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Models who look like Jesus are in high demand in Utah. That’s because for a growing number of people in the state, a picture isn’t complete without Him. They are hiring Jesus look-alikes for family portraits and wedding announcements. Models are showing up to walk with a newly engaged couple through a field, play with young children in the Bonneville Salt Flats, and cram in with the family for the annual Christmas card.
Bob Sagers was walking around an indie music festival in Salt Lake City when a friendly stranger approached and asked for his number. “Has anyone ever told you that you have a Jesus look to you?” the man asked, according to Sagers, a 25-year-old who works as a cheesemonger at a grocery store. It wasn’t a pickup line—the man’s wife was an artist looking for religious models. “I didn’t really get that a lot,” says Sagers, who is 6-foot-5 with dirty-blonde, shoulder-length hair and a beard he says gives Irish and Scandinavian vibes. “I make for a pretty tall Jesus.”
And so it was that Sagers began a side hustle as a savior. Since being recruited about four years ago, Sagers has posed as Jesus nearly a dozen times. Others have done so far more often, charging about $100 to $200 an hour to pose with children, families, and couples at various locations in the Beehive state.
For the newly sought-after models, the job can be freighted with meaning and responsibility. Look-alikes find that people expect them to embody Jesus in more ways than the hair and beard. Some models said they feel like a celebrity when they don the robe—and get treated like one too. (One felt compelled to remind an onlooker he wasn’t the real Jesus.) Others said they’ve had their own semireligious experiences on the job.
Every follower of Jesus may not look like Jesus, but we are called to act like Jesus!
Source: Bradley Olson, “It Pays to Have Long Hair and a Beard in Utah—Jesus Models Are in Demand,” The Wall Street Journal (12-18-24)
Models who look like Jesus are in high demand in Utah. That’s because for a growing number of people in the state, a picture isn’t complete without Him. They are hiring Jesus look-alikes for family portraits and wedding announcements. Models are showing up to walk with a newly engaged couple through a field, play with young children, and cram in with the family for the annual Christmas card. Some charge between $100 to $200 an hour to pose with children, families, and couples at various locations.
For the sought-after models, the job can be freighted with meaning and responsibility. Lookalikes find that people expect them to embody Jesus in more ways than the hair and beard. Jai Knighton has posed as Jesus a number of times. He says, “portraying Jesus can be tricky.” One person who hired him wanted him to be “the most Christlike person you can be, or people will be able to tell through the photos that it’s not real.” Others were more relaxed, asking him to smile and enjoy himself.
Knighton said he tried to portray Jesus in a way that’s similar to how he is depicted in “The Chosen.” Knighton said, “Stoic Jesus is intimidating. A Jesus who smiles and pats you on the back is much more relatable.”
Christians should keep in mind that we represent Christ to those around us. What image of Jesus are you presenting?
Source: Bradley Olson, “It Pays to Have a Beard in Utah—Jesus Models Are in Demand,” The Wall Street Journal (12-19-24)
Changes in personality following a heart transplant have been noted pretty much ever since transplants began. In one case, a person who hated classical music developed a passion for the genre after receiving a musician’s heart. The recipient later died holding a violin case.
In another case, a 45-year-old man remarked how, since receiving the heart of a 17-year-old boy, he loves to put on headphones and listen to loud music — something he had never done before the transplant.
What might explain this? One suggestion could be that this is a placebo effect where the overwhelming joy of receiving a new lease on life gives the person a sunnier disposition. However, there is some evidence to suggest that these personality changes aren’t all psychological. Biology may play a role, too.
The heart transplant seems to be most commonly associated with personality changes. The chambers release peptide hormones which help regulate the balance of fluid in the body by affecting the kidneys. They also play a role in electrolyte balance and inhibiting the activity of the part of our nervous system responsible for the fight-or-flight response. The cells in charge of this are in the hypothalamus — a part of the brain that plays a role in everything from homeostasis (balancing biological systems) to mood.
So, the donor organ, which may have a different base level of hormones and peptide production from the original organ, could change the recipient’s mood and personality through the substances it releases.
We know that cells from the donor are found circulating in the recipient’s body, and donor DNA is seen in the recipient’s body two years after the transplant. This again poses the question of where the DNA goes and what actions it may have.
Whichever mechanism, or combination of mechanisms, is responsible, this area of research warrants further investigation so that recipients can understand the physical and psychological changes that could occur following surgery.
This phenomenon is still unproven medically, but what is certain is that before salvation each of us had a desperately sick heart (Jer. 17:9). But by the process of regeneration, God implanted a new heart (Ezek. 36:26, Ezek. 11:19; Psa. 51:10-12; 2 Cor 5:17). This gradually and radically changes a believer’s personality to reflect the Christlike qualities of a new nature (Eph. 4:22-24). With a new heart, a Christian will begin to show unconditional love, kindness, and forgiveness. They become less focused on themselves and exhibit simple acts of servanthood toward others.
Source: Adam Taylor, “How An Organ Transplant Can Change Your Entire Personality,” Inverse (5-15-24)
In August 2019, Marnus Labuschagne was drafted into the Australian Cricket Team unexpectedly as the first-ever concussion substitute in the history of international test cricket, replacing the injured Steve Smith. Labuschagne soon showed that he was no stop-gap sportsman as he quickly established his batting skills in international cricket. To date, he has scored 3767 test runs from 42 matches at the exceptional average of 54.59, placing him at number 20 on the all-time test average rankings. At present, he is the number five batsman in test cricket.
In spite of the unprecedented success, Labuschagne has earned a reputation for being a man who takes faith in Christ and prayer seriously. He has a sticker of an eagle on his bat, to highlight his favorite Bible verse, Isaiah 40:31.
In an interview for Season 2 of the documentary “The Test,” Marnus said, "Everyone knows cricket is a major part of my life, but the value of me as a person isn't in cricket - it's in my faith. I grew up with Christianity going back to when I was a kid, laying in my bed, praying every night."
He is also quoted as saying, "When I pray, I don't pray to win, just that I could perform at my best, and that all the glory will go to God, for whatever happens … win or lose." He further adds, "In the big scheme of things, what you're worth ... isn't out there on the pitch; It's internal and in Christ … Cricket is always going to be up and down. If you have (Jesus Christ as) a constant in your life, it makes life a lot easier."
Testimony; Witness - Marnus Labuschagne has clearly built his life and career on the words of Jesus - "But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well (Matt. 6:33).
Source: Andrew Prentice, “Cricket superstar Marnus Labuschagne explains the secret meaning of graphic on his bat as he opens up for the first time about his strict religious beliefs,” Daily Mail (1-9-23)
The popular series The Chosen features an actor named Jonathan Roumie. He has the audacious task of playing Jesus on the series. In an interview for The New York Times Roumie said:
Very often, I don’t feel worthy of playing Jesus. I struggle with that a lot. But I also acknowledge what God has done for my life as a result of playing Christ and how God has changed my life.
On set in Season 1 — it was the first time in the series where I actually started preaching directly from Scripture as Jesus — I was standing at a doorway looking onto a crowd of about 50 extras, dressed as people coming to hear the teacher. This overwhelming anxiety swept over me. I had to tell Dallas Jenkins, the creator of our show, “Hey, man, can we stop for a minute?” He said, “Why?” I said, “Because I don’t feel worthy to be saying these words right now.” He pulled me aside and said, “Listen, man, none of us are worthy to be here doing this, but God has chosen you and I and everyone else here to tell this story at this time. So, know that you are meant to be here.”
Source: Tish Harrison Warren, “He’s Not Jesus, but He Plays Him on TV,” The New York Times (4-2-23)
At one point, U.S. Men’s Soccer Team star Christian Pulisic was dropped from the starting lineup by head coach Gregg Berhalter. Pulisic said, “There were moments when he benched me and I wanted to kill the guy — I hated him, I was so angry. But then the next game comes along, and then I find myself in a better place. The way he handled a lot of situations, I have to give him a lot of credit.”
Pulisic said that he developed an understanding for Berhalter’s coaching methods during his first camp under the coach. In that camp, Pulisc suffered a slight injury. After getting a scan on the injury, Berhalter summoned Pulisic for a meeting. The coach suggested that the injuries may have happened because Pulisic wasn’t training with the intensity at which he played in games. Pulisic was taken aback at first, but eventually he took in the advice. He said:
It changed the way I look at training, even today. ... Listen, it wasn’t easy, and it took me a little while, but I said “Let me take this onboard,” and since then I’ve been in a much better place. It’s things like that. The way that he deals with players, you can tell he is passionate, and he cares about his players. He’s not going to tell you it easy, or what you want to hear, he is going to tell you what he feels is going to improve you.
Source: Paul Tonorio, “Christian Pulisic’s comments on Gregg Berhalter show a new willingness to be vocal,” The Athletic (3-17-23)
When a video of an American Airlines pilot scolding his passengers during a pre-flight announcement went viral, some people deemed it patronizing. Others are hailing the pilot’s speech as an example of strong leadership—at a time when passengers desperately need it.
In the video the pilot set some ground rules for his passengers—including what they should expect from their flight attendants, and how they should treat each other during the journey.
The pilot said, “Remember, the flight attendants are here for your safety. After that they’re here to make your flight more enjoyable. They’re going to take care of you guys but you will listen to what they have to say because they represent my will in the cabin, and my will is what matters.”
The pilot added: “Be nice to each other. Be respectful to each other. I shouldn’t have to say that ... But I have to say it every single flight, because people don’t. And they’re selfish and rude, and we won’t have it.” He told passengers to store their bags properly, avoid leaning or falling asleep on other people, and use headphones instead of playing audio out loud on speakers.
The speech—“a little bit of fatherhood,” as the pilot deemed it—serves as a counterpoint to a bevy of recent videos depicting outbursts aboard aircrafts. Airlines have seen a significant uptick in unruly passenger reports: nearly 2,500 in 2020 and 6,000 in 2021, compared to roughly 1,200 in 2019 and less than 1,000 in years prior, according to FAA data.
The FAA has referred more than 250 of those cases to the Federal Bureau of Investigations since 2021, a move reserved for particularly violent incidents.
Source: Ashton Jackson, “An airplane pilot went viral for scolding his passengers,” CNBC Make It (8-3-23)
The Starbucks at the CIA headquarters is not allowed to take names for orders. It’s not “business as usual” for the Starbucks franchise housed inside the CIA headquarters in Langley, VA. This particular store, code-named “Store Number 1,” operates much differently than their other 12,000+ stores in the U.S.—not surprising when it must accommodate clandestine spymasters working for the most powerful spy organization in the world.
This seller of skinny lattes and double cappuccinos is deep inside the agency’s forested Langley, Va., compound. Because the campus is a highly secured island, few people leave for coffee, and the lines can stretch down the hallway. Welcome to the “Stealthy Starbucks,” as a few officers affectionately call it.
Servers do not ask for the customer’s name (which they normally write on the coffee cup to expedite things), for undercover agents grow uncomfortable when someone asks for it. Even the receipts the baristas hand back have “Store Number 1” cryptically printed on them.
Each barista goes through a robust interview and background check before they are even told that they will be working at the CIA Starbucks. There are nine baristas working there and whenever they leave their work area, a CIA “minder” escorts them. All are regularly briefed about security risks and must report if someone seems overly interested in where they work or asks too many questions about their employment. They can’t even blow their own horns about working inside the CIA at nightclubs or parties and, if asked, can only tell friends, family members and acquaintances that they “work in a federal building.”
One barista said she has come to recognize people’s faces and their drinks. “There’s caramel-macchiato guy” and “the iced white mocha woman,” she said. “But I have no idea what they do. I just know they need coffee, a lot of it.”
1) Compromise; Hiddenness; Light of the World - Agents and even baristas must remain secretive and anonymous at CIA headquarters. But there should be no “undercover Christians” who follow this pattern in their daily lives. Christ wants no hidden Christians; he wants us to shine as lights and be bold and open in our testimony as his followers. 2) Accountability; Secrets; Secrecy – Christians must be open and accountable with one another; there should be no hidden areas of our lives that we conceal while pretending to be godly. 3) Persecution – Some are covert Christians who practice Christianity in secret, often because they fear persecution or discrimination because they live in countries where Christianity is illegal or heavily restricted.
Source: Adapted from Robert Morton, “The Starbucks coffeeshop inside the CIA- a top secret hangout for spies,” Medium (10/14/21); Emily Wax-Thibodeaux, “At CIA Starbucks, even the baristas are covert,” The Washington Post (9-27-14)
From 2015 through mid-2022, Jeffrey Kriv received 51 tickets, but paid only two. Kriv had become adept at beating his tickets in court by telling a particular story explaining his behavior. An investigation by Pro Publica found three specific recent examples:
Pro Publica found that he told a version of this story on at least 44 different occasions, without letting on that he himself worked as an officer for the Chicago Police Department. Kriv was repeatedly reprimanded for misconduct while on the job, including complaints filed by fellow officers. Prosecutors have charged Kriv with four counts of perjury and five counts of forgery. All counts are felonies and are for allegedly lying to judges under oath and providing fictitious police reports.
When we deceive others over a long period, we also deceive ourselves into thinking there will be no consequences for our behavior. But that too is a lie. Deeds done in darkness will eventually be exposed to light.
Source: Jodi Cohen, “This Cop Got Out of 44 Tickets by Saying Over and Over That His Girlfriend Stole His Car,” ProPublica (6-3-23)
When government officials in the state of Georgia decided to streamline the licensing process by allowing drivers to upload their own photos, they didn’t anticipate the unintended consequences. But recently, they decided to be a bit more, er, explicit in their instructions.
A recent Facebook post from the Georgia Department of Driver Services read, “Attention, lovely people of the digital era. Please take pictures with your clothes on when submitting them for your Digital Driver’s License and IDs.”
Because social media is often a domain for memes and practical jokes, people questioned whether the need for such clarification was warranted, but officials insisted they had indeed received a significant number of photos where the subjects were in various stages of undress. “It’s real, and it’s insane,” read one official response.
Still, the people responded with jokes and asked for more instructions: One wrote, “How much clothing? I feel like y’all are asking a lot in a vague way.” Others said, “I have questions … Enough to raid the fridge at midnight? Enough for a trip to Walmart? Brooks Brothers’ suit?”
In our social media age people expose every detail of life for wide consumption, but that's not how God intended us to live. Some things should remain private.
Source: Adriana Diaz, “Drivers urged to stop taking nude license photos: ‘Please wear clothes’,” New York Post (5-29-23)
A trio of Amazon delivery drivers are suing the e-commerce behemoth over poor working conditions. According to a 16-page suit in Denver District Court, the drivers allege that to keep pace with their expected delivery schedule they were required to urinate into bottles because the system gave them no time for adequate bathroom breaks. They claim the company is in violation of a Colorado law mandating employers provide paid rest breaks every four hours.
“Amazon operates this scheme through harsh work quotas and elaborate tracking and workplace surveillance technology,” reads the language of the suit. “[They] make it impossible for Amazon delivery drivers to fulfill basic human needs while on the job.”
Simone Griffin, a spokesperson for Amazon, offered a statement that appeared to contradict the claims in the lawsuit. Griffin said, “We want to make it clear that we encourage our Delivery Service Partners to support their drivers. That includes giving drivers the time they need for breaks in between stops, providing a list within the Amazon Delivery app of nearby restroom facilities and gas stations, and building in time on routes to use the restroom or take longer breaks.”
Ryan Schilling, one of the drivers behind the suit, said, “I fought for this country in Iraq, but I had an easier time going to the bathroom in a combat zone than I did while working for Amazon. I knew that if I tried to stop to go to a gas station, I'd get yelled at and maybe lose my job. What choice do Amazon drivers have?”
The workers are represented by Towards Justice and Public Justice and several other advocacy groups. On their behalf, Executive Director David Seligman said:
Workplace health and safety laws protect the right to reasonable bathroom access, but workers have suffered from underenforcement of those protections for decades. It's a moral abomination that in 2023, people working at one of the wealthiest and most powerful companies in the history of the world have to bring a change of clothes to work in case they pee themselves.
Scripture warns rich employers about predatory practices toward their workers. He will hold all such accountable for their actions.
Source: Editor, “Iraq War vet and two women among Colorado delivery drivers suing Amazon, saying they had to pee in bottles,” CBS News (5-29-23)
Olympic hopeful Hector Colon shares his journey from boxer to faith in Christ. Hector was born in Milwaukee, a first-generation Puerto Rican American. He was baptized and confirmed in the Catholic church and regularly attended Sunday Mass even when his mother stopped attending when he was nine. He writes:
Adam was my age at school, and he took an unpleasant interest in me. One of his favorite pastimes was following me around and taunting me, drawing on a vast arsenal of racial slurs he had evidently picked up from his father.
One day I came home crying with a bloody nose, and my father demanded to know what had happened. With a stony expression, he said, “The next time you see Adam, you will defend yourself. Then he’ll leave you alone.”
The very next day, my father marched me into the boxing gym. I was shown some basic combinations by my future coach and mentor, Israel “Shorty” Acosta. He turned to my father and said with conviction, “Héctor is a natural. He will become a champion.”
Shorty’s prediction was correct, and as a successful young boxer, I began traveling around the world representing the US national boxing team. But boxing slowly distanced me from church and my faith. And it entangled me in some unhealthy relationships. With my mother’s permission, he brought me into his own home to ensure I wouldn’t be surrounded by negative influences.
Thankfully, God reentered my life when I attended a Bible study in Colorado Springs. I found meaning and purpose through studying Scripture and enjoying fellowship with other men. When I got back home, I wanted to take my faith more seriously, but I was easily distracted.
During this time of contemplation, I began turning my gaze toward the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona. As a teenager, I was a seven-time US national champion, which made me the favored welterweight to represent my country. I was beyond excited. The Olympic trials pitted me against Jesse Briseno. When I lost, I was devastated—my dreams of Olympic glory had vanished.
I felt lost and rudderless, wondering what to do with my life. That’s when I started attending church and Bible studies again, and on December 27, 1992, I purchased my very first Bible. That same day, I gave my life to Jesus Christ.
As I began immersing myself in the life of the church, I continued to box. Eight months later, I stepped back into the ring with Briseno. This time I knocked him out in fewer than two minutes. The fight was televised, and the publicity landed Shorty and me on the cover of USA Boxing’s magazine, as well as the inside cover of Sports Illustrated. With all this attention, I once again considered turning professional.
At the same time, I was feeling conflicted. I found myself torn by a passage from 1 Corinthians: “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies” (6:19–20). I pictured myself in the ring hurting someone who was a temple of the Holy Spirit. I pictured endangering my own body and brain in a way that God had not intended. Was boxing compatible with the words of Scripture?
After a year of prayer and discernment, I left boxing behind. Walking away was the hardest decision I had ever made. I knew my choice let many people down, and I was devastated by the pain I caused Shorty. At the same time, I felt an overwhelming sense of joy and peace.
Leaving the ring also allowed me to form a family, pursue God with renewed vigor, and explore career opportunities better aligned with my faith. I’ll always be thankful to boxing for providing character-shaping structure and discipline when I needed it most. But only by giving myself to Christ did I discover a calling worthy of my utmost devotion.
Source: Hector Colon, “Sparring with the Holy Spirit,” CT Magazine (November, 2021) pp. 95-96
One of the most iconic attractions when visiting New York City is Times Square. Times Square stretches out over five blocks along Broadway and then spreads out several blocks covering the entire theater district. What draws tourists to the area is not only the world-class theaters but the city lights.
Times Square is lit up by arguably the largest concentration of electronic billboards on the planet. According to Con Edison, the Theater District estimated that peak consumption is around 161 megawatts at one time. To put that into perspective, that is enough energy to power 161,000 homes. That is twice the amount of electricity used in all the Casinos in Las Vegas! That's a lot of power!
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus calls his disciples to be salt and light; and collectively become that visible City on a Hill. When we connect to “his power" and gather as "his people" light will break through the darkness.
Source: Editor, “How Much Electricity is Used in Times Square,” New York Walkabouts (Accessed 11-19-21); Editor, “The Power To Light Up Times Square,” The World By Road (7-8-13)
The Washington Medical Commission has suspended the license of Scott Miller of Miller Family Pediatrics. The suspension was the culmination of an investigation launched after more than a dozen complaints about Miller were filed, all having to do with his conduct regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and/or treatment thereof.
Among them were allegations that Miller prescribed medicine without seeing patients, actively interfered with patient care in hospitals, and engaged in “a hostile and threatening public campaign against hospitals and doctors.” Complainants also alleged that Miller’s use of social media was also detrimental to general medical practice because of his disdain for masks. One complainant wrote, “He talked about the stupidity of people taking the pandemic seriously, then shared a barrage of antiquated or false information regarding COVID.”
Dire consequences result when people in positions of public trust act recklessly and put others at risk. Misconduct from leaders is judged more harshly because of their responsibility to do right in serving the community.
Source: Shari Phiel, “Washougal physician assistant’s license suspended over COVID actions,” The Columbian (10-15-21)
Do you ever wonder why house cats can climb up a tree, but they don't know how to get down the tree? Animal expert and autism advocate Temple Grandin has a theory. She claims, that at some point, mother cats teach kittens how to descend from a tree—just as they teach their young a great many other things that were once thought to be innate cat behavior, including how to hunt, bury their waste, deal with live prey, approach an unknown person or dog, and so forth.
Cats that get stuck in trees, the theory goes, are cats that were taken from their mothers before the lesson about getting out of trees could be taught. That is just a theory, but we do know from scientific studies that a great deal of animal behavior is learned behavior. It's not just instinctual. Scientific studies have been done on all kinds of animals—tigers, wolves, cheetahs, birds, lizards, fish, and even ants— and those studies show that animals learn how to be a particular kind of animal by watching, observing, and imitating their mothers, fathers, or other members of their animal group. They learn by imitation.
In the same way, we learn how to follow Jesus by watching and imitating other followers of Jesus.
Source: Mary Eberstadt, Primal Screams: How the Sexual Revolution Created Identity Politics (Templeton Press, 2019), page 92
Filmmaker Ken Burns won an Emmy for his nine-part PBS documentary Baseball. In the second episode set in the year 1900, the New York Giants traded for a 19-year-old rookie named Christy Mathewson. He became a two-time World Series champion and still ranks top ten all-time in wins, shutouts, and earned run average. He was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936.
The narrator refers to the Giants manager:
John McGraw may have championed the old brawling brand of baseball, but his greatest star was Christy Mathewson, a pitcher with a record for clean play so spotless that his wife once felt that she had to defend him, by saying that while he was a good man, he was no goodie goodie.
A writer then speaks to the camera: “He was so virtuous he would not give interviews to sportswriters who he heard cheated on their wives.
At a time when many professional players were gamblers and brawlers, Mathewson stood in contrast. The narrator says: “He was the perfect hero for his age. Sportswriters and fans across the country called him ‘The Christian Gentleman.’ No one did more to improve the reputation of the baseball player.”
Philadelphia Athletics manager Connie Mack said, “He set a high moral code. He was (praised) by churches, ministers used his career as sermon topics, and he gave dignity and character to baseball.”
Source: Ken Burns, “Baseball: Part 2, Something Like War,” PBS (September, 2010); Bob Gaines, Christy Mathewson, the Christian Gentleman, (Rowman & Littlefield, 2014), p. 4.
Sam Allberry writes in an article for the Gospel Coalition:
A friend of mine has a little motto thing on the wall of her office, one of these little sayings that someone has printed out prettily and put a frame around. And it says this: “Those who hear not the music, think the dancer is mad.”
It’s true. If you watch a music video and you take away the volume, it looks ridiculous. There’s a lot of strutting. A lot of pouting. You put the sound back on and it does begin to make a bit of sense.
Jesus is our music, but it is unheard by the world. The world sees our worship, our service, our sanctified lives, our joy, but to them our behavior is “mad.”
Source: Sam Allberry, “Does God Still Love Me If I’m Gay?” The Gospel Coalition (7-25-21)
If you were casting a modern-day David from the Old Testament, he may be portrayed by Hollywood actor Matthew McConaughey. Matthew is truly a man after God's own heart. Matthew has been rocking the waves of social media and TV since his Academy Award speech in 2014 when he thanked God as he received his Oscar.
Most recently, he was standing on the stage at church. That's right, Matthew McConaughey reads Scripture from the Bible at church and it wasn't about performing. It was about the body of Christ and all the different moving parts of the precious body.
The church audience sat in the silence of hushed whispers as Matthew read God's Word as if it were a profound story. The actor didn't bring any attention to himself. Rather, he highlighted the message of how each of us is needed.
He's never tried to hide his faith in Christ even though he is one of the bigger names in Hollywood, a place often chastising Christian values. But the actor takes it all in stride, knowing that God is the author and perfecter of his faith.
Source: Heather Riggleman, “Actor Matthew McConaughey At Church Steps On Stage To Read From The Bible And It’s Powerful,” GodUpdates.com (5-28-21)
The first footprints put on the moon will probably be there a long, long time—maybe almost as long as the moon itself lasts. Unlike on Earth, there is no erosion by wind or water on the moon. Nothing gets washed away.
Since the Moon has no atmosphere, it is exposed to the solar wind, a stream of charged particles coming from the sun, and over time this acts almost like weather on Earth to scour surfaces on the moon, but the process is very, very slow. The footprints left behind by astronauts on the moon could last 10 to 100 million years.
We all leave behind lasting “footprints” in life. Where we go, what we accomplish, the influence we have on others, these are the permanent legacy that we leave behind us. Let us be careful with the lasting footprints we leave.
Source: Staff, “How Long Do Footprints Last on the Moon? Space.com (Accessed 6/1/21)
Demi Lovato and the Australian singer/songwriter Sam Fisher recently collaborated on a piece titled “What Other People Say” that reveals this generation's realization that living for the affirmation of others cannot fill the void in our heart.
Some of the lyrics from the radio edit of the song:
Thought when I grew up
I would be the same as the ones who gave me my last name
I would not give in, I would not partake
In the same old drugs everyone else takes
I'm better than that, I'm better than that
I'm living my life so I go to heaven and never come back
But look where I'm at, look where I'm at
I'm living the life that I said I wouldn't, I wanna go back
I used to call my mom every Sunday
So she knew her love wasn't far away
But now I'm all messed up out in LA
'Cause I care more about what other people say
I used to not take chances with God's name
But it's been so long since I last prayed
And now I'm all messed up and my heart's changed
'Cause I care more about what other people say
The song so resonated with Lovato she shared, "When I first heard this song, I cried. These lyrics resonate so much with me and are super meaningful. This song is a reflection on what it's like to lose who you truly are in an effort to please other people and society."
Fischer added, "'What Other People Say' is a confession, realizing how far away you can get from who you are in an effort to be liked. It’s about the pressures of society and how getting caught up with the wrong things can change you."
Source: Sam Fisher and Demi Lovato, "What Other People Say," Spotify (2021)