Alannah Francis
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God's pruning process for Christians: How is God pruning you?
The prospect of pruning can be pretty off putting if we're still attached to the things that we know God is telling us to separate from. But the act of pruning is done out of love, in order to stimulate growth. Understanding the purpose of pruning is key if we're to appreciate it as a positive exercise when we're called to do it in our lives.
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11 Bible verses which reveal the nature of sacrifice
Sacrifice is a reoccurring theme in the Christian faith. We're called to offer ourselves as living sacrifices, to sacrifice certain comforts and it's all in response to God's grace and love for us which is illustrated by Jesus' ultimate sacrifice as payment for our sins.
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6 Bible verses on spiritual renewal for Christians
As we approach a new year, our minds tend to turn to fresh starts. But we don't have to wait for a new year, new month or even a new day to affect change, experience change in our lives and leave our old ways and bad habits behind. One of the benefits of accepting Jesus as our saviour is the promise of spiritual renewal.
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Not the biggest Justin Bieber fan? Here's something you'll agree with him on
As Justin Bieber celebrates his 22nd birthday today, we take a look back at the warning he issued to his fans in a recent interview with a UK newspaper. You might not agree with Bieber on a whole host of things but you'd be hard pressed to argue against him when he says...
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Christians and Tattoos: Historical body art has Christian connection
It's not uncommon for non-Christians to adorn their skin with Christian-related designs - Bible verses, Bible-inspired imagery or iconic Christian symbols. However, there's one type of design that, until now, many may not have fully appreciated for its Christian influence...
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Christian health worker suspended for praying with Muslim colleague launches legal challenge
A Christian health worker has launched a legal challenge in response to her suspension after she was accused of attempting to convert a Muslim colleague to Christianity.
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Selena Gomez joins Hillsong Young and Free worship band for special performance of 'Nobody'
Selena Gomez treated Hillsong Young and Free concertgoers to a surprise performance last week. Gomez, who is a Hillsong regular, took to the stage alongside Hillsong's Young and Free worship band at LA's Belasco Theatre to give the audience a live rendition of her song Nobody.
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How Bible teaching on temptation can guide us as Christians today
As Christians, we face temptation every single day. As we make our way through Lent, it's a topic that many of us are thinking about more than ever. Jesus' words to his disciples give us a great starting point to thinking about how can we can work to tackle temptation today.
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Forget Serial, here are the 5 Podcasts with a Christian twist that you need to be listening to
Podcasts are back and this time they're better than ever. You may have been a keen listener of the hugely popular Serial or any number of the equally well-received audio offerings that have been part of the latest craze but when it comes to podcasts with a faith angle, how many make your list?
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Kanye West's latest music artwork combines imagery of the Bible and the Quran. Is it offensive?
No stranger to controversy, Kanye West has again stirred up debate over his latest release. The 38-year-old rapper published an image to accompany his most recent collaboration to the social networking platform Twitter. The image features a white book with the word...
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Feeling discouraged? Here are 9 Bible verses to help restore your confidence
Even when things aren't necessarily going according to our plan, God has a plan for each and every single one of us. Being patient and trusting in God's Word are both great ways to conquer discouragement, so here are nine Bible verses that we can take comfort from.
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5 helpful tips on how to choose your church
Church is an important element of Christian life. With this in mind, making the right decision to attend a specific church is key in fostering the commitment that we have to that church.