Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Susan went from being "single" to "in a relationship."


One of the girls at your lunch table is dating a jerk. They’ve been together for a while, but everyone knows she’s too good for him and nobody understands why she puts up with him. You tell her, “He’s just using you,” and “You deserve so much better!” but to no avail. She defends his antics, assuring everyone that he’s not as bad as he sounds, and “If you guys knew him like I know him, you’d understand.” Everyone sympathetically shakes their heads and sighs as she stares at her phone again, wondering what he really meant by that text message.

Then one Friday, purely out of the blue, she marches to the lunch table, plunks her lunch tray down on the table, and declares, “I’m done. It’s over.” Jaws drop, eyes widen, and everyone scoots in, eager to hear more. “The things he says and does are not okay, and I am sick of enabling him. From now on, I am only dating guys who respect me and what I stand for.” You and your friends devote the rest of the day providing supportive text messages, warm hugs, and declarations of “I’m so proud of you.”

In English class, you whisper to another friend, “So, do you think it’s too good to be true?” She shrugs and whispers back, “Let’s just do whatever we can to help her see that this really is what’s best.” You invite your group of friends over to your house for a girls’ night in her honor and all seven of you stay up talking, laughing, and eating ice cream until two in the morning.

Sunday night, you log onto Facebook and before you even get a chance to upload the album from Friday, you see that nasty little heart announcing to the world that they are in a relationship. “Cute,” you think, “18 people like this.” You scroll over it and, sure enough, all of his friends and their girlfriends are thrilled about it. You click over to her profile and your stomach knots as you read her status: “Sometimes you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone. I’m so sorry I made you doubt my commitment. Thank you for always forgiving my stupid mistakes. 10.18.11 <3 Together forever <3” 16 people, who clearly aren’t clued in on the situation, like this.

I was disappointed, though admittedly not shocked, when Susan G. Komen for the Cure publicly apologized for having the prudence and courage to withdraw their financial support of Planned Parenthood. I had hoped that we could make Komen feel right at home “on this side of the fence,” but they have abandoned their bravery and “gotten back together” with an organization that pretends to help save lives but, in reality, ends life. Maybe in the future, with our support and encouragement, Komen will do what’s truly best for women by using their grants to fund health instead of homicide.

Friday, February 10, 2012

Matt Fradd - Breaking Free from Porn

Sweet video of last night's Life on the Rock show with Matt Fradd! Great guy. Inside this episode Matt tells his conversion story and really gives a clear picture of authentic love - the role of feelings, what infatuation is, the commitment of deep love...and why chastity is necessary for authentic love.


You can visit Matt's website here, as well as take a look at Peter Kreeft's "Battle Plan" for conquering sin in our lives.


Thursday, February 9, 2012

"Throwing Stones at Ocho's Pornography"

John Leyendecker of FOCUS tweets at Ochocinco regarding the use of pornography... and gets a response. Read the whole thing here.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Women Made New

Jason and Crystalina Evert announced today that they have launched a new website focused on sexual healing for women: www.womenmadenew.com. It looks beautiful and I can't wait to explore it more!



Through their new website I also found Celestial magazine, which is dedicated to nurturing the soul of women. Love it!

Here's a sneak peak of Celestial:

"From a young age, we are taught as women that when we grow up we are supposed to "become someone". In the mind and heart of a young girl, the possibilities are endless! The innocence of our youth impelled us to dream and desire things that now seem impossible in our womanhood. So where along the way did we lose these dreams, our innocence, our childlikeness? Can we recapture this all again?" Click here to read the rest.

Saturday, February 4, 2012

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Breakin' up is hard to do: My letter to the Susan G. Komen Foundation

The Susan G. Komen Foundation has denounced its relationship with Planned Parenthood! This is thrilling news for anyone in support of women's health, family life, marriage, the pro-life movement...

This is a bold move that could very well result in the loss of many of the Foundations' supporters, so I encourage you to write them a letter, assuring them that they have gained your support. Not sure what to say? Here's the letter I sent them today. Feel free to copy:

To whom it may concern:

I am personally grateful that you have severed ties with Planned Parenthood. Thank you for taking this important step in women's health. I look forward to supporting your work in preventing breast cancer through mammograms (which, as I understand it, Planned Parenthood does not provide) and other services. Although severing your relationship with Planned Parenthood was likely a difficult choice, it is truly necessary, because an abundance of studies indicate that abortion and oral contraception (to which Planned Parenthood can direct more funds while someone else foots the bill for other services) increase a woman's risk of breast cancer. By cutting ties with Planned Parenthood, the Susan G. Komen foundation is refusing to fund what it fights. Thank you for your commitment to the cure.

Kelly O'Brien


I sent my letter to news@komen.org. If letters ought to be addressed to someone else in the Foundation, please let me know!