A Christian Running for President in a 90% Muslim Country in Africa

We have a friend named N. Yeah Samake. He is from a village called Ouelesseebougou in Mali. Mali is a landlocked country in West Africa. They call it Sub-Saharan because it is just below the Sahara Desert. It is hot most of the time, with temperatures often reaching 120 degrees Fahrenheit. (Over 48 degrees Celsius). As a child growing up with 17 siblings, his father insisted that the children would get an education to help them break out of the cycle of poverty. Even though there were many, many times he and his family went to bed hungry, all of the children received an education and are now enjoying the fruit of their labors. Yeah is now a well-respected Mayor there.

He moved to the United States at the beginning of this millennium to complete his graduate level university studies. Fairly soon upon arriving to the United States, he converted to Christianity. His family remains Muslim, but he and his wife are Christian. His family and his countrymen are supportive of his religious choice. 

In 2011, Mayor Samake announced that he would run for President in Mali in 2012. The election is on April 29, 2012. He has many large groups of young people who are anxious for him to win because his platform includes transparency and integrity. He also has the endorsement of many other mayors in Mali. I have heard people in the USA tell him "I wish you could run for President here!" He wants to help his fellow countrymen raise their country from poverty up to the level of an emerging nation.

Samake will be the first to tell you that he cannot do this alone. If you feel motivated by his courage and leadership ability, please consider reading more about him at http://samake2012.com . You can also follow him on Facebook and Twitter @YeahSamake and @TeamSamake Another place to read about what is going on in Mali is through Yeah's wife's blog at http://firstladymali2012.com . She even has Bambara lessons in her blog! (In Mali, they speak Bambara, French, and some English.)

Of course, donations are welcome. Most importantly, your prayers on Mayor Samake's behalf and the behalf of his country's citizens are very welcome. Luke 1:37 says that "with God, nothing shall be impossible." I believe that - and I know you do, too. 

Pronunciation guide:

YAY SAHM uh kay = Yeah Samake

Way lay say BOO goo = Ouelesseebougou

MAH lee = Mali

Thank you for reading and thank you for your prayers!

Jesus Christ is the Literal Son of God, Our Heavenly Father

Around the world yesterday, we celebrated one of the greatest events of the history of the planet. We celebrated the birth of the literal son of God, Our Heavenly Father. God loved us, so he sent his only begotten son. With a mortal mother and an immortal father, Jesus is the only one who could overcome death and pave the way for all of us. This was done because of love for each and every one of us.

When you read this and you feel a special feeling, this is your spirit recognizing that it is reality in an eternal perspective. The Holy Spirit is there to testify to you of all things that are true according to God's truth.

With faith, go forward. Act on all things that bring you to Jesus Christ. He wants to be your advocate. When you have made mistakes in the past, Jesus Christ steps forward to offer mercy which satisfies justice. This is true, but difficult to understand why it has to be this way. That is where our faith comes into play. In the next week or so, I will be posting some thoughts about repentance, if you would like to check back.

My heart is full as I write this. I feel like I am writing this for somebody who is really searching for information about Jesus. If it is you, dear reader, know that Jesus does live this day and He looks forward to a reunion with you. Please live worthy of His presence, so this can happen. Do good wherever you live and talk to God, Our Father in Heaven. Close your prayer "in the name of Jesus Christ." It will be sure to be heard.

With love.

What If We Could Love One Another?

What if we all got along? What if we were able to "love one another" as Jesus told us to do? What would this world be like?

We have each been given the power to choose for ourselves how we will manage our thoughts, feelings and actions. Sometimes we don't feel like we have choices, but we always have a choice. We must be brave and choose to love our fellow man, even in the face of hatred and fear. If we can love one another, the world will become a better place.

While we are choosing our actions, we should consider how our actions will affect others. Will they have a positive impact or a negative impact? Will our actions cause a ripple effect?

We can always ask Heavenly Father for the guidance of the Holy Spirit. If we close this prayer "in the name of Jesus", we can rest assured that our prayer was heard by the great God who is Our Father in Heaven.

In following Jesus, we can become a loving soul.  The world can be healed.

Today I Was Robbed

Today I was meeting my sister for lunch. I set my phone on the table. I quickly placed my order at the counter. When I came back to the table, just a few feet away, my phone had been lifted.

Yes, it was my fault. I should not have set it down. I figured I was in a busy restaurant in an area with a very low crime rate. Now I know: It doesn't matter where I am, I will not set my phone down in public.

I am so pleased that in spite of being upset by the feeling of being robbed, that I was able to think of the thief. I said a quiet prayer that the Lord would soften his or her heart and my phone might somehow miraculously be returned. With it being so close to Christmas, I figured someone needed some cash. My hopes were not very high, but I trusted that the Lord had heard my prayers.

After having the phone deactivated, I headed home. When I opened my computer to change all my passwords, I discovered a note on my Facebook. Someone had found my phone and they were trying to return it to me. I got it back about an hour later.

Not only was I reminded that God does hear our prayers, but I was able today to pray for the sinner and hope he or she would repent and return my phone. I am grateful that his (her) heart was softened.