_{Today I'm kicking off a new guest blog series called "Out & About Guest Blog," with Karen Wolff of Christian-Books-for-Women.com. This is your opportunity to hear from someone other than me! Periodically, I will go "out and about" in the online Christian community and invite guest bloggers to share their thoughts and insights about the Christian life with you.}

Happy Mother's Day!

I like being a mom. Of course, how much I like it depends on what day you ask me. Even though my kids are both technically gone from the nest, the nest still feels pretty full these days. I'm doing as much for my kids now as I did when they were actually here in my house. How did that happen?

Moms are an amazing group. They have the capacity to balance life and all its stuff better than anyone. And talk about the capacity to love? You won't find that special kind of love in any other relationship.

Can you imagine the pain in the heart of Moses' mom when she put him in the river? How could she let him go? She must've been beside herself with grief! I know I would've been.

But every mom in the world also knows that it's not always easy to love your kids all the time. Back in the day, I mean really far back in the day, there was Eve. The first mom. Can you imagine what it was like to have to deal with Cain and Abel? Talk about sibling rivalry run amok! Read more...

Anne Kimberly's Dark Well of Decision is a captivating, inspirational fiction novel for young adults that's not only packed with adventure, but also carries a gospel message for teens. The main character, 13-year-old Zoe, wants to believe in the God of her grandmother, but like any adolescent, she's focused on her own awkwardness. It's not until she finds herself in a desperate situation, lost and struggling to get out of a well, that she realizes Christ is the answer. The story is loaded with biblical truths that Zoe's grandmother has shared with her prior to her fall into the well. Zoe will draw upon these truths, as forces of good versus evil battle against each other.

Dark Well of Decision is Anne Kimberly's first novel, and the work does leave room for improvement. You'll have to look past its amateurish cover and sometimes confusing, sometimes too surreal story line. Yet, the tale is inspired with good biblical messages and the debuting novelist shows strong potential. Guest writer, Venice Kichura gives it 3.5 stars:

• Read Book Review: Dark Well of Decision

A reader, Jan, sent me this email:

I do have a query about Sundays. It seems to me that Peter still attended the Synagogue on the Sabbath in Acts 15:21. So, why and when did we decide that Sunday is set aside for Christ, rather than the Sabbath, or the seventh day of the week?

Many Christians and non-Christians alike have asked this question. After all, in Bible times the Jewish custom was, and still is today, to observe the Sabbath day on Saturday. We'll take a look at why a Saturday Sabbath is no longer observed by most Christian churches and attempt to answer the question, "Why do Christians worship on Sunday?"

• Read: Why do Christians Worship on Sunday?

Do you struggle with overwhelming and sometimes paralyzing fears? While thrill-seekers pursue the gut-twisting, adrenaline-rushing sensation of fear, many of us simply feel helpless in the face of certain fears. Yet, "fear not" is an expression we see repeatedly in the text of the Bible. Jesus spoke the Word of God throughout his ministry. When faced with the devil's lies and temptations, he countered with the truth of God's Word. The spoken Word of God is like a living, active and powerful sword in our mouths (Hebrews 4:12), and if Jesus depended upon it to face challenges in life, so can we. If you need encouragement from God's Word to overcome your fears, take strength from these fear-busting Bible verses about courage:

• Bible Verses About Courage

Also:

• Faith Building Bible Verses
• Prayer for Coping With Fear

With Mother's Day approaching, I thought it would be inspiring to feature your stories about exceptional women who have touched your lives. Today's testimony is Mercy's Favor. Told through the eyes of her son, Roy Okonkwo, this is the story of a poor widowed mother who was falsely accused. Her late husband's relatives fraudulently sold her house without her consent or knowledge. She fought the court case with no money, a house full of children, and only God to defend her. But God was the only defense attorney she needed. For 12 years the battle dragged on, but eventually God granted victory in Mercy's favor.

"Mercy's Favor" is a true story, one of our many featured testimonies from you, the members and visitors of this site. Each story reveals a life transformed by Christian faith. If your relationship with God has made a significant difference in your life, we would like to hear about it. Submit your testimony by filling out this Submission Form. To receive weekly messages of hope and encouragement from real-life stories of changed lives, sign up for eTestimonies.

• Featured Testimony: Mercy's Favor

Does your mom like to read? If so, consider giving her one of these great new books for Mom on Mother's Day. These Christian books can help her relax and enjoy a few quiet moments, dive a little deeper into Bible study, or get better acquainted with some of the women in the Bible.

• Great New Books for Christian Moms For more Mother's Day gift ideas, check out these:
• Gifts to Bless Mom on Mother's Day
• Mother's Day Gifts for Traveling Moms
• Top Gifts for Mothers-to-Be
• Christian Books for Women

"Prayer! America's Strength & Shield"
This is the theme of the 2008 National Day of Prayer, and today, May 1, people of all faiths are urged by the National Day of Prayer Task Force to seek God in personal repentance and prayer for America and its leadership in these seven areas: Family, Church, Education, Government, Military, Business and Media.

• Wondering What to Pray For? Check Out this Prayer Guide.
• Read Dr. Ravi Zacharias' 2008 Prayer for the Nation.
• View the Prayer Theme Video or Download Theme Songs for the Event.
• Find a Local Prayer Event.
• Learn the Basics to Prayer.
• Find Prayers for Every Need.

Today begins the 100-day countdown to the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics. Already in the news, we've been hearing quite a bit about the athletes scheduled to compete August 8-24 in Beijing, China. But something we're less likely to see is a spotlight on the faith of the Christian Olympic athletes. Yet, it's true that throughout history, the lives of Olympic competitors have served to inspire and challenge us on a personal level. I recently had the privilege, through email interviews, to get acquainted with some the Christian athletes bound for Beijing this summer. As I read their answers, my own faith was stirred by these young role models.

Sanya Richards is just one of the Christian athletes you'll get to know. She is engaged to Super Bowl Champion, Aaron Ross, and in the running for a gold medal this summer, but Sanya hasn't let success go to her head. She says, "My faith keeps me grounded. People always ask me how come I'm so good, and even though I try never to overwhelm people with my faith, I always think to myself, how come God is so good. My faith also encourages me to give my best. I know that my talent is God's gift to me, and how I use it is my gift to him."

I have compiled all of the responses from these inspiring Christian athletes into faith profiles that are sure to encourage your faith!

• Faith Profiles of the 2008 Olympic Christian Athletes

This week's post is a member-submitted Christian poem called I Give Up. It is a prayer of surrender to the Lord.

Image: © Davide Guglielmo
I Give Up

Here I am, standing on the edge.
I can't make it alone anymore.
I fall to my knees,
Lord, I give up. Forgive me.
I've come to the place,
Where you are is what I need.
I have no one to blame.
Read more ... I Give Up by Adam Herring.

Do you have an original Christian prayer that would encourage or benefit a fellow believer? Perhaps you've written a unique poem you'd like to share with others. We are looking for Christian prayers and poems to encourage our readers in their communication with God. To submit your original prayer or poem, please fill out this Prayer / Poem Submission Form.

More Christian Prayers:

• Prayer of Devotion
• Prayer of Abandonment
• Prayer for Salvation

With Mother's Day approaching, I thought it would be inspiring to feature your stories about exceptional women who have touched your lives. Today's testimony is Dara's Legacy, a story of thanksgiving for the godly women in Dara's life. Each one has passed down a legacy of holy living and genuine faith in God. Dara's prayer is to follow in their footsteps and leave a legacy of godliness that will eternally influence the lives of her own children and grandchildren.

Dara's true story is one of our many featured testimonies from you, the members and visitors of this site. Each story reveals a life transformed by Christian faith. If your relationship with God has made a significant difference in your life, we would like to hear about it. Submit your testimony by filling out this Submission Form. To receive weekly messages of hope and encouragement from real-life stories of changed lives, sign up for eTestimonies.

• Featured Testimony: Dara's Legacy