Heartbeat Press - July 2024 Edition

 Pro-Life Spiderman - A Unique Perspective On A Cause

    The wind whistled past Maison's ear as he reached up to find his next rung of support a full arm's length above his head. Feeling the chilly air pick up speed all around him, he found that next grip quickly but carefully, and pulled himself up to meet it face to face before settling firmly into a stabilizing position: feet planted wide apart, knees steady but not locked, shoulders squared with the rest of his body. In this position, perched atop a skyscraper hundreds of feet above the ground, Maison took a moment to self-assess, body and mind. 

    His fingers were sore. Not horribly so but enough to be noticeable. Realizing this, Maison chuckled to himself. He'd never get used to it. Even after years in this extreme sport, repeatedly exercising the muscles in his hands to cling to small edges for extended periods of time, his hands still cramped at the halfway point of these long ascents, leaving him with a reminder of his own limitations. Limitations he was constantly pushing because he couldn't be satisfied staying stagnant. Logically, Maison knew he would one day reach the end of his ability - a place or skill he just couldn't move past - but he quietly hoped that end would come slowly and only after years of work. After all, he had so much more he wanted to do that just couldn't happen on the ground. Not that any of that mattered now. Maison never liked thinking about the limits of what he could do and up here, at the top of the world, there was no time to dwell on it. Not with his most recent goal so close at hand.

    Banishing dread and the feeling of burning muscles from his mind, Maison looked straight up to see endless blue sky and big fluffy clouds sailing by in the buffeting wind. Another hand hold, identical to the one he now clung to, was almost within reach, as was the next one, and the one after that. "Less than half way to go," he thought. With a final push he would be at the top, his goal would be reached, and a woman would get the help she so desperately needed. But it all relied on his ability to make it all the way up. 

    Steadying himself for the final leg of the journey, Maison chanced a glance down. He wasn't afraid of heights (his task would be physically impossible if he was), but it never ceased to amaze him just how high up his was every time he made a climb. Pedestrians (hundreds of yards below) looked like ants, fire trucks and police cars (all here for him) sat miniature-sized with their flashing lights resembling tiny battery-operated Christmas toys, and even sky scrapers that matched the one he hung from looked small as he watched their floors climb into the sky alongside the identical ones next to him. 

    Up here, in a place only birds and planes could fly and only God could walk, all of it was so small, unimportant. It struck Maison just how miniscule the whole world seemed when compared to his reason for being up here. Maison smiled to himself as he turned his gaze from the ground to look up at the sky once more. That reason was bigger than anything going on on the ground and it was bigger than him. He was just a tiny part of a bigger cause, doing what he could with what he had been given but, as Maison reached up to grab his next hand hold in pursuit of his goal, he couldn't help but be a little proud of the unique part he had been given to play in God's bigger picture. 

    Maison DesChamps, aka Pro-Life Spiderman (first covered by Heartbeat Press for the In the News section of our March 2024 Edition), has been professionally free climbing for years but only began applying his talent to his Pro-Life beliefs in 2023. He's a hero to some and an agitator to others, but one thing is certain: he has wholeheartedly taken up the calling that God has put on his life, as well as the courage of his superhero namesake. 

    Routinely climbing incredibly tall structures, including the Salesforce Tower, the Ritz-Carlton, and the Las Vegas Sphere, to raise the public's awareness of Pro-Life work, DesChamps also performs his stunts to raise money for expectant mothers in need through the Pro-Life charity Let Them Live. He's never fallen, has plans to climb again, and has been arrested several times. But even that has not caused DesChamps to waver in his mission because he recognizes that he has been given a powerful calling and a unique position from which to proclaim the simple truth that, Life is Precious And Worth Protecting.

    Despite his superhero status, DesChamps has never failed to give glory to God (most notably while live streaming from the top of the Las Vegas Sphere during Superbowl weekend), demonstrating that saving life is a mission that goes far beyond a group or one man's ability. It's God's prerogative that we have all been graciously gifted a part in. We just need to be brave enough to take up the task, be it on the ground, in the air, or somewhere in-between. 

Sources: NPR.org, YouTube.com

Photo Credit: LuLu on Pinterest 

Heartbeat Press - June 2024 Edition

Taking Up the Call - Stepping Out In God's Plan    

    Heartbeat Press is two years old! While I am unsure how that happened, I can say that the past two years of work, monthly publications, and news-updating have been a joy and an invaluable experience that I have been blessed to share with all of you. Heartbeat Press was born out of newly-opened eyes and a growing and unshakable conviction that I wasn't doing enough to live my Pro-Life beliefs. While I have, in a sense, always been Pro-Life (having grown up in a Christian home) and would like to think my stance on the life v. death issues was strong and clear, at the beginning of 2022 I had begun to realize that even that solid foundation meant absolutely nothing if I didn't build on it with real action. Yet I didn't know where to start. 

    I began mulling the problem over in my mind and, more importantly, I began asking God what He wanted me to do for the Pro-Life movement. I knew the "basic" projects I could participate in (marching in front of Planned Parenthood, donating to mother in need, etc.) but even those laudable efforts felt incomplete as I grappled with the growing sense that I could do much more, that God had given me something specific to do in the fight for life that hadn't been revealed to me just yet. 

    And then it struck me, minutes after reading about the D.C. Five (later covered by Heartbeat Press in our June 2023 Edition), when the news first broke in April 2022. The story outraged me as it starkly displayed the horror of abortion, only to be ignored by hundreds of people who preferred to uphold convenient injustice instead of facing painful truth. I found that I couldn't stay silent on the issue and, as my heart broke for the five murdered children, it also felt a God-spoken call to use my writing ability to shed light on it and many other injustices. Here was my part in the fight for life: a powerful, prearranged ability that God had given me and now asked that I use to do His work. I barely knew what I was doing, but I began to type stories and, just as God intended, the rest became history that I just needed to run with. 

    It is not lost on me how gracious the Lord has been in my life: answering my request for a revelation, giving me the ability to put down His words, and granting me ample time to focus on the work. But I also want to note that, thought my story is a blessed one, it is no different than what any one of yours could be. The Lord has placed within everyone (every single on of you) the exact same, powerful, earth-shaking calling to Pro-Life work. You may not know what the specifics look like yet, but I urge you to seek them out because they are there and eagerly await you diligence. Begin asking God what He would have you do because, as I wrote at the beginning of this edition, sideline support is easy but, when it comes to such an important issue, it is simply not enough, no matter how concerned someone is. Action has to be taken for, though sentiments are stirring, steps are what change the world and those steps are what the Lord has called us to. 

    Even as you begin, it is all right to be afraid. Standing up against a juggernaut like abortion is not easy and, in our day and age, the work is often thankless and heartbreaking. But the Lord never gives anyone a calling they cannot carry. His confidence that you are the right person to take up your part of the fight for life speaks to His care and, more so, His promise that He has and will continue to orchestrate every moment of your life and will be with you in your battles until their completion - a completion He has already put in place and is proud of you for. The Lord does not make errors. Not in your life or in the lives of anyone else. If, as Pro-Lifers believe, no child is a mistake, then the Lord's confidence in you isn't either. He only asks that we trust Him enough to enter into the work He has perfected us for. 

    Know also that you are not alone in your search for a call or your Pro-Life convictions. Thousands of Pro-Lifers have gone before you (conviction, bravery, fears and all) and thousands of others will come after you. Our fight is a fight of millions, made up of God's strengthened people, each with the same pin prick of a calling on their hearts that has (or will) lead them to do powerful things in the name of the God who gave them life and now asks that we offer that same chance to a million others. We've been given a mission. One not lightly shirked and wholly worth the effort.

    The fate of tomorrow is built on our work today. The work does not need to be big and bold, loud and bossy. Instead, the work is whatever God has perfectly readied each of us for alongside Pro-Lifers from yesterday, today, and tomorrow. But we must take up our individual callings with dedication now. There will be no better time than today, so join me in taking that step (your first and my next) towards saving tomorrow...one God-orchestrated moment at a time. 

Sources: Heartbeat Press: June 2023 Edition 

Photo Credit: Alliance Bernstein.com 

God is in Control

I think that it's safe to say that the world has changed quite drastically in the last few weeks. Due to panic and overwhelming fear, many people have isolated themselves from the rest of the world; the rest of us have been forced to isolate. The world is an unpredictable mess right now and I think that everybody feels like they've entered an inescapable tailspin. Who would have thought that the first few months of 2020 would see the whole world crippled by one virus, who could have predicted that humans would fight over things as meaningless as toilet paper and hand sanitizer, and who would have known that fear could rule our lives so completely?

No human could have predicted that any of this was going to happen, but one powerful God did predict it. God, the king of the whole universe, the creator of all things, did see this current, all-consuming crisis coming. He saw it coming from three thousands miles away, he orchestrated the events leading up to this current time, and - believe it or not - he's still in control of the situation even now; he's holding the ropes for us. Our natural human reaction to unplanned problems in panic; when something doesn't go our way, our emotions take over and can blind us to the reality of the situation. Because of this, I think that we've all forgotten that God is in control of this situation; he is in total control of everything in his universe, including our lives and the circumstanses that weigh upon us. It can be hard to remember this, especially when we are in the midst of a crisis or suffering. But, in the end, it doesn't matter if you did remember because God will always be in control no matter what humans do or don't do.

John 13:7 says, "Jesus answered him, 'What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterwards you will understand.'" Please keep this verse in mind, at all times, but especially in the coming weeks. The world is upside down and we can't see what the future holds, but this verse can be a constant reminder that God does have a plan; he knows that something wonderful will eventually come out of our temporary struggles. That is why he brought us into this in the first place; he knows that there is a greater glory to be had after a little sorrow. HE KNOWS WHAT HE'S DOING!! He will hold us until the end; we only need to have the patience and faith to let him fulfill his work.


Photo Credit: LC3 Life Blog

To the Caribbean and Back Part 2

I want you to take a close look at these two pictures and tell me what you see. At first glance, they might seem basically the same. Both have the same people in them, everyone is wearing the same smiles, and everyone looks the same. Aside from different clothing and a different location, there is nothing hugely different about these two pictures. But the truth is there is a difference, a rather astounding one. A difference that not everyone can spot but which makes a huge difference once you see it.

Now before you start doubting your childhood I Spy skills, I will tell you that the difference isn't actually visible in either picture. The only difference between the two pictures is the thoughts and attitudes of the people in them. The first picture was taken a few months before we all went to Trinidad and the second was taken the last day of the trip. In that time, everyone changed drastically, not in appearance but in mind and soul. Our trip to Trinidad changed all of us, hopefully for the better.

In all honesty, as I stepped onto our first plane in Green Bay three weeks ago, I thought that my life was ending. Up until the night before the Trinidad Team left, it hadn't hit me that we were leaving the US and going to another country to do missions work. Of course, I knew that this was the plan the entire time, but before that last night my mind just hadn't comprehended what we were doing. As soon as I realized this, though, I felt terrible. I began to panic and wondered if I would be up to the challenge. I was certain that I would hate the experience and that I would come home shell-shocked and absolutely drained. If you read my other blog you know that I have wanted to do missions work for a long time now. But three weeks ago I began to wonder if missions really was the right path for me. I was terrified that I would step off the plane into Trinidad and instantly know that missions wasn't for me. I had no idea what I would do if that happened. But there was nothing I could do about the trip at that point so I took a deep breath and resigned myself to my "horrible fate."

And I am happy to say that I survived. Not only did I survive, but I had perhaps the best experience of my life. Throughout the entire week, God began working on my heart; he removed all the negativity I got on the plane with, he opened my eyes to the endless possibilities for ministry in Trinidad, and he helped me realize that the world really is a big place with limitless adventures to go on.

In Trinidad, the team got the opportunity to try so many different things. We prepared food for the homeless and helped pass it out, we joined in worship with the Trini people during a three-night youth group that we helped to lead, and we were able to visit with and pray for a few people at a local hospital. With every new day and every new experience, my heart grew more and more attached to Trinidad. I felt a kindred spirit with the Trinidad team and the Trinis we worked with during the week. I had never felt more at home in a situation before. Even though I had had doubts, and even though I was afraid that missions wasn't right for me, God knew what he had planned for me. A passion for missions which had only been a tiny spark sprung to life as a blazing hot fire, igniting something within me. Over the course of our week in Trinidad, I learned so many things about myself and my team; we all grew to love each other and we all consider ourselves family now. I know now that none of this would have happened if I hadn't gone on the trip and I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to go.

So much happened over the course of one week. I have so many stories to tell and I wish I could fit them all into this blog post. But I think that if I tell one story at a time it will be more interesting. And it will give my readers something to look forward to. The world is a vast, open, wonderful place. I can't wait to tell you all about my adventures in it.


Photo Credit: Denise Wadzinski, Jeff Hollenbeck

Trust

Trust: a very simple word.

But many humans struggle with this very simple concept. Why is that?

The short answer is our need to be respected, but let's explore this a little further. Every person has the inner need to be respected and listened to; it is our human nature, and trust seems to undermine this. When you trust someone, whether it is with something small like a family cat or something huge like your life, you put your trust in this person and by doing such you are putting your respect on the line, personally and in other people.

People are afraid to do this because, as humans in a sinful world, we cannot bring ourselves to sacrifice our self respect. If the person you trusted breaks that trust, you blame them at first, but then when the shock wears off, you begin to blame yourself for giving up your trust and having it smashed. This is why we as humans have trouble trusting.

In conclusion, trust is hard because it goes against our nature. But stretching ourselves is a good thing and this, too, is human nature. You would think these two things would contradict each other, and, honestly, I don't have the answer to this question. But why don't you think about this for yourself: trust can always be explored and should be.

It's all about trust.

Lets Follow His Dream

"I have a dream that one day my four children will not be judged by the the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today!"

On that day, August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. spoke the hopes of every civil rights campaigner in America. And not long after, civil rights were granted. But why then do we still classify people "black" or "white?" We all say that race has nothing to do with our reservations towards someone. Is that so? Do you stare as someone black walks past? Women, do you hold your purse a little more tightly? That is an insult! If you say you don't  care about race but still classify color, you are destroying everything Martin Luther King Jr. died for.

Let us come together as brothers and sisters of liberty. The human race can bind together and scrub out every bit of racism in our great country. It will take time and it won't be easy but we can do it as Americans!

I will end this post with a quote from Martin Luther King Jr.'s I have a dream speech: "I have a dream that this nation will rise up and live up to the full meaning of its dream. I have a dream that one day on the red hills of glory the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will sit together at the table of brotherhood. Let freedom reign!"

Let us live by and follow his dream.

Photo Credit: Scott Ableman

God's Power

The world is full of wonders big and small. Our God is so creative, he knew the exact place our planet had to be so it wouldn't burn up or freeze. And yet he also made every little cell in your body. The universe as we know it is unending but it is still a tiny speak in God's giant hand. And as small as you are in this world, God still sees, knows, cares about, and loves YOU. Never in a million years would you be able to create a world so intricate that every leaf is like its own little factory. But God did it in only seven days. With a world so big to us, do you ever wonder how God can even see you? Well, he can because he's inside of you twenty-four-seven. Isn't it amazing to know that a God big enough to to hold the universe in place is inside of you? He has so much power that it's impossible to fathom how much he has. But aren't you glad that when you believe in him all this power is inside of YOU?

Photo Credit: Thangaraj Kumaravel

In Your Darkest Hour

You will feel down at times, Feeling like you hit rock bottom. You sit and wait - wait for a light to shin, wait for your spirit to pick up. In your darkest hour, God will reach into your misery, pull you out, and comfort you. Just reach up and find him. He'll always be there, you may not hear him all the time, you may even think he's not there at all. But when you just can't go any further cry out for him. You'll hear him, soft voice in your heart comforting you, telling you to go on. And you will know no matter how soft his voice is he will always be there to catch you.


Photo Credit: Dr.Wendy Longo

Frizzle, Frazzle

Some days you're just out of sorts. You spill the milk at breakfast; you step in a puddle and get your favorite jeans dirty; you yell at your close friend when you don't mean to. When days like this happen you wish you could just go back to bed. But God has a plan for those Frizzle, Frazzle Days. Maybe your life need something to shake you up because you were stuck in the same old routine. Maybe you just needed to be taught a lesson for a wrong deed you did. No matter what the cause, even if you never find out why, God has a plan for those Frizzle, Frazzle Days.



Photo Credit: Becky Wetherington

Learning from Your Mistkes

We all make mistakes. We say the wrong thing, we give the wrong impression. All of these are part of life. Making mistakes is embarrassing - we blush or go white - but one thing you can be sure of; you'll never make that mistake again; Mistakes are there to teach us how to do things without hurry, to make us see that we're the same as everyone else. Like a bird learning to fly, you will fail many times but you will learn from your mistakes unless you keep trying. You may blush when you make a mistake, but a wise person knows that it is always smarter to brush it off and learn from your mistakes.


Photo Credit: Julia Wagner

Friendship

Friendship is a thing someone should always be able to depend on through sun or rain, valley or mountain. If a person should lose a friend , they have lost a part of themselves which is hard to replace. But the ultimate friendship is the one we have in Jesus; he will be there for you no matter what. All you have to do is ask him to be your best friend and he will accept. No matter what other friends do, he will hold your hand and give it a reassuring squeeze when you need it.




Photo Credit:Angela Marie Henriette