The Truth About Halloween

by Carol Kornacki

Halloween, a nice innocent holiday celebrated by the masses? I don’t think so! Everything about the holiday is death and darkness.

I practiced witchcraft for six years. I can personally tell you that the night of October 31st was one of the highest celebrated of the year. It is the night of “Samhein the god of the dead.” It is believed that on this night, Diana the goddess of fertility goes to sleep and the grim reaper, Samhein would wake. He would summon the spirits of the nether world to come up and torment the farmers and the peasants that lived in Britain at the time.

The Druids, a blood drinking priesthood would dress up in ghoulish costumes and roam the countryside threatening the villagers that, if they did not produce a virgin by midnight of the 31st they would cause havoc, the cows would not give their milk and the fields would not produce their crops. (Hence, the costumes and the mantra “trick or treat” that our children utter as they collect their candies) That night a carved squash would be placed on the front porch of the victim’s home with a piece of human fat burning inside. That’s where we get our carved pumpkins. A hexagram would be placed on the front door in blood. During the night there would be fear in the hearts of the farmers.

It is believed by those who practice witchcraft that, on Halloween night the veil between the living and the dead is thinner so spirit travel and necromancy, (communication with the dead) is practiced hardily. Bone fires, (what we refer to as bonfires) were also big. Humans would be burnt alive in wicker baskets offered to the god of the dead. Apple dunking was considered divination. Skeletons, black spiders, bats, ghosts, spirits, death and horror are all part of the celebration of the “Night of Death!”

In modern times the holiday has changed little. Lets look at it realistically. First of all it is a known fact that animal shelters will do an early and complete lockdown because animals are stolen, usually found sacrificed. The candy that our precious children collect will have to be closely investigated due to the tampering that goes on. Razors, poison and other evil goodies have been reported every year. How pitiful!! In some wooded area’s blood will be found from some unfortunate victim. It is a fact that it is a night of orgies. You would be surprised how seriously those who practice Satanism view this night. Come on folks let’s be real. Isn’t there enough death and darkness in the world today?

Aren’t our precious children seeing enough? Should those who are Christians be more protective of their loved ones? Shouldn’t we find an alternative? If I have said it more than once, I will gladly say it again, you don’t see witches showing up on Christmas to celebrate the birth of our wonderful Savior, so why do we celebrate the night of death for the God of death? Something to think about!

Carol Kornacki Ministries was birthed from her dramatic and compelling testimony. Born into a home of alcoholism and violence, Carol suffered from depression from an early age. Her father died after suffering from mental illness, Carol lived in fear of the same demise. As a young woman she left home pregnant and full of hate and bitterness. This lead to a life of alcoholism, drug addiction and a six-year journey into witchcraft and new age philosophy. Her life spiraled into attempted suicide, mental institutions and jail for drugs.

Finally, she was told she had a fatal liver disease that was sure to take her life. Carol was in this condition when a friend invited her to church. She wondered in one night only to be struck by God’s miraculous power. Carol was healed, delivered and set free………..never to be the same. The heart of Carol Kornacki Ministries is to minister to people and to give them hope; to encourage them through God’s mighty Word; to educate and strengthen the body of Christ; and to let every person know that Jesus is Lord and He can and will bring us through until we see Him face to face.

Carol Kornacki Ministries
Post Office Box 78515
Charlotte, NC 28271-7035
704-579-0300
or e-mail us at:
carol@carolkornacki.org

Still in it to Win

I truly believe that for many, this is a season of increase. I believe that the past few months have been really hard, but it’s only because God is preparing His children for the greatness that is to come.

I recently attended a revival at my church, and the word we felt impressed upon is “DOUBLE.” I believe this is the end of our rough season and God just want’s to see who is still in it to win. He is looking for teens that will hold fast to His promises and not grow weary; which I will admit isn’t me at times. But if we hold strong, He is going to pour out a double blessing! Read more

As They Were Going

When He saw them, He said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they were going, they were cleansed. Luke 17:14 NAS

Though brief, Luke gives us a clear picture of what James exhorts the Church in his letter. He tells us that those who hear only–are somehow misleading, even deceiving themselves. In so doing, they are missing out on the fullness of promise. These are those who we hear saying, “Oh, I tried that and it just didn’t work for me.”

But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.  James 1:22

The lepers received in the doing. The clear implication is that, in doubt, they would not have received, being what James tells us is a double-minded man, unable to receive and would have gone away, not only still leprous, with a wrong understanding of God – deluded. (James 1:6-8)

Read more

God’s Secret Law of Seed Time and Harvest

by Ann Stewart

The Kingdom of God is like a grain of mustard seed which, when sown, grows into a big tree that produces shade and fruit for the birds. (Luke 13: 18-19)

To every man is given a measure of faith (Rom. 12: 3) If you have faith in God, everything you desire and declare out loud shall be done (Mark 11: 22 – 25) in the Name of the Lord. It pleases Him to give you the Kingdom. Read more

A UNA MUJER QUE ATRAVIESA HORRENDA LUCHA

Mujer:

Tú no estás sola. Te puede faltar tu esposo, amigos, hijos y aún familiares.

Pero aunque sientas que todos te han abandonado, recuerda que Dios nunca te ha dejado. Él no te desampara porque es quien te está dando las fuerzas para que puedas continuar. Él te acompaña en las noches cuando desolada lloras queriendo morir o desaparecer. Read more

Cranberry Pumpkin Bread

1 cup pumpkin
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon orange zest
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries

In a mixing bowl, beat pumpkin, sugar, milk, eggs, orange zest and butter. Combine dry ingredients; stir into pumpkin mixture. Fold in walnuts and cranberries. Pour into a greased loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 70 minutes. Cool in pan for 10 minutes; remove to wire rack to cool.

The Commanded Blessing

by Wanda K. Harris (Author)

Do you know Gods plan for your life? Are you wandering around aimlessly lost, wondering what Gods plan is for your life or feeling defeated and ready to throw in the towel? If so, your wandering days are over! Your life matters to God and today as you step out in faith to seek Gods direction in your life and/or ministry, youve positioned yourself on the right path toward discovering His provision to live a powerful life! In her timely release, The Commanded Blessing, Rev. Wanda Harris shares the life of Elijah and how God supernaturally provided for him as he discovered and fulfilled Gods plan for his life even when he became discouraged and was ready to give up on life. Through personal testimonies and biblical teaching, this The Commanded Blessing explains through observing the life of Elijah how you, too, can discover Gods blessings of provision commanded just for you to live a powerful life and fulfill your destiny.

Why Do I Do What I Do?

by Kimberly Davidson

If your mind was a movie screen for everyone to view, what would they see? Would your screenplay be rated G, R, or NC-17? The Apostle Paul confessed, “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do, I do not do, but what I hate I do. I have the desire to carry out good but cannot carry it out” (Romans 7:15; 18).

Ever feel this way? Maybe everyday! Aristotle said, “We are what we repeatedly do.” If we want to understand why we do what we don’t want to do, why we think and act negatively, then we must come to the realization we do not understand ourselves as well as we think we do.

Even as a Christian, my mind continued to create negative thoughts, which translated into bad feelings and behaviors. Not only was my mind and heart tormented, but so was my physical body. I was diagnosed with lupus, gastritis, and shingles. No question, what you think influences your biological body. Toxic thinking can manifest itself in bodily symptoms such as cancer, diabetes, allergies, to name a few.1

Looking at the different personality roles we have created in life allows us to better understand why we do what we do, so we might choose better alternatives. We all begin life hardwired with a soul. As life unfolds, we collect psychological data in the form of experiences (a process that starts in the womb). As we absorb experiences, they are transformed into memories, which shape our learned responses, which, in turn, affect what we make of new experiences. We see this when young babies and their mothers interact.

As we grow up our personality starts to take form and we develop multiple roles over time. I start as a child creating roles in response to my relationship with my parents and my birth order. I form new roles as I begin to interact and relate in school and move forward with life. Today my roles are wife, daughter, women’s pastor, step-grandmother, friend, sister, and God’s daughter. I act differently depending on what role I’m playing.

The ability to play roles is part of the normal person’s ability for relating with others. Jesus had different personality roles. One moment he is lambasting the Pharisees with words intended to break their hardened hearts, then we see him comforting a child, and the next minute he is lovingly disciplining and teaching an adulterous woman.

When I first encounter the heavenly Father, I may try to relate to him through one of my existing roles, often the one formed in response to my earthly father—the daughter role. Some of us come into a new relationship with God and have a flawed image or expectation of him.

One reason we hold false perceptions of God is our tendency to project onto God the unloving characteristics of the people we look up to, who is usually our earthly dad. If my dad abused me in any form, then God most likely is demanding or angry or remote. It will be hard for me to relate to God lovingly.

The roles we develop are in response to other people (usually our parents) who have expectations for us and reward specific behaviors. If the expectations were not met, we were punished in some way. Then we develop a role that will exist in conflict, like the perfectionist, performer, or the victim.

My father has a powerful choleric temperament (meaning self-confident, likes to be in control and make all the decisions). To please him, a leading role emerged—the compliant, people-pleaser, which I’ll call Role A. I also lived in several communities where women were defined by their perfected “Cover Girl” mask. In order to be accepted another role emerged, Role B—the (perceived) perfect Kimberly. Unconsciously, I fought against these roles so I created a new role, my rebel, suppressed role, Role C.

When Role C, gets out, it rebels because it’s impossible to maintain the people-pleaser, perfect Cover Girl mask. It binges on food and alcohol and likes to party, because it doesn’t get what it’s seeking. Once the toxic episode subsides, the rebellious woman feels guilty and ashamed and retreats. Role A, the dominant survival personality, then comes out.

Personality roles change to cope with different situations. Even my husband has a different role when he is around my dad. When he feels confronted, a new role emerges—one I don’t particularly like. As he puts it, it’s his “survival-male” role. (By the way, I love my dad. He’s a wonderful man.) Most of us have developed a survival personality, a Cover Girl mask, which makes us feel in control.

Our primary role may change suddenly. A daughter may have to take on the primary role of mother if her mother dies or becomes incapacitated. Talk about super-sizing your emotions! Life is constantly distracting and pressing our buttons, usually when we least expect it.

Are you beginning to understand why you do what you do? We are also made up of all of our memories and life experiences that are responsible for our sense of identity and the way we interact with others. Personally, my memory bank contains a lot of data labeled “rejection” which causes me unconsciously to put up walls. What I never realized is that these walls gave me an illusion of safety. What they really did was prevent me from getting what I needed to become whole.

When I am born-again, my heavenly Father calls me into relationship with him. I have a new role as God’s daughter. This new part of my personality is “born of the Spirit” (John 3:8). My old life was centered around myself and hiding my problems. There is a new me existing in intimacy with the newly indwelling Spirit of God.

I am a new creation because Jesus lives in me (John 14:20). God himself is now working in me. That takes the pressure off us. God is now our image manager. But, we still have to do something: submit in complete dependence so the Holy Spirit can do his work. When we do, we find God putting us in places and situations we never dreamed of. The whole truth of our identification and image is achieved when we set our entire heart and mind on Jesus Christ.

Kimberly Davidson received her MA in specialized ministry from Western Seminary and BA in health sciences and nutrition from the University of Iowa. She is a biblical counselor and coach, and founder of Olive Branch Outreach. Kimberly speaks at church conferences and schools to reach youth and women with her messages and offers dynamic workshops on issues such as spiritual transformation, mind renewal, low self-esteem, and negative body image. She is the author of Breaking the Cover Girl Mask, I’m God’s Girl? Why Can’t I Feel It? and I’m Beautiful? Why Can’t I See It?

Inspirational Ink: Insight for a Woman’s Life

WHAT I LEARNED FROM SUNDAY BASKET MEETING

by Tammi Ector Fisse

Throughout my childhood, autumn meant time for Sunday Basket Meeting. Less country folk may have referred to it as our family reunion. Although my brother and I were city kids and far too cool to let on that a trip to a backwoods town in Kentucky was anything special, on the morning of the trip excitement swirled around us, tangible as the leaves falling from the trees. Still, we were Cincinnatians and had an image to maintain. Little did we know it, but we “city slickers” could stand to learn a lesson or two from our “country bumpkin” cousins. Read more

2009 Fall Makeup Trends

Fall is here and we’ve put away our sandals and sun dresses in exchange for cashmere cardigans, wool coats and knee high boots. So what is the best makeup look to compliment the 2009 fall/winter season? CLICK HERE to take a look at this years color palette for the season. Read more

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