will is that we develop a loving relationship with Him. He desires to shower blessings on us.</p>
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<p>This Sunday we celebrate the parable of the Prodigal Son. Christ tells the parable of the prodigal son, who asked his father for his inheritance, so he can go out into the world on his own. His father had not even died yet! The loss of his son, especially under these circumstances, must have been very painful for him. The prodigal son took his inheritance and traveled to a distant country, spending his fortune on <em>“riotous living”</em> (Luke 15:13 KJV). When he spent everything he had, a severe famine struck the land, so he began to work for a man, feeding the pigs. He was so hungry, that he would have gladly eaten the insects and worms fed to the pigs, but no one gave him anything. “<em>But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands”’</em> (Luke 15:17-19). The son came to his senses and repented, realizing what he had lost, so he decided to humble himself and return to his father. This would have been very difficult for the son, because he would have to set aside his pride and admit that he was wrong and needed his father.</p>
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<p>Christ goes on to describe the father’s response. When the boy’s father saw him from a distance, he ran to him and put his arms around him and kissed him, even before the son could ask for forgiveness. Then <em>“the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate”</em> (Luke 15:22-24). Can you imagine the father’s joy? His son returned to him! He harbors no resentment, no pain for the suffering he experienced at the loss of his son all those years. Out of pure love, He welcomes his estranged son and celebrates his return. This is our God. This is the degree of love and mercy our Father has for us! No matter how often we stray, He loves us and rejoices at our homecoming. However, we must also take note that the son returned in humility, repentant of his ways. We must experience a sincere repentance for rejecting the love of God and for sinning against Him.</p>
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<p>Christ’s story of the prodigal son does not end there. This part of the story shows the depth of God’s mercy and love, but the rest of the story also describes the response of God’s chosen people, the Israelites. The father in the parable had an older son, who had remained with his father. When the elder son heard the joyful noise of celebration for the return of his brother, he became angry and refused to attend the festivities. His father came out and pleaded with his son, but He told his father <em>“Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. <strong><sup> </sup></strong>But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!” </em>Luke 15:29-30). When Christ’s message began to spread among the Gentiles, many Jews became angry and rejected Jesus. Their hearts became hardened to the newly converted Christians, and they refused to join the celebration.</p>
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<p>Paul expressed the anguish he felt for his kinsmen, <em>“</em><em>I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my own people”</em> (Romans 9:2-3). His compassion was so fervent that he was willing to accept eternal damnation in hell, if his people could be saved. This is the same anguish that Christ felt when he cried out, <em>“</em><em>Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!” </em>(Matthew 23:37). Christ willingly died on the cross for all his people, Jews and Gentiles, for every human being He ever created.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>God’s love for us is infinite. No matter what we do, He loves us and is willing to have mercy on any who choose to return to Him. He knocks on the door of our hearts, but it is up to us to open the door. He will not force us to love Him. We can always refuse to love God. We can always reject the gift of love Christ offers us from the cross. Jesus, the Son of God, pure and without sin died an atrocious death like a criminal for the sins we committed. God does not decide who goes to heaven and who goes to hell. We make our own decisions. We can choose to enter His loving grace, or we can turn our backs and walk away. However, this decision has eternal consequences. </p>
Helen Kamenos
tag:helenkamenos.com,2005:Post/6131924
2019-01-12T16:00:00-08:00
2022-04-26T10:10:16-07:00
Martyrs
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398731/9225ea1e763fab7b91b74975bfde9142c739bf85/original/forty-martyrs.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NjAweDc1OCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="758" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="600" /></p>
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<p>Would you willingly die for your faith? It is a difficult question to answer until we are actually faced with that predicament. The term “martyr” has developed negative connotations in recent years due to terrorists who perpetrated murderous acts in the name of their “God.” Suicide bombers kill themselves in order to inflict as much murder and chaos as possible. They consider themselves martyrs, but they are not. They have committed suicide and have killed themselves. This is not a true act of martyrdom. Rather, it is an act of hatred, murder, the murdering of one’s self, as well as the murdering others. True martyrs are killed by others because they refuse to relinquish their faith. The motivation of Christian martyrs is their love for Christ, and their desire to remain faithful to Him.</p>
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<p>The foundations of the Christian Church have been established by the blood of martyred Saints who refused to deny Christ, beginning with the Apostles. During the first 300 years of the fledgling faith, tens of thousands of Christians were executed for refusing to offer a sacrifice to a pagan god. These were acts of faithfulness and courage, especially because the Christian martyrs endured horrific suffering. Many were tortured before being executed, and the manners of death were cruel and painful, such as crucifixion, being boiled in oil, flayed or whipped to death, stoned, dragged by horses or subjected to being attacked by wild animals publicly for sport in the Colosseum. The women were also often raped and prostituted. These martyrs were committed to Christ and are the heroes of our faith. Their deaths inspired others to convert to Christianity. In fact, it only took about 300 years for Christianity, which was despised and persecuted, to finally be declared the official religion of the Roman Empire. This movement change the world.</p>
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<p>The following story of the 40 Holy Martyrs of Sebaste who are commemorated on March 9 by Eastern Orthodox Christians is just one account, which inspired many early Christians to convert to the faith (retrieved from <span style="color:#5bdeff"><a href="https://oca.org/saints/lives/2015/03/09/100706-40-holy-martyrs-of-sebaste" data-imported="1"><span style="color:#5bdeff">https://oca.org/saints/lives/2015/03/09/100706-40-holy-martyrs-of-sebaste</span></a></span>):</p>
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<p><span style="color:#f9da89">In the year 313 Saint Constantine the Great issued an edict granting Christians religious freedom, and officially recognizing Christianity as equal with paganism under the law. But his co-ruler Licinius was a pagan, and he decided to stamp out Christianity in his part of the Empire. As Licinius prepared his army to fight Constantine, he decided to remove Christians from his army, fearing mutiny.</span></p>
<p><span style="color:#f9da89"> </span></p>
<p><span style="color:#f9da89">One of the military commanders of that time in the Armenian city of Sebaste was Agricola, a zealous champion of idolatry. Under his command was a company of forty Cappadocians, brave soldiers who had distinguished themselves in many battles. When these Christian soldiers refused to offer sacrifice to the pagan gods, Agricola locked them up in prison. The soldiers occupied themselves with prayer and psalmody, and during the night they heard a voice saying, “Persevere until the end, then you shall be saved.”</span></p>
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<p><span style="color:#f9da89">On the following morning, the soldiers were again taken to Agricola. This time the pagan tried flattery. He began to praise their valor, their youth and strength, and once more he urged them to renounce Christ and thereby win themselves the respect and favor of their emperor.</span></p>
<p><span style="color:#f9da89"> </span><span style="color:#f9da89"> </span></p>
<p><span style="color:#f9da89">Seven days later, the renowned judge Licius arrived at Sebaste and put the soldiers on trial. The saints steadfastly answered, “Take not only our military insignia, but also our lives, since nothing is more precious to us than Christ God.” Licius then ordered his servants to stone the holy martyrs. But the stones missed the saints and returned to strike those who had thrown them. One stone thrown by Licius hit Agricola in the face, smashing his teeth. The torturers realized that the saints were guarded by some invisible power. In prison, the soldiers spent the night in prayer and again they heard the voice of the Lord comforting them: “<em>He who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live</em> (John 11:25). Be brave and fear not, for you shall obtain imperishable crowns.”</span></p>
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<p><span style="color:#f9da89">On the following day the judge repeated the interrogation in front of the torturer, but the soldiers remained unyielding.</span></p>
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<p><span style="color:#f9da89">It was winter, and there was a severe frost. They lined up the holy soldiers, threw them into a lake near the city, and set a guard to prevent them from coming out of the water. In order to break the will of the martyrs, a warm bath-house was set up on the shore. During the first hour of the night, when the cold had become unbearable, one of the soldiers made a dash for the bath-house, but no sooner had he stepped over the threshold, then he fell down dead.</span></p>
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<p><span style="color:#f9da89">During the third hour of the night, the Lord sent consolation to the martyrs. Suddenly there was light, the ice melted away, and the water in the lake became warm. All the guards were asleep, except for Aglaius, who was keeping watch. Looking at the lake he saw that a radiant crown had appeared over the head of each martyr. Aglaius counted thirty-nine crowns and realized that the soldier who fled had lost his crown.</span></p>
<p><span style="color:#f9da89"> </span></p>
<p><span style="color:#f9da89">Aggias then woke up the other guards, took off his uniform and said to them, “I too am a Christian,” and he joined the martyrs. Standing in the water he prayed, “Lord God, I believe in You, in Whom these soldiers believe. Add me to their number and make me worthy to suffer with Your servants.” Then a fortieth crown appeared over his head.</span></p>
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<p><span style="color:#f9da89">In the morning, the torturers saw with surprise that the martyrs were still alive, and their guard Aggias was glorifying Christ together with them. They led the soldiers out of the water and broke their legs. During this horrible execution the mother of the youngest of the soldiers, Meliton, pleaded with her son to persevere until death.</span></p>
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<p><span style="color:#f9da89">They put the bodies of the martyrs on a cart and committed them to fire. Young Meliton was still breathing, and they left him on the ground. His mother then picked up her son, and on her own shoulders she carried him behind the cart. When Meliton drew his last breath, his mother put him on the cart with the bodies of his fellow sufferers. The bodies of the saints were tossed in the fire, and their charred bones were thrown into the water.</span></p>
<p><span style="color:#f9da89"> </span></p>
<p><span style="color:#f9da89">Three days later the martyrs appeared in a dream to Saint Peter, Bishop of Sebaste, and commanded him to bury their remains. The bishop together with several clergy gathered up the relics of the glorious martyrs by night and buried them with honor.</span></p>
<p><span style="color:#f9da89"> </span></p>
<p><span style="color:#f9da89">There is a pious custom of baking “skylarks” (pastries shaped like skylarks) on this day, because people believed that birds sing at this time to announce the arrival of spring. Forty “skylarks” are prepared in honor of the Forty Martyrs. </span></p>
Helen Kamenos
tag:helenkamenos.com,2005:Post/6131923
2018-12-13T16:00:00-08:00
2022-06-08T18:55:55-07:00
What Is the Purpose of Icons in the Orthodox Church?
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398731/278012af28f14e88dba27fa7d3fda5f39b4fc329/original/icons-1.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NjUweDM2NyJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Icon St. Demetrios" height="367" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="650" /></p>
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<p>My church, St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Camarillo, is in the process of adding an icon of the Mother of God with baby Jesus in the sanctuary behind the altar. Many, who are not Orthodox, have often asked me about the many icons we venerate. They do not understand why we “worship” idols. Perhaps, I can give you some history and a bit about the Orthodox perspective. Eusebuis, in his <em>History of the Church</em> (2nd Century), stated "I have seen a great many portraits of the Saviour, of Peter and of Paul, which have been preserved up to our own times." Based on this statement, icons were being made very early in Church history. “Eusebuis' testimony is believed to be all the more valuable, since he was personally against icons” (as cited by Lossky 1952)<sup>1</sup>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Icons became more popular after Christianity was legalized by Emperor Constantine in the 4<sup>th</sup> century and as the church grew. The Greek word for icon, εἰκώνa, means image. Because the great majority of people in that day were illiterate, icons were used to teach the Biblical stories of Christ’s life, death and resurrection. They were used much like we use photographs today. You might say it is because “a picture is worth a thousand words.” Icons of Christ and the saints were used to remind Christians of the people in the stories, but they were also treasured as we treasure pictures of our loved ones, especially those who have passed away. Orthodox Christians do not worship icons. Rather, we cherish them. We kiss icons as we would kiss a picture of a beloved parent, child, or grandchild. When my mother was alive, she often kissed the pictures of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren out of the love she felt for them. When those who were evacuated due to the fires, the first thing most took with them were their precious photographs, their memories.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>When we say we venerate an icon, we mean that we show our reverence, respect, and love for those portrayed in the image. Christ is our precious Lord. The saints are our heroes and role models, many of whom were martyred for their faith. Some wrote the Bible of the Old and New Testament. Others lead the way for the freedom of worship we enjoy today. They were the pioneers who recorded our theology in writings, such as the Nicene Creed. They developed the hymns, liturgical prayers and worship we practice every Sunday and on feast days. They taught us how to understand our faith. Therefore, we admire them, love them, and so we choose to remember them. They are our brothers and sisters in Christ’s Church. Certainly, no Orthodox Christian would ever say that they <em>worship</em> an icon, nor would it even occur to him; this would be sacrilegious.</p>
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<p>We also ask saints to intercede on our behalf, just as we may ask a friend to pray for us. You might think of it this way: saints are considered “experts” in the practice of prayer, and so we ask them to pray to God for us, to make our request known to Him. Saints are canonized because they led a life that glorified God, and we see in them the image of God. The Eastern Orthodox Church does not follow a formal process of canonization. For the Orthodox, “Canonization does not make anybody a saint. Canonization recognizes that someone already was, in his own lifetime, a saint.”<sup>2</sup> Since we were created in the image of God, saints are those whose lives preserved that original image and can be imitated.</p>
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<p>Miracles are often associated with saints and icons. For example, some icons miraculously exude myrrh. My mother told my siblings and me many stories of miracles she had heard or had seen, which involved icons. One story she told us was about a blind man who prayed for his sight to be restored. He prayed to the Virgin Mary in front of her well-known icon in Tinos. He promised that he would donate a silver sculpture of the first thing he saw when he received his sight. The first thing he saw was an orange tree, so today, you can find that silver orange tree at the Panagia Church in Tinos, Greece, alongside other offerings, such as arms, legs, eyes and human organs that were healed. Christ loves His mother, and therefore, her prayers are exceptionally influential.</p>
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<p>James instructs us to “<em>pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective</em>” (James 5:16). The miracles associated with saints attest to their righteousness. Martyred saints have a special place in heaven, under the altar of God. “<em>I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slaughtered for the word of God and for the testimony they had given</em>” (Revelation 6:9). Christ hears their voices, and so we ask them to pray for us.</p>
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<p>Today, we do not have many real heroes worthy to be role models and admired by our children. Their heroes are athletes, celebrities, or comic book heroes. Icons of Christ and the saints can open the door to conversations about the attributes God finds pleasing in His saints, qualities such as humility, integrity, honesty and compassion. Christians should know the stories of the heroes of our church who deserve reverence and respect because of the way they lived their lives, and the way their lives glorified God. </p>
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<p><sup>1 </sup>Lossky, V. and Oupensky, L. (1982). <em>The Meaning of Icons</em> (3rd ed.). New York: St. Vladimir Seminary Press. Retrieved on December 2018 from <a href="http://www.serfes.org/orthodox/icon.htm" data-imported="1">http://www.serfes.org/orthodox/icon.htm</a>.</p>
<p><sup>2 </sup>1970. <em>Canonization of Saint Herman of Alaska</em>. Kodiak, Alaska. Retrieved on December 2018 from <a href="https://oca.org/fs/canonization" data-imported="1">https://oca.org/fs/canonization</a>.</p>
Helen Kamenos
tag:helenkamenos.com,2005:Post/6131922
2018-12-08T16:00:00-08:00
2021-11-02T14:44:24-07:00
A Time for Giving
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398731/a66587a725638f0d2d8be28078affe4630e92971/original/three-wise-men.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NjAweDQyNiJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="426" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="600" /></p>
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<p><span style="color:#fff8f2">In the Spirit of Christmas, I thought I would share a song with you that can put you in the right mood for this very special season of the year. Celebrate the precious gift from God of a beautiful little baby boy, Jesus. Enjoy! </span></p>
<p><span style="color:#ffcc99"> </span></p>
<p><span style="color:#ffcc99"></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color:#ff6600"><a title="Christmas Is a Time for Giving" href="https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=christmas+is+the+time+for+giving%2c+Nicoleta+larson&ru=%2fsearch%3fq%3dchristmas%2520is%2520the%2520time%2520for%2520giving%252C%2520Nicoleta%2520larson%26qs%3dn%26form%3dQBRE%26sp%3d-1%26pq%3dchristmas%2520is%2520the%2520time%2520for%2520giving%252C%2520nicoleta%2520larso%26sc%3d0-48%26sk%3d%26cvid%3d65E36BE1333A48E589083915ED2DF7E1&view=detail&mid=56239B4D3B20F5E278A156239B4D3B20F5E278A1&&mmscn=vwrc&FORM=VDRVRV" target="_blank" data-imported="1"><span style="color:#ff6600"><strong>Click here to enjoy ----></strong></span></a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a title="Christmas Is a Time for Giving" href="https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=christmas+is+the+time+for+giving%2c+Nicoleta+larson&ru=%2fsearch%3fq%3dchristmas%2520is%2520the%2520time%2520for%2520giving%252C%2520Nicoleta%2520larson%26qs%3dn%26form%3dQBRE%26sp%3d-1%26pq%3dchristmas%2520is%2520the%2520time%2520for%2520giving%252C%2520nicoleta%2520larso%26sc%3d0-48%26sk%3d%26cvid%3d65E36BE1333A48E589083915ED2DF7E1&view=detail&mid=56239B4D3B20F5E278A156239B4D3B20F5E278A1&&mmscn=vwrc&FORM=VDRVRV" target="_blank" data-imported="1"><span style="color:#ffcc99"></span></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color:#ff00ff"><a title="Christmas Is a Time for Giving" href="https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=christmas+is+the+time+for+giving%2c+Nicoleta+larson&ru=%2fsearch%3fq%3dchristmas%2520is%2520the%2520time%2520for%2520giving%252C%2520Nicoleta%2520larson%26qs%3dn%26form%3dQBRE%26sp%3d-1%26pq%3dchristmas%2520is%2520the%2520time%2520for%2520giving%252C%2520nicoleta%2520larso%26sc%3d0-48%26sk%3d%26cvid%3d65E36BE1333A48E589083915ED2DF7E1&view=detail&mid=56239B4D3B20F5E278A156239B4D3B20F5E278A1&&mmscn=vwrc&FORM=VDRVRV" target="_blank" data-imported="1"><span style="color:#ff00ff">"Christmas Is a Time for Giving"</span></a></span></strong></p>
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<p> </p>
Helen Kamenos
tag:helenkamenos.com,2005:Post/6131921
2018-11-11T16:00:00-08:00
2021-08-25T11:12:52-07:00
Heroes Rise out of the Ashes of Tragedy
<p><a title="Heroes Rise out of the Ashes of Tragedy" href="http://www.helenkamenos.com/blog/heroes_rise_out_of_the_ashes_of_tragedy/" data-imported="1"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398731/c12b3358c7c94071f464515d2fb1a26d17b07447/original/heroes.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NjAweDM4NiJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Heroes" height="386" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="600" /></a></p>
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<p>What words can we speak in times of tragedy and great suffering? Words never seem enough to express the grief and pain in our hearts. Last week our community experienced tragedy upon tragedy, grief upon grief. After twelve beautiful and innocent lives were lost to a senseless shooting in Thousand Oaks, fire ripped through our neighborhoods destroying homes. Two lives were lost in the fires of southern California, and 85 lives were lost in the northern fires. What words can we offer as comfort to the families who have experienced such loss? My heart breaks for the shooting victims’ families and for those who have lost their homes.</p>
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<p>St. Paul’s words express what we may feel in times of great tragedy, “<em>We do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, of the affliction we experienced in Asia; for we were so utterly, unbearably crushed that we despaired of life itself</em>” (2 Corinthians 1:8). Yet, he offers us hope, “<em>We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; </em><em>persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies</em>” (2 Corinthians 4:8-10).</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ironically, it is during times of peril when heroes rise up. Heroes are not crushed. Rather than being driven to despair, they are driven to action. They save lives. We witness such courage time and time again. Heroes jump into the line of fire to save those still in danger. Firefighters, who themselves had lost their homes, continued working to save the homes of others, neighbor helping neighbor, victims saving victims. Thousands have heard God’s call and have offered donations and have even offered their homes for those who have lost theirs. God raises up His army to bring light into a dark world.</p>
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<p>In 2 Corinthians 1:4-5, St. Paul explains that those who suffer are comforted by God, so that in turn, they are equipped with the empathy necessary to comfort others. These saints become our examples. I, for one, am in awe at the strength and courage of such heroes and saints. They are humbled by their experience, but their humility is what gives them strength. They do not think of themselves, but rather their first thoughts are to come to the aid of others. They are selfless. They rise out of the ashes of destruction and become beacons of light.</p>
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<p>I was struck by the words posted by the Thousand Oaks shooter <em>during</em> the incident, “Yeah... I'm insane, but the only thing you people do after these shootings is 'hopes and prayers'... or 'keep you in my thoughts'... every time... and wonder why these keep happening...” These are words from the devil himself. This man was not insane. He was filled with evil and hatred. He spewed words to create despair and to deny the power of prayer. These words are straight from the pit of hell, intended to deceive. The only thing that has the power to defeat evil is God’s love and the prayers of those who love Him.</p>
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<p>God always shows up in times of tragedy. People cry out to Him in prayer, and He sends His army of believers. Strangely, it is during these times, when our true nature manifests. God created us to love, and it is love that comes to the rescue. Some believe we are basically evil creatures, and it may seem that way when we see such evil in the world, but our true nature comes to the forefront when disaster strikes. Our true humanity is revealed through our love for one another, even toward those who are strangers to us. Our hearts are touched by the suffering of our fellow human beings. We see tragedy unfolding in the news daily, and we are brought to tears. We weep and wish we could do something to stop all the evil.</p>
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<p>St. Paul, who knew suffering throughout his ministry, reminds us, “<em>we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day</em>”(2 Corinthians 4:16). He reminds us that our afflictions are momentary compared to the eternity we will spend in “<em>glory beyond measure.</em>” He reminds us to live with our hope in Christ, who sends others to comfort us and ultimately saves us. Christ reminds us that He has prepared a place for us and He “<em>will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also</em>” (John 4:3) and He “<em>shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.</em><em> And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new</em>” (Revelation 21:4-5).</p>
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<p>In the meantime, God sends us to support and comfort one another. The love, kindness and compassion that we offer to the next person we see suffering and in despair may save lives. It may be that very person in despair, who may have been thinking about causing harm and destruction to others. We do not always know how the love of God we share with our neighbors will affect their lives.</p>
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<p>May God bless you and keep you safe! </p>
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Helen Kamenos
tag:helenkamenos.com,2005:Post/6131920
2018-09-23T17:00:00-07:00
2021-09-10T10:36:54-07:00
Scandal in the Church
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398731/056eec3ebb6f513ae1a96c774ed6f4394acb1d15/original/shepherd-sheep-12-jpeg.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NjI1eDM5MSJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Shepherd and Flock" height="391" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="625" /></p>
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<p>I weep! I am grieved by the suffering of our Christian brothers and sisters due to the scandals of the Catholic Church. I pray that we all keep our hearts and minds on Christ and not on the human beings who have been disgraceful ambassadors of Christ. This attack on the church affects all Christians, not just Catholics. I empathize with our Catholic brothers and sisters who must endure the criticism of their faith due to the horrific acts perpetrated on innocent children. This is unconscionable. Christ has, once again, been crucified by these men. He who loves us beyond what we can imagine, has once again, been nailed to the cross by those who have betrayed Him.</p>
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<p>Christian brothers and sisters do not despair! He, who has already been victorious over sin, continues to reign. We are not followers of men, but instead, we are followers of Christ, our Savior. Our faith is established in Him and no one else. Let us all go to Him in prayer. Let us ask for the healing of our own sins and the healing of His church. The evil one seeks to divide us and persecute us. Will we allow Satan to separate us from Christ’s church? The true Church crosses denominational boundaries. It is founded by Christ Himself. Jesus declared that “<em>the gates of Hades will not prevail against it</em> (the church)” (Matthew 16:18). The Church is not a building or a collection of bishops, priests, ministers or pastors. The Church is the body of individual disciples of Christ, who practice His two great commandments to <em>“love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind”</em> and <em>“love your neighbor as yourself”</em> (Matthew 22:37-38).</p>
<p> </p>
<p></p>
<p>John puts it plainly: <em>“Whoever says, “I have come to know him,” but does not obey his commandments, is a liar, and in such a person the truth does not exist; but whoever obeys his word, truly in this person the love of God has reached perfection”</em> (1 John 2:4-5). It is the love of God that identifies us as genuine Christians. Therefore, as difficult as it is and as angry as we may feel at the blatant betrayal of all those involved in this scandal and its cover-up, we should pray for the souls of those who knew Christ yet turned away from Him. For them, it would have been better if they had never professed Christ than, as Peter describes it, <em>“It has happened to them according to the true proverb, ‘The dog turns back to its own vomit’”</em> (2 Peter 2:22). The shepherds of the church, those who are in a position to teach the word of God, are responsible for their sheep. If bishops, priests, deacons, ministers, pastors, or any having the responsibility of shepherding Christ’s flock have caused His sheep pain and suffering or caused them to go astray or waiver in their faith, God will hold them personally accountable.</p>
<p> </p>
<p></p>
<p>In 1 Timothy 5, Paul counsels Timothy who has been given the responsibility of the church in Ephesus, how to handle the sins of elders or those in positions of authority:</p>
<p> </p>
<p></p>
<p><strong><em><sup>19 </sup></em></strong><em>Never accept any accusation against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses. <strong><sup>20 </sup></strong>As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest also may stand in fear. <strong><sup>21 </sup></strong>In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels, I warn you to keep these instructions without prejudice, doing nothing on the basis of partiality.</em></p>
<p><em> </em></p>
<p></p>
<p>Those who have perpetrated crimes against children should be reported to the appropriate criminal authorities, so that they may be condemned (rebuked) in the presence of all. They must also suffer the consequences of their criminal acts. As Paul states, there should be no favoritism (partiality) for any elder or representative of the Church. I am confident that Christ will ensure that His Church will value the wisdom in this advice, especially in the cases of such heinous criminal acts.</p>
<p> </p>
<p></p>
<p><em> </em>I shed heartfelt tears for those Catholics who are hurting for their church. I, too, am hurting for Christ’s Church. As the Nicene Creed states, I believe in “One, Holy, Catholic (meaning universal), and Apostolic Church.” Once again, it is being persecuted, but it is so much more painful when it comes from within the Church itself. Betrayal is so much more heart-rending. However, we must always remember that we are not followers of men. We are followers of Christ. He needs us now more than ever. Christ teaches us to rise above evil by living our lives as lights to the world. It is the light of His love that people need to see from us. It is our unity as the Body of Christ that will strengthen us. It is the courage of our convictions and our perseverance through tragedy that will glorify God. Let us pray for the victims who suffer even now. Let us pray that Christ keep and protect each and every one of us from temptation and sin. Let us pray for all our brothers and sisters in Christ. </p>
<p></p>
Helen Kamenos
tag:helenkamenos.com,2005:Post/6131919
2018-04-06T17:00:00-07:00
2018-09-24T08:58:01-07:00
Descent Into Hades
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398731/7d23b2b349d38063f895a36fecc18638e298e25a/original/resurrection2007.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NjUweDU2MyJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Resurrection" height="563" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="650" /></p>
<p>Crucifixion was meant to publicly shame criminals and political agitators. Jesus Christ, being the only human who never sinned, was neither a criminal nor a political dissenter. The perfectly innocent Jesus was crucified between two thieves. Even while on the cross, Christ had mercy on His executioners and all those who conspired against Him and mocked Him. As He hung on the cross, agonizing in excruciating pain, He exclaimed <em>“Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing” </em>(Luke 23:34). One of the criminals also being crucified began ridiculing Jesus saying, <em>“Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”</em> <em>But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God…we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” He </em>(Christ)<em> replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise” </em>(Luke 23:39-43). At that moment, the repentant thief crucified with Jesus was promised eternal life in Paradise. This thief heard Christ forgive His murderers and recognized His innocence and goodness. He feared God and acknowledged that he deserved his punishment. He repented of his sin. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>But what happened after Jesus died? Where was He from 3:00 pm Friday afternoon until early that Sunday morning when He rose from the dead? Immediately after Jesus breathed His last, <em>“The earth shook, and the rocks were split.<strong><sup> </sup></strong>The tombs also were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. After his resurrection they came out of the tombs and entered the holy city and appeared to many” </em>(Matthew 27:51-53). Not many are familiar with this passage, but remarkably, many of the dead were resurrected, and after Christ’s resurrection, they appeared to numerous people in Jerusalem. What happened here and why?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>According to Paul in Ephesians 4:9, Christ <em>“descended into the lower parts of the earth.”</em> Peter tells us, Christ <em>“was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit, <strong><sup> </sup></strong>in which also he went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison”</em> (1 Peter 3:18-19). Where are the spirits in prison? The place of the dead. The Jews called this place She'ol. It seems to be divided into two areas, Abraham’s Bosom and Hades. There is a story that Jesus told about the poor beggar, Lazarus (not the one raised from the dead) and the rich man. The rich man lived a life of luxury and feasting, while poor Lazarus, covered in sores and starving, only longed to eat the crumbs from the rich man’s table. Both men died, but the rich man went to a place of torment and Lazarus to Abraham’s Bosom. According to Luke16:26, Abraham told the rich man, “<em>between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.”</em> This is the place where Christ descended. This is the great victory, which He triumphantly seized from Satan.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Christ died and immediately His spirit was transported to the place of the dead. According to some early church fathers<sup>1</sup>, Jesus tricked the devil because He entered as a human. The place of the dead was Satan’s prison. Now, imagine…Christ arrived in Hades with pierced hands and feet and a wound in His side. What a magnificent sight it must have been! He must have appeared in a glorious light extinguishing the darkness of the underworld. The dead must have been bewildered to see God in their presence, in the place of the dead. Christ, being God, penetrated the devil’s dominion to proclaim the Good News to the lost. He came to call all to receive the reward of eternal life. He came to redeem any who would receive Him. Just like the repentant thief, those penitent spirits were also resurrected on Easter Sunday and accompanied Christ to Paradise. That somber place of death was now filled with joy and celebrating. Innumerable saints from the beginning of time were redeemed and appropriated from the clutches of the evil one. Satan must have been furious to lose so many. The demons must have been filled with terror. Christ broke open the gates of hell and freed those made righteous by the shedding of His blood. No wonder Paul proclaimed with joy (1 Corinthians 15:54-55):</p>
<p align="center">“Death has been swallowed up in victory.”</p>
<p align="center">“Where, O death, is your victory?</p>
<p align="center">Where, O death, is your sting?”</p>
<p align="center"> </p>
<p>Revelations 12 describes a great battle that broke out in heaven between the angels and the dragon, Satan. The devil and his demons fought against the angels but were defeated <em>“for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God”</em> (Revelation 12:10). Satan was cast down to the earth, along with his demons. He can no longer condemn those who have been saved by the blood of Christ’s sacrifice. They have been thoroughly cleansed of their sins. “<em>Rejoice then, you heavens</em><em> and those who dwell in them!</em><em> But woe to the earth and the sea, for the devil has come down to you with great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!” </em>(Revelation 12:12). When Christ descended into the underworld, He set free the captives and defeated the devil, revoking his power over man. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Christ descended into the place of the dead and saved those in bondage. He rose from the dead releasing all those who received Him. Heaven must have been astir with all its new inhabitants, rejoicing and praising God for such an overwhelming victory! Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Jacob’s son Joseph and his eleven brothers, David and Solomon, Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel and all the prophets must have been elated to finally be with their Lord. All the Gentiles who did not know God during their lifetime were also able to choose to receive Christ. Jesus brought the Good News to all who would receive Him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Christ’s Resurrection Day, Easter or Pascha, was a grand reunion of all those from the beginning of time, who chose to love God but were imprisoned by sin and death. We, too, have been freed from death. Christ redeemed us. Now, all who love Christ are permitted into heaven, into the presence of God. This is the significance of Easter. We rejoice because all from Adam until the last day can receive eternal life in the loving presence of God. It is a decision we make of our own free will. Rejoice! For Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen! </p>
<p> </p>
<p><sup>1 </sup>Bishop Hilarion Alfeyev, “<em>Christ the Conqueror of Hell,</em>” lecture given on November 5, 2002, retrieved from <a href="http://orthodoxeurope.org/page/11/1/5.aspx" data-imported="1">http://orthodoxeurope.org/page/11/1/5.aspx</a></p>
<p> </p>
Helen Kamenos
tag:helenkamenos.com,2005:Post/6131918
2018-02-28T16:00:00-08:00
2020-01-18T13:53:36-08:00
Has Anything Unexpected Happened to You Lately?
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398731/5c3422511efbce62168318d2bf414b415b8e1e0b/original/coincidence.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NjAweDQ1MCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Coincident" height="450" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="600" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Does God speak to us? Yes, of course! How do we know, if he does? Well, that is the real question, isn’t it? As Christians, we are told to develop a relationship with Christ, but how can we relate to God? Christ declared, <em>“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me”</em> (John 10:27). We know when God speaks to us because He speaks truth, love and goodness. That is how we recognize His voice.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There are many ways we can communicate with God. The obvious way is through prayer. Prayer is simply talking to God, just as you would talk to a good friend, except He knows everything about you. He knows your needs. He knows what is good for you and what is not. He knows what to do to lead you closer to Him. He knows your doubts, your worries, and your deepest and darkest secrets. We are all familiar with prayer, but how do we listen to God? How do we take that next step? The Holy Spirit within us facilitates our ability to hear God. Let me relay to you a couple of my recent experiences as examples.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I fast on Wednesdays and Fridays, so I can take communion on Sundays. On Friday I opened my freezer to decide what to eat. The hotdogs, my favorites, looked very appealing, and I thought to myself, I will not be able to go to church this week, so I will have a couple of hotdogs! But, as soon as that thought entered my mind, the hotdogs no longer seemed appetizing, so I had fish instead. It turned out that I was able to go to church, after all, and was therefore able to have communion. Was that a coincidence? In addition, on Sunday morning I found myself getting ready for church, realizing that I had forgotten my contacts at my mom’s house. I am very self-conscious about going out wearing my glasses. I have always hated wearing glasses. It is my vanity, one of my weaknesses! For a moment, I thought to myself that I can’t go to church without my contacts! Then I realized that it was my vanity speaking to me and I laughed to myself. God arranged it so that I would have to overcome my self-consciousness and go to church in my glasses. Was this a coincidence? Such a seemingly little insignificant thing, yet I knew what God was saying to me. </p>
<p> </p>
<p></p>
<p>On Saturday, I had a very antagonizing experience with my cell provider, which will remain unnamed. A couple of months ago, I had purchased a phone for my mother. The salesperson told me he would try to make me a great deal. He would give me a tablet and a few accessories for free. I asked him what the catch was. He said there was no catch. He threw the tablet in my bag with my new phone, and then threw in a couple more items, telling me everything was free. He had me sign a contract on his tablet, which only allowed me to see the signature line. Stupid me! I was not given a receipt or a copy of my contract. My cell phone provider did not mail me a bill for the next month, since I signed up for autopay, but finally sent me a bill the following month! Now, it turns out that I am paying $20/month for unlimited data on my tablet, which I do not use, and $9/month for the accessories on an installment plan. The only accessory I used was the car charger, and I finally used that last week. I didn’t need any of this free stuff! In addition, the signature on the contract for the accessories was copied and pasted into that contract, so I never actually signed it. I knew the old adage, “nothing is ever really free,” but I trusted that a company employee would not flat out lie to me! Silly me!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>So, Saturday I went to my cell provider’s store to remedy the situation. I was not appeased. I called the company and was again mislead and lied to, compounding the situation. I spent five hours trying to resolve the issue on that day, I came away dissatisfied and no solution. I resolved to return to the store and give them a piece of my mind, which was already frazzled. I had planned to tell them a thing or two about their company practices, about integrity and honesty. But before I did, I decided to check my account on the internet. While I was checking the contracts I had supposedly signed, the power in my house went out. Was that a coincidence? I took that as a message that God did not want me to go to the store and vent my frustrations in anger. As I stopped to think how I should behave as a Christian, it came to me that I should forgive them. Yes, that’s right! Forgive!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>So…I will pay $250 for the free items I do not use, just to get out of that contract and look for another cell provider. I cannot deal with a company that apparently encourages such misleading and blatantly dishonest business dealings. Most likely, many other companies do the same thing, but what choice do I have. I must, at least, try to find another company and hope that they will have more integrity. Should I mistrust everyone because of this? No! I will still believe the best in people. Soon after all this, I did finally sign up with another cell provider after spending a week trying to get my phones unlocked by the previous provider! I never knew that they could hold your fully paid phones as hostage! So far, all is well. My phone works well, I have not had any dropped calls and people can hear me when I speak to them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Was God speaking to me? Of course, He was! There are no coincidences, only unexpected events orchestrated by God, events that are meant to get our attention, to change our way of thinking, and to make God’s will known to us. There are no coincidences, only events which increase our faith and bring us closer to God. Has anything unexpected happened to you lately? </p>
Helen Kamenos
tag:helenkamenos.com,2005:Post/6131917
2018-02-10T16:00:00-08:00
2020-01-18T13:53:36-08:00
Disagreeable Duties
<p><a title="Disagreeable Duties" href="http://www.helenkamenos.com/blog/disagreeable_duties/" target="_blank" data-imported="1"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398731/95be61fccf2680939910d4255d6b1b0866b496f0/original/christ.png/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDAweDUzMyJd.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Christ" height="533" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yesterday, I was hosted at a local bookstore for an Author Book Signing. Many people came into the store. I was seated at a table with my books and materials, right at the front door. I greeted everyone as they entered with all the warmth and friendliness I could muster. Almost everyone responded likewise. I offered each person a free bookmark. Some said “Yes” and others said “No,” but what I found most interesting was that many said “Yes,” until they noticed Jesus on the bookmark. They looked at it and quickly said, “No, thank you.” A few even jumped back! What is it that causes some to reject a free bookmark with a picture of Jesus? Why such a negative reaction? Is it the adverse response to religion? Is it that so many no longer believe in God? Or is it that so many would rather not think about God? After all, He is so demanding. He expects so much of us. If we believe in Christ and all His teachings, we may have to make a change in our lives. We may have to give up some of the pleasurable things or pleasurable behaviors in our lives. We may have to admit that we are not the “good” person we would like to believe we are. No, it is better to just keep living life as we are. Changes are so difficult. We hate change!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The fact is that all God expects of us is to love Him and love others. What is so hard about that? Deep down inside, we know that if we are to love God and love others, we may have to give up our own desires. We will not be able to just consider our own needs and wants first. We would have to give up some of those needs and wants for the sake of someone else. For example, it is not easy to choose between sacrificing our time of pursuing our own interests to go and take care of a sick friend. Taking care of someone who is sick requires disagreeable duties, such as cleaning up after him, feeding her, and/or spending hours at the hospital with him. We would have to love him or her very much to make such a sacrifice, or we would have to love God very much. Often, loving others requires us to sacrifice our time to engage in disagreeable duties, or it may require us to forgive someone we really do not wish to forgive.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Does God expect us to sacrifice ourselves? Yes, without a doubt. Christ said, <em>“If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me”</em> (Matthew 16:24). Why does God expect us to sacrifice ourselves for others? This is God’s will. In truth, genuine love always requires a sacrifice from us. God desires us to love because the reward for loving others is immeasurable. It is a gift from God, which we often take for granted.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I feel sad for those who look at a picture of Christ and feel that they cannot get away quick enough. I feel compassion for those who do not know the love of God. God must have had compassion on me at my book signing because He did send me a young girl full of innocent love, full of God’s love. She was a bright light in the gloom of countless faces. She was open and honest, telling me about her faith and about her challenges in life. I was able to give her a word of encouragement because she was open to it. She was willing to listen. She skipped away with joy in her step, and I felt blessed that God allowed me to give her a of word reassurance. It is for these moments that I persevere in faith. I would much rather spend my time showing love toward others than anything else I could possibly do. No one bought my book, but my time was well spent because of this sweet young girl. God, please watch over her and bless her!</p>
<p> </p>
<p> © 2017 Helen Kamenos All rights reserved</p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
Helen Kamenos
tag:helenkamenos.com,2005:Post/6131916
2018-01-12T16:00:00-08:00
2020-01-18T13:53:35-08:00
Upcoming Book Signings - February 2018
<p><a title="Upcoming Book Signings - February 2018" href="http://www.helenkamenos.com/blog/upcominghttp://www.helenkamenos.com/blog/upcoming_book_signings___february_2018/_book_signings___february_2018/" target="_blank" data-imported="1"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398731/a4e46806b10c9f6c60062a29270b0bb6064380ab/original/the-open-book-canyon-country.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NTAweDUwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Book Signings" height="500" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="500" /></a></p>
<p>On February 3 from 2:00 - 4:00 pm, The Open Book Bookstore in Canyon Country is hosting my next Author Book Signing. Copies of <span style="color:#99ccff"><strong><em>A Journey Toward Perfection</em></strong></span> will be available for purchase. </p>
<p style="text-align: center;">19188 Soledad Canyon Rd. Canyon Country, CA</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398731/f07484e0218f2aa0b530b5cd80869631602f6c03/original/the-open-book-thousand-oaks-1-sm.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NTAweDM1NyJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Book Signings" height="357" width="500" /></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">On February 10 from 2:00 - 4:30 pm, The Open Book Bookstore at the Oaks Mall in Thousand Oaks is hosting an Author Book Signing. Copies of <span style="color:#99ccff"><strong><em>A Journey Toward Perfection</em></strong></span> will be available for purchase. </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> 512 W. Hillcrest Dr. Thousand Oaks, CA</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color:#ff6600">Come join us! I would love to meet you!</span></strong></p>
Helen Kamenos
tag:helenkamenos.com,2005:Post/6131915
2017-11-10T16:00:00-08:00
2018-03-01T08:56:29-08:00
Our True Selves
<p><a title="Our True Selves" href="http://www.helenkamenos.com/blog/our_true_selves/" target="_blank" data-imported="1"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398731/0d5bcbf031364a8d959c6a668d5fba9772b9a5d6/original/fetus-700.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NjUweDM5MCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Fetus" height="390" width="650" /></a></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p> </p>
<p>God created us to love. Our true natural selves were created pure, holy, with a deep desire to give of ourselves. We were created humble, desiring to put others first. We were created to be compassionate and kind, empathetic and merciful. Our true selves are honest, patient, courageous, with a respect for others. We were created to love God, who is the source of light, life and love. Deep down inside, we know we were made to love. We know this because when we experience genuine love for others, our whole beings are lifted up. Our hearts are filled. We experience joy! We know that we know it is right! Somewhere deep inside of ourselves, we know that we were meant to love. When someone loves us in return, we experience a fulfillment that transcends our ordinary existence. We feel complete. This is what God intended for us to experience every moment of our lives.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>However, God also gave us the gift of free will. We are the masters of our own destinies. What happens when we choose to act contrary to our true nature? Yes, that’s right. Our conscience kicks in. Because God loves us so much, He does not want us to experience pain and suffering, so He gave us a conscience to act as a warning when we contemplate actions that may cause us grief, sorrow and regret. What happens when we act on a temptation? What happens when we sin? Yep! Our conscience causes us pain and suffering, but not as much pain as the consequences of our sinful actions may cause us.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Have you ever told a little lie, one that wouldn’t hurt anyone but benefitted you in some way? Maybe it was to cover up for something you did, which you knew was wrong. What happens? We end up compounding that little lie with a multitude of other lies just to cover up the first lie. Often, the lies spiral out of control. If our lie is uncovered, we become embarrassed or ashamed. We lose credibility. Others do not trust us. Have you ever become so angry that you said things you regretted? Have you ever done something to please yourself at the expense of another? We have all experienced the consequences of sin. More serious sins have more profound consequences that may cause us greater pain and suffering.</p>
<p> </p>
<p></p>
<p>What happens when we continue to act in opposition to our true nature, contrary to our true selves? We lose ourselves. First, we experience the initial pangs of conscience. If we disregard these warnings, we experience regret, shame and guilt. If we ignore these responses, we may convince ourselves that our actions were justified. Our thinking becomes impaired and begins to deceive us. We dull the warning signals. Our conscience, God, is silenced. We slip farther and farther away from our true nature. We forget how to love God and love others. We lose the joy in life. Our peace is disturbed by conflicting desires, which do not fulfill us, do not make us complete. Eventually, we lose self-respect because deep down inside, we know that we know we are acting against our true nature. We suffer from the consequences of actions that are not in sync with our true selves.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Our society is obsessed with building up self-esteem. We embark on new diets and exercise programs. We set goals for ourselves and busy ourselves in trying to accomplish them. We fill our calendars with things to do, and we take pride in achieving our goals. We seek the approval of others and are disappointed when others do not acknowledge our endeavors. If we cannot keep up with our to-do list, we become stressed. Slowly, we lose momentum, and our self-esteem erodes once again. Self-esteem is not nurtured by our accomplishments, but rather by the condition of our hearts. If our hearts are open, generous, and loving, we are at peace with ourselves. </p>
<p> </p>
<p></p>
<p>Remembering Christ’s sacrifice for us on the cross reminds us how much He loves us. Knowing how much God loves us strengthens our love for Him. When we love God, He fills us with His love in return. He fills us with Himself, the Holy Spirit, the source of love. When our hearts are filled with His love, we return to our natural selves, our true selves. We are no longer focused on our to-do list. We stop and live in the moment. We notice those around us, who God has placed in our lives, those who support and encourage us, as well as those who need our encouragement. Rather than focusing on our accomplishments, we concentrate on our relationships, our relationship with God, as well as with others. Building our relationship with Christ and with those God has place in our lives builds our self-esteem. Discovering the gifts God has bestowed upon us to share with others builds our self-esteem. Developing compassion and kindness, generosity and love brings us closer to our true selves.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>According to King David in Psalms 139:14, each of us was uniquely, “<em>fearfully and wonderfully made.</em>” In this context, “fearfully” means “awesomely” made. In other words, we should be in awe or amazement because “<em>it was you </em>(God)<em> who formed my inward parts;</em><em> you knit me together in my mother’s womb…intricately woven…In your book were written all the days that were formed for me, when none of them as yet existed”</em> (Psalms 139:14-16). To Jeremiah, God said <em>“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you” </em>(Jeremiah 1:5). God takes great care in creating each of us, and He knows us better than we know ourselves. Through Christ and the Holy Spirit, we are able to discover our true selves. The Holy Spirit will reveal to us our extraordinary gifts, our purpose in life, and He will guide our path. When we embrace our true selves, when we share our gifts and live out our purpose in life, we will experience joy and peace. In Christ, we are complete. Our self-esteem is not determined by how others see us. Our self-image is rooted in Christ, and only He can reveal to us our true nature, our true selves. </p>
Helen Kamenos
tag:helenkamenos.com,2005:Post/6131914
2017-09-21T17:00:00-07:00
2018-03-01T09:06:09-08:00
A Story of Love
<p><a title="A Story of Love" href="http://www.helenkamenos.com/blog/a_story_of_love/" target="_blank" data-imported="1"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398731/4c5787104f43ba8729754bae00f71f04d01d2a20/original/wedding.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NzAweDQ2NiJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Wedding" height="466" width="700" /></a></p>
<p>Marriage begins with great love, joy and happiness. It begins with a vow of faithfulness, a promise to love our spouse until we die. With all hopefulness, couples begin their new lives together, expecting to love one another through all the challenges that life may bring. Unfortunately, about half of marriages eventually end in divorce, a devastating experience for both spouses and their children. The loss of love affects us deeply. Many members of a family, who experience a divorce, carry the scars for life. When unfaithfulness is the cause of divorce, it can leave even more profound wounds from which many do not fully recover. Feelings of betrayal and shattered trust are often carried into future relationships. After the shock and disillusionment, a natural response to unfaithfulness is anger. It is a justifiable anger that expresses our unfathomable disappointment for a trust that has been crushed. Have you experienced the unfaithfulness of someone who you loved?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>On numerous occasions, scripture uses unfaithfulness in marriage as an analogy to express the disloyalty of man to a God who loves us immeasurably. When God makes a covenant with man, it is often compared to a marriage vow. It is an eternal promise, and when God makes a promise, He is never unfaithful. One example, which illustrates God’s faithfulness to an unfaithful people, is found in the Book of Hosea. The tribe of Ephraim led the 10 northern tribes of Israel in a revolt against the two southern tribes of Judah. It was one of the northern kingdom’s wives, Jezebel, who introduced the worship of Baal and caused the people to abandon God. Hosea lived decades later, during the time when Israel was about to be overtaken by the Assyrians. Hosea warned Israel of impending destruction, if they did not repent and return to the love of God, but they did not heed the warnings. Assyria would soon attack Israel and the people would be taken into captivity and exiled from their land. The 10 tribes would eventually be scattered among other nations. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The prophet, Hosea, begins his story by recounting his own experience. God commanded him to marry a prostitute. Yes, that’s right, a prostitute. Through Hosea, we are given insights into the fidelity of God’s love for us. Hosea relates how he felt when his wife was unfaithful as he expresses God’s disappointment in His peoples’ disloyalty. At first, Hosea conveys God’s anger: <em>“I will put an end to all her mirth…And I will lay waste her vines and her fig trees…the beasts of the field shall devour them...And I will punish her for the feast days of the Ba′als…when she…went after her lovers, and forgot me</em>” (Hosea 2:11-13).</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Although God expressed His anger in Israel’s unfaithfulness, God is a loving God. Hosea 11:8-9 beautifully articulates God’s compassion for Israel:</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>How can I make you like Admah! </em>(one of the cities destroyed near Sodom)<em> <br> How can I treat you like Zeboi′im! </em>(another city destroyed near Sodom)<em> <br> My heart recoils within me,<br> my compassion grows warm and tender.<sup> </sup></em></p>
<p><em>I will not execute my fierce anger,</em><em><br> I will not again destroy E′phraim;<br> for I am God and not man,<br> the Holy One in your midst,<br> and I will not come to destroy.</em> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hosea also has compassion for his unfaithful wife. Throughout his account, Hosea relates the depth of understanding he developed about unfaithfulness through his own experience. He eventually redeems his wife by buying her back out of slavery. In His infinite mercy, God could not allow the destruction of Israel. Instead, Assyria removed the 10 tribes from their land, some in captivity and others in exile. The remnants would eventually make homes throughout the nations of the Middle East and along the Mediterranean. Instead of destroying the northern tribes, God scattered them to await a future time of redemption.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>God would send His Son to redeem His people, to die for Israel, Judah and all of mankind. His love for us, even in our unfaithfulness, is so overwhelming, that He chose to become a man like us to demonstrate His own faithfulness toward us. God’s covenant is a promise to love us eternally. Those who choose to love Christ will <sup>“</sup><em>rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb </em>(Christ)<em> has come, and his Bride </em>(Christ’s Church)<em> has made herself ready; it was granted her to be clothed with fine linen, bright and pure</em>” (Revelation 19:7-8). The Church is made pure through the blood Jesus shed on the cross. His perfect sacrifice has washed away our unfaithfulness. Through the mercy and compassion of Christ, we are able to present ourselves as a faithful bride, who is forgiven of every sin. </p>
Helen Kamenos
tag:helenkamenos.com,2005:Post/6131913
2017-07-28T17:00:00-07:00
2018-03-01T08:59:43-08:00
FREE Workbook "Who Am I? - Discover Yourself"
<p align="center"><strong>Receive the </strong><span style="color:#ff0000"><strong>FREE</strong></span><strong> workbook </strong></p>
<p align="center"><span style="color:#ff9900"><strong>"Who Am I? - Discover Yourself" </strong></span></p>
<p align="center"><span style="color:#99ccff"><strong>A Workbook to Help You Recognize Your Potential </strong></span></p>
<p align="center"><span style="color:#99ccff"><strong>and 8 Steps to Healing Wounded Relationships</strong></span></p>
<p align="center"><span style="color:#99ccff"><strong> </strong></span></p>
<p align="center"></p>
<p align="center"><a title="Who Am I FREE Workbook" href="http://www.helenkamenos.com/blog/free_workbook_who_am_i____discover_yourself/" target="_blank" data-imported="1"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398731/26ba25247281ad803205d7dabe6227f3668b66b8/original/shutterstock-600-px.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NjAweDQzNCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="434" width="600" /></a></p>
<p align="center"> </p>
<p>Have you ever asked yourself “Who am I?” Are we the roles we serve in our lives: fathers, mothers, employees, bosses, students, teachers, men or women? Are we our job titles? Are we athletic or out of shape? Are we talented with words or music? Are we rich or poor? Famous or obscure? Who are <em>you</em>? We wear many hats throughout our lives, often simultaneously. Others often define us by our roles, but if we search inside of ourselves, how do we define our own identities? Do you think about it or do you define yourself by how others see you? Do they truly know you? Do you know yourself?</p>
<p> </p>
<p align="center"></p>
<p>Discover who you are in Christ. The attributes given to us by Jesus in the Beatitudes are those that are valued by God. They are the characteristics God bestowed upon us when He made us in His image. These attributes are necessary to be able to love unconditionally, the way God loves us. Developing these traits helps us live happier lives with more fulfilled relationships. They unlock our potential. </p>
<p> </p>
<p align="center"></p>
<p>Do you possess these traits and to what degree? Find out what attributes you need to develop in order to reach your potential. This workbook also includes <span style="color:#ff9900"><strong>“8 Steps to Healing Wounded Relationships”</strong></span> as taught by Christ through the Beatitudes.</p>
<p> </p>
<p align="center"></p>
<p>We often spend time caring for our physical health, exercising or watching what we eat, but we do not always spend enough time on our spiritual or emotional well-being. Often, ignoring our emotional health leads to anxiety and stress. Our physical well-being may extend our lives, but our spiritual welfare determines the quality of our lives. Take the time to reflect on your spiritual and emotional development in order to realize your potential and help you improve your relationships. </p>
<p> <br></p>
<p align="center"></p>
<p><span style="color:#ffcc00"><strong>This 14 page workbook in pdf format includes:</strong></span></p>
<p align="center"></p>
<ul>
<li>3 questionnaires to help you discover yourself</li>
<li>A chart to help you analyze the traits you possess, which are valued by God</li>
<li>Opportunities for reflection</li>
<li>Identify which attributes you admire in yourself and others</li>
<li>Determine which characteristics are your strengths and weaknesses in developing better relationships</li>
</ul>
<p align="center"></p>
<p><strong>You will also receive my <span style="color:#ff0000">FREE</span> monthly newsletter, <span style="color:#ff6600">Defending the Faith.</span></strong></p>
<p><strong><span style="color:#ff6600"> </span></strong></p>
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<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Follow this link to request your </strong><span style="color:#ff0000"><strong>FREE</strong></span><strong> workbook TODAY: </strong><span style="color:#ff9900"><a href="/free-workbook" data-imported="1" data-link-type="page"><span style="color:#ff9900"><strong>http://www.helenkamenos.com/free_workbook/</strong></span></a></span></p>
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<p><strong> </strong></p>
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<p><span style="color:#ffcc00">If you are already a subscriber to my newsletter, share this blog post with your friends on <span style="color:#99ccff"><strong>Facebook</strong></span> to receive your <span style="color:#ff0000"><strong>FREE</strong></span> workbook.</span></p>
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<p align="center"> </p>
Helen Kamenos
tag:helenkamenos.com,2005:Post/6131912
2017-07-19T17:00:00-07:00
2017-07-29T06:33:29-07:00
Book Signing - August 27, 2017
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color:#ff6600">Hosted by </span></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color:#ff6600">St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Northridge, CA </span></strong><br> <br> </p>
<p style="text-align: left;">I will be signing copies of my book, <strong><span style="color:#99ccff"><em>A Journey Toward Perfection</em></span></strong>, after the church service during coffee hour in the Grand Ballroom. The church service begins at 10:00 a.m. Books will be available for purchase.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"> </p>
<p align="center"><span style="color:#99ccff"><strong>JOIN US!</strong></span></p>
<p align="center"><strong> </strong> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color:#ff00ff"><a title="Book Signing - Facebook - St. Nicholas" href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1937404649872022/?acontext=%7B%22action_history%22%3A%5B%7B%22surface%22%3A%22dashboard%22%2C%22mechanism%22%3A%22calendar_tab_event%22%2C%22extra_data%22%3A%22%5B%5D%22%7D%5D%2C%22ref%22%3A1%2C%22source%22%3A2%7D" target="_blank" data-imported="1"><span style="color:#ff00ff">For more info, follow this link---------> Book Signing</span></a></span></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong> </strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"></p>
<p align="center"><strong><span style="color:#99ccff">I am looking forward to meeting you!</span></strong></p>
<p align="center"><strong> </strong></p>
<p align="center">St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church</p>
<p align="center">9501 Balboa Blvd.</p>
<p align="center">Northridge, CA 91325</p>
<p align="center"> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a title="Book Signing - Facebook - St. Nicholas" href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1937404649872022/?acontext=%7B%22action_history%22%3A%5B%7B%22surface%22%3A%22dashboard%22%2C%22mechanism%22%3A%22calendar_tab_event%22%2C%22extra_data%22%3A%22%5B%5D%22%7D%5D%2C%22ref%22%3A1%2C%22source%22%3A2%7D" data-imported="1"><strong><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398731/a84efecf366916d05a24d88fbd534b9f38637e26/original/church-touched-up.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NTAweDQyMiJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="St. Nicholas Church" height="422" width="500" /></strong></a></p>
Helen Kamenos
tag:helenkamenos.com,2005:Post/6131911
2017-06-25T17:00:00-07:00
2020-01-18T13:53:35-08:00
Lessons I Learned
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398731/6bb00e209849ccbba9f02dc7a1882f5f334d561e/original/car-accident.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NTAweDMzMyJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Car Accident" height="333" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="500" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p> A couple of weeks ago, I was stopped at a red light. I was distracted because I was in an unfamiliar neighborhood a bit lost. I was checking the GPS on my car, and at the same time, I was using my visor’s mirror to apply lipstick. Needless to say, I was multitasking at an inopportune time. I heard a honk from the driver behind me, and wondered why he was honking, when I felt a bit of a nudge at the rear of my car. I became confused wondering how the car behind me could have rear-ended me. Suddenly, the fog lifted, and I realized that it was my car that rolled backwards and hit the Jeep behind me.</p>
<p> In hindsight, it was at this moment that my mind began to rationalize what I did. I began telling myself that I barely touched the Jeep, and therefore, there couldn’t be any damage. I waited for the other driver to get out of his car. We were still stopped at the red light, and it seemed that much time had passed, at least a full minute or more. He never got out, so I never got out of my car. The light finally turned green. It was my moment of decision. What should I do? There was no place to pull over, so I proceeded very slowly.</p>
<p> To be completely honest, by then, I had convinced myself that there was no damage. I confirmed my conclusion by telling myself that the other driver believed that there was no damage and that was why he did not get out of his car. I watched as he made a right turn at the next intersection. I proceeded forward feeling a little nudge on my conscience, but I reassured myself by reminding my mind that there was no damage. To appease my doubts, when I finally arrived at my destination, I checked my car for any damage. I saw nothing, so I told my conscience that everything was fine. I was so good at convincing myself that I truly forgot about the incident for several days, until…</p>
<p> I received a letter that filled me with fear and regret! The sheriff wrote to tell me that the driver of the Jeep had made a report using my license plate. He reported a hit and run! I panicked! Hit and run! That is not me! I would never do such a thing, but when faced with the facts, I knew that is exactly what I did! I called the sheriff as soon as I could and explained what had happened. Strangely, I still believed that there couldn’t possibly be any damage to the other car. I barely touched it.</p>
<p> The sheriff asked to meet me the next day to take a look at my car. Before meeting him, I double-checked my car for damage. I found none, so I was still convinced that the other car couldn’t possibly have any damage from my car. When the sheriff examined my car, it only took him about 30 seconds to find the tiniest of dents, almost invisible, yet I could see it plainly as he pointed it out. According to the sheriff, the tiny dent lined up with the location of the dent on the Jeep. My conscience flared up once again. I reassured the sheriff that I would take responsibility. He wrote down my information and would call the driver of the other car to let him know. </p>
<p> What did I learn from this experience? Lots! Of course, the obvious lesson is do not assume anything. Even with the slightest of collisions, stop, get out of the car and check for damage on both cars. Do not leave the scene of an accident, no matter how insignificant it may seem. However, this was something I already knew! The greater lesson I learned is how powerfully our minds can rationalize our sins. I had myself completely convinced that everything was fine because there was no damage. Now, I am usually not the kind of person that allows my mind to deceive me, but this time, it did. Rationalizations can be very powerful, when we <em>want</em> to believe them.</p>
<p> Of all the lessons I learned from this experience, the following Bible verse is the greatest lesson I absorbed: “<em>No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your strength, but with the temptation will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it</em>” (1 Corinthians 10:13). I was reminded that God will provide a way to soothe my conscience. I committed the sin, but now I would be able to take responsibility. I was actually thankful that the other driver reported the incident. I asked God for forgiveness and decided that I must also apologize to the driver. I would apologize and thank him for reporting it to the sheriff. I was extremely remorseful and ashamed of my poor decision and for allowing myself to be deceived.</p>
<p> However, the story doesn’t end here. There was one more lesson that God had to teach me. Yesterday, when I had returned to my car, I discovered that someone had scraped and dented my entire right side of my rear bumper, while it was parked. Oh, well. I know God hates lies, especially if they are lies to ourselves! </p>
Helen Kamenos
tag:helenkamenos.com,2005:Post/6131910
2017-06-09T17:00:00-07:00
2018-03-01T09:08:08-08:00
Who Am I?
<p><a title="Who Am I?" href="http://www.helenkamenos.com/blog/who_am_i_/" target="_blank" data-imported="1"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398731/a75bfa65508d75692f578db2222e837b44f16ac8/original/who-am-i.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MzQyeDI0NyJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="247" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="342" /> <br></a></p>
<p>Have you ever asked yourself “Who am I?” How can we answer that question? Are we the roles we serve in our lives, fathers, mothers, employees, bosses, students, teachers, man or woman? Are we our job title? Are we athletic or out of shape? Are we talented with words or music? Are we rich or poor? Famous or obscure? Who are <em>you</em>? We wear many hats throughout our lives, often simultaneously. Others often define us by our roles, but if we search inside of ourselves, how do we define our own identity? Do you think about it or do you define yourself by how others see you? Do they truly know you? Do you know yourself?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yes, I have asked many questions to begin your quest for your own identity. However, the most important question to ask yourself is “Who do I want to be?” What do you admire more, talents or kindness? What characteristics in others do you admire? Our roles in life are not who we are, but they are opportunities to become who we want to be. Our talents aid us in reaching our potential. It is actually our characteristics and our behaviors, rooted in our values and beliefs, that define us. Now you need a moment to absorb all of this. Think. Who Am I?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Christ defined which attributes are valued by God in the Beatitudes of Matthew 5. They include humility, meekness, repentant, merciful, desiring righteousness, pure in heart, peacemaker, and those who are persecuted for righteousness (in other words, courageous). Are any of these qualities among those that you admire? Let’s see.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Humility means that you are not boastful and full of yourself. You always put others first. Meekness means you are patient, calm and self-controlled. You do not anger easily. Repentant means that you admit when you are wrong, and you are sorry when you do not act in love with humility and meekness. Merciful means you quickly forgive those who have wronged you. You think the best of others and you give them the benefit of the doubt. If you desire righteousness, you always seek to do what is right. You have integrity. You are the same inside and outside. You are not manipulative or deceptive. You do not lie. If you are pure in heart, your motivation is always love. You truly love all others. Everything you say and do is motivated by love and a sincere compassion for others. As a peacemaker, you always seek to avoid unnecessary conflict. You do not instigate pointless arguments. You seek to reconcile others with yourself and with each other, when possible. Finally, being willing to be persecuted for your values and beliefs demonstrates courage and conviction. Your courage and convictions cannot be compromised.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Do you admire these qualities in others? Do you aspire to these qualities in yourself? These are the kinds of qualities that can define us. They are “Who I am.” We can exhibit these qualities in any role we serve in our lives and in our society. They are the attributes that make us who we are. They are the attributes required to truly love others. These qualities, or their opposite characteristics, will define us to others. Our talents can be dedicated to serving others or ourselves. We do not have to be humble. We can be self-centered and arrogant. We do not have to be merciful. We can continue to be angry and bitter toward others. We can lie and cheat when it serves our purposes. However, is that who you want to be?</p>
Helen Kamenos
tag:helenkamenos.com,2005:Post/6131909
2017-06-03T17:00:00-07:00
2017-06-10T09:41:20-07:00
Pentecost
<p>Today on Sunday, June 4, we celebrate the birth of the Church. Christ’s Church was founded on Pentecost, 50 days after the resurrection of Christ. Before ascending into heaven, Christ had given the eleven disciples instructions to remain in Jerusalem and “<em>wait there for the promise of the Father. “This,” he said, “is what you have heard from me;<sup> </sup>for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now</em>” (Acts 1 4-5). They were to wait until they were baptized by the Holy Spirit. The disciples chose Matthias to replace Judas Iscariot. On the day of Pentecost, the twelve Apostles were gathered.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<em>And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. <sup> </sup>Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. <sup> </sup>All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability</em>” (Acts 2:3-4).</p>
<p> <br></p>
<p>According to Acts, after witnessing this event and hearing Peter and the other Apostles speaking in all of their own languages, various languages from across the Roman Empire that the Apostles did not know prior to receiving the Holy Spirit, those in the crowd “<em>were cut to the heart</em>” (Acts 2:37), repented, and about three thousand were baptized and became followers of Christ.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The Holy Spirit is one person of the Trinity. He dwells within every true Christian. It is He that reveals Christ to us and makes the will of the Father known to us. He speaks love to our hearts. It is through the Holy Spirit that we are able to develop our relationship with God. If we hear His voice, we can experience the presence of God. The coming of the Holy Spirit was prophesied in the Old Testament:</p>
<p> <br></p>
<p> “<em>A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh</em>” (Ezekiel 36:26).</p>
<p> <br></p>
<p>“<em>I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people</em>” (Jeremiah 31:33). </p>
<p> <br></p>
<p>The law is Christ’s new commandments to love God and to love others as ourselves. The Holy Spirit speaks to us the language of love. He speaks to us of humility, mercy, compassion, patience, kindness, forgiveness, and generosity. If we do not harden our hearts, we will hear His voice. We will hear the voice of God in our hearts.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>From these humble beginnings, Christianity spread across the globe to include billions who call themselves Christians today. We are grateful for the twelve Apostles and Paul of Tarsus, who began a ministry of spreading the gospel or “Good News” throughout the known world.</p>
<p> </p>
<p></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398731/3df3cb2770f80a6fccf5b3017b94549cd03a7b52/original/pentecost-icon.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MjA0eDI0OCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="248" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="204" /></p>
Helen Kamenos
tag:helenkamenos.com,2005:Post/6131908
2017-05-24T17:00:00-07:00
2017-06-04T09:42:15-07:00
Happy Ascension Day!
<p>Today is the day we celebrate the ascension of Christ. Christians believe that Christ rose from the dead. The Bible records He was seen by many witnesses, among them the twelve Apostles; Christ’s mother, Mary; Mary Magdalene; Paul and over 500 other witnesses. He remained on earth for 40 days, teaching his Apostles and visiting with his closest followers. It was reported that they sat and ate with Him and talked with Him. Thomas declared that he would not believe unless he placed his hands in Christ’s wounds,<span class="text_exposed_show"> and so he did. All of these witnesses claim that they saw Christ bodily, not as a spirit, after he was crucified. Can we believe these accounts? Each person has to decide for himself, but many of these followers, including eleven of the Apostles and Paul were executed for their assertions. They died claiming that they saw the risen Christ. Would anyone willing die for a belief that they knew to be a lie? This was one reason why Christianity spread so quickly throughout the known world. People believed them.</span></p>
<p><span class="text_exposed_show"> </span></p>
<div class="text_exposed_show">
<p>Forty days after Christ rose from the dead, He gathered His Apostles and said, “And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him” (Acts 1:8-9). This event is known as the Ascension, when Christ was visibly taken into heaven. Hard to believe, isn’t it? That is why Christianity is so unique. This is not a religion of philosophies. It requires one to believe in the unbelievable! It is either genuine truth or it is a lie. If you knew someone who was willing to die for their conviction, for an event which they claimed to have witnessed, would you believe? Only God could be responsible for such an implausible miracle. Do you believe that they were telling the truth? Type "Amen," if you believe.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398731/9ac18ba55ce36967067af90fdd9bbb170c4f421f/original/ascension-icon.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NjM0eDYzNCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="634" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="634" /></p>
</div>
Helen Kamenos
tag:helenkamenos.com,2005:Post/6131907
2017-05-19T17:00:00-07:00
2017-08-23T16:54:53-07:00
The Christian Faith Has Little to Do with Belief in God
<p>Although I have attempted to answer the question, does God exist, the Christian faith has little to do with belief in God. As James eloquently expressed, “<em>Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble</em>” (James 2:19). Belief in God is not enough. I always believed that God’s message to us, the theme throughout the Bible, is love. However, I never fully understood this truth, and I probably still do not fully comprehend this spiritual truth. If we boil it all down to one thing, “<em>He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love</em>” (1 John 4:8). If God is love and God is good, then what is evil?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>God gave the Israelites the Ten Commandments. Notice that all, but two, tell us what <strong><span style="color:#ff0000"><em>not</em> </span></strong>to do.</p>
<ol start="1">
<li>You shall have <strong><span style="color:#ff0000"><em>no</em></span></strong> other gods before Me.</li>
<li>You shall make <strong><span style="color:#ff0000"><em>no</em></span></strong> idols.</li>
<li>You shall <strong><span style="color:#ff0000"><em>not</em> </span></strong>take the name of the Lord your God in vain.</li>
<li>Keep the Sabbath day holy.</li>
<li>Honor your father and your mother.</li>
<li>You shall <strong><span style="color:#ff0000"><em>not</em></span></strong> murder.</li>
<li>You shall <strong><span style="color:#ff0000"><em>not</em></span></strong> commit adultery.</li>
<li>You shall <strong><span style="color:#ff0000"><em>not</em></span> </strong>steal.</li>
<li>You shall <strong><span style="color:#ff0000"><em>not</em></span></strong> bear false witness against your neighbor.</li>
<li>You shall <strong><span style="color:#ff0000"><em>not</em></span></strong> covet.</li>
</ol>
<p> </p>
<p>Only two of the commandments tell us what to do, keep the Sabbath holy and honor your father and mother. Has anyone ever told you what not to do? What happens? Children experience this from a young age. The first thing they want to do is exactly what you just told them not to do. Why is that? Somehow, our propensity for evil is kicked up a notch. It is our pride or ego. God knows this. Because of our pride, our self-centeredness, God knew that the only way to reach us was through His love. Furthermore, He knew that the only way to show us how much He loves us and to teach us how to truly love, He would have to come down from His throne of glory and sacrifice Himself for us. He would have to die for us.</p>
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<p>When Christ came He gave us only two commandments, love God and love your neighbor as you love yourself. From the moment when Jesus died on the cross for us, if we do not believe in God, that is equal to not loving God. Well, you may say, “Of course, I cannot love something that I do not believe exists.” That’s true, but there is another dimension to that truth. What about loving others? Can I love others? In human terms, we say, “Yes, of course!” However, those of us who do not know God, do not know His kind of love. Let me try to explain.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>If we choose to reject God, our ego or self-centeredness is still focused on ourselves. Somehow, we cannot let go of issues, such as how do <strong><span style="color:#ff0000"><em>I</em></span> </strong>feel about that, what do <strong><span style="color:#ff0000"><em>I</em></span> </strong>want, and what will make <strong><span style="color:#ff0000"><em>me</em></span></strong> happy. We cannot quite come out of ourselves and make God or others a priority. <span style="color:#ff0000">I</span> still comes first. Yes, I know! There are moments when we, of course, come out of ourselves to truly love others, but those are moments. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The Greek word for “sin,” ἁμαρτία or amartia, means “missed the mark,” used in marksmanship. For example, you miss the mark when you shoot an arrow to hit the target, but it is not a “bullseye.” You may miss the bullseye by a millimeter or by a mile. We act in love, sometimes, but often we do not. In reality, this is the definition of evil. Although this may be an oversimplification, evil is basically the lack of love. If evil is the lack of love, what fills that void? Just as there is a range on the target, evil also ranges in intensity. It begins with the love of ourselves at the expense of others and may extend to pure hatred and rage. This lack of love can be expressed in varying degrees, when we disrespect our parents, when we steal something that belongs to someone else, when we gossip about others, or when we murder someone. </p>
<p> </p>
<p></p>
<p>When Christ said, “<em>Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect</em>” (Matthew 5:48), He meant that we should always act in love, not just sometimes. If that is what Christ truly meant (and He did), then it would be to our benefit to repent for our sins. We <em>should</em> be sorry, when we do not act in love. However, we do not truly know how to always act in love because we become conflicted between what we want and what others want from us. If we love someone enough, we are willing to sacrifice our self-centeredness, our desires. But Christ asked us to always act in love, even to our enemies. Now that is difficult for us, but why should it be so difficult? Why do we not always choose to act in love? This is a complex question.</p>
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<p>Ask yourself, what kind of person do I want to be? Do I want to be someone who always acts in love or someone who is self-centered? How much self-centeredness is permitted? Christ said “Be perfect.” Do you want to know perfect and divine love? God knows that we cannot be perfect overnight, but He is willing to teach us, if you ask Him. To find out, ask God how to love. </p>
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<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398731/7b454f7dff8dd7b6a71958d65cd3467c242bda99/original/bullseye.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NzAweDQyMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Bullseye" height="420" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="700" /></p>
Helen Kamenos
tag:helenkamenos.com,2005:Post/6131906
2017-05-18T17:00:00-07:00
2017-06-04T09:44:27-07:00
Exciting News! Autobiography Part II
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<p>I am so thrilled! I have been chosen by <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2FBookDaily.com%2F&h=ATNYm5BJUBuVDIU6zGJ0sVEYcVuvILT0-PF-YAhFFjVvvoQnPPqSiB3gihfME3HIAHOW4z_w1623qjubX1ydxfK_d6K2SrqUZtujjNUckJeJfMCvhtyXNiYTJbsYQgwuhI2rwrC0-Bh57vitrdnOf7HJBMYiOZ6Sy_OeMQ&enc=AZM_vT4TjGde_XPZ7zeivu32Ft6dfqpMv7que4Yu7QqwjRZiVRsiimsHevgwtN9MwWCKk9bZoXGUVnmWmUVhMaNsdZyoK80xMhQueve8k87vWHf_a8-axCe62y93IUUPncsrcqy3kyP8e04IVTGAUj0O7xT_JcwkRFxDdRLDKhXCX3uj0_Ij2P1OMYQfCpV90xiSadKxqjrKYpf9rEWnLdZH&s=1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" data-imported="1">BookDaily.com</a> to be the Featured Author of the Day! What an honor! The feature was published in their ezine today, May 19. Here is the link to my profile page, which was highlighted:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.bookdaily.com/author/2655984/profile" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" data-imported="1">http://www.bookdaily.com/author/2655984/profile</a></p>
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<p>As a prequel to my debut on BookDaily, I thought a brief autobiography would be appropriate. This is Part II:</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The writing process for me was incredible. I wrote what I knew, but I also purposefully listened more closely to God. I searched for truth, and God answered my prayers. The thoughts and ideas were coming to me so quickly that I had to jot down notes as I went in order to remember everything. Everything just flowed out of me.</p>
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<p>The creative process is extraordinary. Through the writing process I forged a deeper connection with God. I had experienced this before, when I painted. I paint mostly landscapes, what I consider the beauty of God’s creation. When I paint, I am in a different zone, another reality, almost outside of myself. The feeling is exhilarating, and I know that God is right there with me. I felt the same way when I wrote. Often, I would go back and reread what I wrote and would feel like I was reading something someone else wrote. Other times, I would read a section because I wanted to add an important point, only to discover that I had already made that point. In both cases, when I paint or write, I feel like it is the work of someone else. I know that feeling comes from God because He is right there with me. For me, the creative process brings me closer to God. As I wrote “A Journey Toward Perfection,” I was often brought to tears because I experienced how amazing God is. I was also so very thankful and felt so blessed. For me, this confirmed that what I was writing had God’s approval. In church tradition, the “gift of tears” is an outward expression of our faith and of our experience with God.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Throughout the process of writing my book, I became more open to hearing God’s voice. A new perspective or way of understanding God and our journey with Him would light up my mind as I recognized God’s truth. The writing of A Journey Toward Perfection changed me. There were many times when God put the mirror up to my face and told me to take another look. I reevaluated my thinking and my beliefs about the Christian life. The most important theme was love. God taught me what it means to truly love unconditionally. I often saw my own ego and pride as an obstacle to my spiritual growth. Christ’s words, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24) took on a new meaning for me. The writing of this book was truly a journey for me.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Even while writing A Journey Toward Perfection, I was not certain that it would actually become a published book. As a young girl, it was always a dream of mine to write a book, but I had no idea that I would write about God. As an adult, I never considered that this childhood dream would become a reality. Yet, I felt I was on a train that could not stop. I had to keep moving forward and see it through. Before beginning the writing of this book, I felt lost, not knowing my purpose in life. Now, I know from experience, that God will reveal His purpose to us when the time is right. I did not see it, until I was well into writing my book. I knew this was part of God’s plan for me. He has placed me on a new trajectory in life, and I am thankful and blessed to follow Him.</p>
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<p>I hope that the book itself, can open the door to God for everyone who reads it. The writing of this book took me out of the ashes of my life and propelled me onto a new road in my journey toward perfection. I know it is the Holy Spirit who works in us, who reveals Christ to us. I pray that He will touch your heart like He touched mine.</p>
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<p>Here is the link to my Featured Author of the Day ezine for BookDaily:<br> <a href="http://www.bookdaily.com/account/ezinesample?sample=33064" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" data-imported="1">http://www.bookdaily.com/account/ezinesample?sample=33064</a></p>
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<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398731/389769f3788b6b804b457938bdacd4f758c79e48/original/2015-1563-a.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NTEzeDM0MiJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="342" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="513" /></p>
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Helen Kamenos
tag:helenkamenos.com,2005:Post/6131905
2017-05-17T17:00:00-07:00
2017-06-04T09:45:08-07:00
Exciting News! Autobiography Part I
<p>I am so thrilled! I have been chosen by BookDaily.com to be the Featured Author of the Day! What an honor! The feature will be published in their ezine tomorrow, May 19. Here is the link to my profile page, which will be highlighted:</p>
<p> </p>
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<p><a href="http://www.bookdaily.com/author/2655984/profile" data-imported="1">http://www.bookdaily.com/author/2655984/profile</a></p>
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<p>As a prequel to my debut on BookDaily, I thought a brief autobiography would be appropriate. Here is Part I:</p>
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<p>God had been trying to get my attention for a while. I was extremely stressed with my responsibilities as principal of a private school and about the health of my elderly parents. Some days almost seemed unbearable, working ten to twelve hours a day and dashing to doctors and hospitals. Gradually, I developed my own personal health concerns.</p>
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<p>I was diagnosed with stage four cancer, a very aggressive form that required immediate attention. I was told over the phone, while I was still at work. I was shocked, even though I suspected bad news. Somehow, hearing it out loud made it more real. My first thoughts were how I would tell my family. Strangely, I also thought about the need to write a will, not that I have much to pass on. I believed in God with all my heart, so I wasn’t really afraid of dying, but I worried about how my family would cope. While driving on my way home, I talked to God. I told Him that whatever fate He chose for me, I would accept. I told Him that whether I lived or died, I knew I had the victory. In death I would be blessed in heaven, but if He chose to allow me to live, I would try to be a blessing to others. Either way, I prayed that God would be glorified. From that moment until the end of my chemotherapy and radiation treatments, I felt a remarkable peace. My stress disappeared! Almost a year later, I was declared free of cancer, and I was back at work, until the next time God tried to get my attention.</p>
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<p>After 23 years of working for the same organization, I found myself out of a job. I felt pierced to my soul because my work was my life. It gave my life purpose. At that point, I did not know what God had planned for me. Compared to battling cancer or anything else in my life, this was much more devastating to me. Immediately, I relied on my faith. I read the Bible and talked to God, and this time, I listened for His voice with a message for me. I felt God comforting me and helping me to understand my circumstances, yet, for months, I did not know what He wanted me to do. What would be my new purpose in life? I struggled with understanding what was to come next. I sought employment without any luck. Rather than sitting around and doing nothing, I decided to go back to school and earn my Master’s Degree. That in itself, was quite a journey, but it gave me a purpose.</p>
<p></p>
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<p>One day, I had a conversation with my sister. She suggested that I begin a journal to help me determine my new direction in life. I took her advice, at first, but I found that writing about myself did not inspire me. I decided to write about what did inspire me, God. However, at first, I had no idea what to write about. I thought about my own attributes. I considered myself humble and meek, but I believed those traits to be a detriment to my professional career. I believed I needed to be more assertive, yet I knew Christ taught us to be humble and meek. To help me resolve the contradiction, I decided to begin writing about the Beatitudes from Matthew 5, where Christ declared, “<em data-blogger-escaped-style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Blessed are those who are poor in spirt</em>” (humble) and “<em data-blogger-escaped-style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Blessed are the meek</em>.” I wanted to prove to the world and to myself that humility and meekness are attributes we should aspire toward in ourselves, characteristics that are valued by God. At the same time, due to my experiences, I had become disappointed with people. I wanted to know why so many Christians struggled with putting Christ’s teachings into practice, including myself. So, I began writing.</p>
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<p> <span data-blogger-escaped-style="font-family: ">The writing process for me was incredible.</span></p>
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<p><span data-blogger-escaped-style="font-family: "> </span></p>
<p><span data-blogger-escaped-style="font-family: ">To be continued...</span></p>
<p><span data-blogger-escaped-style="font-family: "> </span></p>
<p><span data-blogger-escaped-style="font-family: "><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398731/38f7c7958ca01d01c118b9d5f13195e3e462e7a1/original/2015-1563.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NTAweDMzNCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Helen Kamenos" height="334" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="500" /></span></p>
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Helen Kamenos
tag:helenkamenos.com,2005:Post/6131904
2017-05-16T17:00:00-07:00
2019-11-23T05:30:34-08:00
The Path to Happiness
<p>What makes you happy? Is it a new car, a new wardrobe, money, success, or accomplishments? Is it security, fame, popularity, or being loved? All of these give us pleasure, but what actually makes us happy? Most agree that family and good friends bring us happiness. This is because the path to true happiness leads to love. It is love that we seek. It is love for which we long. The moments when we experience love are the most memorable and the most treasured. As American songwriter, Todd Rundgren wrote, “<em>Love is the Answer</em>:”</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>And when you feel afraid, love one another<br> When you've lost your way, love one another<br> When you're all alone, love one another<br> When you're far from home, love one another<br> When you're down and out, love one another<br> All your hope's run out, love one another<br> When you need a friend, love one another<br> When you're near the end, love one another<br> We got to love one another</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Christ also taught that love is the answer. However, Jesus taught that <em>giving</em> love is the answer. We may look at our lives and wonder what is missing. We may have relationships with challenges or maybe they are in chaos. Christ taught us not to be concerned with others loving us, but rather, to focus on loving others. He often taught in parables, such as the Good Samaritan, who stopped to care for a man beaten almost to death by thieves. He described the Prodigal Son, who asked his inheritance from his father and squandered it until he was starving. In humility, he returned to his father to beg for employment. His father welcomed him unconditionally, threw a party to celebrate and simply loved him as if he never left. Christ taught about forgiveness, compassion, and going the extra mile, when someone asks you for a favor. He even taught us to love our enemies.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>God is the source of love. He gave us the ability to love, when He created us in His image. Our purpose in life is to love. We have been given talents and gifts that we are expected to share with others. We are to look for ways we can be a blessing to others. In scriptures, the word “blessed” means happy. The Beatitudes are the blessings Jesus listed at the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:3-11. Jesus talked about these blessings as attributes worthy of being pursued to bring us happiness because they teach us how to love as God loves. They teach us Divine Love.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Those who seek happiness in life take on these attributes in their daily lives. This is not an easy path in life to follow because genuine love requires sacrifice. Christ asked us to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him. In other words, He asked us to deny our ego and self-centeredness by becoming humble, sacrifice our worldly desires by becoming pure in heart, and follow His example by loving others. The path to happiness is the <em>Journey Toward Perfection</em>, toward love. Love <em><strong>is</strong></em> the answer. <br></p>
<p> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398731/b5a98456e5c8c59081e173a6340e15de4d7d1687/original/1-cover-design1.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MzA4eDQ4MCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="480" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="308" /></p>
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Helen Kamenos
tag:helenkamenos.com,2005:Post/6131903
2017-05-14T17:00:00-07:00
2021-08-25T11:14:32-07:00
What Is Truth?
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<p>Pontius Pilate was the prefect of the Roman province of Judea AD 26-36. He is most known for the trial and crucifixion of Christ. <span class="text"><em data-blogger-escaped-style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pilate asked him</em> (Jesus)<em data-blogger-escaped-style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” </em></span><em data-blogger-escaped-style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pilate asked him, “What is truth?”</em> (John 18: 37-38). After asking that profound question, Pilate did not wait for a reply; he simply walked away. As was true then, we often ask “What is truth?” Like Pilate, we often consider it a rhetorical question. We do not expect an answer. We also walk away because we believe that truth is not the same for everyone. Yet, we seem to recognize the truth, when we hear it. At least, we believe we can recognize it. How can we know the truth about God? Here is an excerpt from <strong><span style="color:#99ccff"><em data-blogger-escaped-style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Journey Toward Perfection</em></span></strong>, which addresses that question:</p>
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<p>"The life of the man called Jesus of Nazareth is well documented not only by Biblical sources, but also by Jewish and Roman historians and scholars. Various ancient writings verify that He lived 2,000 years ago and was crucified with criminals. His brief three year ministry changed the world forever. Was He a prophet, a wise man, a good man, or actually the Son of God as He claimed? What was it about this man that caused so many to follow Him and even be willing to die for Him? Those who believe Jesus was simply a good man, wise man or a prophet must still be able to explain why He would claim to be the Son of God. This contradicts sound judgment. Today, a man who might claim to be the Son of God would be considered mentally unstable, at the very least, possibly even insane. Jesus is an enigma to many, yet to Christians, He is the Son of God, part of the Godhead, part of the Holy Trinity. This is difficult for our limited minds to fathom, yet as Christians, this is our faith. We believe that Christ was fully God and fully man, our Creator and our Savior.</p>
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<p>During His three-year ministry, the disciples traveled with Him day and night. They knew Him intimately, and they believed His claims. They believed that Christ was God, one person of the Trinity. The disciples believed Him so faithfully that they willingly died horrible deaths rather than renounce their faith. They believed He rose from the dead on the third day. They claimed to have seen Him bodily after His resurrection, not as a spirit, and claimed to have eaten and drank with Him. If the Roman and Jewish leaders wanted to dispel the rumors that Christ rose from the dead, and thereby crush the Christian movement, all they had to do was to produce His dead body, yet they never could. At first, some claimed that the disciples stole His body, but this would have been impossible with Roman Centurions posted to guard the tomb.<span data-blogger-escaped-style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Besides, would anyone be willing to die for what they knew to be a lie? This rumor simply faded away. Instead, the martyred disciples were the lights of the world that ignited a fire that burns to this day.</p>
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<p>To unbelievers, the resurrection and Christ’s claim to be the Son of God must be the greatest lies ever perpetrated by one man. To Christians, Jesus is the light to which we are all drawn. He is the light that gives us hope. He is the light, which even unwittingly draws unbelievers. That light is centered on love; “<span class="text"><em data-blogger-escaped-style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is love</em>” (I John 4:8). Even unbelievers acknowledge the power of love. God is the source of love. But why would an all-knowing God descend from His throne of glory to become a man in a world full of evil, knowing He would be rejected and even crucified? Christ became man to save us from the curse of sin and to offer us the gift of eternal life. He became a man to allow us to “see” God or to know Him, to invite us into a relationship with Him, and to teach us how to love by being a role model for us.</span></p>
<p><span class="text"> </span></p>
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<p><span class="text">God dwells in a distant place, in a spiritual dimension. He is not of this world. We cannot experience Him through our physical senses. Only certain prophets had firsthand knowledge of God because He chose them. According to scriptural accounts, He spoke to them, sometimes audibly, and sometimes through angels, dreams or visions. When Christ became man, He entered our dimension, our reality. </span>The more we understand Christ, the better we understand God. <span class="text">“</span><em data-blogger-escaped-style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? He that hath seen me hath seen the Father</em>” (John 14:8-9). By getting to know Christ, we can know God!"</p>
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<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398731/90d6bfe29b4bb9c3a09d462440a7b9b07931a9d1/original/christ-icon.png/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MzU3eDQ1MCJd.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="450" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="357" /></p>
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Helen Kamenos
tag:helenkamenos.com,2005:Post/6131902
2017-05-12T17:00:00-07:00
2017-06-04T09:47:51-07:00
For Our Mothers
<p class="line">Nowadays, we live in a very complicated world. Answering the question “Who is your mother?” is no longer a forgone conclusion. Who is <em>your</em> mother? Is she the one who gave birth to you or adopted you? Is she your stepmother? Is she a single mom? Maybe your grandmother or aunt have taken on the role of mother for you. Perhaps you consider more than one woman in your life as your mothers. Possibly, you miss your mother because she passed away. Who do <em>you </em>call mother or mom? Today, we honor our mothers on Mother’s Day.</p>
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<p class="chapter-1">Our “mothers”, whoever they may be, have loved us unconditionally, have nurtured us, taught us, and created memories with us that are embedded in being, deep in our heart. This is the day we are to remind our mothers how much we love them and are thankful for all they have done for us. They cooked for us, cleaned the house, washed our clothes and tried to teach us what was right in their eyes. They worried about us, possibly prayed for us, and disciplined us, even though they probably hated that role as mother. They listened to us (most of the time), were happy for us whenever we were happy and sad for us whenever we were sad. They took care of our “boo boos” and made us feel better. They suffered through our pain, whenever we felt ill or were injured. They cried for us and laughed with us. Throughout it all, we oftentimes made it harder for them.</p>
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<p class="chapter-1">I hope you had such a woman in your life. Or perhaps, you are that woman, that mother. Ephesians 6:1-3 encourages us, “<em>Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother”—this is the first commandment with a promise: “so that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.</em>” As Christians, we are rewarded for loving and respecting our parents. Today, on Mother’s Day, we take the opportunity to show our mothers how much we treasure them.</p>
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<p class="line">At times, mothers get a “bad rap” because as humans themselves, they may have made mistakes. No one teaches a woman how to be a mother. They learn from experience or from their own mothers who made mistakes. There is no how-to manual that can possibly cover all a mother needs to know for each individual child, in order to be super mom. Those that we call “mom” are the mother or mother-figure in our lives that loved us no matter what. They might have floundered in the role as mother and made mistakes, but they loved us, nonetheless. They may have not always known how to show their love, but they loved us the best they could.</p>
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<p class="chapter-1">If your relationship with your mother is strained, today would be a good day to make amends and just show your mother love. Forgive her for her mistakes in the past and in the future. Be the first to initiate the repair of your relationship, simply because she gave you life, if nothing else. Understand that she is flawed, as we are, and she probably did the best she could.</p>
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<p class="chapter-1">I love you with all my heart, Mom! I know that I often made it harder for you! Happy Mother's Day! </p>
<p class="chapter-1"> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398731/28f7725bffc06a81b68e39d774af5bbbad1f9380/original/1953-1b.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTIwMHg3NzUiXQ%3D%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Mom & Dad" height="775" width="1200" /></p>
Helen Kamenos
tag:helenkamenos.com,2005:Post/6131901
2017-05-03T17:00:00-07:00
2017-06-04T09:48:57-07:00
Does God Exist?
<p>Article from the February issue of <strong><span style="color:#ff6600">Defending the Faith</span></strong></p>
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<p> There are several ways to answer this question. Firstly, you need to come to the realization that you need to have as much faith to believe in God as to not believe in Him. You cannot prove to an atheist that God exists, but the atheist cannot prove that He does <em>not</em> exist. It has been said that there is no such thing as an atheist because everyone has a god. Everyone places their faith and trust in someone. It may be Allah, Buddha, Krishna, or some other “god.” If your god does not have a name, then usually the god an atheist believes in is himself. He loves and trusts in himself, and therefore, he/she is god. Money, power, or fame can be a god. Whatever a person loves becomes their “god.”</p>
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<p> You can look at this amazing universe and wonder where it all came from. Its beauty is extraordinary. The diversity of animals and plants and how they can survive is incredible. The complexity of the human body and mind is staggering. The miracle of birth is unfathomable! We know it had a beginning. The scientists can explain the beginning of the universe back to less than a split second (< 10<sup>-43</sup> of a second) after it began known as the Planck scale, but what happened before that? Can anyone truly believe that all this was an accident? This is harder to believe than God. The mathematical probabilities that this was all an accident are astronomical!</p>
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<p> A third explanation in support of the existence of God is our experience of morality. Everyone has a sense of right and wrong. Most people do not seem to agree on what is right or wrong, but everyone believes there is a set of behavioral rules for us. If there is no God, there would be no need for any rules. Why is it wrong to cut in line in front of others, rather than waiting our own turn? Why is it wrong for someone to take something that belongs to me? What makes anything mine anyway? Why do we even have laws? Who said I have to follow someone else’s rules? True, the obvious answer is that without rules and laws there would be chaos. However, why are these actions thought of as “wrong?” Rules may be expedient, but why feel guilty about not following these rules. Why do we experience guilt? Why do we find criminals “guilty” of their crimes? There is a moral component to rules and laws. This moral component is our conscience.</p>
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<p> From where did our conscience originate? God blessed us with a conscience to guide us toward what is right, toward good, toward love. Nonetheless, our conscience can be silenced by repeatedly ignoring it or by rationalizing our behaviors. Yet, we all have experienced the pangs of conscience. That is God speaking to us.</p>
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<p> If this is enough to convince someone that there is a God, then the next question is which God is the real God? Great, at least this is a step forward. If this is not enough, then one may declare himself an “agnostic” and say that we cannot prove either way whether God exists or not. Fantastic! This is still a step forward! In the next issue of <span style="color:#ff6600"><strong>Defending the Faith</strong></span> we will address the agnostic.</p>
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<p>Helen Kamenos</p>
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<p>Readers’ Favorite Author</p>
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Helen Kamenos
tag:helenkamenos.com,2005:Post/6131900
2017-04-15T17:00:00-07:00
2017-06-04T09:50:22-07:00
Christ Is Risen!
<p><span style="color:#ff6600"><strong>Xristos Anesti! Christ is Risen! God bless you all!</strong></span></p>
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<p>The following is a Greek Easter hymn with its translation:</p>
<p>Χριστός ανέστη εκ νεκρών, θανάτω θάνατον πατήσας, και τοις εν τοις μνήμασι ζωήν χαρισάμενος.</p>
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<p>Christ is r<span class="text_exposed_show">isen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and to those in the tombs, granting life.</span></p>
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<p><span class="text_exposed_show">The hymn reminds us of this passage:</span></p>
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<p><strong>Matthew 27:50-54</strong></p>
<p>Then Jesus cried again with a loud voice and breathed his last. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. After his resurrection they came out of the tombs and entered the holy city and appeared to many. Now when the centurion and those with him, who were keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were terrified and said, “Truly this man was God’s Son!”</p>
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<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398731/7d23b2b349d38063f895a36fecc18638e298e25a/original/resurrection2007.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MTAyNXg4ODgiXQ%3D%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="888" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="1025" /></p>
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Helen Kamenos
tag:helenkamenos.com,2005:Post/6131899
2017-04-12T17:00:00-07:00
2017-06-04T09:51:12-07:00
Be Astonished and In Awe
<p align="center"><span style="color:#99ccff"><strong>An Excerpt from “<em>A Journey Toward Perfection”</em></strong></span></p>
<p><strong> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398731/c530ee9931d5d18a129f179d9b1088d8bc8f9018/original/christ-crucified-icon.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NDEzeDUwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="500" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="413" /></strong></p>
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<p>Although He knew the outcome from the very beginning, God still graced us with free will. This was necessary because perfect divine love can only be expressed through our free will. God knew that not one single person throughout time would be able to keep themselves holy and free from sin. He knew that man would continually reject Him and instead, choose evil, yet He still created us. As hopeless as we are, He never gave up on us. Throughout time, God was patient with us and continued to be merciful toward us. He continued to love us. God knew that the only way to save us from ourselves was to personally intercede on our behalf. Before He even created us, He knew He would sacrifice Himself for each and every one of us.</p>
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<p>Only God could prepare a plan for our salvation, which required His only son to die for us as a sacrifice for our sins. Only a holy and perfect God could conceive of such a plan for our salvation, which required that He condescend from His throne of glory and become a man. Christ, being perfect and sinless, chose to put on the flesh of man, which is subject to temptations and passions. He knowingly entered a world filled with evil. He suffered the mocking, the rejection, the beatings and His own murder by those He created and loved. He did this just to let us know how much He loves us and to invite us into a relationship with Him. This is why Christ’s sacrifice is foolishness to the unbelievers. It truly sounds unbelievable. No human mind can imagine such a plan. God chose to work through our hearts. If we contemplate the magnitude of what He has done for us, this pure act of love, a sacrificial love, is truly wondrous.</p>
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<p>Even more incredibly, He suffered the burdens of all of mankind’s sins. The one and only man throughout time who was sinless, took on all of our sins, yours, mine and everyone’s since Adam. This, Christ chose to do of His own free will, even before the foundation of creation. God knew that only through this act of sacrifice on the cross could we comprehend His great love for us. By the tree of knowledge, we fell from grace, but by the tree of the cross, we were redeemed by grace. One of the hymns from our Resurrection Service (Kezios, 1994) declares the true majesty of this act:</p>
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<p>“Be astonished and in awe, you heavens, and let the earth’s foundation quake; for behold, the One who dwells in the heavens is reckoned among the dead and is a lodger in a small tomb. You youths, bless Him; you priests, praise Him; and you people, exalt Him to the ages… </p>
<p>“Mother, it is of my own will that the earth covers me, but the gatekeepers of Hades shudder seeing me clothed in a robe stained with the blood of vengeance. For as God, having vanquished the enemies on the Cross, I will rise anew and magnify you.”</p>
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<p>If this alone was not incredible enough, through this great act of love for us, Christ rose from the dead, and even now, lives in us. He is a part of us through the Holy Spirit. Because of Christ’s sacrifice, we have access to a one-on-one relationship with our Creator, our God.</p>
Helen Kamenos
tag:helenkamenos.com,2005:Post/6131898
2017-04-08T17:00:00-07:00
2017-06-04T09:52:06-07:00
Is Christ Real For You?
<p>On This Palm Sunday, as Holy Week begins:</p>
<p>Do you know Christ? I thought I knew Him. When I am challenged with trials and tribulations in my life, He becomes more real to me. I see Him working in my life! I see Him arranging my life in order to bless me and to bless others. This always brings me great joy and happiness. My selfish concerns and my pride melt away. I experience God’s divine and infinite love and nothing else matters. </p>
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<p>As I studied the Beatitudes from Matthew 5,<span class="text_exposed_show"> I learned what is necessary to experience God’s love. It is knowing Christ and choosing to allow the Holy Spirit to work on our hearts. This requires a relationship with Christ, a two-way relationship. When we talk to Him, we do not give Him a laundry list of things we would like Him to do for us. Instead, we pray in thanksgiving for all of the ways He has blessed us. We pray in sincere repentance for all the times we have allowed pride and selfishness to rule our actions. We pray for those we love and for those who are sick. We pray for those who have hurt us or offended us in some way. We listen. We open our hearts to the Holy Spirit and allow Him to stir our conscience. We open our eyes to notice how God has worked in our lives. We allow the Holy Spirit to show us how the adversity in our lives has blessed us, for God takes the suffering in our lives and always finds a way to bless us! <br></span></p>
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<p><span class="text_exposed_show">What do we know about Christ? An excerpt from “A Journey Toward Perfection” illustrates Christ’s humility:<br>Contemplate this: Christ, our all-powerful, incorruptible and Holy God who created us, willingly left His place of glory, His throne, where He was worshipped by all the angels, and He chose to become an ordinary human like us, one of His creatures. This is humility in perfection. Our God chose to become an ordinary man. As a matter of fact, our God did not only come to live among us, He came to serve us. He knowingly chose to take on corruptible flesh which can die, and astoundingly, He chose to allow Himself to be despised, rejected, persecuted, beaten, disgraced, and crucified with criminals. And why did Christ our God, choose to allow Himself to suffer these indignities? Because He loves us that much!</span></p>
<p><span class="text_exposed_show"> <br>Christ was the only perfect human being. He was perfectly humble, meek, merciful, compassionate and loving. He never sinned, which means He never lied, or envied, or desired “things.” He never hated anyone. He forgave everyone and healed everyone. He never turned anyone away. This loving man, our all-powerful God, willingly hung on the cross in excruciating pain for you and for me. He died to save us. He died so that we could be with Him for eternity! He died, so He could love us face to face, and so we can stand in His presence washed from our sins, able to fully love Him in return. </span></p>
<p><span class="text_exposed_show"> <br>Whenever life gets tough, I visualize our beautiful compassionate loving Lord on the cross, suffering for me!</span></p>
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<p><span class="text_exposed_show"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398731/35dc71b225b71fe4558d3fbfa8e4b3aae36a9aa6/original/christ-the-bridegroom-thumb16.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MzE2eDQwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="316" /></span></p>
Helen Kamenos
tag:helenkamenos.com,2005:Post/6131897
2017-04-05T17:00:00-07:00
2021-11-02T14:45:08-07:00
Don't Miss Out
<p><span style="color:#ffffff">My April 2017 newsletter,</span><span style="color:#181818"><span style="color:#ffffff"> "</span><strong><span style="color:#ff6600">Defending the Faith<span style="color:#ffffff">,</span></span></strong><span style="color:#ffffff">" </span></span><span style="color:#ffffff">has been emailed to all subscribers. This month's article is entitled, "<span style="text-decoration:underline">Why Does God Allow Evil and Suffering?</span>" During this lenten season before Easter, April's Book Bubble Excerpt/Author Insights is "<span style="text-decoration:underline">Those Who Mourn</span>" in remembrance of our loved ones who have passed.</span></p>
<p><br><span style="color:#ffffff">It's not too late! Sign up to receive my FREE monthly newsletter NOW. Follow the link below:</span><br><br><strong><span style="color:#ffffff"><a title="Website Home Page" href="http://www.helenkamenos.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" data-imported="1"><span style="color:#ffffff">http://www.helenkamenos.com</span></a></span></strong></p>
<p><strong><br></strong><span style="color:#ffffff">Have a beautiful Easter filled with joy and blessingHave a beautiful Easter filled with joy and blessings!</span></p>
<p><span style="color:#ffffff"> </span></p>
<p><span style="color:#ffffff">Helen Kamenos</span></p>
<p><span style="color:#ffffff">Readers' Favorite Author</span></p>
Helen Kamenos
tag:helenkamenos.com,2005:Post/6131896
2017-03-25T17:00:00-07:00
2017-06-10T09:36:02-07:00
God's Divine Love
<p>In today’s world I see people suffering every day from war, poverty, illness, and death. I see people lost without a purpose in life, spending their lives looking for love. I see injustice all around me, a disregard for our fellow human beings. Political correctness is just a façade. Tolerance is not enough. I see people rushing through life, rarely slowing down long enough to notice those around them, so engrossed with their own concerns. People everywhere are riveted by their phones, texting instead of actually talking to one another.</p>
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<p>What is missing in our world? Love, God’s kind of love, divine love. Too many of us do not truly understand God’s kind of love. I thought I understood until I studied the Beatitudes in-depth. It is a pure love, a sacrificial love, an infinite love. God does not love us because we are worthy of His love. We have done very little, if anything, to deserve His love, yet He loves us anyway, even those who do not believe. How is that possible? “<em>He who does not love does not know God; for God is love</em>” (1 John 4:8 RSV). God is the source of love. What kind of love is this?</p>
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<p>This is what Christ taught. He taught us how to love. <em>A Journey Toward Perfection</em> focuses on Christ’s teachings from the Beatitudes. Most do not realize that Jesus was trying to teach us how to love through those verses in Matthew 5 (see below).</p>
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<p>Reading <em>A Journey Toward Perfection</em> will change your perspective. You will comprehend the infinite depths of Christ’s love. You have never heard love described like this before. Embarking on this journey toward God will change your life. What are the ingredients? The Beatitudes describe the attributes necessary to experience genuine love. This is not an ordinary human love. It is God’s divine love, perfect and overwhelming. God’s love will change you! You will discover that love is really the only meaningful purpose to our lives. You will discover that love truly conquers all. On this journey, you will encounter Christ through a real experiential relationship.</p>
<p> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398731/63035602194827378a5368bcc8442a8acd501897/original/the-beatitudes.png/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6NjgweDk2MCJd.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="960" width="680" /> </p>
Helen Kamenos
tag:helenkamenos.com,2005:Post/6131895
2017-03-17T17:00:00-07:00
2021-11-02T14:43:44-07:00
Download FREE Sample Chapters
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color:#99ccff"><strong><em>A Journey Toward Perfection</em></strong></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><a title="Free Sample Chapters" href="/files/753609/a-journey-toward-perfection-sample-chapters.pdf" target="_blank" data-imported="1"><span style="color:#ff00ff">Follow this link now----></span><span style="color:#ffcc00">Go</span></a><em><br></em></strong></p>
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<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color:#ffff00"><strong><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398731/b5a98456e5c8c59081e173a6340e15de4d7d1687/original/1-cover-design1.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MzA4eDQ4MCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="480" width="308" /></strong></span></p>
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Helen Kamenos
tag:helenkamenos.com,2005:Post/6131894
2017-02-18T16:00:00-08:00
2017-05-17T09:52:42-07:00
Book Signing - March 19, 2017
<p>BOOK SIGNING hosted by St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Camarillo, CA! <br><br>I will be signing copies of my newly published book, "A Journey Toward Perfection," after the church service during coffee hour. Books will be available for purchase.</p>
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<p style="text-align: center;"> <strong><span style="color:#99ccff">JOIN US!</span> </strong></p>
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<p>For more info, follow this link---------> <strong><span style="color:#ffcc00"><a title="Book Signing Event - Facebook" href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1330045153723512/" target="_blank" data-imported="1"><span style="color:#ffcc00">Book Signing</span></a></span></strong><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/398731/0b99eb3e16917f7c54f4de8c0c1070a1958af0db/original/parish-saint-demetrios-camarillo.jpg/!!/b%3AWyJyZXNpemU6MzAweDIwMCJd.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="St. Demetrios Church" height="200" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="300" /></p>
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<p>I am looking forward to meeting you!<br><br>God bless you, <br><br>Helen Kamenos <br>Readers' Favorite Author</p>
Helen Kamenos
tag:helenkamenos.com,2005:Post/6131892
2017-01-13T16:00:00-08:00
2017-01-22T07:24:32-08:00
Those Who Mourn
<p><span style="color:#ffcc00"><span style="color:#ffffff">We view death of a loved one as a profound loss, and it is. It is the loss of being able to express our love to that person and a loss of experiencing their love for us. We experience something missing in our hearts, a piece is gone. This is how God feels for us. If we have experienced loss of a loved one, we have experienced the loss that God feels for us through our separation from him. </span><br><br><span style="color:#ffffff">However, we need to stop and take it a step further. For God, our death is a reunion! Our death is our passage back to God. He is overjoyed to be reunited with us. Therefore from God's point of view, death just means the end of our separation from Him. It is a joyous occasion! Thanks to Christ, death has been vanquished!</span><br><br><span style="color:#ffffff">I Corinthians 15:54-57</span><br><span style="color:#ffffff"><em>“Death is swallowed up in victory.</em></span><br><span style="color:#ffffff"><em>O death, where is your victory?</em></span><br><span style="color:#ffffff"><em>O death, where is your sting?”</em></span><br><br><span style="color:#ffffff"><em>For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. </em></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color:#ffcc00"><em><span style="color:#000000"> </span></em></span></p>
<p><span style="color:#ffcc00">Excerpt from Chapter 4: Being Mournfu<strong>l</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="color:#ffffff"><strong>"<em>Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.</em>"<em> (Matthew 5:4)</em></strong></span></p>
<p><span style="color:#ffffff">When we think of the word "mourn," we think of being sorrowful for a loved one who has passed on. The loss of a loved one can evoke great sorrow within us. Even if we believe that those we love are happy in heaven, we still experience a deep sadness for the loss of their presence. At times, we can feel inconsolable. This is an expression of our love for them. We want them with us. We want to experience their love for us. Even when they are gone, we often experience moments when we believe they are with us, and we believe we have experienced their love for us from beyond the grave. We are convinced they are still with us, and in a sense, they are, since they live in the eternal realm with God.</span></p>
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<p><span style="color:#ffffff">When Christ said that those who mourn shall be comforted, He meant those who mourn their own condition of being "dead in sin." Originally, when God created man, he was perfect. When Adam and Eve sinned, they were banished from paradise because, by their own free will, they rejected God and chose evil. They were punished by being removed from God's presence, no longer able to have fellowship with Him. Any of us in the same position would have done the same thing because God gave us the gift of free will. The proof is in the fact that we have sinned, and therefore, we, too, have rejected God. Not only are we subject to the temptations of evil through free will, but we are also separated from God. Realizing our fallen state causes us to sorrow because our sinful nature has separated us from God. We come to the realization that when we sin, we reject the love God has offered us. We discard the goodness in which He originally created us. As we become more and more aware of the magnitude of our loss and of the holiness and goodness of God, our humility increases. We realize how gracious and loving God is. We desire God’s love. We begin to mourn our separation from God and long for the day when we will be reunited with Him in heaven, just as we long for the day we will be reunited with our loved ones. Even though we are separated from God, we can still experience His love. We are still convinced that God is with us, and He is. He exists in the realm of the eternal and lives within us through the Holy Spirit.</span></p>
Helen Kamenos
tag:helenkamenos.com,2005:Post/6131891
2016-12-31T16:00:00-08:00
2017-01-02T05:28:44-08:00
Genuine Love
<p>Many believe that love is a warm feeling we experience when we care about someone deeply. However, Christ taught us that love is an action we take. It is what we do for others, unconditionally, in spite of what we "feel." Love is a giving act, a giving of ourselves and a giving up of our egos, our pride, and our self-centeredness. Genuine love is always offered in humility. Christ's kind of love is for everyone, regardless of whether we are worthy of that love or not. Christ gives His love freely. We just need to receive it and love Him in return of our own free will. </p>
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<p><span style="color:#ffcc00">Excerpt from Chapter 13: <em>Love and Charity</em></span></p>
<p>Loving others is not as simple as it sounds. Perfect love is called charity because it involves a sacrifice, a giving of oneself. It is a decision we make of our own free will. God showed His love for us by allowing His Son to be sacrificed for our redemption. We sacrifice ourselves, our selfish needs and desires in order to give love. Because charity is unconditional and expects nothing in return, we even sacrifice our need to be loved in return. We love simply because we are filled with God’s love and choose to express His love for us by loving others. Christ declared that “<em>If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me</em>” (Matthew 16:24). When we deny ourselves, we are able to love perfectly. This sacrifice can also involve suffering, as it did with Christ. Notice, He told us to take up our crosses. Denying ourselves creates a conflict within us because we are giving up or sacrificing our selfish desires or self-centeredness. This is why our conscience troubles us. It is the conflict between what we want and freely expressing perfect love. When it comes down to it, what we want often prevents us from being filled with God’s love.</p>
<p>For example, if we truly have perfect love in our hearts, we would not be able to gossip about others because gossip is hurtful. We would also be aware that we were disobeying God and therefore rejecting His will. In this case, our desire to gossip prevents us from loving perfectly. If we have God’s divine love in our hearts, we are truly a new creature. If we have reached this level of our journey, we may experience guilt or frustration when our desire conflicts with our love for God. Some of the sins we may have committed in the past may not have involved a conflict because we may have justified our actions. We allowed ourselves to be deceived by excuses. Maybe, we told ourselves everybody does that. However, when God’s perfect love has entered our hearts, our conscience prevents us from feeling comfortable about sin. Suddenly, we will experience great conflict in that decision. This is God’s love working in our hearts.</p>
Helen Kamenos
tag:helenkamenos.com,2005:Post/6131890
2016-12-24T16:00:00-08:00
2017-06-10T09:40:07-07:00
Christ's Humility
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This excerpt from "A Journey Toward Perfection" describes the magnitude of the gift we received on Christmas day: <br><br>Contemplate this: Christ, our all-powerful, incorruptible and Holy God who created us, willingly left His place of glory, His throne, where He was worshipped by all the angels, and He chose to become an ordinary human like us, one of His creatures. This is humility in perfection. Our God chose to become an ordinary man. As a matter of fact, our God did not only come to live among us, He came to serve us. He knowingly chose to take on corruptible flesh which can die, and astoundingly, He chose to allow Himself to be despised, rejected, persecuted, beaten, disgraced, and crucified with criminals. And why did Christ our God, choose to allow Himself to suffer these indignities? Because He loves us that much!
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Helen Kamenos