abandoned to Christ.

"While he was coming, the demon threw him to the ground and convulsed him. BUT JESUS rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. And all were astonished at the majesty of God."

~Luke 9:42-43, ESV (emphasis mine)

When was the last time I was astonished at the majesty of God?

When was the last time you were astonished at the majesty of God?

We're often astonished by so many things: breathtaking musical talent, incredible athletic ability, jaw-dropping acts of illusionists, amazing (and often humorous) animal antics and even the evil we see all around the world. I'm not saying this is wrong. What I'm saying is, are we more astonished by these creations, or their Creator?

We live in a generation deluged with information through news, videos and social media. With this influx of information it seems we've forgotten the most important aspect of communication—listening. We've forgotten how to stop and smell the roses, that is, linger on a thought and consider it in the light of the Gospel, rather than in the darkness of our own opinions, or that of others.

The things we mostly think about, talk about, share with others and are astonished by, proves what we value, and therefore, determines where we spend the majority of our time—in the Word or in the world.

If we, as professing believers, valued God more than this world, we would spend more time in His Word. And like Mary of Bethany, we would sit at Jesus' feet, that is, read Scripture, and listen intently to every word that comes from His mouth; with an increasing and fervent desire to know Him more in order to love Him better. I know this for a fact because there is nothing greater or equal to the LORD of hosts. And thus, there is nothing more astonishing than God and the things of God.

There should never be a time in a Christian's life where upon reading the Scriptures, we are not astonished. Even reading the genealogies is astonishing. You think not? Well, I encourage you to read and study them again. If you do, you'd find some astonishing facts about who's related to who and who gets to be included in the earthly genealogy of Jesus Christ.

The fact that we mere mortals have God's transcendent Word and can understand the eternal meaning, is in itself...astonishing.

"But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory...these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God."

~1 Cor 2:7, 10-12 (ESV)

Like the demon possessed boy in Luke 9, prior to salvation, we're all possessed by our own evil desires that thrust us to the ground: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of possessions (1 Jn 2:16). We all desperately fall short of the glory of God and wallow in our cesspool of sins; blinded by the idols we create for ourselves, whether by graven images or the imaginations of our crafty minds.

So the fact that a holy, righteous and just God takes notice of us in our putrid state, is astonishing to say the least. The fact that God chose me, a wretched sinner, before the foundation of the world (Eph 1:3-6), to call as His own possession, a daughter of the Most High God...is...astonishing! I know me. And I would've never picked me. But thanks be to God Almighty, like the demon possessed boy in Luke 9, there's a "But Jesus..." for me too. And because of this truth, I am eternally freed and healed from the captivity and penalty of my sins.

I am astonished at God's majesty I see daily in creation; like the bright and enormous stars that seem so small from where I stand. I'm astonished at God's mercy that sent His one and only Son as a propitiation for my sins and poured out His wrath on the sinless Christ instead of me (2 Cor 5:21). I'm astonished at God's compassion that remembers that I am yet but dust (Ps 103:13-14) and gives to me according to His wisdom and not according to my folly. I'm astonished at God's steadfast love and faithfulness that preserves me when I break faith with Him by sinning (Ps 40:11, 2 Tim 2:13). I'm astonished that God continually grants me the gift of repentance and forgiveness when I sin, because He keeps His promises (Phil 1:6).

I could go on and on about all that astonishes me about God, but I echo what the Apostle John recorded in the last verse of his gospel (John 21:25), "Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written." And though it's impossible to list all that astonishes me about God, I won't stop doing it and sharing it with others (Ps 9:1-2). I can't help it (Acts 4:20).

This should be true for everyone who professes the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. There truly is, more than we can ever number, wonderful things that ought to astonish us about God. The question and challenge for us then is this, "Are we as often if not more, astonished at the things of God, as we are by the things of this world?"

If we spend more time with the Lord, through reading, mediating, studying, memorizing, praying and sharing His Word, I know we'll all be less cynical and critical about the world we live in, and more grateful for the astonishing Christ that lives in us (Gal 2:20).

"You have multiplied, O LORD my God, Your wondrous deeds and thoughts toward us; none can compare with You! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told."

~Psalm 40:5, ESV (emphasis mine)

Authors and media representatives occasionally contact me to review their book or movie. Ninety percent of the time I say "No". I don't decline their request to be unkind, but most often the reasons are: I have to manage my time wisely due to the effects of my rare metabolic disease; we have different theological views and I don't enjoy writing a bad review just because I don't agree with a non-essential; and finally, I can't recommend the book or movie because I didn't really like it and don't desire to discourage a brother or sister in Christ simply because their work didn't interest me.

When I was contacted by Sandy Boikian, the writer, director and co-producer of "Leaving Limbo", I actually said, "Yes" and I'm delighted I did.

"Leaving Limbo" is an honest and refreshing look at the life of its main character, Monica (Mandy Brown), who has miraculously awaken from a 19-year coma. It was based on the stage play "My Wonderful Coma" by the same playwright Sandy Boikin.

While waking from a 19-year coma might seem outrages to most, it's not unheard of. As a matter of fact, if you search the internet about long term coma survivors, you'll read stories about people like Mr. Jan Grzebski, a Polish man who woke from a 19-year coma after being hit by a train. Mr. Grzebski was happy to wake up and find that communism no longer ruled and there was plenty of food for everyone.

Genre: Inspirational Drama

MPAA Rating: NR

Run Time: 94 minutes plus extras

Release Date: July 2, 2013

Awards: Click here

Produced by: Bruised Reed Productions, LLC (Sandy Boikian, Lisa Boore Lambert)

Synopsis

The movie opens with Scripture, Joel 2:25, on a black screen, then fades to a 1989 scene where four high schoolers (Monica, Ben, Tuesday and Wallace) are at the movie theater on a double date. Later, overly confident and loud Wallace drives recklessly causing a serious car accident.

Nineteen years later, while Monica lies lifeless in a hospital bed, we hear the cheerful voice of her nurse Rosa (Amy Mathieson) chatting away about her life. Rosa endearingly calls Monica "lamby" and we see her fixing Monica's hair, doing her nails, dressing her for different occasions, taking pictures, etc. over the course of 11 years.

Then one day, while Rosa is chatting and caring for Monica...she wakes up.

When Monica discovers she's been in a coma for 19 years, she's understandably in tears. Overwhelmed she went to "sleep" as a 19-year-old and woke up as a 38-year-old; no longer engaged to her high school sweetheart and having to face the reality that her niece is mentally and socially older than she is, drives Monica into a whirlwind of selfishness and anger.

Monica is incensed that her fiancé Ben (Elias Cecil) and best friend Tuesday (Noelle Perris) didn't stand by her bedside, but quickly forgot about her and went on with their lives.

Though her loving and selfless father Jack (David Fruechting) and adoring niece Jordan (Lauren Montgomery) stood by her side for 19 years, praying and believing God would work a miracle, Monica is still brooding. She spends the first portion of the movie talking like an '80s teenager and behaving like one too...selfish, loud, immature and envious of everything others have rather than be grateful for all that's beautiful in her life.

As the movie works through the true turmoils someone in Monica's situation might experience, it continually weaves in the message of forgiveness, gratitude and a trust in God's sovereignty even, or rather, especially when we don't understand why some things happen.

Pros

Though this movie is not marketed/categorized as a Christian film, I love that it opens with Scripture and rightly displays Christian love, forgiveness (except in one scene), peace, patience and ultimately hope in God's infinite goodness and wisdom rather depending on our finite ways and perspective.

I loved the scenes where the Bible was studied, enjoyed and rightly applied to real life situations within the context of the passages shared. I am zealous for the Word of God and sound doctrine; therefore get indignant when God's holy Word and His precepts are marginalized by anyone who erroneously uses the Bible only to make their worldly point.

I enjoyed the comic relief portions of the film, as well as the real and raw emotions displayed by Monica. Rather than portray Monica with a plastic heart and plastic smile, I was delighted to find myself annoyed with her where I should be annoyed, compassionate where I should be compassionate and rejoicing with her where I should be rejoicing.

I liked that Monica's character wasn't perfect, but she was deep enough to finally get it—that her life and the lives of those around her, wasn't all about her and how she perceived things to be. It was refreshing to see her struggle through the difficult realities she had to face and slowly overcome them through the constant encouragement of those around her who continued to live their lives with gratitude towards God.

Cons

Often when stage plays are adapted for a movie, it's a plus to have the same actor play the main character (like Robert Preston in "The Music Man"). This proved true for the majority of Mandy Brown's acting for this movie, however, I found Monica's first waking moments to be a bit unrealistic (it seemed canned and rushed); lacking the proper grogginess and confused emotions needed for a 19-year coma patient.

I don't know what order the scenes were shot, but the "pro" of this "con" is, Mandy's acting got better as the movie went on.

As mentioned in my "Pros" above, there was one scene where Christian forgiveness was not inline with the biblical definition of forgiveness. Rather, the worldly one that has crept into many churches, also crept into this movie by way of this one scene.

Monica says to Wallace, "Do you believe God has forgiven you?" to which Wallace answers, "Yes, but I know I have to suffer the consequences for my actions." Then Monica, says, "God has forgiven you. My dad has forgiven you and I've forgiven you. You need to forgive yourself." She had it right...until the last statement. Nowhere in Scripture are we commanded or taught to forgive ourselves.

This unbiblical teaching of forgiving self, puts the focus on the non-existent power of self to provide freedom from the destructive nature and bondage of our sins. If as Christians, we profess that no one can be granted forgiveness from God the Father without repentance and faith in the Son of God, then we must live by the truth that Christ alone has the power to free us from the penalty of our sins. God's grace and forgiveness is more than sufficient for any of us to move on from any devastating circumstance; whether caused by us or others.

Conclusion

I gave "Leaving Limbo" three out of five stars because it's a good, family friendly movie with a mostly good script, a good message, and is a movie I would recommend to others (as I'm doing now). The biblical accuracy on the essentials was a plus, and the majority of the acting was on spot. The camera work, sound and lighting were good too.

There aren't many movies I enjoy watching because the majority of them have been infested with profanity and sexual content which are all unnecessary for one to make a good movie and tell a good story. So watching a movie like "Leaving Limbo" that grabs your attention and moves your heart, without the employment of any immorality, was very refreshing and entertaining!

It's great to be able watch an engaging movie without feeling like you have to repent and take a shower afterwards.

You can purchase "Leaving Limbo" from these two sources: Leaving Limbo DVD or Amazon.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ASL) commonly known as Lou Gherig's Disease, is a fatal neuromuscular disease that presently has no cure. No ALS patient is alike. Some people experience a slow degeneration, while others experience a more rapid degeneration of the motor neurons in their brain and spinal cord that disperse messages to allow voluntary muscle function throughout their body. Variant rates of motor neuron degeneration allows for patients diagnosed with ALS to live anywhere from three to five years after diagnoses.

The "ALS Ice Bucket Challenge" campaign began with "SC Featured: Pete's Challenge" shown in the video below.

Many people are taking the "ALS Ice Bucket Challenge". I think this is a fun and fantastic way to promote awareness and garner financial support to help people afflicted with ALS, as well as finance research to find a cure.

A good way to accomplish this is to support organizations like Team Gleason. This organization was founded by Steve Gleason, former NFL player and current ALS braveheart. Their mission is to "Help provide individuals with neuromuscular diseases or injuries with leading edge technology, equipment and services. Create a global conversation about ALS to ultimately find solutions and an end to the disease. Raise public awareness toward ALS by providing and documenting extraordinary life adventures for individuals with muscular diseases or injuries."

Team Gleason partners with many organizations to accomplish their mission and one of them is Cord Blood Registry (CBR). Organizations like CBR only collect, store and use stem cells from the umbilical cords of newborn babies rather than harvest them from the helpless bodies of aborted, unborn babies.

A not so good way to promote awareness and support for ALS is to donate to the ALS Association. Though ALS Association promotes the betterment of current ALS patients and research to help find a cure, they do not promote or encourage the betterment of all life; specifically, precious and innocent unborn babies.

The ALS Association offers grants to many research organizations and one of them is the Northeast ALS Consortium (NEALS).

On the NEALS website, they state, "These stem cells have been engineered from the spinal cord of a single fetus electively aborted after eight weeks of gestation. The tissue was obtained with the mother's consent."

The extraction of stem cells from unborn babies is completely unnecessary for this or any research. There are many other options for stem cell research where the opportunity to live is not callously stripped away from a precious innocent baby.

I wholeheartedly support and encourage more prayer and awareness for ALS patients and their families to: acquire expensive equipment, obtain exemplary medical care and look forward to research that may discover a cure for this fatal disease.

As a Christian, I unashamedly stand for life...all life.

Because I am an image-bearer of the Creator and because He so graciously granted me the gift of repentance that leads to life-giving faith in Jesus Christ, I desire nothing less for any other human being—whether they reside inside or outside the womb.

All life is precious and all life should be protected, supported and allowed to maintain the quality of life we all desire.

Ever since Robin Williams' death and alleged suicide, there has been much talk in private conversations as well as mass media coverage and personal blog posts. I generally stay out of these "hot" topics because there's already been more saturation of a certain issue than necessary.

So, as unusual as it is for me to write about the topic of depression and suicide after we've all been immersed in volumes of words over the past few days, I am writing about it. Not to join in and repeat what's already been said, but to bring a heavenly perspective to it so that all who read this, might find true hope.

I don't share this often, and especially not in public. But I feel it's time now that I must, so that the work of God may be displayed in my life (John 9:3) even in the depths of sorrow.

When I was 15 years old, I became so depressed by all that I suffered and all the horrid evils that were hurled at my little frail body since I was four, I wanted to escape. Brutally persecuted for being a Christian for 11 years, raped twice, stalked by a neighbor in his late twenties for nearly seven years and bombarded by teen hormones and the cruelty of high school life...I was done.

Seeing no other way out, I made my first attempt to take the life God gave me. Back in those days, we didn't have coated pills, so when I tried to overdose, the pills began to melt in my watery hands as I leaned over the sink to cup water in my hands, swallowing as many pills at one time, as quickly as possible. But since so many melted, I also took a host of other medications I found in our medicine cabinet. I made myself very ill and remember waking up in bed with no one in my family knowing what happened. At least I don't think they did. We never talked about it.

My second attempt was to jump out my two-story window. I did, but not realizing it wasn't high enough, to my great disappointment, and being an athlete, I subconsciously landed well and only sprained my ankle. Feeling even more desperate at two failed attempts and worried that by now, my family might suspect something and try to stop me, I quietly began formulating another plan. And this time, it would be fail-proof....and it was. I won't share what I planned lest I give anyone ideas. But trust me, it was fail-proof.

After carefully plotting and planning my last days here on earth. I exhibited what many suicidal people do. I was happier than I'd ever been. And everyone noticed. I went from being sullen, bitter and desperately hopeless, to extreme bliss and peace nearly overnight! Why? Because I had finally decided and knew without a doubt, my plan to take my own life (the one I had no right to take because I'm not the Author of it) was finally in view. It was over. I could finally see the light at the end of the tunnel...so I thought.

You see, I was saved when I was four, so during all these calamities I was a Christian. Yet, in great despair, as a Christian, I had no other Christians around me who cared enough to love me through this.

But there was always God. And for a time, it seemed enough, until I took my eyes off Jesus and put them on myself and others.

I was determined to leave this miserable place and go Home to eternal bliss before my Savior!

But there was always God. And, there was the way He made me. Jesus said, "Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." (Mk 14:38) and it is written, "if we are faithless, He remains faithful—for He cannot deny Himself." (2 Tim 2:13), and again it is written, "And I am sure of this that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." (Phil 1:6).

I had no tender heart to help me out of the cesspool of depression and suicidal inclinations, whether in this world or within the Body of Christ.

But there was always God. God my Father who created me for His purpose. God my Father who called me to Himself by gracing me with the gift of repentance that leads to salvation. God my Father who called me His own, through faith in His one and only begotten Son. God my Father who saw the horrible sins done to me and even those I did to others, gifted me and purposed me to love Him and others—greater than myself. So as I sat down to write my suicide note, and read over it, I realized my prevailing thought, "Let me write this, sharing what signs and symptoms a suicidal person displays so that when I'm gone and others read it, it will help other people who may know someone who's suicidal and help them."

This curious suicide note caused me to pray, "Lord, please make sure this note gets into the right hands so it will help many. Please open the blind eyes of people, especially in the church who are so wrapped up in their own lives, they can't see the brutal nakedness of those who are hurting...right before their very eyes. And Lord, please don't be angry with me. Oh Lord! Will you be angry with me? I never thought of that!"

In all the time I carefully planned the taking of my own life, I never thought about what God might think about all this. I was consumed with what I thought and how I thought others would feel. My singular focus was inward and horizontal rather than vertical. No wonder I remained in such despair.

Remembering Psalm 139, I saw clearly I would grieve God if I took my own life because He created me and numbered and ordained all my days before any of them began (Ps 139:16). His purpose is greater than mine. And His glorious love is greater than any pain I will ever suffer here. Convinced of the truth of the Gospel and from the whole counsel of God through His perfect Word, I no longer cared about what others did or said. I cared more about what my holy, good, and merciful God and Father did, is doing, and will continue to do to and for me, in Christ Jesus the Lord. I was once again living in the freedom Christ suffered and died to give me. I was no longer enslaved by the tactics of Satan's deception and my own sinful flesh that desired my will over God's will.

Depression isn't pretty. Suicidal thoughts and attempts, failed or successful aren't pretty either. But God, my Christ, is always gloriously beautiful and His ways and thoughts are infinitely greater and higher than ours! Trying to comfort people who are depressed and/or suicidal in the dark caverns of confusion and desperation, with the ways of this world...is not good...it is not helpful.

It is written, "'All things are lawful,' but not all things are helpful. 'All things are lawful,' but not all things build up. Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor." (1 Cor 10:23-24) Whether we do the most mundane things in life, like eating and drinking, we are to do it all things for the glory of God. We are commanded to love God with everything we have and love others as ourselves. However, we are not commanded to love God and others the way we want and think is best. And human philosophies, pretty painted words and emotion-filled ideologies of comfort, hope and peace, are neither helpful nor do they build up.

Rather than turn hurting hearts and tear-filled eyes toward heaven, toward Christ, we try to comfort others by allowing them to remain inward and horizontal—the place where the despair began and swells. Rather than mourn with those who mourn and give them time to weep over the heartaches, praying the entire time so that we can clearly hear God say, "The time of mourning is over, now get up and walk", we sit too long in another person's cesspool. In this, we are not seeking the good of our neighbor, but we are seeking our own good, because if we're honest with ourselves, we do this because it makes us feel better about ourselves. It makes us "feel" like we're helping them, though God says we are not.

If you know someone who is depressed, you first need to pray before you intervene because only God knows if the depression is a faith issue caused by sin (theirs or others), or a medical issue. Then prepare by immersing yourself in Scripture so you can be strong enough to actually help the person suffering from depression rather than falling for the deceptive practices of this world yourself (1 Cor 10:12).

Remember, the only help we can offer anyone in need is the hope found in Jesus Christ alone. For this alone is true hope. In Christ alone can anything in this miserable world make sense and make us want to press on...for He who suffered more than any human being ever has or ever will, yet was without sin, suffered for our sake; reconciling us to God.

Desiring to take your own life is a sin.

But there is always God. Trust Him and look to Him; not yourself or others. Only the Gospel saves. Only the Gospel heals. Only the Gospel restores and produces right thinking and praise.

"Be not wise in your eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil... The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death... Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life, for the ransom of their life is costly and can never suffice, that he should live on forever and never see the pit... [but] Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered... The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit... As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust."

~Proverbs 3:7, 14:27;

Psalm 49:7-9, 32:1, 34:18, 103:13-14 (ESV)

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