New Century; Same Old Story

In His graciousness, God has blessed us to enter a new century. When you look back on the years and experiences you had in the last century, you probably wonder why you did not lose your mind. When you think about some of the traumas and extreme challenges you had to contend with, you know you should have had a breakdown or been confined to the rubber room.

But God opened doors for you that no man could shut. He made ways out of no ways. He was your shoulder to cry on, your counselor to vent your troubles to, and your comforter when you needed to grieve. He was your strength when you were weak and wanted to stop in your tracks, your peace in chaos, your protector when enemies rose up against you and your courage when you wanted to throw in the towel.

So we enter a new century, but what does that mean? Reality insist that we accept the high probability that this century will greatly resemble the last in terms of trouble, murders, drugs, hate, death, and mishaps. Evil is just as present today as it was yesterday. Satan is still the prince of this world. We are well aware that even in this 21st century, man's inhumanity to man will continue; we will treat each other badly and bring each other down. Even in this 21st century, we will be victims of racism, sexism, jealousy, envy, hatred, malice, oppression, and all kinds of abuse. Even in this 21st century, we will still have to cope with physical illness and handicaps; traffic accidents and freak accidents and accidents of nature.

The truth of the matter is plain. If we are going to make it through, we are going to need that same source of power that got us through our previous years. God's power! It really does not matter what lies ahead in the days ahead, rest assured, God knows and has it all under His divine control. I rest in the knowledge that everything is proceeding in accordance with His divine purpose and will however things may appear.

Rev. Saundra L. Washington, D.D., is an ordained clergywoman, social worker, and Founder of AMEN Ministries. http://www.clergyservices4u.org She is also the author of two coffee table books: Room Beneath the Snow: Poems that Preach and Negative Disturbances: Homilies that Teach. Her new book, Out of Deep Waters: A Grief Healing Workbook, will be available soon.

MORE RESOURCES:

Spirituality, not religion, makes kids happy - MSNBC

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0i-0fd=Rurl=http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2009/01/08/Study_Spirituality_adds_happiness_to_kids/UPI-29251231432957/cid=1291356726ei=x9tnSfbPCYKQNaDm0J0Musg=AFQjCNGB_gIfjF7doED0NmD6LUaPwZjHzwimg src=http://nt0.ggpht.com/news?imgefp=9OTPlmLnFIkJimgurl=photos.upi.com/story/w/581d1c0de05f1e7d190c1383bccc77ee/Study_Spirituality_adds_happiness_to_kids.jpg width=80 height=55 alt= border=1brfont size=-2United Press International/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0-0fd=Rurl=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28579289/cid=1291356726ei=x9tnSfbPCYKQNaDm0J0Musg=AFQjCNHv14b3e6H9o5EHNmHyvXHkBRIZSAbSpirituality/b, not religion, makes kids happy/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMSNBCnbsp;-/font nobr4 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By LiveScience staff The link between bspirituality/b and happiness is pretty well-established for teens and adults. More bspirituality/b brings more happiness. b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0-1fd=Rurl=http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2009/01/08/Study_Spirituality_adds_happiness_to_kids/UPI-29251231432957/cid=1291356726ei=x9tnSfbPCYKQNaDm0J0Musg=AFQjCNGB_gIfjF7doED0NmD6LUaPwZjHzwStudy: bSpirituality/b adds happiness to kids/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrUnited Press International/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1291356726hl=ennobrall 4 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Van Morrison takes listeners on his spiritual journey - Los Angeles Times

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/1i-0fd=Rurl=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/music/la-et-morrison9-2009jan09,0,7244840.story%3Ftrack%3Drsscid=1291214235ei=x9tnSfbPCYKQNaDm0J0Musg=AFQjCNGoyf5mlfkMsL-sINBvGzD8RHB-mwimg src=http://nt0.ggpht.com/news?imgefp=QEGmml6uThAJimgurl=www.latimes.com/media/photo/2009-01/44429821.jpg width=80 height=45 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Los Angeles Times/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/1-0fd=Rurl=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/music/la-et-morrison9-2009jan09,0,7244840.story%3Ftrack%3Drsscid=1291214235ei=x9tnSfbPCYKQNaDm0J0Musg=AFQjCNGoyf5mlfkMsL-sINBvGzD8RHB-mwVan Morrison takes listeners on his bspiritual/b journey/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fLos Angeles Times,nbsp;CAnbsp;-/font nobr20 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1I decided to end the show on a bspiritual/b note.quot; He said that whether the audience senses that bspirituality/b or not is almost incidental. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Google Launches quot;School of Spiritual Growthquot; [Perks] - Examiner.com

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Have chronic illness? Spirituality can help - Times of India

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A Spiritual Walk with Kathleen Norris - Beliefnet.com

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/4-0fd=Rurl=http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Christianity/2008/12/A-Spiritual-Walk-with-Kathleen-Norris.aspxcid=0ei=x9tnSfbPCYKQNaDm0J0Musg=AFQjCNFaFOzqMTM_AaEhgao87pjPE6q_fAA bSpiritual/b Walk with Kathleen Norris/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fBeliefnet.com,nbsp;NYnbsp;-/font nobr1 hour ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Best-selling author, poet, essayist and oblate Kathleen Norris talks to Beliefnet about her bspiritual/b life and her latest book #39;Acedia and Me#39;. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Best Life Week Spirituality 101 on Oprah - Examiner.com

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/5i-0fd=Rurl=http://chicagoist.com/2009/01/09/oprah_watch_best_life_ever.phpcid=1290671658ei=x9tnSfbPCYKQNaDm0J0Musg=AFQjCNE6kyIPRZXUM0rktdxTpo_HkB0MPwimg src=http://nt1.ggpht.com/news?imgefp=lYgsgjHewVwJimgurl=chicagoist.com/attachments/Ali%2520Trachta/2009_01_09oprahwatch1.jpg width=80 height=60 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Chicagoist/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/5-0fd=Rurl=http://www.examiner.com/x-1869-New-England-Fitness-Examiner~y2009m1d7-Best-Life-Week-Spirituality-101-on-Oprahcid=1290671658ei=x9tnSfbPCYKQNaDm0J0Musg=AFQjCNEDo9hHF5lm4uiON4cJqE8woaeeWQBest Life Week bSpirituality/b 101 on Oprah/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fExaminer.comnbsp;-/font nobrJan 8, 2009/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1by Jo Levy, New England Fitness Examiner Day 3 of Oprah#39;s Best Life Week was based on bSpirituality/b. You may want to ask me what bspirituality/b has to do with b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/5-1fd=Rurl=http://cbs4.com/entertainment/oprah.winfrey.best.2.901795.htmlcid=1290671658ei=x9tnSfbPCYKQNaDm0J0Musg=AFQjCNEUDkvukxNdPL6TiQCJgjFF-sDI_wDay 3: Oprah#39;s Best Life Week - bSpirituality/b/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrCBS 4/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/5-2fd=Rurl=http://www.bestsyndication.com/%3Fq%3D20090107_spirituality_101_coping_with_lifes_problems_best_life_week_oprah_winfrey_show.htmcid=1290671658ei=x9tnSfbPCYKQNaDm0J0Musg=AFQjCNFi4iT1TPd1Y4ymO7cBI6DYpCttfAbSpirituality/b 101 – Job, Money, Family – Oprah’s Best Life Week on b.../b/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrBest Syndication/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/5-3fd=Rurl=http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_tv_tvblog/2009/01/oprahs-best-lif.htmlcid=1290671658ei=x9tnSfbPCYKQNaDm0J0Musg=AFQjCNGXcTiKGRvshmt7MjUdgNujVQVrWQOprah#39;s Best Life Week continues with bspirituality/b advice, Suze b.../b/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrThe TV Guy/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1 class=pa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/5-4fd=Rurl=http://chicagoist.com/2009/01/09/oprah_watch_best_life_ever.phpcid=1290671658ei=x9tnSfbPCYKQNaDm0J0Musg=AFQjCNE6kyIPRZXUM0rktdxTpo_HkB0MPwnobrChicagoist/nobr/a/fontbr/font class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1290671658hl=ennobrall 22 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Baptist Seminary to Become First Protestant School to Offer Ph.D ... - Christian Post

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/6-0fd=Rurl=http://christianpost.com/Education/Theology/20090109/baptist-seminary-to-become-first-protestant-school-to-offer-ph-d-in-spirituality/cid=1291435326ei=x9tnSfbPCYKQNaDm0J0Musg=AFQjCNGtVjsMgJj-Fe5Ck_cQNALoxq4HaABaptist Seminary to Become First Protestant School to Offer Ph.D b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fChristian Postnbsp;-/font nobr8 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1quot;bSpirituality/b is one of the fastest-growing areas of theological education,quot; noted Don Whitney, senior associate dean of Southern#39;s School of Theology and b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

HICKMAN: #39;Shack#39; is full of spiritual sustenance - Attleboro Sun Chronicle

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/7-0fd=Rurl=http://www.thesunchronicle.com/articles/2009/01/09/columns/4160336.txtcid=0ei=x9tnSfbPCYKQNaDm0J0Musg=AFQjCNHLyi30SSgyHUq1kEVlXKtzM1UPWwHICKMAN: #39;Shack#39; is full of bspiritual/b sustenance/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fAttleboro Sun Chronicle,nbsp;MAnbsp;-/font nobr12 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1I admit to being a book snob, leery of quot;bestsellers,quot; especially those on quot;pop bspirituality/b.quot; But when my daughter explained the premise of the book and b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

The spiritual tragedies in Obama#39;s choice of Pastor Rick Warren - Examiner.com

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/8i-0fd=Rurl=http://www.examiner.com/x-806-SF-Spirituality-Examiner~y2009m1d7-The-spiritual-tragedies-in-Obamas-choice-of-Pastor-Rick-Warrencid=1291173460ei=x9tnSfbPCYKQNaDm0J0Musg=AFQjCNGtAnRIQYY-c7lJw2OOK4F8NeF6qQimg src=http://nt0.ggpht.com/news?imgefp=CI83Uq0G7sIJimgurl=image.examiner.com/images/blog/author/img455Bonder-Saniel.jpg width=80 height=67 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Examiner.com/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/8-0fd=Rurl=http://www.examiner.com/x-806-SF-Spirituality-Examiner~y2009m1d7-The-spiritual-tragedies-in-Obamas-choice-of-Pastor-Rick-Warrencid=1291173460ei=x9tnSfbPCYKQNaDm0J0Musg=AFQjCNGtAnRIQYY-c7lJw2OOK4F8NeF6qQThe bspiritual/b tragedies in Obama#39;s choice of Pastor Rick Warren/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fExaminer.comnbsp;-/font nobrJan 7, 2009/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1by Saniel Bonder, SF bSpirituality/b Examiner Most people aren’t thinking a whole lot, right now, about the Pastor Rick Warren/Obama Inauguration controversy. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Spiritual convenience food for the God-shaped hole in your life - Irish Times

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/9-0fd=Rurl=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/world/2009/0109/1231454443296.htmlcid=1291208889ei=x9tnSfbPCYKQNaDm0J0Musg=AFQjCNGYWs_iK4UvviO71ddElJ6zkINH4AbSpiritual/b convenience food for the God-shaped hole in your life/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fIrish Times,nbsp;Irelandnbsp;-/font nobr21 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1The materials offer bite-size bspiritual/b morsels that can be digested in minutes, or even seconds, on the daily commute, aboard airplanes or at the dinner b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Spirituality - Google News

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