Prayers, Donations Pour in for Steven Curtis Chapman Family

Reprinted by permission of The Christian Post

By Katherine T. Phan
Christian Post Reporter
Thu, Jun. 05 2008 10:32 AM ET

Shaohannah’s Hope, the adoption and orphan care ministry founded by music artist Steven Curtis Chapman and his wife, reported that it has been overwhelmed with donations to honor Chapman's daughter Maria Sue.

The organization has raised over $310,000 toward Maria's Miracle Fund in just two weeks, the ministry announced Tuesday. A report by The Associated Press Thursday puts that amount to $360,000. Thousands have contributed to the fund, which honors the Christian singer's 5-year-old adopted daughter, who tragically died on May 21 after being accidentally struck by a car driven by her older brother.

Additionally, over 19,000 people have posted their prayers and condolences to the Chapman family on a blog site dedicated to Maria Sue that is accessible from the ministry's website.

"People have not just been praying for the Chapman family, but crying out to God for them and their healing," Scott Hasenbalg, the ministry's executive director, said in a statement.

Chapman and his wife established Shaohannah’s Hope in 2003 after adopting Shaohannah from China. The organization, based in Franklin, Tenn., helps reduce the financial burden of adoption by giving away grants to participating Christian couples. Over 1,600 families have benefited from grants averaging $3,000 from the ministry, according to The Associated Press.

Maria, who had celebrated her fifth birthday just days before she passed away, was the youngest of three daughters the couple had adopted from China. Following her death, the Chapmans had requested that donations be given to Shaohannah's Hope Ministry in lieu of flowers.

Although the Chapman family is still going through "extreme sorrow," Hasenbalg said the Christian singer recently pointed to the cross and said it is "the resurrection of Jesus that will get us through this, but it doesn't mean it won't be hard," according to The Associated Press.

The Chapmans said they will work with the group's board of directors to decide how to spend the money, as reported by The Tennessean. Hasenbalg said the incident has given the ministry a "deeper sense of responsibility" to help more families looking to adopt.

"We are committed to working hard together as a team to be a good steward of the support that has been poured into this ministry," he added.

"We are filled with sadness for this tragedy, but also gratitude to all who has responded with their love, prayers and support.”


Copyright 2008 The Christian Post. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

New Columnist at Dakota Voice

I am pleased to announce that Dakota Voice will be adding columnist Marie Jon' to our regular lineup.

Marie Jon' is a political/religious-based writer and founder of www.DrawingClose.org — a sister website to RenewAmerica.

She has been published at ChronWatch and ABC News, and is a regular columnist at Capitol Hill Coffee House, RenewAmerica, The Conservative Voice and many others.

Marie is a nurse, a lay student of the Bible, and a patriot. She is an advocate for American troops serving abroad, as well as the Blue and Gold Star Mothers of America and their families.

Welcome to Dakota Voice, Marie!

Anniversary of the Six Day War

American Minute from William J. Federer

JUNE 5, 1967, the Six-Day War began. Egypt sent 80,000 troops and 900 tanks to attack Israel. Jordan and Syria, with Soviet weapons, violently shelled Jerusalem and Israeli villages. Cairo radio announced: "The hour has come in which we shall destroy Israel."

The hot line between Washington and Moscow was used for the first time.

In a surprise move, Israeli Air Force destroyed 400 Egyptian planes, courageously drove Syria from the Golan Heights and captured all of Jerusalem.

In a CBS-TV interview, Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion stated: "In Israel, in order to be a realist you must believe in miracles."

Seven months after the War, on Jan. 7, 1968, President Lyndon B. Johnson toasted Israeli Prime Minister Levi Eshkol, saying: "Welcome to our family table...All Americans-and all Israelis-know...that none...can ever live by bread alone...One of your ancestors said it for all men almost 2,000 years ago...for peace it is written, 'pursue it.' That is our intention in the Middle East...To pursue peace...If we are wise, if we are fortunate, if we work together - perhaps our Nation and all nations may know the joys of that promise God once made about the children of Israel: 'I will make a covenant of peace with them...it shall be an everlasting covenant.'"

William J. Federer is a nationally recognized author, speaker, and president of Amerisearch, Inc, which is dedicated to researching our American heritage. The American Minute radio feature looks back at events in American history on the dates they occurred, is broadcast daily across the country and read by thousand on the internet.

Greece in Uproar over Homosexual 'Marriage'

Reprinted by permission of The Christian Post

By Joshua Goldberg
Christian Post Reporter
Wed, Jun. 04 2008 07:18 PM ET

Heated controversy erupted in Greece Tuesday after the mayor of Tilos, a small island in the Aegean sea, stood over the nation’s first gay “marriage” ceremony. In total, 30 couples were wed.

Response from government officials throughout Greece – a conservative, Christian Orthodox nation – was furious and prompt. Officials said gay “marriage” was illegal under the law, and were investigating a prosecution case against the mayor for “breach of conduct.”

"There is no legal framework for the holding of same-sex weddings in Greece," Greek Justice Minister Sotiris Hatzigakis explained in a statement.

Mayor Anastassis Aliferis, a self described socialist, however, said that he would block any attempts to see the marriages annulled.

"I have no intention of annulling the marriages," he told Agence France-Presse.

Aliferis has sided with gay rights groups in claiming that the country’s constitution does not specify that marriage is “between a man or woman.”

"Under European law, there can be no discrimination, and I hope the authorities keep that in mind to avoid ridiculing our country," he said.

According to a poll conducted in April by Ethnos daily, a plurality of Greeks surveyed said they were opposed to gay “marriage.” Over 48 percent said they “oppose the legalization of same-sex relations.”

Also, the Greek Orthodox Church also officially frowns upon homosexuality. In a 2004 statement, the late head Archbishop Christodoulos called homosexuality a “defect.”

Copyright 2008 The Christian Post. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Big (Taxpayer) Bucks for Abortion

After looking at Planned Parenthood's latest annual report, I'd be tempted to say they were making a killing...if it wasn't such a sick joke.

Page 16 of the report shows Planned Parenthood's balance sheet. Last year they received over $1 billion in revenue. That's BILLION with a B.

Of course, YOU kicked in about 1/3 of that. What, you didn't know you helped Planned Parenthood make that $1 billion last year? $337 million in government grants and contracts went to Planned Parenthood. And since the government can only get it's money from YOU, you, the taxpayer, paid for 1/3 of Planned Parenthood's income.

The nation's largest abortion provider brought in $357 million from their "health centers." Having performed 289,750 abortions in 2006, a substantial chunk of that $357 million must have come at the expense of hundreds of thousands of dead children.

Do we really want to continue taxpayer funding for this kind of bloodshed?

For that matter, do we really want to continue this kind of bloodshed, period?