Seren

MMmm, Dough and Cocoa?? Sounds more like a sweet savoury, than a savoury sweet! The kinda thing I could munch through at elevensies. Bit like these choco croissants. Never quite sure whether to have them for breakfast or pudding. I have to admit, I have just had a choco craving in the last two days, but it's OK, I'm working it off hard. Sense tells me, 'You can't live off Tea and Chocolate', but I don't know, I could!! That is... all the tea in China!! S....

I run a Hostel, and each of my 27 Single Beds in dormitories, has a hardback NIV Bible courteousy of the Gideons. I have highlighted a couple of verses, John 3 v16, and Romans 3 v23 with luminous green pen, and popped business bookmarks in there! I attract all people to the hostel, but I choose to promote my own faith, Christianity. Individuals or groups stay at my place. I find that when people are away from home, they might have time to do something that they would not normally do at home - eg look at The Bible. It can be a trifle lonely when traveling alone, and can be a good opportunity to reflect on where they are going with their lives, seek inspiration, comfort, knowledge and lessons. Once I found scribbles in the index from a particularly troubled young man, as he's circled things he was searching for. He then lobbed it through the attic hatch in the bedroom, any idea why? I have also found them used as blocks to jack up the bed (Goodness only knows why!) and this offends me, that the Inspired word of God should be treated disrespectfully - if only those people could have its message revealed to them somehow. I was worried at first, if people nicked the books but the Gideons said they don't mind people stealing the books - they would rather see them used. I agree. I wish a few more of my naughty guests would get the message! Stella

Why not marry her? If this is the intended outcome of the relationship? That would make it all above board. If marriage is the goal, there are plenty of other ways to get to know your girlfriend when you

Yes, let's give the Glory to God in every situation, lest we destroy Christian friendships. Don't let the Devil get a foothold in our fellowship and relationships. Reminds me of a SONG that I learned at High School: "I met Jesus at the Crossroads, where the two ways meet. Satan he was standing there and he said come this way, Lots and lots of goodies I will give to you today. But I said NO, there's Jesus here, just see what He offers me: Down here my sins forgiven, up there a home in Heaven, Praise God that's the way for me, so Get thee behind me Satan, Get thee away I'll have nothing more to do with you today, so Get thee behind me Satan, Get thee away. I'm gonna be a Christian Soldier and I'm learning how to pray Yes I'm gonna be a Christian Soldier and I'm learning how to pray." You'll have to mail me for the tune - it's quite catchy! I remembered it for 30 years! Wrong! Don't do it! Mind over matter again, with Holy help.

Can forgivness be instant? Yes of course it can How to do it? Recognising the mal-practice is a first major step - Well Done! You can forgive in hind sight, so can you now quit out the time lapse between the perceived offence and the forgiveness? In other words, stop sulking and bring forward your joyous return of peace with he/she/it. If you are offended; make your point politely, honestly and firmly, then drop it! The recipient will have got the message, without you prolonging any ill-feeling. If you can do this, it may help with temper-control, because, after all, this is all that a temper is - the delayed return of peace. We all still feel angry sometimes, consider whether, knowing the 'contributor', did they really mean it as nastily as you percieve? I doubt it! Why should anyone want to be nasty to you? Do you carry a guilt, and expecting pay-back on some human level? Remember that in Christian company, we don't (or try not to) operate on a human level, because we want the Holy Spirit to guide our every thought, word and action.

Question "what proof do you have that the promise of Salvation is yours?" My dramatically converted boyfriend says that Salvation has not taken place unless re-birth, and a transformation of character from the old nature to the new nature has taken place, but he still has some elements of the old nature in him. I don't doubt that he is saved, and that some of his sins, alcoholism and smoking, did disappear overnight (Praise God), but how do you explain remaining sins, such as violent temper, which I have suffered, but am currently relieved from? Is the answer that some sins take a while to work out of our lives through analysis and works of Grace, whilst others go immediately? Do we need more than one day to adjust to the reformed person's new character, if we are not used to it, as seeing is believeing. He withdrew his offer of marriage, the day after his temper left, because I was not yet used to the new him, as it had taken him three months to vacate after a visit without a fit of rage. This was a milestone indeed, but has already been broken, the only thing I was afraid of, in an otherwise loving courtship. Also how can you assess whether someone else has recieved Salvation, if there is no great transition of character? For example someone who has little obvious or subtle sins. My friend believes that God choses us and it is NOT a decision on our part, to follow Christ, and all the usual Gospel message: recognise our sin, repent of it, accept that Jesus died in our place, that we might go to Heaven and ask God into our lives, try to follow Him from our learning from His word, with the help of the Holy Sprit to guide us, and pray etc etc.... My boyfriend doubts my simple faith is Salvation - that's news to me after 30 years of knowing God in my life, but I'm willing to learn more still.